by Laura Brummett | Oct 2, 2024 | Do, October 2024
A new speaker event aims to inspire.
Lights, camera, inspiration. A new series of speaker events is debuting at The Rialto this fall. Enter TinyTalks Raleigh, the brainchild of father-daughter duo Grace and Mike Palmer. Founded on their shared love of stories and community building, the first event is being hosted at the historic theater Oct. 9, with the goal to deliver a fresh and intimate way to connect with some of the area’s most interesting individuals.
Think of it like a mini TED Talk meets social mixer. The event will feature multiple speakers, each given 10 minutes to share their stories, supported by a simple PowerPoint to highlight key moments. With speakers like Shibumi Shade co-founder Dane Barnes, Sir Walter Miler co-founder Sandy Roberts and Director of the NC Science Trail Dr. April Smith, TinyTalks invites locals to share personal stories.
“We’re excited to share the Shibumi story with the Raleigh community and connect with others to learn from their ideas,” says Barnes.
The October event will be the first of an ongoing series, with the Palmers planning to host about one per quarter (or four a year). Speaker lineups will range from entrepreneurs to influencers and everyone in between.
And in the name of sparking meaningful conversations, attendees will enjoy connection periods before and after the presentations where mingling is encouraged.
“My dad and I, we’ve always naturally shared curiosity and really enjoy hearing people’s stories and experiences,” shares Grace. “So, ultimately, this idea was kind of a natural extension of that.”
Know someone with a story that needs sharing—or got the speaking bug yourself? Nominate you or a friend to be a future speaker. Oct. 9, 6–8:30pm, tickets $10 in advance online, $15 day of, tinytalksraleigh.com
by Raleigh Magazine | Aug 2, 2023 | Do, July/August 2023
Through 8/13
The Prom
What do you get when you combine small town prom drama with quirky Broadway stars? A spectacular show. Grab a seat at Theatre Raleigh to relive the high school glory days and see how a town unexpectedly comes together. Keep calm and prom on! theatreraleigh.com
8/3
Holler Choir
We have a crossroads to thank for these roots musicians coming together. And may the common thread run on and through NC State’s Centennial Campus. Play on! thatstation.net
8/3
Jazz in the Square
Ya like jazz? Settle down in Moore Square for a live performance from Shrub(b) feat. food trucks and smooth tunes. Perf summer evening plans? Found. downtownraleigh.org
8/3
Parlor Pizza Night
Wanna pizza this? Grab a slice of fresh Neapolitan-style pizza compliments of chef Alejandro Contreras of Tepuy Pizza. And don’t miss the Italian-inspired cocktails, Italian wine list and local beers. Cheers! @heightshouseparlor
8/4
Eric Church & Cody Jinks
“Oh, Carolina, ya keep callin’ me home.” … The country legend brings his love letter to his home state to the Creek for a can’t-miss show after another “record year.” walnutcreekamphitheatre.com
8/4
The Rocket Man Show
It’s flamboyant, it’s fun-loving, it’s got feeling—it’s an Elton John tribute show! Don’t miss the recreated magic of our fave 1970s piano fiend/rock ’n’ roll icon storming around the stage at DPAC. Hold us closer! dpacnc.com
8/4
Sir Walter Miler
Lace up your sneaks for a race and a special lager (!) by Sir Walter Running and Blackbird Brewery at Meredith College for the 10th year running. @sirwaltermiler
8/4–5
Beer, Bourbon, & BBQ Festival
Brew it. Taste it. Sip it. Pork it. … And get piggy with it at Koka Booth via 60+ beers, 40+ bourbons, globs of BBQ & bluegrass galore—plus allll the fixins & local vendors. Talk about a smoke show. cary.beerandbourbon.com
8/5
Drawing Meditation Workshop
Art 🤝 self-care. Learn how art and intuition combine via exercises created to engage the mind and “meditative mark-making.” Let’s get arted! ncartmuseum.org
8/5
Slightly Stoopid and Sublime
The ultimate sublime night of reggae rock awaits—and is sure to leave you feeling “on top of the world.” concerts.livenation.com
8/5–6
NC Pet Expo
What’s up dog? Ap-paws all around for this two-day expo at the NC State Fairgrounds where all your furry, feathered and scaly needs are under one woof—from finding your next best friend to pawsome pet costume contests, demos and more, NTM the two-day Carolina DockDogs event. Bonus: donations are split among participating rescues. ncpetexpo.com
8/6
Barbie Brunch & Mixology
Hi, Barbie (!). Grab your gals and your pals for a pinked out brunch + two DIY cocktails. Good Kenergy, indeed! eventbrite.com
8/6
Snoop Dogg
The Dogg is in the house (!). Raise the hypothetical roof at Walnut Creek with a rapper and actor who knows how to drop it like it’s hot. … Bitch, please. livenation.com
8/8
Trophy Trail Club, monthly
Gear up for group biking around town—starting at Trophy Maywood and venturing to NCSU’s Centennial Campus trails or the nearby greenway. Ride on! trophybrewing.com
8/9
History at High Noon: Hidden Beneath Their Waves
Sink below the surface for waves of intel lurking within NC’s recreational lakes—from ghost towns and sunken plane crashes to graves and other historic lore. Ready to dive in? ncmuseumofhistory.org
by Lauren Kruchten | Jun 30, 2019 | Do, July/August 2019, Top Reads
The Sir Walter Miler makes watching track fun.
For Sandy Roberts, what began as an impromptu attempt to run a mile in less than four minutes turned into a nationally celebrated track event held annually here in Raleigh. Six years ago, the post-collegiate runner was finding it difficult to get into big-name track meets, so Roberts decided to create his own at Cardinal Gibbons High School.
The plan was to make a night of his attempt to run a sub-four minute mile. He recruited his friend, Pat Price, to emcee the event and his brother, college track coach Logan Roberts, to pace him. The trio invited a handful of friends to come watch but more than 500 people showed up. In the spur of the moment, it was Price who decided to have the spectators cheer Roberts on from the track itself rather than from the stands. That way, he figured, fans could get closer to the action and feel like they were a part of the race.
Roberts didn’t clock in under four minutes that night but he saw big potential in the event, which he, Logan and Price dubbed the “Sandman Mile.” “It was a really special night,” Roberts says. “We tapped into something that makes track, and the mile itself, feel relevant.”
Now, the Sir Walter Miler happens each year in August at Meredith College, with qualifying pop-up mile runs held throughout June. In addition to men’s and women’s elite mile runs, the Sir Walter Miler features run club relays which bring local running clubs together to compete in relay races against one another, as well as a fun, gimmicky race that’s unique to the Sir Walter Miler event—in 2017, in the Raleigh Denim Mile, runners had to compete wearing blue jeans.
The elite races are the Sir Walter Miler’s main focus but the founders’ goal is to help runners get under the four minute mile mark, a feat that only around 550 Americans have achieved; more people have successfully climbed Mount Everest than broken sub-four. “We try to help those younger people hit that dream because that’s the whole reason we started this,” Price says. And today, spectators still cheer on runners from the track. “Track is a boring thing but we try to narrate it well and invite people into the moment so that they know who the runners are and what their goals are,” Roberts says. “It makes track seem special. The electricity of this event, I’ve never experienced anything like it.”
The Sir Walter Miler has garnered its share of accolades and it’s on the radars of world-famous track stars, running publications and running hobbyists alike. Last year, Lopez Lomong, the flag bearer for the 2012 U.S. Olympic team, won the race in 3:53.86, setting a meet record, and, during the Raleigh Denim mile, a woman ran a sub-five minute mile, setting a women’s world record that year. Three years ago, an autistic male runner finished seventh in the elite race in under four minutes, setting a Paralympic world record that has yet to be beaten. “We’ve had a pretty good run so far,” Price says. “Pun intended.”
sirwaltermiler.com
