In case you haven’t left your house in the last few days, let us fill you in: it is HOT.
Like, the National Weather Service issuing a heat advisory hot.
Since we’re in that part of Southern summers where Satan’s armpit would probably be more hospitable, we’re recommending some events for your Saturday that won’t require tons of time in the sun. From a Comic-Con in Raleigh all weekend to an evening under the stars watching Monty Python, here are some things we’re looking forward to on Saturday.
Raleigh Convention Center
Cosplayers, creators, and comic connoisseurs are returning to Raleigh after a year sans mass gatherings. The event planners are preparing for around 22,000 people, but there are also different protocols in place to make it a little safer.
On the bright side, you’ll be able to listen in on some different celebrity Q&A sessions (both livestreamed and in-person), get some photos with William Shatner or the cast of American Pie, and see some of the coolest costumes cosplayers can come up with.
Saturday festivities run from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m., with the exhibition hall open until 8 p.m.
NC Museum of Art, Raleigh
“Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries!”
I have never seen a Monty Python movie, but I have watched my parents laugh enough times at the sheer memory of the killer rabbit in Monty Python & The Holy Grail to know you won’t want to miss this. The film is part of NCMA’s Summer Films series held in the amphitheater, making it easier to social distance. Food and drinks are available for purchase, but be sure to bring some lawn chairs or blankets to sit on.
The gates open at 8 p.m., with the film starting at 9 p.m.
John Shelton Reed and Robert Moss on Barbecue
McIntyre’s Books, Pittsboro
Whether you prefer Lexington or Eastern-style barbecue, you can’t dispute that North Carolina barbecue is an art, an obsession that we all like to play into from time to time. John Shelton Reed agrees; his book, Holy Smoke: The Big Book of North Carolina Barbecue, has been recognized by national and international culinary professional groups. His collection, On Barbecue, compiles the essays, articles, reviews, and other pieces he’s written on the history and culture of barbecue.
He’ll be joined by Robert Moss, Southern Living’s contributing barbecue editor, to discuss the collection and his years-long obsession with the signature Southern dish. While you’re in Pittsboro, you may as well give in to your cravings and stop for lunch at Allen & Son Bar-B-Que.
The conversation begins at 11 a.m.
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