Durham food events, live jazz highlight weekend best bets

Food events, including a food truck rodeo and a chili challenge, live music and a community bike festival lead our weekend best bets.

Posted 2:03 p.m. Jun 13, 2013 — Updated 6:34 p.m. Jul 13, 2018

Caitlin Zanga

RALEIGH, N.C. — Durham seems to be the place to be this weekend, with food events, a community festival and live music. If you're not in the Bull City though, don't worry – there are plenty of other fun things to do this weekend around the Triangle!

Jeanne Jolly has always been musical. She played piano and harmonica as a child and later took the stage at a Carolina Mudcats game to sing the National Anthem. But when her mother died of ovarian cancer, she picked up the guitar and turned her mourning into music.

We'll kick off the weekend with live music on Friday evening. Fridays on the Front Porch continues at the Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill, with The Gravy Boys performing live starting at 5 p.m.

Local favorite Jeanne Jolly will take the stage at Lincoln Theatre in Raleigh at 8 p.m. Friday, and you can catch some jazz at the Monthly NeoSoul & Smooth Jazz Espresso event at the Durham Arts Council.

Check out more shows coming up this weekend with our live music roundup.

Chili cooks from around the area faced off on Saturday, June 16, 2012, at the 10th annual Bull City Chili Challenge at Durham Central Park.

Get ready to eat over the weekend because there are plenty of opportunities to eat some great food. Grab fresh, local produce at The Saturday Market at Rebus Works before chowing down on chili at the Bull City Chili Challenge. Tasting kits to sample many different types of chili are only $4 and benefit Durham Central Park.

Stick around in Durham for New Belgium Brewing Company's Tour de Fat, a free celebration of the local cycling community. There will be a parade through downtown, followed by music and fun events for the whole family.

Crowds waited in line at the various trucks during the Food Truck Rodeo. (Photo by Tony Rice)

The Ninth Annual Juneteenth Celebration is also in Durham on Saturday. There will be plenty of exhibits, vendors, fun and games for the kids, and events celebrating African American culture.

The Bull City continues its rodeo traditions with a Father's Day Food Truck Rodeo on Sunday. That would be a fun gift for dad, but if you're still stumped, check out some of our local gift ideas.

For family-friendly events, be sure to check out Go Ask Mom's weekend picks.

LL Cool J will play the DPAC on June 16, 2013. (Image from Ticketmaster.com)

Hip-hop legend LL COOL J will perform at DPAC on Sunday along with DJ Z-Trip, Ice Cube, Public Enemy, De La Soul, and if you're looking for jazz, head to Raleigh Little Theatre for their Second Annual "Uncle" Paul Montgomery Father's Day Jazz Concert, featuring national and local artists.

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