Weekend best bets: Mardi Gras kick-off, food truck rodeo

RALEIGH, N.C. — After a week of freezing weather, get out and play with these events!

Sausagefest - Durham's first Sausagefest will feature locally-crafted sausages from local restaurants and butcher shops at The Rickhouse on Sunday. Tickets are still available.

Winter Food Truck Rodeo - Head to Durham Central Park on Sunday starting at noon for the first food truck rodeo of the year.

Pints and Poses Yoga - Raleigh Brewing hosts this weekly yoga class every Sunday at 10:30 a.m. The class is $10. Bring your own mat. Dogs are welcome. The beer starts flowing at noon.

Inspiring Beauty: 50 Years of Ebony Fashion Fair - This exhibit at North Carolina Museum of Art covers 50 years of beauty, style, and empowerment, with 40 stunning outfits by Christian Dior, Givenchy, Alexander McQueen, and many more. See it through Jan. 21.

Life-Size Coloring Experience - Carrack Modern Art in Durham will host this life-sized coloring book event Friday night. There will also be a DJ, food and unlimited drinks.

Love Letters - Experience romance the old fashioned way with this show starring Sandy Duncan and Ira David Wood III. It is a unique and imaginative piece that explores the many forms of love shared by childhood friends who remain pen pals for more than 50 years, sharing every aspect of their lives with one another despite living in separate worlds. See it through Jan. 21 at Fletcher Opera Theatre in Raleigh.

What We're Up Against - Set in a highly competitive architecture firm, this play is an explosive and hilarious look at the complicated battle of the sexes raging across Cubicle Land. Raleigh Little Theatre presents this show through Jan. 28.

Durham Mardi Gras Kickoff Fundraiser - The Bulltown Strutters and Mel Melton and the Wicked Mojos will help kick off the carnival season at The Blue Note Grill on Saturday night.

The Great Cover Up: A Kings Tradition - This series features local bands covering legendary songs. Proceeds go to charity. The event runs Wednesday through Friday.

North Carolina Symphony: Pictures at an Exhibition - Few works can match it for orchestral color and sonic impact, and no work combines poignant emotion with sheer excitement quite like this. Mussorgsky's profound tribute to a friend is paired with the cheerful spirit of Beethoven's Symphony No. 4. See it at Meymandi Concert Hall Friday and Saturday.

Zoso - This Led Zeppelin Tribute Band will play Lincoln Theatre Friday night.

Paint and Punchlines - Paint along with an expert at Goodnights on Sunday. A hand-picked comedian will paint alongside the instructor on-stage while providing a humorous play-by-play. Stick around while your canvas dries for a short stand-up show afterward! Cocktails and dinner will be provided in advance as part of the event.

Russell Peters - Peters returns to his club roots as he starts working on new material for his next hilarious global conquest. These shows are a work in progress, with a rare opportunity to see this global comedy rock star up close and personal. See him at Goodnights Comedy Club Thursday through Saturday.

Boozin' in your Onesie - Hit up eight different downtown Raleigh venues during this bar crawl on Saturday, and don't forget to wear your onesie.

Back 2 School Crawl - NC Event Pics will host this crawl in Chapel Hill Friday night. Things kick off at The Grille at Four Corners at 7:30 p.m.

Charity Scrabble Tournament - This tournament will be happening at the Duke University's North Pavilion Friday through Sunday. All proceeds from this tournament go to support the Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplantation Program at the Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center. There are divisions for all levels of players. Winners will receive trophies and prizes.