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Hello friends!
On Sept. 23 we mark National Checkers Day—the anniversary of Nixon’s 1952 “Checkers” speech, and a nod to the cocker spaniel that stole the show. It’s also called Dogs in Politics Day.
Keep it simple. Set out the board. Play a game with someone you like. Let the dog lie under the table. In a busy Wake County week, that’s celebration enough.
See you out there in beautiful Wake!
Diane
P.S. Be sure to join our NEW Facebook Group. 👈
—Philippians 4:6
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
Why don’t autumn trees ever gamble?
Because they’re afraid of leaving everything on the table.
All Aboard for Autumn: North Carolina’s Spectacular Fall-Color Train Ride
Benson Mule Days
If you want a late-September festival that still feels like North Carolina, skip the mountain traffic and drive south. Benson Mule Days fills downtown Benson the fourth Saturday weekend of September—this year Thursday, Sept. 24 through Sunday, Sept. 27. From southern Wake County it is about 30 to 40 minutes down I-40. Organizers expect 20,000 to 30,000 people over four days.
The town has done this for 77 years. Mules, not mascots, are the point: pulling contests, arena events, and a Saturday parade on Main Street at 10 a.m. that runs about two and a half hours—bands, Shriners, tractors, wagons, and the animals themselves. Carnival rides open Thursday night at 403 South Elm Street. Friday is an armband or ticket night; Saturday and Sunday keep the midway going.
The 77th annual rodeo is Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., presented by SRA Double Creek Pro Rodeo. Gate prices listed this week: Friday $25 ages 6 and up, Saturday $20; ages 5 and under free. Rodeo and food trucks are cash only. A ticket includes the dance that follows. Thursday night in the Benson Singing Grove is the kickoff concert (RaynorShine Band at 6 p.m., Jason Michael Carroll at 7:30). Saturday also brings a Statler Brothers tribute. Check bensonmuledays.com before you go; some events sell out at the gate.
Pack walking shoes and a little cash. Benson is small. The fair is not. For a Wake County weekend that is harvest, horses, and a parade instead of a four-hour leaf drive, this is the one.
Wake County’s Big News This Week
Crooktoberfest
Crooktober is a season, not a three-day gate. The tap list includes a Crooktoberfest Märzen and WünderPumpkin festbier. The brewery generally opens at 11 a.m. (10 a.m. Sunday). Trivia is Tuesdays 6:30–8:30 p.m.; Music Bingo is Thursdays 6:30–8:30 p.m. Crooktoberfest Brunch runs Sundays 10 a.m.–2 p.m. through Oct. 25. The family kickoff is Crooktober Family Fun Fest, Saturday, Sept. 26, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.—face painting, balloon animals, pretzel necklaces, a kids’ root-beer stein contest at noon, and live music 1–4 p.m. with Sterling Scott. Hours and menus can shift; check the taproom before you go.
Fall Open Nursery & Garden Days
Juniper Level Botanic Garden, 9241 Sauls Rd., Raleigh.Public open days are Sept. 18–20 and Sept. 25–27, 9 a.m.–5 p.m., rain or shine. No reservation. Admission is free. Parking is $5 and comes off a plant purchase. The display garden is about 10 acres on a 28-acre campus. On Friday, Sept. 25: “Don’t Hang Up Your Trowel Yet: Fall Planting Secrets” at 10 a.m. and “Medicinal and Poisonous Plants” at 2 p.m. Food trucks rotate; Barone Italian Grille is listed for Sept. 25. Paths only; pets leashed.
Skate Night at Dix Park
A May 16 pop-up skate park is documented at Gipson Play Plaza, not at the Chapel. A Sept. 25 Chapel skate night with 5:00–6:15 p.m., 6:45–8:00 p.m., and 8:30–10:00 p.m. (18+) sessions did not appear on the park calendar.
Live Irish music & dinner
Doherty’s Irish Pub & Restaurant, 1979 High House Rd., Cary.Wednesdays, 6–9 p.m., including Sept. 23. Free to listen; full dinner service. Apex is Tuesdays; Pittsboro is the last Wednesday of the month. The Cary series is listed through Dec. 30, 2026.
Candlelight Concerts at The Rialto
On Thursday, Sept. 24, Fever’s Candlelight series takes over The Rialto Theatre at 1620 Glenwood Avenue in Raleigh’s Five Points neighborhood. A string ensemble plays tribute sets under electric candlelight in the historic house—these are not the original artists. Each concert lasts about an hour. Doors open one hour before the downbeat, and late seating is not allowed. The shows are for ages 8 and up; anyone under 16 needs an adult. Tickets start around $29 to $32 through Fever.
The 5:30 p.m. program is Neo-Soul Favorites, built around songs associated with Prince, Childish Gambino, and other neo-soul artists. The 7:45 p.m. program is Queen vs. ABBA, a string-quartet mix of hits from both catalogs.
Better Days Music Series
Friday, Sept. 25, music at 7 p.m.J Candeed’s Better Days series is a quarterly night of original songs at Hartwell. Doors and the bar typically open around 5 p.m.; the set starts near 7. Suggested donation is $10 at the door or online, and it supports the musicians. This week’s listed bill is singer-songwriters Drew Foust and Marshall Sidbury.
Roots and Blues at Slim’s
Friday, Sept. 25, 5:00–11:30 p.m.Slim’s lists the night as Three Bands & A Shot of Malört, not a separate “Roots & Blues Night.” The posted order is Stephen Clair 5:00–6:30 p.m., Rae the Band 7:30–9:00 p.m., and Daniel Anderson and the Heroic Dose 9:30–11:30 p.m.
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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.”
