Polar Plunge, roller derby, food and beer experience highlight our best bets this weekend

RALEIGH, N.C. — This weekend has just about everything – a roller derby, polar plunge, bar crawl and food and beer experience in Durham.

The Durham Performing Arts Center, Sam’s Quick Shop and Tyler’s Restaurant and Taproom have teamed up to host the first Bull City Food and Beer Experience on Sunday. Craft brewery owners from Sierra Nevada, New Belgium and Oskar Blues will be speaking and there will be food from 20 local restaurants and beer from more than 50 local and national breweries. Tickets start at $75 and you must be 21 years or older to attend. The event starts at the DPAC at 4 p.m.

Take the plunge Saturday afternoon at Lake Raleigh to help Special Olympics North Carolina. The annual Torch Run 5K and Polar Plunge is being held on N.C. State’s Centennial campus. Registration for the plunge starts at 1 p.m. and people begin jumping into the frigid water at 2 p.m. There is a $50 minimum donation to plunge. Prizes will be awarded for the youngest and oldest plungers and those with the best costumes.

If skating is more your speed, the Carolina Rollergirls will be opening their season on Saturday afternoon at Dorton Arena. The roller derby team have a double header starting at 3 p.m. Doors open at 2 p.m. and tickets are $12 for adults and $5 for children ages 6 to 12. This is a family-friendly event.

For more family-friendly suggestions for the weekend, check out Go Ask Mom's weekly event roundup.

If you are looking for a night of glitz and glamour for a good cause, The Cotton Company in Wake Forest is the site of the “Putting on the Ritz” fundraiser Saturday night. All money raised from the event goes to Mercy for America’s Children, a nonprofit that aims to help children in foster care. There will be live music, prizes and food and drink. Tickets are $150 per couple and $75 for singles.

Fat Tuesday was last week, but Lazyday Raleigh is letting the good times roll just a little longer with a Mardi Gras Bar Crawl downtown on Friday night. Tickets are $5 in advance and $10 at the door. Registration is Friday starting at 8 p.m. at Cornerstone Tavern. The crawl will go to Myst, The View, Southland Ballroom and Oryx. All bars will have drink specials including $4 Hurricanes. Also look for prizes and giveaways.

If you are looking for comedy this weekend, Mitch Fatel is playing Goodnights Comedy Club through Sunday. He has appeared on the “Late Show with David Letterman” and the “Tonight Show.” Tickets are $20.

WRAL’s Out and About will be at Lucky B’s in Glenwood South again this Sunday night to watch “The Amazing Race.” The bar’s owner and former Carolina Hurricane Bates Battaglia is competing on the show with his brother. If you are watching from home, be sure to chat with us live on WRAL.com during the broadcast. And enter our weekly contest for a chance to win a $200 Travelocity.com gift card. And check back on Monday for a recap with commentary from Bates’ dad.