Entertainment

The Hive to host car show for autism awareness

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Tuesday, 25 August 2026

Written by Katie Herring

Mark your calendars and get ready to gear up for an unforgettable evening of community, camaraderie, and compassion! On Saturday, Sept. 5, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., The Hive of Hope Mills will host the much-anticipated Sound Sensory Therapeutic Playhouse Autism Awareness Car & Motorcycle Show. Located at The Hive of Hope Mills at 3414 Bullard Street in Hope Mills, this event promises an exciting lineup of high-powered engines and incredible vehicles, all coming together to support a truly vital cause.
Hosted by Sound Sensory Therapeutic Playhouse, this event is far more than a typical automotive display—it is a community movement. While spreading autism awareness is essential, this show goes a step further by actively promoting autism acceptance, deep understanding, and inclusive play for children and families.
Sound Sensory Therapeutic Playhouse and Sound Sensory Therapeutic Preschool serve as safe, welcoming environments where children of all abilities can learn, play, develop, and thrive. By bringing people together through a shared passion for cars and motorcycles, the event highlights the crucial message that every child deserves a space where they feel seen, valued, and celebrated. Families impacted by autism will find a warm, supportive network reminding them that they are never alone.
Attendees of all ages can look forward to an evening filled with family fun, community fellowship, and vibrant energy. Highlights of the event include:
• Impressive Vehicle Showcase: Explore a stunning array of classic cars, custom rides, and powerful motorcycles.
• Family-Friendly Activities: Enjoy entertainment, games, and engaging experiences designed for guests of all ages.
• Vendors & Local Resources: Connect with local businesses, community organizations, and specialized resources dedicated to supporting families.
• Trophies & Entertainment: Celebrate standout rides and enjoy live entertainment throughout the evening.
The Hive of Hope Mills is proud to partner with Sound Sensory to bring this meaningful event to life. Dedicated to serving as a gathering hub for the area, The Hive believes strongly in standing behind causes that uplift local youth and families. Partnering with Sound Sensory aligns perfectly with their mission to build a more connected, compassionate community.
Whether you are a devoted auto enthusiast or simply looking for a fun Saturday evening out with the family, your presence helps drive change. Car clubs, motorcycle groups, veterans, first responders, local businesses, and community members are all invited to roll up and show their support.
Every participant makes a difference, and every ride contributes to a more inclusive future. Bring your family, invite your friends and join in the fun. For those wanting to add their cars to the show, vehicles can be registered at https://www.soundsensory.shop/
Sponsors and vendors are still being accepted. Call 910-229-2699 for more information. Donations are also accepted.
Together, we can work so every child is included, accepted and empowered. This is a free event to attend.

Lafayette Society holds Liberty Point Resolves lecture

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Tuesday, 25 August 2026

Written by Amanda Ransom

This September, the Lafayette Society will bring a piece of Fayetteville’s Revolutionary history to life with its Fall 2026 Lafayette Lecture, exploring the Liberty Point Resolves and the community effort to preserve their story. Christopher Thrasher of the Lafayette Society said this year’s program is particularly meaningful because it showcases a partnership among the Cumberland County Public Library, Fayetteville Technical Community College and members of the community.
The Liberty Point Project brings together historians, librarians, filmmakers and FTCC students who are working to tell the story through a book, documentary film and educational materials.
“The project’s focus on promoting Lafayette’s enduring values through a unique community partnership right here in Fayetteville is exactly the kind of work that the Lafayette Society strives to promote,” Thrasher said.
The Lafayette Society is an educational and philanthropic organization that works to keep the Marquis de Lafayette’s ideals relevant today.
“We promote the Marquis de Lafayette’s enduring values of liberty, tolerance, and equal rights for all,” Thrasher said.
The organization puts those values into action through educational programs and by raising money to support students at Methodist University, Fayetteville State University and FTCC.
At the center of this year’s lecture are the Liberty Point Resolves, a statement signed by local residents in 1775 declaring their determination to defend their community against abuses by the British government. While many signers still hoped reconciliation was possible, they insisted that the rights of the colonists be respected. Many later put those principles into action, taking up arms and fighting with Patriot forces at battles including Elizabethtown and Moore’s Creek.
Thrasher said part of the reason the Liberty Point Resolves are less widely known than other Revolutionary-era documents is that the document was lost for years after being misfiled. By the time it was rediscovered, many histories of the American Revolution had already been written without it.
Two speakers will help bring that history and the process of preserving it to life. Joseph Westendorf, Local and State History Manager at the Cumberland County Public Library, is the lead author of The Voices of Resolve: The Patriots of Liberty Point, published by the University of North Carolina Press. He will be joined by PBS film producer Frank Boring, a 2021 Telly Award winner, The Great Experiment: Colorado State University.
“The lecture will help attendees understand the Liberty Point Resolves, but more importantly, it will help people understand how they can transform their ideas into a book and a film, just like the members of the Liberty Point Project have,” Thrasher said.
For Thrasher, one of the most compelling aspects of the Liberty Point story is that its participants were not larger-than-life historical figures.
“The signers were imperfect people with difficult lives,” he said. “They didn’t all agree on everything; they made mistakes, but despite their flaws they risked everything to make the world a better place.”
That message is particularly relevant as the nation commemorates the 250th anniversary of American independence.
“History inspires us to do better,” Thrasher said. “The issues have changed, but the principle remains.”
For Thrasher, that connection between the past and present is one of the most important messages of the lecture.
“I hope attendees will be inspired to honor the legacy of Liberty Point by getting involved in our community and promoting Lafayette’s enduring values of liberty, tolerance, and equal rights for all,” he said. “America, like history, is a process and we still have work to do.”
He hopes the Liberty Point Project will extend well beyond this year’s lecture. The group is already researching its next book and discussing another documentary.
“This isn’t just about the Liberty Point Resolves,” Thrasher said. “It is about building an organization which will preserve and share local history for many years to come.”
The Fall 2026 Lafayette Lecture will be held September 8 at noon in the multipurpose room of the Tony Rand Student Center, 2220 Hull Road, at Fayetteville Technical Community College. The event is free and open to the public. The best way to keep up with the Lafayette Society is to follow them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/lafayettesociety/

Powwow brings together Native traditions, community

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Tuesday, 25 August 2026

Written by Sheila D Barker

The sounds of drums and singing and the movement of dancers will once again bring Native American traditions to life in Fayetteville during the 2026 Running Water Powwow. The annual cultural celebration returns Friday, Sept. 4, and Saturday, Sept. 5, at 200 Indian Drive in Fayetteville. Open to the public, the two-day gathering invites Native and non-Native community members to experience a weekend centered on dancing, singing, fellowship, and the sharing of cultural traditions.
Organized by the Running Water Organization, the Running Water Powwow brings together Native dancers, singers, drum groups, artisans and community members from throughout the region. For organizers, the gathering is about more than competition and entertainment. The Running Water Powwow committee works to create educational opportunities centered on Native American traditions while encouraging cultural exchange with the greater community. Throughout the weekend, visitors will have an opportunity to experience competitive dancing, powerful drum performances, and other family-friendly activities. The event also provides a gathering place where songs, stories, and traditions can be shared across communities and generations.
This year's head staff includes MC JD Moore and Arena Director Brad Locklear, with sound provided by the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina. Tehya Maiden will serve as Head Lady, and Darian Bemo will serve as Head Man. Junior Head Lady is Giuliana Raineri-Smith, with Cristian Martinez serving as Junior Head Man. Josh Gibbs will serve as Head Judge. Scuffletown Society will serve as the Host Drum.
Competitive dancing will include participants across a wide range of ages, from the powwow's youngest dancers to its elders. Dancer registration categories include Tiny Tots, ages 0 to 5; Juniors, ages 6 to 12; Teens, ages 13 to 17; Adults, ages 18 to 49; and Golden Age, ages 50 and older. On Friday, Sept. 4, gates open at 8 a.m. Dancer registration begins at 4:30 p.m., followed by Grand Entry at 7 p.m. The celebration continues Saturday, Sept. 5, with gates opening at 8 a.m. Dancer registration begins at 9:30 a.m., and Grand Entry is scheduled for noon.
Grand Entry is traditionally one of the most visually striking moments of a powwow, bringing dancers into the arena together and formally beginning that portion of the gathering. For visitors attending a powwow for the first time, it can provide an opportunity to see the variety of regalia, dance styles, and generations represented within the Native community.
While experienced powwow attendees will find plenty that is familiar, organizers are also extending the invitation to those who have never attended one before. Dancers, singers, vendors, photographers, families, and first-time visitors are all welcome to take part in the weekend. That openness reflects one of the central purposes of the Running Water Powwow: creating a place where Native traditions can be celebrated within the community while also providing opportunities for others to learn, listen, and experience those traditions firsthand.
In a region with deep Native American roots and a vibrant contemporary Indigenous community, gatherings such as the Running Water Powwow demonstrate that these traditions are not simply pieces of history. Through the drums, dances, songs and people who gather in the circle, they continue to be practiced, shared and passed from one generation to the next.
The 2026 Running Water Powwow takes place Sept. 4-5 at 200 Indian Drive in Fayetteville. Admission is $10, and the event is open to the public. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578607749176.

Traveling exhibits celebrate North Carolina's role in Revolution

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Tuesday, 18 August 2026

Written by Sheila D Barker

As the nation celebrates its 250th anniversary, we will have opportunities to explore the people, struggles, and ideas that helped shape both the state and the country. Through the America 250 NC initiative, a series of traveling exhibits is making its way to museums, libraries, universities, and historic sites across the state, including several stops in Fayetteville and surrounding communities. From the experiences of people living in colonial North Carolina and the fight for independence to the evolving meaning of civil rights and who has been included in the promise of “We the People,” the exhibits offer visitors a chance to explore 250 years of history close to home.
Making Our Voices Heard: North Carolinians Fighting for Civil Rights
This exhibit looks at the long struggle to make the promises of American democracy apply to more North Carolinians. Rather than concentrating only on nationally famous civil-rights figures, it tells the stories of seven North Carolinians: Gertrude Weil, Henry Owl, Joe Lewis, Abraham Galloway, Ronald Mace, James Hunter and Willa Player.
Their stories demonstrate different ways people challenged injustice through petitioning, protesting, organizing, education, advocacy and civic participation. The larger themes include civil rights, freedom, democracy, civic responsibility and the ability of individuals to bring about change. The physical exhibit consists of ten banner panels.
Local opportunities: This exhibit is at The Museum of the Cape Fear now and will run until Aug. 31. It will also be at Fayetteville State University, from Sept. 14 to Nov. 23, and Raeford-Hoke Museum, from Dec. 7 to Feb. 22, 2027.
When Are We US?
This may be the broadest and most thought-provoking of the exhibits. Rather than treating American history as a finished story, it essentially asks: At different moments in history, who counted as part of “We the People”?
The eight-panel exhibit explores North Carolina history through immigration, integration, fundamental rights, emancipation, and voting rights. It uses historical documents, photographs/images, and recordings held by repositories around North Carolina and elsewhere.
That means visitors have the opportunity to encounter history through primary sources rather than simply reading a modern narrative about what happened. Some of those sources in the exhibit contain outdated or offensive terminology, which the exhibit acknowledges with a content warning.
Local opportunities: It comes to Fayetteville State University Sept. 15 and will be open until Nov. 23, followed by the Raeford-Hoke Museum Dec. 1 to Jan. 11, 2027.
People of Colonial North Carolina
This exhibit focuses on the people who actually lived in North Carolina during the Revolutionary era, emphasizing that there wasn't a single universal "North Carolina experience" of the Revolution.
Different communities faced very different choices involving freedom, loyalty, survival, identity, and political allegiance. Using maps, rare documents and illustrations, the seven-panel exhibit examines how the Revolution affected ordinary people's lives and the sometimes conflicting paths different groups took during the conflict.
This exhibit serves as a useful counterpoint to traditional Revolutionary War exhibits because the emphasis isn't simply on generals, battles, and famous Founders. It asks visitors to think about what the Revolution meant to the varied people living in colonial North Carolina.
Local opportunity: This one is coming to Cumberland County Public Library April 13, 2027 to June 23, 2027.
Forging a Nation: The American Revolution and the Path to Independence
The nine-panel exhibit traces North Carolina's role in the creation of the United States, beginning with protests against British rule and moving through the Revolutionary War and ultimately toward the creation of the Constitution.
It incorporates maps, historical documents, and everyday objects to show how North Carolinians experienced this transformative period. Importantly, the exhibit doesn't portray nation-building as something accomplished only by famous political leaders. It emphasizes the roles of ordinary people, conflict, political ideas, and personal conviction in shaping the state's Revolutionary history.
Local opportunities: It will come to Cumberland County Public Library Feb. 2, 2027 to April 13, 2027
March to Kings Mountain
This exhibit follows the Overmountain Men and their journey toward the pivotal Battle of Kings Mountain during the American Revolution. Through maps, documents, and images of artifacts, the four-panel exhibit explores why these men decided to fight, what occurred during the battle, and the lasting significance of the Patriot victory.
Kings Mountain is particularly interesting because it allows visitors to look at the Revolution from the perspective of the Southern Campaign rather than concentrating on the better-known events around Boston, Philadelphia, and New York.
Local opportunity: This exhibit is scheduled for the Moore County Historical Association from April 16, 2027 to May 28, 2027.
With five America 250 NC traveling exhibits making stops in Fayetteville and surrounding communities, residents have a rare opportunity to experience the full collection without traveling far from home. Together, the exhibits span stories of revolution, independence, citizenship, civil rights and the ongoing effort to define the ideals of American democracy. As the country commemorates its 250th anniversary, visiting these exhibits offers more than a chance to learn about the past; it is an opportunity to come face to face with the people, documents, and stories that shaped North Carolina and the nation, and to consider how that history continues to influence the America we know today. For more information on these traveling exhibits and their local stops, visit https://www.america250.nc.gov/traveling-exhibits#WhenAreWeUs-543.

(Photo: America 250 NC has several traveling exhibits celebrating North Carolina's role in the independence of the United States of America. Photo courtesy of America 250 NC Facebook's page)