Blue Cactus officially releases its new album, Believer, on April 25, but locals have a chance to celebrate it early at an intimate pre-release party at The Fuzzy Needle, a hip, new-ish record and goods store off Chapel Hill Street.
For longtime fans of this local Americana duo (Steph Stewart and Mario Arnez), this is an opportunity to buy the record and get it signed; newcomers to the band, meanwhile, are in for a real treat—Believers is a standout album, with Stewart’s steady Dolly Parton-esque twang shimmering alongside the band’s pop-country hooks and bittersweet (but always catchy) lyrics. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the event kicks off with a magic show from “punk rock magician” Casey Magic at 8 p.m., followed by a 9 p.m. unplugged Q&A set with Anita Rao, host of popular WUNC show Embodied.
Founded in 1986, nonprofit The Triangle Lebanese-Amerian Center celebrates 25 years this month of its annual festival that celebrates the culture and traditions of Lebanon. Come with an empty stomach to try Lebanese food, desserts, and beer (and other drinks), browse stalls of vendors, and stay for Dabke performances. Dabke, a noisy, communal traditional folk dance that melds line and circle dancing, loosely translates to “stomping of the feet” in Levantine Arabic, and is often performed at weddings. Don’t miss a corner of kids’ activities, and on the way out the door, make sure to visit the fortune teller booth. This free festival runs for two days: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on April 12 and noon to 6 p.m. on April 13.
Raleigh’s first pay-what-you-can cafe was essential before 2025; now—well, now it’s really essential. Data tells us that 1 in 7 Raleighites are food insecure (elsewhere, 1 in 8 Americans) and, under the Trump administration, rising grocery cuts and the threat to programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which helps 43 million Americans put food on the table, more families are likely to face financial challenges.
Since January 2018, A Place at the Table has served 255,000 meals to folks in need and hosted 2,000 volunteers a year, providing dignity, community buy-in, and some really tasty food to Raleigh. This year, the nonprofit even launched a food truck! At this fundraising event, held in the parking lot across from A Place at the Table, you can find a smorgasbord of food trucks and afternoon activities; an entree ticket costs $16 and dessert truck ticket costs $8; participants are also encouraged to buy pay-it-forward tickets ($64 for a family and $24 for an individual) so that everyone can leave with full stomachs.
Block off some time this Sunday to peruse 42 tables of music at the Carrboro CD & Record Show. CDs are having a moment—per an Axios report, revenue for the humble compact disc recently hit a decade high. This can partially be attributed to the rising cost of vinyls, but also seems due to a younger generation’s nostalgia and longing for analog formats. (Sliding a slick little disc into my 2005 Honda Civic CD player and pressing play really was satisfying, back in the day!).
At this 36th (!) bi-annual event, you can search for that rare Gloria Taylor LP or CD copy of Jagged Little Pill, or both. Crate-digging makes for both an excellent date idea (drop by Open Eye for a coffee first; flit comfortably between first date small-talk and browsing afterward) or a cathartic solo activity. With the new Drakeford Library Complex open downtown, too, parking promises to be a cinch.
more things to do this week
It’s National Library Week—how are you celebrating? On April 7, the Durham County Library’s (DCL) festival week kicked off with what we hear was a barn-burner speech from Dr. Tressie McMillan Cottom and continues through April 12 with abundant programming for adults and children alike.
On April 10, keynote speaker Dr. Zelda Lockhart (author of Trinity) will lead a talk at the Nasher Museum of Art on intergenerational research and writing. On April 11, the DCL Foundation celebrates 25 years with a party at the Cookery (tickets required). April 12 sees a Spanish language program led by teenage author Alegría Rojas-Patino that will include a performance by a local indigenous Aztec dance group and a 4 p.m. talk by YA author Nita Tyndall. Cowgirl Camryn (North Carolina author Abriana Johnson) will hold storytime hours Thursday, Friday, and Saturday mornings. Our libraries are facing existential threats like never before—show your support and find many more festival events here!
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