WeeseFest, Parrot Head party highlight weekend Best Bets

From early Fourth of July fun to a music festival to celebrate one man's birthday, this weekend is full of fun in the Triangle.

Posted 3:36 p.m. Jun 29, 2012 — Updated 6:24 p.m. Jul 13, 2018

Kathy Hanrahan

Lot of great events are planned in the Triangle this weekend leading up to the July 4 holiday next week. Get the weekend started off right with our Best Bets!

Chatham Hill Winery is hosting its first food truck rodeo Friday from 4 to 9 p.m. Klausie’s Pizza, American Meltdown and Chirba Chirba are a few of the trucks planning to be out there. Chatham Hill’s owner and winemaker (Marek Wojciechowski and no I don’t know how to pronounce this) will be on hand to help recommend wine pairings for your food. Food, music and wine – a nice way to start the weekend. A portion of the proceeds will go to Operation Homefront, which helps military families and wounded warriors.

Imagine having a music festival for your birthday? Walter Benton Weese, a bartender at Big Boss, gets to live the dream. Every year, he asks his favorite bands to come to Raleigh to play a special show for his birthday, with proceeds going to a local charity. The event has become known as WeeseFest. The 8th annual WeeseFest is Saturday at Big Boss Brewing Company. Acts this year include Jack the Radio, Gray Young and Titan. There is a $10 cover charge. Proceeds go to the Jim “Catfish” Hunter Chapter of the American ALS Society.

North Hills will celebrate the Fourth of July on Saturday during its weekly Midtown Farmers Market. There will be a children’s bike parade, games and crafts and a watermelon eating contest. Look for a barbecue cookout with J. Rod’s Backyard Barbecue and listen to patriotic performances courtesy of Kids Are Music. It all happens from 10 a.m. to noon in the commons area. Admission is free.

Fresh Music Festival (Image from Fresh Music Festival)

The Fresh Music Festival, which celebrates the best in best in R&B, hip-hop and soul, will hit PNC Arena on Saturday night. There will be performances by Keith Sweat, K-Ci & JoJo, Guy and SWV. Doug E. Fresh will serve as host. Tickets start at $39.50.

Thousands in Raleigh tailgate before a performance by Jimmy Buffett at the Time Warner Cable Pavillion at Walnut Creek on April 19, 2011. (Photo by Will Bratton)

The Parrot Heads of North Carolina, a group of very devoted Jimmy Buffett fans, are holding a fundraiser Saturday night in Cary for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The party starts at 3 p.m. at Rally Point Sports Grill. Donnie Howard will take the stage first, followed by Scearce and Ketner. There will also be a silent auction. Admission is free.