18 Triangle events to check out this week

RALEIGH, N.C. — Our fun picks will help you get through the work week.

Whether you love to play bluegrass music or just want to listen, the PineCone Bluegrass Jam at Busy Bee in downtown Raleigh is a great, laid-back time. Music starts at 7 p.m.

Every Monday in September, The Atomic Rhythm All Stars brings classic jazz of the 20’s and 30’s performed live by a septet of some of the areas hottest players to Neptunes in Raleigh.

Moving freely from bluegrass to Bach, jazz, blues and beyond, Chris Thile will perform at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Memorial Hall at 7:30 p.m.

Musical-lovers won't want to miss Kinky Boots, a celebration about friendships and the belief that you can change the world when you change your mind. The show starts tonight at DPAC and will continue all week.

Ben Folds, a classical musician widely regarded as one of the major music influencers of our generation, will perform at Raleigh's Memorial Auditorium at 7:30 p.m.

Not your average beer dinner, this sounds delicious! Real McCoy's & Trophy Brewing have collaborated to combine a menu of carnival classics (like beer-marinated fries and one-bite nachos) with five Trophy beers. Tickets are $45.

Stop by the Raleigh Downtown Farmers Market between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. for fresh breads, local produce and other goodies.

Enjoy a Craft Cocktail Dinner featuring TOPO Distillery at Durham's Triangle Seafood Market and Restaurant - three delicious courses will be paired with organic spirits. Tickets are $65.

Three rock bands - Heart, Joan Marie Larkin and Cheap Trick - will perform at the Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek at 6:30 p.m.

SPARKcon, a large-scale art design festival, takes over downtown Raleigh starting today. The "creative potluck” of performers and crafters displaying and selling art, music, film, fashion and more continues through Sunday.

The Lumineers will perform at Cary's Booth Amphitheatre at 7 p.m. Lawn seats start at $40.

The Town of Clayton Concert Series presents "Natural Wonder," a Stevie Wonder tribute band, at 7:15 p.m.

At 8 p.m., The Carolina Ballet will present their season opener, La Mer, at the A.J. Fletcher Opera Theater. The conductor of the performance will use the three symphonic movements to symbolize the energy and imagery of the sea. Tickets start at $32.

Watch the new The Jungle Book under the stars at the NC Museum of Art at 8 p.m. Outdoor movie tickets are free for NCMA members and $6 for nonmembers.

The Museum of Durham History celebrates the unveiling of a new exhibition tonight from 6 to 8 p.m. Finding Each Other in History: Stories from LGBTQ + Durham features personal narratives that illustrate how people in Durham have a long, but often invisible, history of overcoming adversity to form a community.

Food trucks, a photo booth and more will make-up Raleigh Brewing Company's Oktoberfest Party. Starting at 6 p.m., enjoy music, dancing and lots of beer.

A new, art deco–themed series of Friday night screenings in the auditorium at the NC Museum of Art starts tonight at 8 p.m. with a showing of Dames. Tickets start at $5.

The Beats & Bars Festival starts at The Pinhook in Durham tonight with a collection of talented artists and discussions and celebrations about hip hop culture. The two-day festival continues through Saturday.