2023: The Year in Pictures

Photos by Angelica Edwards and Brett Villena

The last year in news and culture was an eventful one for the Triangle—and the world.

As 2023 commenced, it felt clear that the region was returning to some semblance of normality after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Restaurants were full again, and music halls and theaters drew crowds; INDY photographer Brett Villena expertly captured exciting new openings, such as those of Chapel Hill’s bold barbecue restaurant Bombolo and an underground location for the classic comedy club Goodnights, as well as long-loved destinations such as Love Bao and Banh’s Cuisine. Angelica Edwards brought downtown Durham’s new Ella West Gallery to life and documented the second coming of Raleigh’s beloved Rialto Theater.

The Triangle remains one of the fastest-growing regions in the country, and while that’s generally good news for many residents, it has its drawbacks. Edwards put faces to so many Wake residents facing displacement—in the Cary mobile home park Chatham Estates and the Raleigh affordable apartment complex Grosvenor Gardens—to accompany Wake County writer Jasmine Gallup’s sensitive, comprehensive reporting.

As the year wound down, a conflict in the Middle East galvanized many Triangle residents to make a plea for peace. Edwards captured joyful images from a Durham gathering as families came together to fly kites and call for a ceasefire.

The new year is just getting started and we hope it’s one that will bring peace and prosperity at home and abroad. We at the INDY feel privileged to still be here and excited to continue to capture the Triangle through photos, in 2024 and beyond.