Entertainment

Step into the shadows: Vampyre’s Ball returns

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Wednesday, 24 September 2025

Written by Sheila D. Barker

On Friday, Oct. 3, J.J. Brown Productions is bringing its legendary Vampyre’s Ball back to town—and this time, the darkness descends inside a twisted traveling circus. Hosted at North South Brewing Company, The Vampyre’s Ball: Circo della Notta promises an evening of murder, mayhem, and immersive theater unlike anything Fayetteville has ever experienced.
This is not just a show. It’s a world you’ll step into—where covens of vampyres lurk behind painted smiles, clowns hide daggers in their laughter, and every guest is a potential player in the mystery. The stakes are high, the characters are dangerous, and the only question is: will you survive the night, or become part of the story?
For Jennifer Johnson-Brown, owner of J.J. Brown Productions, the circus theme was a natural evolution for this year’s ball.
“I’ve always loved the circus—equal parts magic and menace,” she explains. “This year I wanted to lean into that duality, but twist it with vampyric flair. The idea of an Afro-Italian traveling circus allowed me to mix cultures, legends, and aesthetics into something that feels both otherworldly and dangerous, with a sense of glamour that hides the shadows underneath.”
Jennifer pulled inspiration from commedia dell’arte clown traditions, Somali fire rituals, and Slavic rusalka myths, layering folklore into her vampyric world. Each coven carries its own cultural echoes, giving the Ball a richness that feels both ancient and strangely possible—like these immortal beings could be walking among us, cloaked in human history.
The Vampyre’s Ball is being held at North South Brewing Company this year. The choice of venue is no accident. Jennifer has already collaborated with James and Alicia Orlando of North South Brewing Company earlier this year, and the partnership has grown into something extraordinary.
“Fayetteville deserves immersive theater that feels alive and immediate,” Jennifer says. “North South Brewing is intimate but electric—it can shift from warm and inviting to eerie and theatrical once the lights dim. Plus, their craft beer culture pairs perfectly with a night of mystery. You can sip something bold while unraveling the secrets of the covens.”
Every year, J.J. Brown Productions raises the stakes, and Circo della Notta is no exception. This year, the story centers on Ezra, the new President-Elect of the Vampyre Realm. But his leadership is fragile, and every coven under the Big Top has a motive to see him fall. Betrayal, vengeance, and ambition pulse through the circus, and it’s up to the guests to untangle the truth. Characters are more interconnected than ever. From Velislava, a vampyric rusalka whose mythic presence chills the blood, to Amberline, the sad clown with a broken heart and hidden blade, each suspect is layered with secrets waiting to be uncovered.
So how do guests go from spectators to participants? Jennifer’s answer is simple: the show is built around them.
“We build the show around them. Guests interrogate the suspects twice, which means their questions actively shape the story's unfolding narrative. Choosing a coven and Vampyre name gives them identity, purpose, and loyalty in the story, and dressing as a Vampyre themselves takes it to the next level—it makes the circus feel alive, filled with immortals from every corner of the realm.”
By the end of the show, participants don't just feel like they've attended a show; they feel like they've lived inside a mystery. This approach means no two nights are ever the same. The scripted framework—murder, suspects, and motives—anchors the story, but the improvisation between actors and guests ensures every performance takes on a unique life of its own.
Of course, no Vampyre’s Ball is complete without indulgence. North South Brewing will craft a specialty drink designed to feel like it was poured straight from a coven’s chalice. Guests will also receive a Vampyre Portrait, captured in dramatic style to immortalize their chosen identity.
“We’re even working on coven-themed keepsakes,” Jennifer says, “so people can carry their Vampyre name home with them. It turns the night from an event into a memory.”
Tickets are $35 for singles and $55 for duos. For those who want more, the Celebration Ticket upgrade promises extra gifts, drinks, and personalized touches. Pair it all with an exclusive menu from Bella Nonna, the on-site food truck, and you’ve got a feast fit for vampyres and mortals alike.
Tickets can be purchased online at https://www.jjbrownproductions.com/event-details-registration/the-vampyres-ball-circo-della-notte-at-north-south-brewing-company
Beyond thrills and theatrics, Jennifer sees The Vampyre’s Ball as an important contribution to Fayetteville’s growing arts and entertainment landscape.
“Fayetteville is alive with creativity, but The Vampyre’s Ball offers something rare: fully immersive, interactive theater. This isn’t a show where you sit back and watch—it’s one you step into with both feet,” says Jennifer.
“It adds a new dimension to the arts scene here. We’re blending live theater, improv, folklore, and community engagement into one electrifying experience that feels equal parts performance, game, and ritual.”
The Vampyre’s Ball: Circo della Notta is more than a performance—it’s an invitation to step into a living story where horror meets humor, secrets meet spectacle, and you become part of the mystery itself. From the clink of your chalice to the whispers of your coven, every detail pulls you deeper into a world where nothing is as it seems.
Will you uncover the truth? Or will you become just another secret under the circus tent? Gather your coven, sharpen your instincts, and prepare for a night that will haunt your memory long after the lights dim. The big top awaits.

Forbidden love '80s style from Sweet Tea Shakespeare

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Wednesday, 24 September 2025

Written by Amber Little

Temporary sets, community actors, a band, drinks, and merriment. Sweet Tea Shakespeare is a one-of-a-kind experience that breathes new life into traditional theater. In honor of its namesake, Sweet Tea Shakespeare is a traveling company built on the passion of community actors, directors, set designers, and musicians. This season, they are opening with a retro ’80s spin on the classic Romeo & Juliet. The show runs from Sept. 19 to Sept. 28 at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 1601 Raeford Rd, in the outdoor area behind the church. Tickets are $22 for adults and free for children 6 and under. Military, Senior, and Student discounts are available and can be purchased at https://sweetteashakespeare.thundertix.com/events/249885. 

Raise the steins: North South Brewing hosts first Oktoberfest

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Wednesday, 24 September 2025

Written by Sheila D. Barker

Dust off your lederhosen and grab your friends—North South Brewing is kicking off its first annual Oktoberfest celebration Friday, Sept. 26, to Sunday, Sept. 28. This family-friendly, free-to-attend event is happening all weekend long, blending authentic German brews, hearty eats, lively competitions, and festive fun. Costumes are not only encouraged, but they’re also rewarded with contests, prizes, and keepsakes that will make this a weekend to remember.
“We want to carry on the tradition of celebrating an annual gathering of friends and family to drink and appreciate beer and each other,” said Alicia Orlando, owner of North South Brewing.
What’s Brewing: Special Beer Releases
The weekend kicks off Friday with the release of two seasonal German-style beers crafted in-house. They will be Marzen Me Crazy and Dunkel Breakin’ My Heart.
“We brew the beers how they would be brewed in Germany,” says Orlando.
“Both beers are very flavorful but highly drinkable. Marzen Me Crazy is a traditional German amber lager known for its rich, malty, and toasty flavor profile, with a low hop bitterness and a smooth, medium-bodied character. Dunkel Breakin’ My Heart is a type of German dark lager known for its malty richness, with bready, caramel, and nutty flavors from the use of Munich malts, and a smooth, drinkable character.”
These seasonal brews will debut during Oktoberfest weekend and remain on tap until they sell out, alongside North South’s year-round favorite, the Hefeweizen.
Competitions and Contests
The festivities continue Saturday with a series of crowd-pleasing competitions. The Laps and Lederhosen Beer Mile sign-ups will start at 12:30 p.m. and will start at 1 p.m. The fastest runner takes home a North South T-shirt. For those who are more drinkers than runners, a Stein Holding Contest will be held at 2:30 p.m. Divided into four categories: men, women, under 50, and over 50, the winner of each group will receive a limited-edition stein. Come dressed in Oktoberfest best and enter the costume contest at 9:30 p.m.
Drink Like You’re in Munich
Don’t forget to grab the limited-edition North South Brewing stein, a ceramic 22-ounce mug featuring the brewery’s logo and colors.
“This year’s first edition steins are made of ceramic and feature the North South Brewing logo and colors,” Orlando shares.
“The stein is 22 ounces (6 more ounces than a typical pint). If you purchase a stein, it comes with a first fill! You will be able to use the stein all weekend at North South Brewing at the same price as a normal 16-ounce pint,” Orlando said.
North South Brewing has the weekend covered with free parking, games, authentic beer, German food, and music. Trivia fans can also join the Special Oktoberfest Trivia on Sunday to close out the weekend.
Vendors interested in future events can email info@northsouthbrew.com to get involved. Pull out the dirndl, gather a crew, and raise a glass—North South Brewing’s Oktoberfest is here to start a new tradition in style. North South Brewing is located at 304 Williams Street in Downtown Fayetteville.
Orlando promises this is the first Oktoberfest from North South Brewing, but it won't be the last.
“We will absolutely hold an Oktoberfest weekend every year! Each year, we hope to make it bigger and better than the last.”

(Photo: North South Brewing all decked out for their Oktoberfest celebration.  Photo courtesy of James Orlando)

FAPS celebrates pets at annual Woofstock

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Wednesday, 24 September 2025

Written by Anna White

Lovers of four-footed, furry friends unite at Woofstock: the hippiest fundraiser of the year that promises BBQ, craft beverages, silent auctions, themed costume contests, music, swag, a cat grass station, a creation station, and more. While attendees are not encouraged to bring their pets to this particular event, the proceeds will support the Fayetteville Animal Protection Society, a nonprofit organization that relies on community donations to sustain its services and is the only no-kill shelter in the Fayetteville area.
According to Jackie Peery, Executive Director of the Fayetteville Animal Protection Society, their mission is “to temporarily house animals until we can find them their forever homes.” Behind the scenes, temporarily housing animals requires vetting them, getting them ready for adoption and finding adoptees.
As a no-kill and managed-intake shelter, FAPS focuses their efforts on animals most at risk for euthanasia. They strongly emphasize the importance of responsible pet ownership, including spaying and neutering. With free rabies vaccination and microchipping clinics, they offer preventative measures on the front end that keep animals safer, healthier, and makes pet ownership more accessible.
“There’s a gold standard of pet ownership that not everyone can afford, if I’m being honest,” Peery explained. “Just like with people, food, water, and healthcare for pets should just be normal.”
Their programs and services help prevent situations where owners have to relinquish their pets because of health issues or lose their pets without any way to track them.
Peery said of the microchipping clinics, “It is kind of twofold; it doesn't just help the animal and the pet owner, it also, in turn, actually helps the county. So, should that animal ever go missing, you now don't have to spend as much money and time and resources into finding the owner, because it's microchipped.”
Peery says they’re committed to impacting the current statistics regarding euthanasia that define NC.
“We’re ninth in the number of animals euthanized behind only California and Texas, which is wild,” she said.
As a managed-intake shelter and one that doesn’t receive any government funding, they face challenges that can only be solved through community support.
“Managed intake has been proven to work, but you first need a pet owner safety net. You need to have a really good TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) system already in progress. You need to have low-cost spay and neuter vouchers and support for the public. You need to have a pet food pantry. You need to help people keep their animals.”
Woofstock is their largest fundraiser of the year, and the hope is that funds raised at the event will support the foregoing programs, enabling them to continue providing those services to pet owners and adoptees.
With VIP tickets selling for $100 and general admission tickets selling for $50, attendees can craft their experience, opting for a groovy evening of music, food, creation stations and swag with general admission, or a top-tier experience including access to Tito’s Handmade Vodka Lounge, entry into the Mega Bar Raffle, and more with a VIP ticket.
For the costume contest, there are categories: Flower Child, Tie Dye Vibes, and Groovy group. Along with swag that includes mood cups, tennis balls, squeaky toys, lint rollers, and food scoops, attendees can enter the silent auction and 50/50 raffle, walking away with a special gift to bring home to their furry friend.
“Woofstock is a ton of fun,” Peery shared, emphasizing that it is not a child or pet-friendly environment due to the presence of alcohol and loud music. “This is more something where we celebrate our pets at the event, but we leave them at home, I don’t think many would be very happy coming.”
Food and beverage vendors at the event include BBQ Dinner and Drinks, Dirtbag Ales, Chason’s Buffet and Gaston Brewing Company. Music will be provided by Sayer McShand and The Zack Guinn Band.
Peery said a highlight of the event is “Rescue Row,” a hallway lined with hundreds of photos of animals rescued by Fayetteville Animal Protection Society with the help of the community. “This could have easily been ‘death row,’” she explained. “FAPS does not get any government funding to save these animals. This is 100% donation based. So, it's because of our community that this row of animals gets to be Rescue Row.”
Woofstock 2025 will be held on Friday, Oct. 3, 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. at the Cape Fear Botanical Garden.

(Photo courtesy of FAPS Facebook Page)