Featured Posts

Mothers' Day Brunches Mother's Day is upon us (Hint: It's Sunday).  Wilmington restaurants are helping out with special Mother's Day brunches.  Wilmington's Business Journal profiled the offerings at several of these including...

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Greek and Wine festivals highlight the ways to Enjoy... St. Nicholas' Greek Festival and the Inaugural Wilmington Wine and Food  Festival highlight the fun around Wilmington these next two weeks. "Pump Boys," "Quartet," Clyde Edgerton, baseball, soccer, ...

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Enjoy Wilmington Excellence This Week It's all about excellence: a ping pong challenge, stand up paddleboard tournament, comedy festival, even a harpist, it's all here We show off the best these next couple of weeks. ...

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Azalea Festival, Chowder Cook Off, Rims on the River,... Three of our biggest festivals kick off our Springtime around Wilmington.  The 66th Azalea Festival opens five  days of celebrations on Wednesday with the Queen's coronation.  Fans of the Festival...

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Two Occasional Dining Opportunities We all know what a restaurant is, right?  It's a business that is open 6 or 7 days a week and offers food off of a menu.  Well, what if that's not it, at all? Cousins Deli and Little Pond Catering...

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Mothers’ Day Brunches

Posted by WilmFan | Posted on 08-05-2013

Category : Featured Post, Where To Eat

Mother’s Day is upon us (Hint: It’s Sunday).  Wilmington restaurants are helping out with special Mother’s Day brunches.  Wilmington’s Business Journal profiled the offerings at several of these including TheatreNOW, Aubriana’s and Yosake, Circa 1922, The New Olive Café and Wine Bar, and some with special events close to Mother’s Day.  You can find the entire article with the details at http://wilmingtonbiz.com/industry_news_details.php?id=5306

In addition to the Journal’s listing, there is also a Mother’s Day Special at South Beach Grill.    This
Mother’s Day join us for dinner and Mom will enjoy a special dessert with our
compliments. We will open at 4pm serving our full menu and our new Chalkboard
additions, including the small plate options that many guests prefer. Chefs
James and Chris source only the freshest local produce and seafood to create a
memorable dinner.

Nicole Thompson will be performing at Ted’s Fun on the River with a special Mother’s Day performance.  Details at http://music.enjoywilmington.com

 

Greek and Wine festivals highlight the ways to Enjoy Wilmington

Posted by WilmFan | Posted on 07-05-2013

Category : Featured Post, What To Do

St. Nicholas’ Greek Festival and the Inaugural Wilmington Wine and Food  Festival highlight the fun around Wilmington these next two weeks.
“Pump Boys,” “Quartet,” Clyde Edgerton, baseball, soccer,  the ocean and the river, outdoor films and concerts and more all add to the
perennial dilemma question around here, “what shall I  do?”   Find all your events, restaurants, lodging and
more on the website at EnjoyWilmington.com.  And don’t forget  your sunscreen.

 

St Nicholas Greek Festival is here May 17, 18 & 19

The 21st Annual Greek Festival showcases Greek culture, faith and heritage including its food, music and dancing.  Head on over to St. Nicholas, try some baklava, tour the church, enjoy a Greek dance and get your Greek On!  The celebration is held at St. Nicholas’ Greek Orthodox Church on College Rd.  The festivities open each day at 11 am and run to 10 pm on Friday and Saturday and 7 pm on Sunday.

 

Bachus brings us the Inaugural Wine and Food Festival

They say it’s “presented by Bachus Brood” so you know it’s going to be good.  It’s the Inaugural Wine and Food Festival with “countless samples of wines from around the world paired with tasty bites from some of the best locally owned restaurants including Rx, Manna, Aubriana’s, Tamashi, The Olive Café and Wine Bar” and more.  You can’t beat that!  It’s Sunday, May 19, from 2 to 5 pm in the afternoon at St. Thomas Preservation Hall on Dock St.

More about both festivals at Our Fun.   

 

Theatre, Theater and Yee-haw

From the Great American Trailer Park Musical to Pump Boys and Dinettes and, in a few weeks, to Les Miserables, there is a bit of theater in Wilmington for every taste.  Trailer Park is showing downtown at City Stage and getting rave review from the Encore and Star News.  It’s the story of the raucous goings on the Armadillo Acres trailer park, but done with respect. Pump Boys and Dinettes is a charming tale about some fellas working at a gas station and the lasses at the local diner.  You can place it in any rural small town as it tells the forever tale of boy(s) meet girl(s).  Trailer park closes this weekend and Pump Boys opens the following Thursday.

Theatre Now is hosting two shows, Swing and a Miss and Murder on the Set.  Swing is a baseball tale but note the double meaning in the title.  Murder is an interactive dinner theater event.  Both shows include dinner.  Guide to Marriage continues at Cape Fear Playhouse.  Brooklyn, The Musical and Les Miserables open in a few weeks.

Details on these and other theatrical events are at Our Theater.

 

Tour Our History

Confederates, lynchings, military strategy, ship captains, historic buildings and operating a floating industrial machine are among the topics focused on by our historic community.    Myrick Howard talks about rescuing historic buildings at the Bellamy.   Bland Simpson talks about two famous North Carolina mariners, John Maffitt and Moses Grandy.  One white and one black, they represent so much of our turbulent past.  Civil War Company E re-enactors drill at the Cameron.   Chris Fonvielle leads a series of event examining the defense of the Cape Fear.  Battleship NC has a special tour looking at the Design and Damage Control systems on this floating industrial machine.

Talks and tours will continue through May as we celebrate our history in Historic Preservation Month.   You can find details on these and more of our history events at Our History.  You can get a sense of the breadth of Wilmington’s history on Enjoy Wilmington’s Facebook page.  We’ve been posting pictures of the area’s many, many historical markers there.  History buffs will want to find those markers and to visit the Battleship NC, the Cape Fear Museum of History, the Bellamy Mansion Museum and the Latimer House.

 

Port City Sports

Seahawks baseball wraps up its home season with a three game stand against William and Mary.  The games are at Brooks Field on the UNCW campus next weekend.  Wilmington Sea Dawgs summer basketball league takes on Johnston County and Hoops For Lyfe at the Schwartz Center on the CFCC campus.  Plan ahead and get ready to walk, run or roll across town on the Gary Schell Cross City Trail.  All that and more at Our Sports.

 

Our Sounds of Music

What kind of music do you like?  There’s full throated rock ‘n roll at Soapbox, Whiskey, Juggling Gypsy, and some others.  There’s jazz and blues at Rusty Nail, Rucker Johns, sometimes the Bellamy Mansion, and elsewhere.  There’s strings and folk at Costello’s, Ted’s Fun On The River, and elsewhere.  There’s concert hall music at Thalian and Kenan.  And there’s a bunch more.

Many Thursdays and Fridays offer outdoor concerts on the riverfront, at Mayfaire, at Wrightsville and at the Lake in Carolina Beach.

You can find details on all of this music and more at Our Music.

 

For the Youth & their parents 

This area is very welcoming to the young ‘uns.  The beach is obvious.  But such venues as the Cape Fear Museum, the NC Aquarium, the Kids Museum and more offer events just for the under 18 set.  There’s also a special option for parents.  Carolina Gymnastics will take your kids in the evening Fridays and Saturdays with their Parents’ Night Out program so mom and dad can have a night out on their own.  You can find details on all of this at Our Kids.  Be sure to use the Search function to look at Sports items, Nature items and other events for folks of all ages but which will appeal to the kids.

 

Cultural Activities

Looking for something to exercise the mind?  Try our book events, our art events or our dance activities.  Clyde Edgerton will be reading from his latest book tomorrow at Old Books on Front (details at Our Books).  Cinematique bring quality films to Thalian Hall on most Monday, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.  This week it’s Quartet (details at Our Films.)  There are art shows all around town (details at Our Art.)  And if you’d like to move your feet then try Our Dance.

And there’s more to do

You can find the whole schedule on the website.  It’s at Our Events. We have restaurants for every palette and wallet.  You can find a complete searchable listing at Dine Here. And you can find lodging at Our Hotels and more. Use the search function (look for the binoculars) to refine your search.

 

Our Nonprofit Event of the Week

Some of our outstanding women are being recognized this Thursday when the YWCA holds its annual Women of Achievement Awards luncheon.  It’s at the Wilmington Convention Center in downtown and will make you feel good about our future.  Find details of that event and more events on the nonprofit website www.WilmingtonGivesBack.org .

 

Find your nonprofit

We have a robust nonprofit community around southeastern North Carolina. You can find a great directory of nonprofits at www.WilmingtonGivesBack.org or find a calendar of nonprofit events at SENC Nonprofit Events.

 

Share this newsletter with a friend

We have a great community here in southeastern NC. Forward this email to a friend and let them know how great this place is! They can click on www.EnjoyWilmington.com and find our restaurants, lodging, events and much more. They’ll appreciate your thoughtfulness.

 

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Enjoy Wilmington Excellence This Week

Posted by WilmFan | Posted on 22-04-2013

Category : Featured Post, What To Do

It’s all about excellence: a ping pong challenge, stand up paddleboard tournament, comedy festival, even a harpist, it’s all here

We show off the best these next couple of weeks.  The     best ping pong players, the best Stand Up paddlers, best comedians and even     a renowned harp player.  Compass News looks at those events, some     water adventures, our celebration of Preservation Month, our free summer     outdoor concerts and one or two other interesting activities.       Find events, restaurants, lodging and more on the website at     EnjoyWilmington.com.  And don’t forget your sunscreen.

Celebrating Our History with Preservation Month

It’s always time to talk about history around Wilmington but May is preservation month and the lead in always means more history events.  Tonight brings a very personal look at slavery with Diary of a Contraband at the Bellamy Mansion Museum.  It’s the story of William Gould a slave at the Bellamy who escaped and joined the Union Army.  His descendant, William Gould, IV, has edited his diary and turned it into a book, Diary of a Contraband.

We would probably have never seen the rise of cities if we hadn’t gotten a handle on public health.  And without those cities and their attendant creativity we would have a very different modern life.  Wilmington is the proud home to one of the first public health departments and David Rice, current Director of Public Health will tell that story Thursday at the Latimer House.

Originally Wilmington was just the downtown area.  It took the invention of Streetcars for the city to expand beyond its walking area.  Next Saturday the Historic Wilmington Foundation leads a walking tour of Carolina Heights which was Wilmington’s first “streetcar suburb.”  This walking tour will be followed in two weeks by a walking tour of Forest Hills the first “automobile suburb” in Wilmington.

Talks and tours will continue through May as we celebrate our history.   You can find details on these and more of our history events at Our History.  You can get a sense of the breadth of Wilmington’s history on Enjoy Wilmington’s Facebook page.  We’ve been posting pictures of the area’s many, many historical markers there.  History buffs will want to find those markets and to visit the Battleship NC, the Cape Fear Museum of History, the Bellamy Mansion Museum and the Latimer House.

Ping-Pong, Paddleboard, and more Sports

Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP) takes over Wrightsville the week as the Carolina Cup SUP competition takes place.  It’s a great chance to see professional paddleboarders do their thing or to try the sport yourself.  It’s all happening behind the Blockade Runner hotel from Wednesday through Sunday.  You can watch the competitors and then jump in and try it out.

Smaller paddles will be out in force the following Saturday for the Port City Ping-Pong Throwdown.  Put  your team together and head over to the Brooklyn Arts Center.  Maybe you’ll win some of the cash prizes or at least enjoy the music and fun.   They even promise one of Wilmington’s fleet of truck restaurants.

The UNCW Seahawks are wrapping up their baseball season with visits by Northeastern on May 3/4 and William and Mary May 9/10.  The crack of the bat.  The whiff of the strike.  The shout of the umpire.  It’s all at Brooks Field.

Find details on these sporting events and more at Our Sports.

Harps, Symphony, Outdoor Concerts and more

The beautiful notes of a Celtic harp will fill Thalian Hall when Kim Robertson performs this Sunday.  Kim has performed in concert halls, grass roots folks clubs, luxury liners and, on this trip, at the Davis Community and Thalian. The organizers urge folks to bring their kids.  They’ll have a gathering for the kids after the show to introduce the young ‘uns to the Harp.

Meanwhile, over at Kenan Auditorium, the Wilmington Symphony Youth Orchestra will be performing and showing some of our local talent.  They will perform pieces from Glinka and, just in time for graduation season, Pomp and Circumstance.

Fans of the Motown Sound will look forward to Masters of Motown at Thalian the next Sunday.  Look for the sounds of The Temptations, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Commodores, Stevie Wonder and more.

That weekend also kicks off the Summer Concert series at Airlie Gardens.  We love our summer concerts.  Airlie holds summer concerts throughout the summer as does Mayfaire Town Center, Carolina Beach, Kure Beach at the Air Force Recreation Center and Downtown Wilmington on the Riverfront.  There’s a fee for Airlie’s, the rest are free.  The complete schedule can be found at Music.EnjoyWilmington.com

Find details on all of this music and more at Our Music.
Enjoy Our Water

Nobody has to be reminded that we have wonderful beaches with Wrightsville, Carolina and Kure each offering unique joys.  But have you enjoyed our river, the Cape Fear?  Henrietta III riverboat and the Wilmington Water Tours’ Wilmington  both want to take you out for the tour you want.   Wilmington Water Tours features trips to Eagles Island and other destinations along the river.  The Henrietta  offers dinner cruises and dance events along the water.  You can find many of these at Our Tours.

Arts for All

This Friday is the Fourth Friday Artwalk.  Art Galleries throughout downtown Wilmington open their doors as art lovers peruse art in the galleries, in the Pedestrian Art program, at the Bellamy  and elsewhere.  It’s a great atmosphere.  Head downtown about 6 pm and you’ll see the folks wending their way from gallery to gallery.

Another bit of Wilmington’s art scene can be found in its churches.  Wilmington Faith and Values will lead a Religious Art tour Sunday of downtown churches with significant religious art.  It begins at St. Mary’s Catholic Church.

Details on those events and other arts events, including ongoing art shows, can be found on the website at Our Arts.

 

For the Kids

Wilmington’s Children’s Museum and Cape Fear Museum among other organizations always have a host of offerings for the young among us.  Parents will want to check out “Parents Night Out” at Carolina Gymnastics.  Parents can drop off their kids Friday and Saturday night for safe, free play while the folks have a night out.

Find more about all of these events at Kids Events.

Check out our Theater

There’s theater out there.  Cape Fear Playhouse has Contemporary American’s Guide to Marriage, UNCW has Nearly Lear, City Stage has Great American Trailer Park Musical, Brown Coat has William and Judith.

Find times and locations of these shows at Our Theater.

Film and Dance

Cinematique, the film event cosponsored by WHQR and Thalian Hall, brings Ginger and Rosa to the silver screen.  Two London girls are best friends in 1962 but head in separate directions under the threat of nuclear war.  Iron Man 3 opens May 3rd.  This largely made in Wilmington will raise Hollywood East’s profile throughout the film world.  Satellite Bar brings Brothers Grimm Tideland to their Tuesday night movie night.  Find more about our films at Our Film.

Dancers will enjoy dancing with Cape fear Contra Dancers or  seeing Beauty and the Beast at Thalian next weekend.  Check these events at Our Dance.

And there’s more to do

Wilmington Downtown Inc. hosts a networking event  with details at Networking.  Nutt Street Comedy Club has comedy every weekend and a Comedy Festival next weekend with details at Our Comedy.   And the Brooklyn Arts Center celebrates area skills with a Made in North Carolina Fair this Saturday with details at Our Fun.

Or just check out the whole schedule at Our Events. We have restaurants for every palette and wallet.  You can find a complete searchable listing at Dine Here. And you can find lodging at Our Hotels and more. Use the search function (look for the binoculars) to refine your search.

Our Nonprofit Event of the Week

Thalian Association’s Children’s Theater (TACT) is holding a fundraiser this Friday featuring our young performers.  It’s only $12 to help a good cause and enjoy that upcoming talent.  Find details of that event and more events on the nonprofit website www.WilmingtonGivesBack.org .

Find your nonprofit

We have a robust nonprofit community around southeastern North Carolina. You can find a great directory of nonprofits at www.WilmingtonGivesBack.org or find a calendar of nonprofit events at SENC Nonprofit Events.

Share this newsletter with a friend

We have a great community here in southeastern NC. Forward this email to a friend and let them know how great this place is! They can click on www.EnjoyWilmington.com and find our restaurants, lodging, events and much more. They’ll appreciate your thoughtfulness.

Like us on Facebook

“Like” Enjoy Wilmington on Facebook!

Azalea Festival, Chowder Cook Off, Rims on the River, sunscreen and more are here

Posted by WilmFan | Posted on 09-04-2013

Category : Featured Post, What To Do

Tags: , ,

Three of our biggest festivals kick off our Springtime around
Wilmington.  The 66th Azalea Festival opens five  days of celebrations on Wednesday with the Queen’s coronation.  Fans of the Festival will want to remember this one thing.  Remember to put  “AzaleaFestival” and “enjoywilmington.com” together to get
the easiest to use schedule of Festival activities. Enter AzaleaFestival.EnjoyWilmington.com
in your web browser and it will take you straight to our  schedule of Azalea Festival activities.  Just down the peninsula, Carolina
Beach hosts its Chowder Cookoff this Saturday.  The next weekend  brings Rims on the River to town with
its celebration of antique autos.  And it’s time to dig out those  bottles of sun screen and enjoy the beach.  Find events, restaurants,
lodging and more on the website at EnjoyWilmington.com

Azalea Festival means Springtime

Wilmington has heralded the arrival of Spring for 66 years with the world famous Azalea Festival.  From arts to visiting ships, from boxing to the Azalea Queen’s coronation, the festival is varied and offers something for everyone.  Mayor Saffo will crown this year’s Queen Wednesday at 3 pm in Riverfront Park.  Cole Brothers Circus opens Thursday at ILM airport.  And then we head into four days of music concerts, a street fair, bands and performers, a juried art show, boxing, visiting ships, even a coin show, and on Saturday, the Parade.

Two different stages, a Main Stage and a Multi-Cultural stage, provide free entertainment Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  Three different outdoor concerts highlight the evenings.   Lynyrd Skynyrd kicks off the series with a Thursday night show, followed by The Avett Brothers on Friday night, and Colt Ford and the LACS on Saturday night.  All three shows are on the CFCC campus in Downtown Wilmington, a move from last year’s venue on UNCW’s campus.

The Historic Wilmington Foundation adds to the event with a tour of historic homes and the Cape Fear Garden Club adds to the event with a tour of beautiful gardens.

The entire schedule can be found at http://azaleafestival.enjoywilmington.com

Chowder Cook Off

For something very different,  head down the road to Carolina Beach this Saturday and enjoy the Pleasure Island Chowder Cook Off.  CB restaurants gather in Carolina Beach Lake Park to offer their best take on Chowder.  You can sample all the chowders for only $5 while being entertained by the Mark Roberts Band.  The tastings begin at Noon.  Find more about this and other Carolina Beach events at CB Events.

Rims on the River

It’s time for a nostalgic visit to the cars of our youth and the metal and chrome that inspired them.  Rims on the River fills downtown Wilmington Friday the 19th thru Sunday the 21st.  The main event is Saturday.  Folks showing cars can register at 9 am with the show open to the public at 11 am.  It’s all day and free to look.  But bring your checkbook, there are cars for sale.  The Detroit Cobras headline a free concert in Riverfront Park that evening.  Sunday is a free day for local car owners.

And We Still Have All the Regular Entertainment and Events:

Foodies Delight

The locavore movement continues in Wilmington.  Front Street Brewery is pairing its beers with N.C. products this Thursday evening for a Beer Pairing Dinner.  North Carolina meats, fish and produce will be presented in five courses each paired with a FSB beer or a NoDa brew.  Call the Brewery to reserve your  spot.

You can find a profile of two interesting part-time dining spots on Our Blog.

Arts for All

There’s always plenty of art around here.  Be sure to check out the Ivey Hayes exhibit at Bellamy Mansion.  This eastern NC native created in vivid colors over his 30 year career.  Look around downtown for the Pedestrian Art.  This popular program, revived after a hiatus, displays large scale objets d’art in downtown locations.  The very popular “Southern Hospitality” venus fly trap at the foot of Market Street began as an exhibit in “Ped Art.”  Find more about the arts events at Our Arts.

For the Kids

“Dar He” highlights the many interesting programs designed for kids.  Dar He is the story of Emmett Till, the young Chicago/Mississippi boy whose murder served as a major spur to advance the Civil Rights movement.  It’s at Thalian on the 19th.

Wilmington’s Children’s Museum and Cape Fear Museum among other organizations always have a host of offerings for the young among us.  Parents will want to check out “Parents Night Out” at Carolina Gymnastics.  Parents can drop off their kids Friday and Saturday night for safe, free play while the folks have a night out.

Find more about all of these events at Kids Events.

Celebrate Nature with a Plant or a Walk

Today, we wrap up the Arboretum’s annual plant sale.  But don’t worry, there’s another plant sale.  The Hobby Greenhouse is holding its annual plant sale Friday and Saturday at 2318 Metts Avenue.  You can get closer to nature with ranger guided walks and talks at Carolina Beach State Park.  Find more on these events at Our Nature.

Our American History

A very special event takes place next weekend when the men who served aboard the battleship USS North Carolina hold their Annual Crew Reunion.  These men of “the Greatest Generation” gather to renew acquaintances and remember what they did, together, for all of us.  The Battleship will hold a “Battleship Alive’ program later this month and the Latimer house is hosting a series of history talks.  Find more about these at Our History.

Our Very Varied Music

UNCW’s Kenan Auditorium is bringing Opera to the people.  The University’s WOOP program is designed to make Opera more accessible.  It’s this weekend.  Greenfield Lake Amphitheater is also bringing music to the people.   Reel Big Fish, Mike Pinto, and Dubtown Cosmonauts headline an evening of music and tastings from R. A. Jeffreys.  Find details about these events and many more at Our Music.

Film and Dance

Cinematique, the film event cosponsored by WHQR and Thalian Hall, brings Barbara to the silver screen.  This Cold War thriller follows Barbara as she is torn between the east and west.  Satellite Bar brings Time Bandits Brazil to their Tuesday night movie night.  Find more about our films at Our Film.

Dancers will enjoy dancing with Cape fear Contra Dancers or Azalea Coast Ballroom dancers this week.  Check these events at Our Dance.

And there’s more to do

We have lots of sports events that you can find at Our Sports.  You can find great theater at Our Theater. Or just check out the whole schedule at Our Events. We have all kinds of restaurants that you can find and search at Dine Here. And you can find lodging at Our Hotels and more. Use the search function (look for the binoculars) to refine your search.

Our Nonprofit Event of the Week

April is Child Abuse Awareness Month.  Area nonprofits are hosting a series of events to call attention to this problem and offer constructive answers.  Tonight the New Hanover County Commission is expected to issue a proclamation recognizing the month and calling attention to the problem.  Find details of that event and more events on the nonprofit website www.WilmingtonGivesBack.org and at CAPP.

Find your nonprofit

We have a robust nonprofit community around southeastern North Carolina. You can find a great directory of nonprofits at www.WilmingtonGivesBack.org or find a calendar of nonprofit events at SENC Nonprofit Events.

Share this newsletter with a friend

We have a great community here in southeastern NC. Forward this email to a friend and let them know how great this place is! They can click on www.EnjoyWilmington.com and find our restaurants, lodging, events and much more. They’ll appreciate your thoughtfulness.

Like us on Facebook

“Like” Enjoy Wilmington on Facebook!

Two Occasional Dining Opportunities

Posted by WilmFan | Posted on 08-04-2013

Category : Featured Post, Where To Eat

We all know what a restaurant is, right?  It’s a business that is open 6 or 7 days a week and offers food off of a menu.  Well, what if that’s not it, at all?

Cousins Deli and Little Pond Catering both do something else but act like a restaurant one or two nights a week.  They’re a good alternative if you can meet their schedule.

Cousins Deli is in the spot across from the New Hanover County Courthouse that once housed Courthouse Café.  Like the old place, Cousins is a sandwich shop Monday thru Friday.  But it becomes something different Friday and Saturday nights.  It becomes an Italian restaurant.  Sandwich tables are covered with tablecloths.  Candles are placed around the room.  And a bunch of corkscrews are placed on a table out front.

Henry Ford famously said you can have a car any color you want as long as it’s black.  Cousins will offer you anything you want as long as it is its six course dinner.  But whereas Mr. Ford’s comment was off-putting, you’ll be happy with what Joseph offers.  But do arrive hungry.  Cousins is offering “an evening of authentic Italian family style dining.”

Our six course meal began with a little bruschetta on toast.   A simple combination of chopped tomatoes, olive oil, garlic and other spices was a welcome hello to Cousins.  That was followed by the anti-pasta.  Stuffed mushrooms, cannellonis and a third delicacy let us know we would be having a good meal that evening.  The salad is pretty simple but very tasty with Joe’s dressing.  The penne pasta came in a “Sunday sauce.”  Mr. Google tells me that is a red sauce with meat.   The entrée was lemon chicken and sautéed zucchini.  The zucchini was about the best I’ve ever had.  Zucchini, some red sauce, bread crumbs and a few other items I didn’t catalogue.  Dessert was three little desserts including a mini carrot cake and a baby cannoli.

Every week is like this.  Six courses but the exact menu changes every week.  We were trying to get to Thalian and rushed things.  You should plan on two and half to three hours to savor this dinner.  Cousins doesn’t have ABC permits but you can bring your wine or beer and there are no corkage fees for wine.  And you’ll get more than one meal out of this.  Our waiter has only had one group of customers that ate everything.  That was a group of young soccer players.  Oh yeah, and the place is easy on the wallet.  $25 per person provides six courses in a pleasant atmosphere.  Call for reservations.  Seatings at 6 to 6:30 and 8:00 to 8:30.

I think we’ll see more from these folks in the future.

Most of the time Little Pond Caterers is catering meetings and social functions around Wilmington.  If you’ve had bacon and bourbon on a bread stick then you’ve enjoyed their work.  But all that changes on Tuesday nights.

Meatball Tuesday’s open the front room of their nondescript building on Princess Place to diners.  There’s always one meatball based item and one other item.  Two whole options!!

Recently they offered a meatball grinder and a chicken pot pie.  Once I sat down and got my grinder I looked around and realized I had been outvoted.  The Chicken Pot Pie was the favorite in the room that night.  The bride had it and it was very good.  The meatballs in the grinder were quite tasty although the bread was a bit dry.  But we’ll be back.  It’s simple, casual and a good deal on a Tuesday night.  Like Cousins, its a family affair.  Dad’s in the kitchen.  Mom is out front and the kids are helping or being cute.  They serve from 6 pm “until we run out.”  Little Pond is located just north of Smith Creek on Princess Place.

 

Two Great Weeks Welcome Spring to Wilmington

Posted by admin | Posted on 28-03-2013

Category : Featured Post, What To Do

Easter, baseball, Azalea Fest 5K, new art show, the Farmers Market opens, book talks and more all highlight the week as Spring joins us along the lower Cape Fear.

Celebrate Easter

Easter celebrations take place this weekend.  The NC Aquarium kicks off the celebrations with an Alligator Egg Hunt this Friday and Saturday.  Kids will see a baby alligator and learn more about these critters and they’ll get to search for candy filled ‘alligator eggs.’  You’ll need to preregister for this event.  The Battleship NC also hosts an ‘egg’ hunt.  Their Easter Egg Hunt Carnival is also on Friday.  Kids will find pony rides, eggs, bounce houses, candy, games and more.  Egg hunts will be continuous throughout the day. The Juggling Gypsy has another take on the holiday.  They’ll have a subversive Easter film.  You can find all of these at Our Events or at events.enjoywilmington.com

Sports: enjoy a team event or participate yourself

The next sports season is upon us. As March Madness reaches its crescendo, baseball comes to town.  Seahawks Baseball is active with visits by NCSU, College of Charleston, UNC-CH, Davidson and more.  Head to Brooks Field on the UNCW campus and enjoy America’s pastime.  The tickets are only $7.
But don’t worry Hoopsters, there’s still some basketball.  Across town from UNCW the Wilmington Sea Dawgs basketball opens up their season with a visit from the Fayetteville team.  The Sea Dawgs games are played at the Schwartz Center on CFCC’s downtown campus.
Runners will want to join in the Azalea Festival 5K/10K/fun walk.  It’s at Mayfaire Town Center and is another sign that the Azalea Festival is just around the corner.

You can find more information on these and other sporting events at Our Sports or Sports.EnjoyWilmington.com

Laugh with our comedians

The last issue of Compass Notes mentioned the increase in Comedy around the Port City.  The trend continues.  Maybe it’s to give all those folks who lost their March Madness pools something to laugh about?

Nutt Street Comedy hosts Port City Top Comic with preliminary rounds this weekend and finals the following weekend.  Eight or nine comics will each get a few minutes to show their stuff.  The best from each night will move on to the finals with the best being named Top Comic.  Should be a hoot.

Juggling Gypsy joins in the laughts by hosting a comedy improv night to give even more local comics a chance to try their chance at fame.

Theatre Now gets in the act with Magician “Magic Mike” Casey.  You may know him from Maggiano’s Little Italy in Southpoint, the Mellow Mushroom in Raleigh or the Crunkleton in Chapel Hill.  Usually Theatre Now is ‘dinner theater’ so I guess this is called ‘dinner-comedian.’

And the Bellamy Mansion Museum balances its seriousness with the humor of Roy Zimmerman.  His mix of humorous songs and comic commentary have been profiled on NPR and his songs have been heard on HBO and Showtime.

You can find times and locations for all of these shows at Our Comedy or comedy.enjoywilmington.com.

Eat healthy with the Farmers Market(s)

Southeastern North Carolina is home to all kinds of farmers and we celebrate that abundance with not 1, not 2, but 3 Farmers Markets most weeks.  The largest of these opens for the season this Saturday.  Wilmington’s Farmers Market opens on the Riverfront this Saturday.  It runs every weekend, save for Azalea Festival weekend, until the end of the year.  Carolina Beach’s and Wrightsville Beach’s will be opening shortly.  Enjoy some fresh food, the fun that surrounds these events and support our small farmers.  You can find details at Our Fun or fun.enjoywilmington.com

Enjoy Wilmington’s Thespians

An Irish wake that makes you laugh is just the thing to follow St. Patrick’s day.  Charlie Murphy’s Fond Farewell is a comedy sprinkled with music, games and delicious Irish-themed cuisine.  Theatre Now, a dinner theater, brings Charlie’s story to Wilmington.

Are there any husbands out there who aren’t occasionally confused by their brides?  I didn’t think so.  The Gibb sisters are an open book to each other but not to their husbands.  Morning’s At Seven tells their story when two of them realize it is time for a change.  They can’t remain a closed book. This charming portrait of small town 1960’s America was revived on Broadway in 1980 and 2002 to critical acclaim.  It is brought to us by Cape Fear Playhouse.

The Who’s Tommy is City Stage’s take on Pete Townshend’s great Rock Opera.  The deaf dumb and blind kid sure plays a mean pinball at Thalian Hall

Pump Boys and Dinettes is coming. This fun little story about young love is based in Chatham County.  Maybe you should star in it?  Head out to the Hannah Block Historic USO tonight and tomorrow night for Auditions.
You can find times and dates for these and more theater at Our Theater or at theater.enjoywilmington.com

Stimulate your Gray Matter

While we enjoy having fun around here we also spend some time pondering the great issues of life.  Books and Talks on the EnjoyWilmington website highlights these events.

Louise’s War tells the story of Wilmington in 1942.  Paranoia, secrecy and the potential to let women reinvent themselves in a volatile time were all part of the mix.  Sarah Shaber talks about her book at the Latimer House this Thursday.

Old Books on Front regularly hosts events for bibliophiles.  Their Green Book club meets next Tuesday to look at Noah’s Garden.

You can find more about these and related events at Our Books and Talks.

Film up on the silver screen

Alfred Hitchcock’s famous film, Rope, will be at Satellite tonight.  Details are at Our Film or film.enjoywilmington.com

Celebrate Ivey Hayes

One of our famed artists is being celebrated with an exhibit at the Bellamy Mansion Museum.  Ivey Hayes is well known for his colorful art reflecting the vibrancy of his vision for southeastern North Carolina.  The Bellamy brings his art out for your enjoyment.  21 acrylic and watercolors are on exhibit.  The show opens April 5, with an opening reception and continues.

Upcoming Events of particular note

Wilmington’s largest and oldest festival is just two weeks away.  The Azalea Festival brings garden and home tours, Azalea belles, the Avett Brothers and Lynyrd Skynyrd, a parade and more music and entertainment than any one person can see.  It begins on April 10, with the Queen’s Coronation and runs through Sunday.  Details at Azalea Festival or azaleafestival.enjoywilmington.com

Profile of a nonprofit event: Fort Fisher Help a Park day

Friends of Fort Fisher will be out April 6, to freshen up the park around Fort Fisher.  It’s Fort Fisher Park Day Volunteers.  This annual event helps preserve Fort Fisher for the generations to come.  You can find all the details here.

And there’s more to do

Wilmington has lots of events for kids that you can find at Kids Events. Or just check out the whole schedule at Our Events. We have all kinds of restaurants that you can find and search at Dine Here. And you can find lodging at Our Hotels and more. Use the search function (look for the binoculars) to refine your search.

Find your nonprofit

Southeast NC has a robust nonprofit community around southeastern North Carolina. You can find a great directory of nonprofits at www.WilmingtonGivesBack.org or find a calendar of nonprofit events at SENC Nonprofit Events.

Share this newsletter with a friend

Tell your friends about this great community here in southeastern NC. Forward this email to a friend and let them know how great this place is! They can click on www.EnjoyWilmington.com and find our restaurants, lodging, events and much more. They’ll appreciate your thoughtfulness.

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March brings a host of activities to the Cape Fear

Posted by WilmFan | Posted on 12-03-2013

Category : Featured Post, What To Do

Tags: , , , ,

Join us to celebrate Pi Day, and St. Patrick’s Day, run in the Steve Haydu Lo-Tide run and Quintiles Marathon, explore the wild at the Wildlife Expo, feast with Encore’s Restaurant Week or excite the taste buds in other ways, explore our historic churches, fling wings with Budweiser, find a future Andy Roderick or Serena Williams, be moved at the theater, thrill with an old car, listen to music from garage to opera, or just watch the waves come in and go out.  March is a great month along the lower Cape Fear river.  It’s a good time to Enjoy Wilmington.

Happy St Patrick’s Day

We like to celebrate St. Patrick’s day from the tip of Kure Beach to Downtown Wilmington.  It’s an ocean to river approach.  Check out the program at the Aquarium and the downtown parade or the music or the special events for our favorite green saint.

The NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher is turning St. P’s day into its first Enviro/Green day.  They’re holding a Green Behind the Scenes Tour. You and your family will view the inner workings of Aquarium departments and witness firsthand the sustainability action plan. Check out where the animals are held and how they assist endangered species. See how the operations department uses eco friendly products and maintains low energy and water consumption and so much more!! Accompany aquarium staff on this guided tour of animal quarantine, life support, food preparation, and access areas. Participants should wear closed-toed shoes. The tour is geared for ages 8 and up.  A paying adult must accompany the under 14 folks.  Find more about this and other nature programs at Our Nature or nature.enjoywilmington.com

Downtown Wilmington hosts its annual St. Patrick’s Day parade on Saturday March 16.  Festivities kick off at 11 am with the parade starting near Front and Walnut, heading south on Front to Dock, to Water and back to Riverfront Park.  The celebration continues with a festival in the park featuring music, entertainment and other festivities.  Erin Go Bragh. Find more about this and other fun events at Our Fun or at fun.enjoywilmington.com.

Our American History

Our beautiful historic churches will be on full display as the Historical Society of the Lower Cape Fear (better known as the Latimer House) offers a Church Walking Tour. The Society guide will take you into six historic downtown churches to see and hear their individual stories. These religious buildings have long been an integral part of the texture of life in Wilmington. The traditions, the beautiful architecture, stately steeples and stained glass windows hide secrets that bring the churches to life. The Hollywood star who spent the night with a dead priest, the bible stolen at the end of the civil war, the not quite dead boy, historical flags, the Southern spy, a painting from a pirate ship, the tallest wooden spire in the U.S. and more. Come, enjoy and learn on Saturday, March 16 starting at 9:45 a.m.  Meet on the front porch of the Latimer House at Third and Orange Streets.Churches on the tour include: St. Thomas Preservation Hall, built 1846; St. James Episcopal Church, built 1839; First Baptist Church, built 1808; St. Mary Catholic Church, built 1912; First Presbyterian Church, built 1928; St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, built 1869.  Tickets are $15.  Make reservations at 910.762.0492.

The next generation of preservationists meets Thursday at Hell’s Kitchen.  It’s History Trivia Night brought to you by the Historic Wilmington Foundation. Test your knowledge of Wilmington history and landmarks as teams compete for fun and prizes.  Get your team together and join the gang at Hell’s Kitchen this Thursday. For more information about Future Preservationists contact membership@historicwilmington.org

There are folks who put more time and thought into arranging a dinner table than even my mother.  Who knew? Bellamy Mansion & Museum has brought these folks together and they’ve filled three floors with beautifully decorated tabletops.  Florists, artists, boutique owners and designers all come together to show us what can be done.  Art of the Table is at the Bellamy Thursday thru Sunday.

Find more about these and other historic events at Our History.

Living larger

Carolina Beach brings us the 17th Annual Budweiser Wing Fling.  Music, the beach, wings, and a certain cold beverage from Anheuser-Busch makes for a party afternoon in the heart of downtown Carolina Beach.  Cape Fear Blvd. at Park Blvd. The official time of this event is “11:30 onwards.”And just down the road apiece at Kure Beach you’ll find the Back to the Beach Car Show at Fort Fisher.  The Sun Coast Cruisers are excited to return this year with the show under the management of Rich Walsh (910) 707-0060. The famous COCO-LOCO band will be their for your entertainment.

On the staqe with our theater

Miracle Worker opens on 21st   Immortalized onstage and screen by Anne Bancroft and Patty Duke, this absorbing play tells the story of the lonely teacher, Annie Sullivan, and her willful young student, the blind, deaf and mute Helen Keller. Trapped in a secret, silent world, unable to communicate, Helen is violent, spoiled, and treated by her family as almost sub-human. Only Annie realizes that there is a mind and spirit waiting to be rescued from the dark, tortured silence. With scenes of intense physical and emotional dynamism, Annie’s success with Helen finally comes with the utterance of a single, glorious word − water. The production, directed by Laurene Perry, stars Dori Schoonmaker as Annie, Avri Hepler as Helen, Stuart Pike as Capt. Keller, Amanda Young as Kate Keller and Kevin Wilson as James Keller.

Mornings at Seven: The Gibb sisters (Cora, Aaronetta, Ida, and Esther) are an open book to each other, but not to their husbands! The 4 sisters are forced to deal with the ramifications within the family when two of them begin to question their lives and make some changes before its too late!! Into the fray comes Myrtle Brown, perpetually engaged to Ida’s son Homer. But Homer can’t seem to pop the question. Taking matters into her own hands, Myrtle finally gets a proposal by compelling Homer to fly the nest.

Tommy: Pete Townshend’s tale of a young boy’s journey from pain to triumph is the most electrifying evening of rock and roll ever to play in a theatre!  After witnessing the accidental murder of his mother’s lover by his father, Tommy is traumatized into catatonia, and as the boy grows, he suffers abuse at the hands of his sadistic relatives and neighbors. As an adolescent, he’s discovered to have an uncanny knack for playing pinball, and when his mother finally breaks through his catatonia, he becomes an international pinball superstar. Music and Lyrics by Pete Townshend Book by Pete Townshend and Des McAnuff Additional Music and Lyrics by John Entwistle and Keith Moon Directed and Choreographed by David T. Loudermilk Music Directed by Chiaki Ito.
And a note to all the aspiring thespians out there.

Auditions for Pump Boys and Dinettes will be held March 25.  This is a fun look at small town North Carolina.
Find the schedule for these and other theatrical events at Our Theater or at theater.enjoywilmington.com.

Just for the Foodies

Explore that restaurant you’ve been wondering about during Encore’s restaurant week.  It runs Wednesday to Wednesday.  Encore Restaurant Week gives local food aficionados and visitors an opportunity to enjoy prix fixe breakfasts, lunches and/or dinners, as well as desserts, at participating eateries throughout the Port City (tax and gratuity not included). It is a great benefit for both diners and the restaurant community, giving our local economy a boost and area foodies a chance to experience what our culinary scene offers.  You can find all the participating restaurants at www.encorerestaurantweek.com.

Manna Avenue restaurant has a special multi course wine paired dinner on the 23rd if you’d like to see what they can do.

Every kind of Music

Wilmington Symphony at Kenan: Experience the spirit of the Americas on Saturday, March 16th at 8:00 p.m. in Kenan Auditorium when the Wilmington Symphony spotlights American composers. Also sharing their youthful energy will be the upper division winners of the Wilmington Symphony’s 36th annual Richard R. Deas Student Concerto Competition John Crowley (trumpet), and Julia Lensch (violin).  First stop on the evening’s musical tour of the Americas is Aaron Copland’s “El Salon Mexico,” his musical depiction of an eponymous dance hall in Mexico City, followed by Leonard Bernstein’s “Fancy Free,” the vibrant, jazzy score composed for his first collaboration with choreographer Jerome Robbins affirming the energy and vitality of their beloved New York City.   Also featured is the North Carolina premiere of a new work “A New Day” by Wilmington composer Barbara Gallagher.

Find more about the Symphony music and other musical events at Our Music or at music.enjoywilmington.com

Sports to see and do

All you future tennis stars need to head to Empie Park.  The USTA Tennis Jamboree for the 10 and under folks takes place Friday.  Contact Rosanne Boswell at rpbboz@gmail.com for more information.

Help a family fighting cancer and financial challenges by participating in the Steve Haydu Lo-Tide run on the 16th.  Steve was taken too early by this terrible disease.  Now his friends celebrate his life with a fundraising run to help others with similar challenges.  Contact Scott at sbetz@lotiderun.org to help out.  Or gather at the CB Boardwalk.

The first big marathon of the season comes to Wrightsville Beach on St. Patrick’s day.  This event is sold out but you can start planning for next year.

Find more about these and other sporting events at Our Sports or sports.EnjoyWilmington.com.

Pi, not Pie

Thursday is Pi Day.  It’s March 14. 3.14 for those who remember their physics and that pi r squared.  Celebrate the physicists among us.  It’s a good day to visit Flying Pi on 4th and Chestnut and have some pie.

Wildlife Expo at the Convention Center

The Cape Fear Wildlife Expo is coming to historic downtown Wilmington this weekend!  As a family event, the Expo will feature wildlife art and decoy displays; book signings by regional outdoor writers; hunting and fishing products; boats and accessories; truck and ATV displays; fly-fishing and decoy-carving demonstrations; conservation exhibits; outdoor sports guides, outfitters; and more!   “This show has something for everyone!  If you enjoy spending time in the outdoors, you’ll enjoy the Cape Fear Wildlife Expo!” offered Judy Gardner, chair of the Cape Fear Wildlife Expo Youth Committee, and Rack Pack Coordinator of the NC Quality Deer Management Association.  Meet Randy Edwards of The History Channel’s Swamp People! It’s all at the Wilmington Convention Center. For more about this and other events celebrating nature at Our Nature.

Profile of a nonprofit event: NH Library Book Sale

Friends of the New Hanover Public Library holds its book sale this weekend.  Head over to the northeast branch across from Mayfaire.  Find your beach read, or maybe look into that topic you’ve always wanted to explore.  This sale has raised more than $1,000,000 for the libraries over the years.  You can find all the details here.

And there’s more to do

We have lots of events for kids that you can find at Kids Events. Or just check out the whole schedule at Our Events. We have all kinds of restaurants that you can find and search at Dine Here. And you can find lodging at Our Hotels and more. Use the search function (look for the binoculars) to refine your search.

Find your nonprofit

We have a robust nonprofit community around southeastern North Carolina. You can find a great directory of nonprofits at www.WilmingtonGivesBack.org or find a calendar of nonprofit events at SENC Nonprofit Events.

Share this newsletter with a friend

We have a great community here in southeastern NC. Forward this email to a friend and let them know how great this place is! They can click on www.EnjoyWilmington.com and find our restaurants, lodging, events and much more. They’ll appreciate your thoughtfulness.

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It’s Official, Summer is just around the corner

Posted by admin | Posted on 26-02-2013

Category : Featured Post

Britt’s Donuts has scheduled its season opening for March 12.  That makes it official, summer is just around the corner.  Soon, our taste buds will be able to enjoy those warm bits of gazed delight.  Time to get your bathing suits out and plan your trips to Wilminton and the beaches.  It’s a great time to Enjoy Wilmington.

 Our Sports

Cape Fear Roller Girls kicks off their season March 9, at the Schwartz Center.  The CFRG is Wilmington’s premier women’s flat track derby league. The league is made up of strong, independent women of all ages and from all walks of life.  Their home schedule rolls at the Schwartz Center on the CFCC downtown campus and runs through November 9, 2013.Wednesday brings the wrap up of local college basketball.  UNCW Seahawks host William and Mary for their last home game this season.  They’re at Trask Coliseum.  And CFCC’s Sea Devils host Brunswick CC for their final this season at the Schwartz Center.  Both teams would be happy to see you in the stands.It’s time to stretch those legs.  Komen’s Race for the Cure comes to the Port City.  There’s a 5K run and a 1K walk on March 2.  They’re still looking for participants.  Put your team together and make a statement against breast cancer. Because it’s the first Komen Race for the Cure in Wilmington, there will be a special run from Raleigh to Wilmington on Thursday and Friday.Tennis fans will want to head to the Althea Gibson tennis complex at Empie Park.  The Port City High School Invitational begins Friday for the weekend.  The USTA has a Play Day for the 10 and under crowd the following weekend.  It’s a great way to get introduced to the sport.You can find all these sporting events and more, here.

On the Silver Screen

The British are coming!  The British are coming! To Hyde Park that is.  It’s June 1939, and the King and Queen of the United Kingdom are visiting President Franklin Roosevelt.  They desperately need to have the United States enter the war and the President has to balance domestic politics.  It’s an important time captured in Hyde Park on The Hudson starring Bill Murray and Laura Linney.  It’s the Cinematique offering this week at Thalian Hall.Nostalgia fans will head to the Brown Coat theater Friday for a showing of Rocky Horror.  Toast anyone?Two damaged people trying to recover from the slings and arrows of life meet.  An unlikely romance ensues.  Rust and Bone is the next Cinematique feature at Thalian HallFind all our films here.

American History

Slavery, Camp Davis and the Wilmington Harbor are all in the Historian’s sight’s this week.  Thomas Massey kicks off the trio of talks with a look at the African-American experience and the growth of the slave trade in our region.  His talk will be held at the Bellamy Mansion, tonight, at 6:30 pm. Later this week, the Latimer House Museum presents the history of Camp Davis.  David Stallman has explored the history of this WWII era camp that served first to prepare troops for war, then as a separation center for soldiers returning to civilian life and finally for a secret missile development program.  Visitors to Topsail can still see the remains of their towers.  His talk begins at 11 am.And, next Saturday, Beverly Tetterton will talk about the Wilmington Harbor.  It’s the reason there is a Wilmington but its uses and roles have changed over the year.  She’ll be at the Latimer House and is set to begin about 10 am.Cape Fear Museum’s exhibit Fragments of War continues.  You can read more about that exhibit on the Blog.You can find details on these and other history events at Our History.

Art for All

Art for All, Wilmington’s great celebration of local artists, comes to the Brooklyn Arts Center Friday and Saturday March 8-9.  More than 50 local artists present their best works in pottery, paintings, illustrations, sculpture, photography, watercolors, glass, metal and woodwork.  Nothing is more than $250 with most items closer to $50.

Locals day

Sunday, March 3, is the 18th Annual “Be a tourist in your own hometown day.”    Dozens of participating attractions open their doors to New Hanover County residents free of charge.  Providing free admission and special events is a way for the attractions to familiarize residents with area tourism assets and to thank them for their support. In addition to attractions, special Riverfront activities will take place from 12 noon until 3pm. Residents and visitors can stop by the Riverfront Visitor Information Booth to pick up a list of participating attractions and meet team and event mascots who will sign autographs and pose for photo opportunities on the Riverwalk (weather-permitting) at the foot of Water & Market streets.  It’s a great day for locals to get out and see all that the area has to offer.

Our Filming venues, ghosts, river sites are all on Tour

We like to show off our history, our natural beauty, our filming locations and even our more ‘unique’ side. Head to the Black Cat Shoppe and they’ll hook you up with Ghost Walk, Haunted Pub Crawls, and Hollywood Location Walk tours. Head down to Wilmington Water Tours or the Henrietta and they’ll take you out for river cruises to show off a glorious sunset or the key role the river played in our history and the delicate balance between commerce and environmental sensitivity. Click on Our Tours to get started.

Food and Wine

We do like our food and wine around here.  There’s a wine tasting most evenings.  Fortunate Glass has one most Tuesday evenings.  The Wine Sampler has the most extensive with tastings on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.  Wilmington Wine and Divine Wines both pull the corks on Fridays.  And if you’d rather try the hops, Front Street Brewery will gladly give you a tour of our only working Brewery any afternoon.   Foodies will want to check out the Fire On The Dock ‘toque-down’ taking place at Bluewater Grill this week and next.  It pits two area chefs against each other with the participants voting for the best.  You can find more about that here.  And food fans should hold March 23, on their calendars.  One of our prime restaurants has a special prix fixe experience that evening.   Find the schedule of wine and beer tastings at Our Fun.

Profile of a nonprofit event: HWF Tourguide Training

Have you ever thought about being a tourguide?  Maybe you’ve thought about how much fun it would be to show off our beautiful history?  If your answer is yes then you’ll want to learn more about the Historic Wilmington Foundation’s upcoming tours and their tourguide training.  The Foundation’s training opens March 5, and features classroom time and a practice tour.  You can learn more from Megan Nadeau here.

 

And there’s more to do

There’s a large and varied music scene here. Find music events at Our Music. Find something for the theater fan at Our Theater.  We have lots of events for kids that you can find at Kids Events. Or just check out the whole schedule at Our Events. We have all kinds of restaurants that you can find and search at Dine Here. And you can find lodging at Our Hotels and more. Use the search function (look for the binoculars) to refine your search.

Looking Ahead

Just around the corner is the Encore Restaurant Week,  Steve Haydu Lo Tide Run, Quintiles Marathon, Easter events, Black Film Festival, St. Patrick’s Day parade, The Who’s Tommy on stage, the Symphony and much, much more.   Our farmers’ Markets return in April, the Azalea Festival will be here in April, too.  And we always have the beaches.  Find all of these events and more at events.enjoywilmington.com.  You can plan your holidays and more with our helpful planning tool. http://plan.enjoywilmington.com.  You’ll want this for your trips here and planning at home and the office.  It shows holidays and major events like the next Superbowl, 2014 Olympics, a lunar eclipse and other big events.

Find your nonprofit

We have a robust nonprofit community around southeastern North Carolina. You can find a great directory of nonprofits at www.WilmingtonGivesBack.org or find a calendar of nonprofit events at SENC Nonprofit Events.

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Find everything on the website at www.EnjoyWilmington.com

Wilmington Summer Camps

Posted by admin | Posted on 21-02-2013

Category : Featured Post, Where To Do

It might be cold outside but summer is just around the corner and Wilmington organizations are announcing their summer camp schedule.

As it has in the past nine years, Parent Magazine is hosting a Summer Camp Fair for parents on March 9, at Independence Mall.  A host of organizations will be present from 10 am to 4 pm to talk to you about their camps.

Scroll down through the article for camps by Cape Fear Museum, Carolina Gymnastics and Cape Fear River Watch.

Cape Fear Museum summer camps:

YOUNG ENGINEERS
June 17-21 | 9 am – noon
Ages 9-10
If you can dream it, we’ll give you the tools to build it! Design, construct, and test structures and explore nature’s architecture. Use technology and your imagination in exciting design challenges. Conclude the week with an engineering extravaganza!
Registration closes June 3, 2013.
$75 members; $95 non-members (includes camp t-shirt)

SCIENCE MASTERS

June 24-28 | 9 am – noon

Ages 7-8

Put on your safety goggles; this might get messy! Explore the sciences from Archaeology to Zoology—and everything in between. Investigate outer space, experiment with light and shadows, tinker with the physics of toys, and create crazy concoctions!

Registration closes June 10, 2013.

$75 members; $95 non-members (includes camp t-shirt)

 

DINOS AND MORE

July 8-12 | 9 am – noon

Ages 5-6

Dinosaurs big and small—come meet them all! Take a look into their world and investigate other prehistoric animals that lived in the Lower Cape Fear. Dig for fossils that you can keep, investigate the modern relatives of these ancient creatures, and meet some live reptiles!

Registration closes June 24, 2013.

$75 members; $95 non-members (includes camp t-shirt)

 

CAPE FEAR EXPLORERS

August 5-9 | 9 am – 4 pm*

Ages 7-10

Grab your gear; we’re going on an adventure! Analyze historic artifacts and participate in exciting science experiments at our “base laboratory” for part of the day. We’ll also head out to a different destination each day to explore history and science around the Lower Cape Fear.

Registration closes July 22, 2013.

$165 members; $185 non-members (includes camp t-shirt)

*This is an all-day camp.

Registration is now open for Museum members. Public registration begins Monday, February 25. To register, download a printable form at www.capefearmuseum.com or call 910-798-4362.

Carolina Gymnastics Camps

Carolina Gymastics holds a series of weeklong camps running Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

March Intersession Camp 1 Need all day active care for your child while year round school is out?  Drop off as early as 8:30 am, and pick up any time before 6 pm.  All campers bring a lunch from home. Tuition cost is $35 per day, or $150 per week.  Please indicate days under COMMENTS. Both 5 – 11 03/18/13-03/22/13 Mon,Tue,Wed,Thu,Fri 8:30am-6:00pm 150.00
Register March Intersession Camp 2 Need active all day care for your child while year round school is on vacation?  Drop off anytime after 8:30 am, and pick up any time before 6 pm.  All campers bring a lunch from home! Tuition cost is $150 per week, or $35 per day.  Please indicate days under COMMENTS. Both 5 – 11 04/01/13-04/05/13 Mon,Tue,Wed,Thu,Fri 8:30am-6:00pm 150.00
Morning Summer Camp Week 1 Both 3 – 10 06/10/13-06/14/13 Mon,Tue,Wed,Thu,Fri 9:00-1:00 150.00
Morning Summer Camp Week 2 Both 3 – 10 06/17/13-06/21/13 Mon,Tue,Wed,Thu,Fri 9:00-1:00 150.00
Morning Summer Camp Week 3 Both 3 – 10 06/24/13-06/28/13 Mon,Tue,Wed,Thu,Fri 9:00-1:00 150.00
Morning Summer Camp Week 4 Both 3 – 10 07/01/13-07/05/13 Mon,Tue,Wed,Fri 9:00am-1:00pm 120.00
Morning Summer Camp Week 5 Both 3 – 10 07/08/13-07/12/13 Mon,Tue,Wed,Thu,Fri 9:00am-1:00pm 150.00
Morning Summer Camp Week 6 Both 3 – 10 07/15/13-07/19/13 Mon,Tue,Wed,Thu,Fri 9:00am-1:00pm 150.00
Morning Summer Camp Week 7 Both 3 – 10 07/22/13-07/26/13 Mon,Tue,Wed,Thu,Fri 9:00am-1:00pm 150.00

 

Cape Fear River Watch Summer “Eco Camp”

The Lower Cape Fear River Basin Eco Camp is tailored to children between the ages of about 9 years to 12 years old. Students will enjoy Hiking Trips, Paddling on Greenfield Lake, Nature Tours, Ferry Trip to South Port, Beach Combing, Searching for carnivorous plants in Carolina Beach State Park, Boat Rides up the Cape Fear and much more!

 

The WaterKeeper Camp is tailored to children and young adults between the ages of 13 to 16 years. It is designed to enable students to better understand the connections between people and their natural and urban environment by looking at rivers, watersheds, water quality and usage.

 

Get more information and register for summer camps here! (http://capefearriverwatch.us6.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=cb3967f312&id=a2b2c7af96&e=fe8d9978c1)

 

 

Find much more to do around Wilmington at www.EnjoyWilmington.com and find more events for kids at

Enjoy Wilmington for Valentine’s Day and all it’s special February events

Posted by WilmFan | Posted on 13-02-2013

Category : Featured Post, What To Do

Tags: , , ,

Enjoy Wilmington for its Romance and Special Happenings

With special events including the East Coast Shag Classic, Downtown Lifestyles tour, and Garden Show, and Valentine’s Day special events from star gazing to romantic cruises, early February is a great time to visit along the lower Cape Fear River.

 

Romance your loved one in Wilmington

Wilmington is the place for romance.  There’s a reason the latest Nicholas Spark’s movie was filmed in this part of the State.  With our beautiful ocean and river views to quaint restaurants and walks on the beach, this is a very
romantic spot.  Try one of our great restaurants, maybe a Valentine’s day
cruise, or a special showing of one of the shows at our theaters. Visit the calendar of events for some specific events, here.  Or check out our great restaurants, here.

Valentines is for Singles, too.  Deena Craig who leads a group called Singles on the Go has
arranged an event for singles at Red Hot Cupcake Stand.  It’s detailed on
a Star News blog.  Click here for more about that Here.

And guys, if that’s not for you, “Die Hard” opens at area theaters on Valentine’s Day.  Ladies
who’d like to surprise their guys for Valentine’s Day could take their man
out for Valentine’s Day dinner of hot wings and the Bruce Willis flick.

A Month of Special Events

We have a host of special events this month.  Wilmington likes to give
folks plenty of reasons to enjoy the area before summer arrives and that is
happening this month.

The annual East Coast Shag Classic comes to Wrightsville Beach this weekend
with four days of Shag dancing.  It opens Thursday with DJ Big Kahuna and
the Band of Oz. It continues Friday and Saturday with lessons and plenty of dancing.  And
wraps up Sunday morning with, what else, Gospel Train.  It’s all at the Blockade Runner.
Everyone is welcome even if you’ve never tried this dance.  They offer
lessons.

Ever considered city living?  Wilmington Downtown has and is offering its
second Downtown Lifestyles tour on the 16th.  10 downtown
condos will be open from 10 am to 4 pm.  You can find more information
about this and other tours at Our Tours.

Gardeners should check out The Annual Wilmington Garden Show.  The Schwartz Center will
be filled the 16th and 17th with everything the gardener could
imagine.  Details about this and other nature events at Our Nature.

And next weekend, the Spring version of the Wilmington Wine & Beer comes
to downtown Wilmington.  Ten restaurants and bars will be offering samples
of their fare from 1 pm to 6 pm.  Get your tickets at Front Street Brewery
or Fortunate Glass.  You’ll find more about this tasting and other beer and wine tastings at Our Fun.

Expand your mind

Do you have an interest in discussing the Afghanistan and Iraq wars?  Time Magazine’s Joe Klein is
coming to UNCW will be here on the 18th to open a discussion on
these issues.  Learn something about our country, our time, and our leadership.

Maybe this should be under Valentine’s Day.  We’ll call it an intellectual
Valentine’s offering.  Cape Fear Museum has a special “Cape Fear Skies”
program Sunday.  They’ll talk about the tales of romance offered by the stars
since time began.  It’s offered at three different times Saturday afternoon.

You can find more about these events at Our Learning.

Music-we play the notes

The NY Metropolitan Opera shows up live through the magic of electronics at
UNCW’s Lumina Theater throughout the year.  This Saturday, the 16th,
brings Rigoletto to our fair city. This cooperative program between the University and Met
continues through April.

The next day brings the NC Symphony to town to perform live at Kenan.
They’ll be presenting Shuman’s Piano Concerto.

And we always have plenty of music in our clubs.  You can find your opera,
rock, jazz, blues and more at  Our Music.

We have art

The Cameron Art Museum continues with its special shows including one focusing
on Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald.  The fourth Friday of this month is another Fourth Friday Art Walk. 
You’ll find more at Our Art.

Dance, it’s good for the heart

I’m not sure what to make of this, but it seems that there is a lot more dance
around here than in the past.  Besides the Shag Classic, Ted’s has a regular
dance party, Arabian Nights and Juggling Gypsy feature Belly Dancing from time to time, there’s a regular Contra-Dance in
town and the Azalea Coast Ballroom Dance folks host a regular ballroom dance.
You can find these organized dances at Our Dance.   Many
of our music venues include dancing as well.

Our Amazing Theater

Theatre Now is featuring Games of the Heart with a special Valentine’s evening showing.  Harvey is in
its run at Cape Fear Playhouse.  And City Stage is hosting The Lieutenant of Inishmore,
a dark comedy about the IRA days in Ireland.  Thalian Hall brings She Loves Me,
opening the 20th.  It’s a romantic musical and based on the
same play as You’ve Got Mail.  You can check the schedule of these and a
few more at Our Theater.

Sports:

There’s plenty of basketball at UNCW and Cape Fear Community College.  The Special
Olympics brings the Polar Plunge to Carolina Beach on Saturday the 23.rd
Plunge in or cheer on those who do.  We’re about to begin the season
of runs, marathons, biathlons and more.  Check the schedule and get ready
to run.  It’s all at Our Sports.
And there’s more

Find something for the history buff at Our History. We
have lots of events for kids that you can find at Kids Events.  Or
just check out the whole schedule at Our Events. We have all
kinds of restaurants that you can find and search at Dine Here. And you can
find lodging at Our Hotels and more. Use
the search function (look for the binoculars) to refine your search.

Looking Ahead

Foodies have a series of events to look forward to. Fire On The Dock
kicks off February 18.  Area restaurants compete in head to head ‘iron
chef’ style ‘cook-offs.’  Get the complete schedule at Fire On The Dock Competition.
Manna Avenue restaurant will be offering a special prix fixe meal on the 23rd of March.  Encore magazine’s
restaurant week is just around the corner.   Our farmers’ Markets return to downtown Wilmington in  April, and to Wrightsvile Beach in May.  the  Azalea Festival will be here in April, too.  And we always have the beaches.  Fnd all the great things
to do at http://events.enjoywilmington.com  and plan your holidays with our helpful planning tool, http://plan.enjoywilmington.com.  You’ll want this for your trips here and planning at home and the office. It shows
holidays and major events like the next Superbowl (s), anniversary of the earthquake, dates of the 2014 Olympics, a lunar eclipse and other big events.

Find your nonprofit

We have a robust nonprofit community around southeastern North Carolina. You can
find a great directory of nonprofits at www.WilmingtonGivesBack.org or find a calendar
of nonprofit events at SENC Nonprofit Events.

Share this newsletter with a friend

We have a great community here in southeastern NC. Forward this email to a friend
and let them know how great this place is! They can click on www.EnjoyWilmington.com and find our
restaurants, lodging, events and much more. They’ll appreciate your thoughtfulness.

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