by Lauren Kruchten | Aug 2, 2021 | July/August 2021, Web Exclusive
WEB EXCLUSIVE Enjoy the outdoors through Dix Park’s summer programming, from sunflowers to live music to workout classes and more.
Go to Dorothea Dix Park for the sunflowers (ya better hurry before they’re gone!), and stay for the multitude of events going on this summer. From live music and movies to outdoor workout classes and more, there’s plenty of fun to fit into your summer cal.
Dix Park’s sunflowers experienced peak bloom last week, but there’s still time to get your obligatory summer sunflower ’Gram before they completely droop (like another week or two—max). Pics or it didn’t happen.
Bend and streeeeetch at Williams Field every Monday with yoga instructor Patrice Graham. BYO yoga mat and water for Find Your Flow every first and third Monday, a relaxing and rejuvenating vinyasa flow practice, and Let’s Begin every second and fourth Monday, perfect for newbies or yogis who need a refresh.
Every Thursday, relieve some of the week’s pent up stress anxiety with a Tai Chi lesson from instructor Tish Oakley. The series of slow, continual movements also helps bring you mental and physical balance and improve overall health and vitality.
Don your favorite sports gear for Family Sports Night on Aug. 7, complete with a showing of The Mighty Ducks. Beer, wine and food are permitted, but food trucks will also be on-site for when the munchies hit. “Quack, quack, quack!”
A DIY card will always beat out a store-bought one. Head to The Chapel on Aug. 21 to learn how to marble paper using shaving cream and paint; then add personalized details with stamps and mixed media. Perfect for a friend’s upcoming birthday, promotion, engagement or just to show them some love.
North Carolina singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Josh Daniel takes the stage at the newly renovated Chapel Event Center on Aug. 22 for an evening of feel-good live music.
The bird’s the word. Learn about Dix Park’s resident and migrant birds—including sparrows, woodpeckers and hawks, to name a few—and sharpen your identification skills as you birdwatch with local urban ecologist Deja Perkins on Aug. 28.
Think you know everything there is to know about Dix Park? Think again. Take a free 3.5-mile walking tour to learn about the park’s history, buildings and legacy of Dorothea Dix, as well as the City’s plans for Dix’s future.
by Kyra O'Connor | Aug 1, 2021 | July/August 2021, Web Exclusive
WEB EXCLUSIVE Order a picnic basket from Catering Works ahead of one of NCMA’s outdoor events this summer.
Instead of telling you to beat the North Carolina summer heat, we’re gonna urge you to embrace it with a picnic and a special event at the North Carolina Museum of Art (because food + sparkling wine makes everything better). Catering Works is providing the ’Gram-worthy spreads for weekends and amphitheater special events (think concerts and movie nights) at the art museum this season.
Picnic basket options include the Elite picnic basket with shrimp cocktail, deviled eggs, Bellini mixer and sparkling wine splits, and other desserts, plus snacks and utensils; the Classic basket with pimento tea sandwiches, spring pasta salad, prosecco splits, and more; and a Family Picnic with the choice of four different sandwiches and chips. Gluten-free and vegetarian picnic baskets are also available.
Catering Works’ picnic baskets are just one reason why we’re excited to hit up the NCMA this summer. The museum also brought back its beloved outdoor movie series at Theater in the Museum Park, with upcoming films including Sister Act on Aug. 7, Singin’ in the Rain on Aug. 14 and The Wiz on Aug. 21. We provided the nostalgia—now you just bring the popcorn.
Additional outdoor events include the NCMA Choreographers Spotlight Series, featuring original works choreographed by Amy Hall Garner and Darius Barnes on Aug. 13, and Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Tank and The Bangas with Sweet Crude on Aug. 20.
And while people say nothing beats dinner and a show, legend also has it that “nothing is better than a picnic.” Ok, well at least according to Zooey Deschanel. Advance ordering for picnic baskets required, cateringworks.com/our-venues/nc-art-museum/picnic-in-the-park.
by Anna Brescia | Jun 30, 2021 | Do, July/August 2021
FollowTheDJ keeps the party going through a great lineup of fun events this summer.
Local spinmaster Darryl “FollowTheDJ” Dungee (aka “Mr. Turn the Heat Up”) says his main goal is to fill in the gaps of Raleigh nightlife—noting what Raleigh is missing “in nightlife is daylife”—aka outdoor daytime events. Fun and beauty rest? We’re listening (pun intended).
If you haven’t heard of FollowTheDJ—you will. “I make people feel good,” he says. “I make people feel better. I make people reminisce about good times.” Indeed he does.
Born and raised in Baltimore, Dungee didn’t have an easy childhood. But his love for music (think Tupac, Notorious B.I.G.—plus artists his godfather, a musical writer, intro’d him to, from Toni Braxton to Me2U to Prophet Jones), discovered at age 10, saved him—playing a huge role in helping him through hardship.
That passion parlayed into a passion project, as he worked his way to becoming a mashup master—learning everything from beats per minute to base lines. And, at 15, FollowTheDJ was born. Cutting his teeth mixing at friends’ backyard parties and honing his craft via inspo from DJ Rod Lee, DJ Boobie and Supa DJ Big L, the budding DJ’s star was quickly on the rise.
Since migrating to Raleigh in 2019, FollowTheDJ has quickly amassed quite the following—despite his initial job and housing falling through. As a father and event planner to boot, FollowTheDJ has done it all—and still finds ways to continue the hustle… and it’s that determination, mixed with family support, that has enabled him to thrive in the Raleigh club scene.
“I have only been here for two years,” he says, “and I’m calling all these big events in every club; everybody knows who I am. I’ve opened a store… I think it’s pretty safe to say that I’m where I should be.”
When restaurants reopened in Phase 2, FollowTheDJ got Raleighites excited to go back out again with bashes at Jonathan’s Sports Lounge & Grill, and, now that the world is gearing back to normal, the parties are only getting better—especially with the permit he obtained to host events at any park that allows for amplified music.
If you weren’t able to go to his smash-hit Secret Garden Soiree at Fletcher Park in June (see our Be Seen, p. 32), well, you really missed out. But, don’t worry—there’s more FollowTheDJ fun where that came from. You can find him amping up the party on Friday nights at Mangos Nightclub, and, true to his daytime-funtime mantra, on Sundays at Mojito Lounge for post-brunch jams.
“Not everyone wants to be on Glenwood at 2am,” FollowTheDJ adds. “Some people want to go do the same thing, but at 4pm—have a little fun, but still get some beauty rest.” Preach!
As promised, this summer, this DJ’s gotta superb lineup of day parties that are sure to have you groovin’ to the beat—and (hopefully) getting some sleep. The biggest bash planned by far is FollowTheDJ Weekend (a huge birthday celebration for the DJ himself, July 23–25): three events over three days, including the All White Affair at The Fairview, where guests don their finest whites for a night of nips, sips and hits.
FollowTheDJ is also celebrating Leo season with a Leo Party at Union Station July 31. The event will only add to the already expected upbeat “hot girl/boy summer” vibe that this year’s Leo season promises. And, in August, he’ll be hosting a second installment of his popular Secret Garden Soiree event (great news for those that missed the first one!). Hey, “a little party never killed nobody.” followthedjpresents.com
