Panthers: Carolina hosts Tampa Bay in a key NFC South matchup, looking to build on its road win over Philadelphia. College Football: Syracuse edged UNC 31-30 in overtime, while NC State fired Dave Doeren after 14 seasons following a loss to Stanford. Screen: North Carolina actor Joshua Loudermilk says he recognized Sacha Baron Cohen during the Ali G movie shoot but kept playing along. Jennifer Grey will return for Dirty Dancing 2, a new summer-camp love story that will honor Patrick Swayze without using AI. Music & Arts: Raleigh’s St. Ambrose Episcopal Church marked 60 years in Rochester Heights with music from NCCU’s jazz ensemble, including works by Mary Lou Williams. Franklin County bluegrass band Lost & Found was inducted into the Bluegrass Hall of Fame, and the Steep Canyon Rangers are set to play Boone’s Appalachian Theatre.
AGP Executive Report
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College Football: NC State fired Dave Doeren after a 31-28 loss at Stanford, ending the winningest coach’s 14-year tenure; assistant Todd Goebbel takes over while the school searches for a successor. Syracuse stunned UNC 31-30 in overtime in Chapel Hill, scoring on a fourth-down touchdown and two-point conversion. Live Entertainment: AEW Collision aired from Winston-Salem’s LJVM Coliseum Saturday, with FTR facing the Motor City Machine Guns and Jay White slated to address fans. Music: Franklin County’s Lost & Found was inducted into the Bluegrass Hall of Fame, while Chapel Hill rockers Dr. Funk took the stage at the North Carolina Music Hall ceremony. Arts & Culture: ECU’s “South ‘Meats’ Global South” celebration brought cultures together through food and music.
College Sports: Stanford held off NC State 31-28, while UNC welcomed Syracuse to Kenan Stadium for a prime-time matchup. Syracuse quarterback Steve Angeli was set to return after more than a month out. Arts & Events: Greenville’s Oct. 24 lineup included ECU’s “Frankenstein” and Guitar Festival; App State is planning a free Halloween Pumpkin Palooza for families on Oct. 31. Music & Culture: Chapel Hill rockers Dr. Funk took the stage at the NC Music Hall ceremony, and the Starlight Dance Band marked its 40th anniversary. Western North Carolina balladeers are also carrying on the region’s musical heritage. Fair Season: Attendance at the NC State Fair is trailing last year, with families citing rising costs. Wilmington, meanwhile, ranked as the nation’s top city for horror-movie fans in a new study.
Live Music: Goldsboro’s Starlight Dance Band celebrated its 40th anniversary with a benefit concert that raised at least $1,850 for Wayne County school arts programs. The 17-member group plays big band, swing, jazz and polka. Helene Stories: A new graphic novel pairs 11 western North Carolina survivors with comic artists to share their accounts of the storm. Creator Andrew Aydin, also a survivor, says the project puts residents’ voices on the page. Poetry: North Carolina spoken-word artist DS Will has released his debut collection, “Write on the Wall,” drawing on more than 20 years of work and themes including memory and the portrayal of Black men. Cultural Events: ECU’s South “Meats” Global South celebration brought eastern North Carolina barbecue, Latin American food, live music and dance together. Community Legacy: Ernie Pitt, 80, co-founder of the Winston-Salem Chronicle, died Friday; the newspaper he helped build has chronicled Black community life since 1974. On Stage: Temple Theatre is presenting “Little Women,” while Hillsborough’s River Park concert offered music, food and art. At the Zoo: The North Carolina Zoo welcomed four rare Visayan warty piglets and is asking the public to help name them.
Stage & Arts: “Little Women” is shining at Sanford’s Temple Theatre, while MOMIX’s “Botanica” brings dance and visual spectacle to Boone’s Schaefer Center. Live Events: Raleigh’s NC State Fair is back, Hillsborough’s River Park concert blends music, food and art, and the Watauga Community Band kicks off its 40th season with a free Oct. 25 concert. North Carolina Music: Raleigh artist Twilark has released an album featuring castanets; roots duo Carolina Pine plays Boone’s Jones House Oct. 28, and Presley Barker brings traditional country to the Walker Center. Screen & Scene: A new look at eight horror movies filmed in North Carolina celebrates the state’s cinematic history, while Charlotte’s art scene gets a spotlight. Weekend Picks: Asheville and Western North Carolina have events lined up for Oct. 23–25.
State Fair: North Carolina’s 11-day State Fair is heading into its final weekend in Raleigh, with rides, live music, food vendors and new attractions drawing crowds despite chilly, rainy weather. Local Arts: The Watauga Community Band marks its 40th season with a free concert on Oct. 25, while MOMIX brings its nature-inspired show Botanica to the Schaefer Center. Homegrown Spotlight: Raleigh’s Trey Roberts, an organizer of the Dix Park Inter-Tribal Pow Wow, was named to this year’s OUT100 for his community work and advocacy for Native visibility. Creator Watch: North Carolina-born YouTube star MrBeast’s expanding business empire is facing scrutiny after its media operation reportedly lost nearly $80 million. Celebrity on Campus: Marsai Martin and Love Island USA winner Trinity Tatum joined hundreds of N.C. A&T students marching to Greensboro’s early-voting site.
Dance & Performance: MOMIX brings its visually inventive Botanica to Appalachian State’s Schaefer Center on Nov. 12, transforming dancers into flowers, birds and other wonders of nature. Live Music: Steep Canyon Rangers return to Boone for an Appalachian Theatre show, while Carolina Pine plays the Jones House on Oct. 28 and Elysian Moon headlines a Halloween-weekend event at Kreuzberg. Arts Around the State: Asheville’s Oct. 23–25 events offer a weekend guide for local arts and entertainment, and Thomasville artisans are keeping traditional crafts alive at the N.C. State Fair.
Live Music: Steep Canyon Rangers return to Boone for a show at the Appalachian Theatre. Weekend Events: Hart Square Village’s 41st Fall Heritage Festival is set for Oct. 24, with historic buildings, craft demonstrations and old-time music. Campus Entertainment: NC A&T’s 100th Homecoming lineup features Gunna and Kirk Franklin. Theater: ArtsBlock Space is presenting a new production by a local playwright. Creator Economy: MrBeast’s North Carolina-based company has grown beyond YouTube into food, production and other ventures, with investor Steven Bartlett likening it to a Fortune 500 holding company.
Live Music: Grammy-winning North Carolina bluegrass band Steep Canyon Rangers returns to Boone’s Appalachian Theatre on Saturday, Oct. 24. In Fletcher, the Feed & Seed—once a general store, now a gathering place—hosts free Friday-night bluegrass. Arts Access: Warren County’s Revibe Art Project kicks off fundraising for local arts classes, especially for young people, with a clothing swap in Warrenton on Saturday. Music Honors: Chapel Hill rockers Dr. Funk are among the acts taking the spotlight at the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame ceremony. Halloween Watchlist: A look at eight horror movies filmed in North Carolina offers a seasonal tour of the state’s cinematic history.
On Location: UNC Charlotte and Wake Forest film students spent the weekend documenting Banner Elk’s worm festival, turning the small-town celebration into a hands-on cultural film project. Live Music: Salisbury Symphony launches its free Salisbury Symphony Connects series Oct. 25 with a brass performance of Reformation hymns at St. John’s Lutheran Church. Halloween Plans: Piedmont Triad communities have movie nights, ghost stories, pumpkin carving and haunted trails lined up for spooky season. Coming Up: Organist Daniel Sansone performs works by Bach, Debussy and others at a free Brevard College recital on Oct. 26. On Screen: A new roundup spotlights eight horror films shot in North Carolina, a seasonal watchlist with a local connection.
Charlotte Arts: The Queen City’s art scene is drawing fresh attention, while Raleigh musician Twilark has released an album featuring castanets. Music & Performance: Steep Canyon Rangers are set to return to Boone’s Appalachian Theatre, and the North Carolina Youth Orchestra will perform at the Cain Center. Living Traditions: Thomasville artisans brought traditional crafts to the N.C. State Fair, and a North Carolina dance group is keeping Mexican traditions alive. Fall Events: Halloween celebrations are planned across eastern North Carolina, as Lexington’s Barbecue Festival brings food, music and local tradition to the spotlight.
Charlotte Arts: The Queen City’s creative scene is drawing attention, with museums, contemporary art and live performance clustered around the Levine Center for the Arts. Music: Raleigh artist Twilark has released an album featuring castanets, while the Steep Canyon Rangers are returning to Boone for an Appalachian Theatre show. Homecoming & Jazz: North Carolina A&T’s centennial homecoming brings Gunna and Kirk Franklin to Greensboro; a local musician is also launching a residency spotlighting two city jazz legends. Craft & Community: Thomasville artisans are keeping traditional crafts alive at the State Fair. In Tarboro, Main Street Mayhem’s youth wrestling tournament moved indoors for the rain and drew 239 competitors from more than 40 teams.
Craft Traditions: Thomasville artisans Jeffrey Jobe and Curtis Cecil are showcasing handmade jewelry and glasswork at the N.C. State Fair’s Village of Yesteryear, keeping historic techniques alive. Live Music: North Carolina bluegrass favorites Steep Canyon Rangers bring their Grammy-winning sound to Boone’s Appalachian Theatre on Oct. 24. Appalachian Voices: Author Ron Rash reflects on how the mountains shaped his life and decades of acclaimed novels, poems and stories. HBCU Celebration: North Carolina A&T’s 100th homecoming pairs a century of campus style and tradition with performances by Gunna and Kirk Franklin. Local Arts: Greensboro musician explores the legacies of two local jazz greats in a new residency, while the North Carolina Youth Orchestra is set to perform at the Cain Center.
College Basketball: North Carolina lost 76-58 to Indiana in an exhibition, undone by a 53-31 rebounding gap and 20 Hoosiers offensive boards. Tar Heel Rivalry: UNC rallied past Duke 24-20 to reclaim the Victory Bell, while its swimmers swept both sides of the rivalry meet in Chapel Hill. HBCU Homecoming: North Carolina A&T marks its 100th homecoming with performances by Gunna and Kirk Franklin, bringing music and a major celebration to Greensboro. Arts & Heritage: The N.C. State Fair is welcoming families with new food offerings, while local artisans keep traditional crafts in the spotlight.
HBCU Homecoming: North Carolina A&T’s 100th GHOE brings Gunna and Kirk Franklin to Greensboro, pairing a major music lineup with a spotlight on the city. Traditional Music: Banner Elk luthier David Finck is carrying on a family woodworking legacy; in Ashe County, guitar legend Wayne Henderson and friends will play a free courthouse concert Friday, Oct. 23. College Football: UNC reclaimed the Victory Bell with a 24–20 win over Duke in Durham, sealed by Jaylen McGill’s late touchdown. Onstage and at the Fair: Greensboro musician explores the legacies of two local jazz greats in a new residency, while Temple Theatre features local artists and Thomasville artisans bring traditional crafts to the State Fair. Wilmington on Screen: Renewed interest in One Tree Hill is building ahead of its Netflix sequel, with fans revisiting the series and its Wilmington roots.
Rivalry Football: North Carolina rallied late to beat Duke 24-20 in Durham, with Jaylen McGill’s 24-yard touchdown reclaiming the Victory Bell with less than two minutes left. State Fair Arts: The N.C. State Fair is bringing families together with rides and food, while Thomasville artisans keep traditional crafts alive and local ham champions take the spotlight. Arts & Entertainment: Local artists are featured at Temple Theatre, and the North Carolina Youth Orchestra is set to perform at Cain Center. UNC Asheville will screen locally filmed Gunfighter Paradise, while an NC A&T alumnus is featured in Netflix’s A Different World reboot. Music & Media: Destiny Stone-King has released a new album. Charlotte radio pioneer Hattie Leeper, known as “Chatty Hatty,” has died at 98.
Theater & Visual Arts: Sanford artists Kristi Traynor and Barbara Berman are showcasing their work at Temple Theatre alongside its production of Little Women, running through Nov. 1. Berman’s colorful fabric-and-canvas pieces are on display in the theater’s stairway gallery. State Fair Traditions: Thomasville artisans Jeffrey Jobe and Curtis Cecil are demonstrating handcrafted jewelry and glasswork at the N.C. State Fair’s Village of Yesteryear, where more than 75 craftspeople keep traditional skills alive. The fair also brings a new 229-foot America 250 wheel and more than 80 new foods. Music & Performance: The ECU marching band has been selected to perform in next year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, while the North Carolina Youth Orchestra is set to play at the Cain Center. On Screen: UNC Asheville will screen locally filmed Gunfighter Paradise, and the Horror Movie Freaks Film Festival returns to Walnut Cove.
Student Innovation: T.W. Andrews students in High Point made North Carolina history with the state’s first student-led drone show, revealing their homecoming king and queen at halftime. State Fair Traditions: The N.C. Country Ham Competition returned after 27 years, with Boone’s Goodnight Brothers taking home multiple awards. Arts & Music: Franklin’s Mountains & Main Plein Air Festival brings outdoor painting to town Oct. 22–24, ending with a public exhibition and sale; Greensboro musician Wednesday’s new residency will explore the legacies of two local jazz greats. Coming Attractions: The North Carolina Youth Orchestra is set to perform at the Cain Center, while Durham’s DBAP will host two nights of Banana Ball in 2027, with a ticket lottery now open. On the Big Stage: ECU’s marching band has been selected to perform in next year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
State Fair: The North Carolina State Fair opened with a new food hall and vendor changes, bringing fresh options to a major fall gathering. Marching Band: East Carolina University’s marching band will take its sound to next year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Music & Theater: A Greensboro musician is planning a residency on two local jazz legends, while Thalian Hall in Wilmington presents the world premiere of Alluvial River, a musical paired with a restored 19th-century panorama. Wilmington will also welcome the Count Basie Orchestra to UNCW’s Kenan Auditorium. Local Culture: Flor de Hidalgo is bringing Mexican dance traditions to the Cape Fear Latino Festival, and North Carolina A&T students are celebrating a century of GHOE style. Film Industry: More financial assistance is on the way to support North Carolina’s film industry.
Music & Community: A Greensboro musician is launching a residency exploring the legacies of two local jazz greats, while a benefit concert will raise funds for music therapy. Traditions on Stage: A Wilmington dance group is passing Mexican traditions to a new generation through music, dance and colorful costumes; its next performance will celebrate Día de los Muertos. Marching Milestone: East Carolina University’s Marching Pirates will make their first appearance in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2027, after being selected from about 100 bands nationwide. Racing Heritage: North Wilkesboro Speedway hosts its Moonshiners & Racers Reunion on Saturday, bringing together more than 100 racing figures and honoring the sport’s deep roots in North Carolina. State Fair: The N.C. State Fair opens with a new food hall and vendor changes, adding fresh options for visitors.
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