Weekend best bets: Food, beer and George Clinton

RALEIGH, N.C. — There is plenty to check out this weekend, like George Clinton, K. Michelle, the Downtown Raleigh Home Show, the Bull City Food and Beer Experience and more.

Thrillers: An Evening with Authors John Grisham and John Hart - Explore the imagination behind the creation of riveting novels Friday night at Meymandi Concert Hall. Prior to this discussion -- illustrating today’s pressing need to blur the boundaries between the humanities and the sciences — hear from acclaimed paleontologist Lindsay Zanno as she reveals “thrillers” from the world of dinosaurs. WRAL is a proud sponsor of this event.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in Concert - The North Carolina Symphony will perform John Williams’ unforgettable score from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets while the entire film plays in high-definition on a 40-foot screen. See it Friday through Sunday at Raleigh Memorial Auditorium.

Fetty Wap: The For My Fans Tour - This is his last stop on the FMF Tour. See him Sunday at The Ritz. All ages are welcome.

George Clinton - Recording both as Parliament and Funkadelic, George Clinton revolutionized R&B during the 1970s. See him at The Ritz Saturday night.

K. Michelle - Personal and creative growth intersect on K. Michelle’s third full-length album, More Issues Than Vogue. The chart-topping and award-winning R&B singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, television personality and mogul didn’t just realize her sound, but she also realized herself. See her Friday night at The Ritz.

Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles - Rain celebrates the 50th anniversary of the release of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. For the first time ever, RAIN will bring the historic album to life in its entirety for this psychedelic multimedia spectacular. See it at DPAC Friday and Saturday.

Jerron "Blind Boy" Paxton - Paxton transforms traditional jazz, blues, folk and country music into the here and now, and he mesmerizes audiences with his humor and storytelling. He was one of 20 musicians featured in the PBS special American Epic Sessions – a documentary that features performances by Alabama Shakes, The Avett Brothers, Rhiannon Giddens, Merle Haggard, and more. See him Friday night at Fletcher Opera Theater in Raleigh.

Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana - This band brings the pride, power and passion of flamenco back to Durham with a dynamic cast of world-renowned dancers and musicians from Spain and the U.S. See them Friday and Saturday at Motorco.

Assassins - Theater in the Park presents this darkly humorous Tony award-winning musical by Stephen Sondheim which explores the history of presidential assassination in America, from John Wilkes Booth to John Hinckley, Jr. The show opens Friday and runs through March 4.

22nd African American Celebration - Head to The Cary Theater on Saturday for this annual celebration. The theme this year is "Eat Well, Live Well, Be Well: Working to Improve Equal Opportunities for Health in the African-American Communities."

Bull City Food and Beer Experience - The Durham Performing Arts Center will host this sold-out event on Sunday. There will be delicious local restaurants paired with breweries from across the nation. Unlimited food and beer samplings will be spread throughout all three DPAC floors, plus there will be a showcase of local food trucks on the DPAC stage.

Lager Olympics - Watch 40 of the top Lager Olympians compete in eight grueling challenges to see who will be crowned the Ultimate Lager Olympian. The competition is Saturday afternoon at The Mason Jar in Fuquay-Varina.

Downtown Raleigh Home Show - This three-day show at the Raleigh Convention Center includes remodeling and home improvement ideas, celebrity guests, DIY and interactive seminars, the hottest new products and more.