Good morning, Wake County!
Happy National Potato Day! Today we celebrate the humble potato—the vegetable that gave us fries, mashed potatoes, hash browns, tater tots and loaded baked potatoes. Frankly, that deserves a holiday! 😂
Want to celebrate locally? Put these Wake County spots on your potato radar:
🥔 Super Spuds — Raleigh — Loaded baked potatoes that turn the humble spud into the main event.
🍟 Buena Papa Fry Bar — Raleigh — Hand-cut fries piled high with globally inspired toppings. “Buena Papa” means “good potato,” so they were practically made for today!
👑 Spud Kings Foodtruck — Apex — Big, hearty loaded potatoes fit for potato royalty.
So go ahead—keep your eyes peeled, grab your favorite spud, and celebrate! 😂
See you out there in beautiful Wake,
Diane
—Philippians 4:6
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
B’s Customer Designs – Handmade Wreaths That Make a Statement
Support a small business and a work-at-home mom when you choose a one-of-a-kind wreath from B’s Customer Designs. Each piece is carefully crafted to be uniquely yours—beautiful, eye-catching, and the perfect statement for your front door.
Turn your entryway into something special. Shop B’s Customer Designs today and bring home the beauty of handmade. Check out her latest creations and order your own: B’s Custom Creations by BR
Why did the potato cross the road? 🥔
Because he saw a fork up ahead! 😂
What do you call a potato that tells everyone what to do?
A dic-tater! 🥔👑
Have you ever been?
Where the Wind Turns Scrap Metal Into Magic
One of North Carolina’s most unusual treasures is hiding just down the road from Wake County.
There are places you visit because they're famous—and then there are places that make you wonder, “How did I not know this was here?”
About 50 miles east of Raleigh in downtown Wilson sits the Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park, a two-acre wonderland filled with 30 enormous, wind-powered sculptures.
Then the breeze blows. Wheels turn. Propellers spin. Metal arms swing. Reflectors sparkle in the sunlight. Towering sculptures—some reaching 50 feet or more—suddenly come alive.
And it all began with a North Carolina man who didn't even consider himself an artist. Vollis Simpson was a Wilson County farm-machinery repairman, house mover, World War II veteran and lifelong tinkerer.
After retiring, Simpson began transforming discarded materials—old road signs, bicycle parts, fans, pipes, steel rods, and pieces of machinery—into gigantic kinetic sculptures.
Where most people saw scrap metal, Vollis Simpson saw possibility. He displayed the creations on his farm outside Wilson, and eventually people began traveling down the country roads just to see them.
His work gained national attention, and in 2013, North Carolina designated Simpson's whirligigs as the state's official folk art. As Simpson's creations aged, Wilson launched an ambitious effort to restore them and move them downtown. The result is today's Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park, which opened in 2017 and houses 30 restored sculptures—the world's largest collection of Simpson's whirligigs.
The park has become much more than an art exhibit. It helped spark new activity and investment in historic downtown Wilson and has become one of eastern North Carolina's most distinctive destinations. In 2026, it earned another impressive honor: USA Today named it one of the 10 Best Sculpture Parks in the United States.
Visit during the afternoon—but don't leave when the sun goes down. Simpson incorporated reflective material from old road signs into his creations. Today, special nighttime lighting makes the towering whirligigs sparkle and flash as they move. Look for red stars embedded in the walkway, which mark recommended spots for viewing the illuminated sculptures after dark. Add a Carolina sunset and a little breeze, and you've got a pretty spectacular evening.
Admission to the park is FREE, and it is currently open daily from 5:00 a.m. until midnight. Across the street, visit the Whirligig Park Museum & Gift Shop, where you'll find more original Simpson pieces and learn the story behind this remarkable North Carolinian. Then spend some time exploring downtown Wilson, grab something to eat and return to the park around sunset.
Sometimes the treasures are just down the road, waiting for the wind to blow.
Water Babies of Greater Raleigh offers expert-led swim lessons for babies and toddlers from birth to age 4 in warm, welcoming Triangle pools. You’ll be in the water together for fun, child-led classes filled with songs, play, and gentle skill-building—creating special bonding moments while your little one gains confidence.
Why parents love Water Babies:
✅ Builds early water confidence and helps prevent fear of water
✅ Introduces foundational water safety skills
✅ Supports healthy physical and emotional development
✅ Creates quality parent-child bonding time
✅ Taught by caring, highly trained local instructors
Give your child the gift of water confidence and joyful memories. Spots fill quickly—contact Water Babies of Greater Raleigh today!
Let’s find more summer in Wake County!
North Carolina’s Growing Powerhouse
We live here—but do you realize just how remarkable Wake County has become?
Wake County is much more than home to Raleigh, North Carolina’s capital. It is now the most populous county in the state and a major center for technology, research, education, life sciences and business.
And we're growing fast!
The U.S. Census Bureau estimated Wake County's population at approximately 1.26 million in 2025, compared with about 901,000 in 2010. Since the 2020 Census alone, we've added nearly 128,000 residents.
No wonder the traffic seems a little heavier! 😂
Raleigh may be the county seat, but communities such as Cary, Apex, Wake Forest, Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varina, Garner, Morrisville, Rolesville, Knightdale, Wendell and Zebulon all contribute to Wake County's remarkable growth and success.
We're also at the heart of the internationally recognized Research Triangle, anchored by NC State, Duke and UNC-Chapel Hill. Research Triangle Park spans approximately 7,000 acres and supports more than 60,000 employees, helping attract technology, biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and research companies from around the world.
Here's another impressive number: the area is home to 650+ life-sciences companies and more than 49,000 life-sciences workers. Approximately 58% of Wake County adults age 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, creating an educated workforce that continues to attract businesses and entrepreneurs.
But numbers don't completely explain why people want to live here.
Wake County offers an unusual combination of big-city amenities and small-town charm. We have museums, universities and major concerts alongside farmers markets, historic downtowns, lakes, greenways, parks, festivals, and locally owned businesses.
Of course, rapid growth also brings challenges—from traffic and housing, to schools, infrastructure, and preserving open space.
Still, consider the transformation:
2010: About 901,000 residents
2025: About 1.26 million residents
That's an increase of roughly 356,000 people in just 15 years.
So the next time you're sitting at a red light wondering, “Where did all these people come from?”... now you know.
Wake County isn't simply growing—it's helping shape the future of North Carolina and making its mark far beyond our state.
Something Exciting Is Coming for Wake County Small Businesses! ❤️
Small businesses are the heart of Wake County. Behind every storefront, restaurant and local service is a family, and someone working hard to succeed and reach their dream.
At Wake News & Events, supporting these businesses has always been part of our mission. Now, we're taking that commitment even further.
🏆 Introducing the Wake News & Events Readers’ Choice Awards!
Coming soon, Wake County residents will have the opportunity to nominate and vote for their favorite local businesses across a variety of categories. You nominate. You vote. We celebrate the winners!
The awards are currently in pre-launch, so now is the time to get ready. Subscribe to the FREE Wake News & Events Newsletter and invite your friends, family, neighbors, and customers to join, too. Subscribers will be among the first to know when nominations and voting opens.
⭐ And the Winners Get BIG Recognition!
Each winning business will receive:
⭐ ONE FULL YEAR of FREE advertising in the new Wake News & Events Business Directory
🏆 An official Wake News & Events Readers’ Choice Award
📰 A special Business Spotlight in the Wake News & Events Newsletter
That's a full year of added exposure—FREE!
If you're a business owner, start rallying your customers and supporters now. If you're a reader, start thinking about the local businesses you couldn't imagine Wake County without.
Our local businesses support our schools, charities, families, events, and neighborhoods. Now it's our turn to support them.
📣 Nominations are coming soon!
Subscribe. Share. Nominate. Vote. Support Local. ❤️
And, please share Wake News & Events with a friend today and invite them to subscribe FREE. The more our community participates, the more we can shine a spotlight on the businesses that make Wake County special.
Half a Century of Craftiness
CARY, NC — If your weekend plans involve staying on the couch, Downtown Cary is about to give you 250 reasons to change your mind. This Saturday and Sunday, the town is transforming into a massive, open-air gallery for the milestone 50th anniversary of the Lazy Daze Arts & Crafts Festival. For five decades, this free two-day celebration has been the ultimate antidote to late-summer boredom, and this year’s golden jubilee is pulling out all the stops to make it the biggest block party yet.
The 50th annual Lazy Daze Arts & Crafts Festival takes over downtown Cary this weekend, Saturday, August 22, and Sunday, August 23, 2026, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily.
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For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
