1. Spend a day with your furry friends at WakeMed Soccer Park for Mutts & Marshmallows, a race with several course maps offered for you and your pup. Everyone who finishes their race will win a medal and a big mug of hot chocolate. You can also participate in a virtual race. Registration is required, and all proceeds go to support Wake County SPCA. Saturday, Jan. 6; WakeMed Soccer Park. muttsandmarshmallows.com
2. The streets of Cary will shine a little brighter as the town celebrates its annual community lantern parade, Under the Silver Moon — part of the GLOW 2024 outdoor exhibition. If you haven’t had an opportunity to build a lantern with the town’s workshop program, get creative and make one at home. Illuminate it with an inexpensive battery-operated LED light, hang it on a stick, and hit the streets! Saturday, Jan. 13, 6–7:30 p.m. Downtown Cary Park. carync.gov/lanternparade
3. *Unfortunately, due to weather-related structural damage, the festival has been closed as of 1/11/24* There’s still time to see the NC Chinese Lantern Festival! This year’s event features 40 all-new larger-than-life lanterns on display. In addition to the magic of lights, cultural arts performances will take place each night on the main stage through Jan. 14. boothamphitheatre.com/chinese-lantern-festival
4. Celebrate the life, work, and vision of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the Town of Cary’s Dreamfest Weekend. Events include a celebration, comedy show, interfaith service, an MLK work day, and much more! Jan. 12–15. carync.gov/dreamfest
5. 12 doughnuts. 5 miles. 1 hour. That’s what you have to look forward to at the 20th Annual Krispy Kreme Challenge, a student-run, charity-based race dedicated to supporting the mission of the North Carolina Children’s Hospital. Saturday, Feb. 3, 8 a.m. NC State Belltower, Raleigh. krispykremechallenge.com
6. Kick off Black History Month at the 23rd Annual African American Cultural Celebration, an event commemorating African American history through music, art, dance, and food. Saturday, Jan. 27, 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. North Carolina Museum of History, Raleigh. ncmuseumofhistory.org
7. Ready for three days of anime, animation, and cosplay? Don’t miss Animate! Raleigh, presented by GalaxyCon! Participate in Q&As, video and tabletop gaming, costume contests, cosplay wrestling, and much more. Friday, Jan. 5, 2 p.m. to 2 a.m.; Saturday, Jan. 6, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Sunday, Jan. 7, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Raleigh Convention Center. galaxycon.com/pages/animate-raleigh
8. The magic of The Rink continues through Jan. 15! Enjoy the thrill of ice skating with views of the Raleigh skyline, as well as private igloo lounges (new this year!), fire pits, hot beverages and snacks, and cozy outdoor lounge furniture. redhatamphitheater.com/the-rink
9. Get your honey-do list ready for this year’s Downtown Raleigh Home Show and find the latest products and services for your home: builders, remodelers, contractors, storage solutions, kitchenware, and much more! Friday, Feb. 16, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday, Feb. 17, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday, Feb. 18, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Raleigh Convention Center. raleighspringshow.com
10. Iconic Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli is live in concert for Valentine’s Day! Grab your sweetie and don’t miss his rst-ever performance in Raleigh, featuring selections from his uplifting solo album Believe, as well as a selection of arias, his beloved crossover hits, and famed love songs. Wednesday, Feb. 14, 8 p.m. PNC Arena. pncarena.com/events/detail/bocelli
- Celebrating 20 Years!
- Garden Adventurer: The Other Magnolias
- Liquid Assets: Dreamy Ube Colada
- Liquid Assets: Here Be Dragons Hazy India Pale Ale
- Gimme Some Sugar
- Restaurant Profile: Maximal Impression
- Nonprofit Spotlight: Be the Rainbow Foundation
- On Trend: Strength Training
- Small Business Spotlight: Pilates by Luiza
- Erica Chats: Give Yourself a Mental Makeover
- Cary’s Park de Triomphe
- Dorothy Wysocki
- Michelle Pfeiffer’s “Best of All”
- Things to Do: January / February 2024
