Thank you, next. Believe it or not, 2024 is officially coming to a close. As we ready for the City of Oaks’ next chapter, we tapped our team for their 2025 Raleigh resolutions—aka what they want to see for the city next year. Let’s hope it’s an era to remember!
“A pro sports team” —Melissa Howsam, Editor-in-Chief, @mahowsam
Hoop, there it is! Raleigh will host its first NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Regional in 2028—one of eight NCAA championship and regional events Greater Raleigh was recently awarded.
All aboard! Amtrak’s new route, the Floridian, will offer a direct line from Raleigh to the Midwest beginning Nov. 10.
RDU is going electric. The airport is adding eight more electric buses to its existing fleet of 10 late next year to transport airportgoers between passenger terminals and remote parking lots.
Check out the brains on Brad. NC State, UNC and Duke made U.S. News and World Report’s Best National University Rankings, with NCSU clocking in at No. 58.
Raleigh was named one of the top 10 metros for new apartment construction anticipated in the next five years by RentCafe, with 11,174 apartments anticipated to open by 2028.
Following the City of Raleigh’s approval of new enhanced safety requirements for motorized vehicles during parades—including safety checks, training and more—the Veterans Day Parade in November was once again canceled for the second year in a row.
Stop scrolling. … NC Attorney General Josh Stein—plus 12 additional attorneys general—are suing TikTok, claiming its addictive and mentally, emotionally and physically harmful to children.
“She’s funny and has great taste in milk,” says the fan-fave NC State basketball legend of one of NC’s 38,000 dairy cows that played the role of supporting actor in his video shoot. After all, chocolate milk is a “great recovery drink for sports and a great way to fuel a championship run.” For more moo-ving content, turn to p. 21 for packed intel on the Wolfpack men’s and women’s legendary run. … Got milk?
Duel Pack Final Four showings usher in a peak athletic moment—and an economic boon for NC.
Wolfpack Nation made this March Madness one for the books while proving hoop dreams can come true (hey, “new epicenter of college bball”!) via our men’s and women’s basketball teams dancing down the road to the Final Four.
And Raleigh went wild—NTM ACC nation and, well, the whole nation. Fandom was at a fever pitch and all eyes were on our fair city as our Pack men played through a wildly unprecedented nine-game win streak at the mercy of a game buzzer beater against UVA that sent State to the ACC Championship—and, ultimately, its first Final Four appearance since 1983. Exemplifying the “survive and advance” motif at its finest, the miracle ~march~ defied the odds—given a pre-tourney 0.9% chance of making the Final Four and a 0.1% chance of securing the championship.
And, then, well—“Why not both?” Legends in their own right, the Wolfpack women drew millions of viewers and fanfare as they alley-ooped their first Final Four appearance since 1998—the ultimate assist in giving female sports the moment it’s always deserved (see Jason Sudeikis sporting a “Everyone Watches Women’s Sports” shirt at the women’s championship).
While our duo of ballin’ teams took the L after their faceoffs against Purdue and South Carolina, respectively, we’d be remiss not to consider the wild ride a win in itself. Beyond all the sports-related hype (DJ as America’s Sweetheart?!), NC State wasn’t just part of the conversation—it was the conversation. And, naturally, our region’s local economy took a dub, with fans flocking to rep and revel at a lineup of watchworthy hot spots (s/o to the Hillsborough Street block party feat. a big screen and packed street), the red Belltower, the Free Expression Tunnel mural—and funneling funds to local retailers touting celebratory merch.
Get to know the man, the myth, the NC State basketball legend. We got exclusive intel from DJ Burns himself after his magical March Madness run. Introducing our legen-dairy cover star (s/o to his cow friend). Here, the moo-ving content…
Go-to Howling Cow order? Strawberry or Wolf Tracks
Fave spot on campus? The Free Expression Tunnel or Dail Basketball Center
Hot take on the Final Four hype? It’s been an absolute blessing—and it’s cool to be recognized for all our hard work.
Fave part of March Madness? Mike’s game winner against Virginia by far!
Basketball star inspo? LeBron James—he’s my favorite basketball player of all time!
2/1, Thursdays Hammered Trivia Test your trivia smarts on the weekly with your crew, with brews to boost your brain power, natch. Can you crank out a win?! crankarmbrewing.com
2/1 NC State Women’s Basketball vs. UNC Get pumped, Pack! #GTHC. gopack.com
2/1 Romantic Reds Love is in the glass. … Fall head over heels for the unique Italian grape varieties used to produce “romantic wines”—plus fill up on food pairings like Bolognese pasta and prosciutto di Parma. We can feel the love tonight! vitishouse.com
2/1–2 Southern Farm Show It’s almost growing season! The largest agricultural expo in the Carolinas and Virginia is planting roots at the NC State Fairgrounds with exhibitors, agricultural meetings, workshops and trainings. … And there’s a whole lot moo-re where that came from. ncstatefair.org
2/1–3 American Aquarium Calling all American Aquarium drinkers (!). Assassin down the avenue for three nights with this brood of alternative country Raleigh natives—it will be “all you need.” lincolntheatre.com
2/1–3 Geoffrey Asmus Get schooled on stand-up via this multitime college grad boasting seven degrees—and hopefully a few laughworthy bits. Silly—er, smart—move? goodnightscomedy.com
2/1–3 Triangle Wine & Food Experience Make sure to don your most comfy stretchy pants during this three-day affair including lavish dinners, curated tastings and a grand auction—all benefiting the Frankie Lemmon School & Developmental Center. trianglewinefood.org
2/1–18 Rhapsody in Blue Feeling blue? Not for long. Lose yourself in the brilliance of ballet and George Gershwin’s masterful musical composition via the opening program of Carolina Ballet’s 2024 spring season at Fletcher. En pointe, indeed! carolinaballet.com
2/2 Roxbury Dance Party What is love? Well, a movie-themed dance party of course. Join Little City Brewing in “A Night at the Roxbury” for some super-fly ’90s vibes and music that will certainly keep you bopping all night long. Let’s raise the roof! @saulgoodmgmt
2/2 Theo Von “Nothing changes if nothing changes.” The rat—aka Theo Von, host of the wildly popular This Past Weekend podcast—is back on tour with funnies galore. Catch him if you can! pncarena.com
2/2–3 Akeem Woods Into the woods—OK, the comedy club—for two nights of high spirits and hilarity with this NYC Comedy Cellar regular, also seen on season two of HBO’s Pause. goodnightscomedy.com
2/2–3 CrimeScene Mystery Bookfest Ready for a killer weekend? Head to the “CrimeScene” for author panels, drinks and hors d’oeuvres —oh, my! Translation: Mingle with award-winning mystery novelists during Friday night’s “Killer Cocktail” party, and hear from esteemed authors + see who won the 2024 Beltie Mystery Prize on Saturday. And keep up the bloody good times with an overnight stay in the Fearrington House Inn. fearrington.com
2/2, 4 The Barber of Seville It’s an operatic love story at Memorial Auditorium… and it’s chock-full of bribery, deception, disguise—and maybe a dash of romance? The show must go on! ncopera.org
2/2–18 Nate the Great Sleuth out the case of Annie’s missing painting—and why Mom is all out of pancakes—with the world’s greatest boy detective. raleighlittletheatre.org
2/3 NC State vs. Georgia Tech Buzz off, Yellow Jackets! After all, a sting is no match for the Pack’s bite. gopack.com
2/3–4 Astronomy Days Ready for liftoff? Prepare for a celestial adventure launching right into the amazing aspects of the universe via tech, telescopes, scientist talks and hands-on activities. To infinity and beyond! naturalsciences.org
2/3–4 Fairy Tale Tea Once upon a time, in a faraway land, Marbles hosted a tea party filled with magical treats, dazzling activities and fanciful encounters with all your fave storybook characters. Don’t forget to don your sparkling gowns and crowns! marbleskidsmuseum.org
2/3–4 Marbles Kids Museum Free Admission This one’s for all the marbles! If you’re a Bank of America, Merrill or Bank of America Private Bank cardholder, clear your calendar for the first weekend of each month for free admission to Raleigh’s very own creative and interactive sanctuary where your kids can play with purpose. marbleskidsmuseum.org
2/3–26 Living in Color Live colorfully and celebrate Black History Month via a curated exhibition, kicking off with an opening reception Feb. 3 feat. spoken word and theatrical dance performances, live music, drinks and more. dixpark.org
2/5 NC State Women’s Basketball vs. Louisville It’s looking like a slam-dunk against the Cardinals. Hoop to see you there! gopack.com
2/6 Canucks vs. Hurricanes Canadiens, eh? Tune in to see the Canes give the Northerners a run for their money. pncarena.com
2/7 Valentine’s Cookie Decorating Class Relation-chip goals! Try your hand at creating some *lovely* cookies for V-day—whether you decorate for your loved ones or with them, you’ll be sure to bake their day. peckandplume.com
2/7 Ole Wines and Tapas Wine, dine and learn a thing or two with chef Doreen Colondres during this masterclass on one of the most delicious dining and drinking destinations in the world: Spain. Sip, dip, hooray! vitishouse.com
2/7 Pittsburgh vs. NC State Big cat got your tongue? Not on our court. gopack.com
2/7 Toast to Our Stars In honor of Tap Yard’s Best Bars win, they’re rolling out the red carpet for a customer appreciation party complete with exclusive drink specials, food, giveaways and more. Be sure to don your most elegant ’fit for the boujee bash! @tapyardraleigh
