Entertainment

Anime Fest comes to Crown Expo Center

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Wednesday, 10 December 2025

Written by Lena Simmons

"Everything has a beginning and an end."
—Jet Black, Cowboy Bebop

The Fayetteville Anime Fest will take place on Dec. 20 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Crown Complex Expo Hall, 1960 Coliseum Drive. Children under the age of eleven are free with the purchase of an adult ticket; one free child entry will be allowed for each adult ticket. Additional children are only $10.
Adult tickets cost $20. Tickets can be purchased in advance at https://bit.ly/4rIDHA4, or at the door on the day of the event.
Anime originated as an abbreviation of “animation” in Japan, and the term refers to all forms of animated content. Spirited Away was the first anime to win an Academy Award in 2003.
Anime accounts for sixty percent of the world’s animation production, and episodes can cost between $100,000 and $200,000, according to Anime Facts.
Anime is an art form by those who appreciate it. A wide range of audiences are targeted with complicated, in-depth, and emotional storylines. In Japan, there are more than forty new anime appearing on television per week.
Anime shows include Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Death Note, Demon Slayer, My Hero Academia, Attack on Titan, Dr. Stone, Dragon Ball Super, One Piece, Naruto, Cowboy Bebop, Delicious in Dungeon, Pokémon, and Fruit Basket, to name a few.
The Fayetteville Anime Fest will feature Kent Williams, voice actor for FullMetal Alchemist, and My Hero Academia; Chuck Huber, voice actor of My Hero Academia; and Aaron Roberts, voice actor, One Piece and My Hero Academia. There will be Pokémon merchandise, anime vendors, and a cosplay contest. Festivities include discussion panels, manga artists, toys, anime candy, family gaming and a lip sync contest.
Be your favorite anime character for a day in costume at the Fayetteville Anime-Fest on Saturday, Dec. 20, at the Crown Complex Expo Hall, 1960 Coliseum Drive. For more information about the Fayetteville Anime-Fest, visit www.fayettevilleanimefest.com

Elf Season brings party to downtown Fayetteville

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Tuesday, 02 December 2025

Written by Aly Hansen

Elf Season is here!
What is Elf Season? Spark Downtown, a 501(c)(3) "outgrowth" of the Downtown Alliance, is encouraging the community to come downtown and explore all the city has to offer. Through Dec. 21, visitors can come downtown to shop, collect stamps, find the elves, and follow a serialized story. Why has the North Pole turned its eyes toward Fayetteville? Come downtown during Elf Season, and the answer may reveal itself.
Elf Missions begin each Thursday. Would be elf hunters can pick up or download the Elf Season Mission Map and complete the quests. Completed missions can be submitted at Pierro's Italian restaurant, where an Elf Season Dropbox is located. Those who collect eight or more stamps each week will be entered into a drawing for a Downtown Experience Prize. These prizes include gift cards, creative workshops, festive treats and holiday outings.
Elf hunters who participate in three or more weeks of Elf Season will be entered to win a $250 grand prize.
For more information about mission maps and weekly missions, visit https://www.facebook.com/sparkdowntown/
"I’ve been sent—along with a merry crew of fellow elves—to Downtown Fayetteville for one very important reason: a piece of Santa’s great List has gone quiet, and the only place we’ve traced the glow… is right here in your beautiful downtown," says Pip Merrywhistle, Chief Elf Correspondent. Join Pip every week as more of the story of the connection between the North Pole and Fayetteville is discovered. Readers can follow along at https://downtowncreativeworks.org/elf-season25
"Something about Fayetteville’s people, its small kindnesses, its cheerful businesses, and its lovingly walkable streets is rekindling the magic. So we’ve come to help—and we need the community’s help right back," says Pip.
The weekly Elf missions aren't all that Elf Season is bringing to downtown. On Saturday, Dec. 13 after the Rotary Christmas Parade, Segra Stadium will be opened for a day of cheer and holiday spirit. Every visitor who comes to Segra dressed as an elf, will receive a complimentary ticket for a visit to the Holiday Lights at Segra Stadium, held throughout the month of December.
" This is the day we aim to turn downtown into a sea of elves, celebrating community, creativity, and the shared joy of being together. Elf Season proudly complements the season’s highlights—from A Dickens Holiday to the festive gatherings and holiday happenings that make Fayetteville shine," said a press release from Spark Downtown.
Spark Downtown, along with the Downtown Alliance and sponsor PWC, hope to bring the "spark" to downtown Fayetteville. Store fronts are decorated and light displays are placed around town, turning Hay Street into a "holiday postcard come to life." With shops all within walking distance, great restaurants and places to grab warm drinks, downtown Fayetteville is a great place to drum up some Christmas Cheer.
" We elves came because your kindness stirred the light. We are staying because your downtown feels like home. And when our mission ends on December 21, we’ll return to the North Pole with grateful hearts—and the magic we gathered here will help the whole world shine a bit brighter," says Pip.
For questions, please email spark@dcwfay.org.

26th annual Rotary Christmas Parade rings in holiday season

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Wednesday, 10 December 2025

Written by Dr. Shanessa Fenner

The Fayetteville Rotary Club and Rotary International present the 26th Annual Fayetteville Rotary Christmas Parade on Saturday, Dec. 13, at 10 a.m. in downtown Fayetteville. The route will begin at the back of the Cumberland County Courthouse and end on Winslow Street.
“The Fayetteville Rotary Christmas Parade has always been a community staple and brings out everyone from all walks of life,” said Brandon Price, chair of The Fayetteville Rotary Christmas Parade committee. “It is the one time of year where all families from everywhere come downtown to witness all of the floats, marching bands, Christmas music, big jeeps, and kings and queens.”
The Fayetteville Rotary Club was founded in Fayetteville on May 1, 1920. The Rotary International Club was founded in 1905 in Chicago by attorney Paul Harris. The term “rotary” comes from the practice of early members who rotated their weekly meetings among their different businesses. Harris and his friends would get together at each other’s businesses and talk about what kinds of things they could do in the community.
“For example, if I put my resources with your resources and a couple of other people’s resources, then no one person has to do everything if we all do something,” said Price. “Over time, this has taken on a different meaning and has come to be community leaders coming together every week, and we invite people from the local community to the meeting to tell us what is going on in the community and how we can improve it.”
Price added, “That is the purpose of Rotary, which is business leaders and community leaders coming together to serve together and to do service before self.”
The 2025-2026 theme for Rotary International is “Unite for Good.” It emphasizes bringing people together to work towards positive change and addressing global challenges. The theme encourages members to unite across backgrounds, strengthen connections and collaborate on service projects to create a meaningful impact worldwide.
“I call Rotarians quiet heroes because they don’t usually promote all the things that they are doing,” said Price. “They just do the things that need to be done.”
The parade, which has been a holiday tradition since 1999, will feature Rotary International District 7730 Governor Andrea Young, Mayor Mitch Colvin and his wife, City Council members, county officials, city personnel, local library mascots, dance groups, local marching bands, motorcycles, horses and jolly old Santa Claus.
The highlight of the parade is the high school marching bands.
“All of the Fayetteville High School marching bands are participating, and this year we will also have Lumberton High School and Hoke County High School marching bands,” said Price. “Most of these high schools are award-winning high schools, and I would be remiss if I did not say that one of the most well-known bands from our local community that always helps us wrap up the parade is E. E. Smith High School’s Magnificent Marching Machine.”
He added, “It is super exciting when E. E. Smith’s band performs; it is must-see TV. Not everybody can make it to a high school football game, but everybody gets to come out to the Rotary Christmas parade.”
The Fayetteville Rotary Club started a new tradition this year by selecting an individual and a community organization to lead the parade. This year’s grand marshal is the recently retired and prominent Roosevelt Pratt, Jr. and the Salvation Army of the Sandhills.
“Mr. Pratt is the former band director of E. E. Smith for 28 years and has played an integral role in so many kids going to college and becoming a part of bands all across the country,” said Price. “Twenty-seven of his graduates have gone on to become drum majors at their respective HBCU schools, and we are very excited to honor his legacy, the work he has done to draw attention to musicianship, and we believe in giving people their flowers while they are still here.”
It is imperative to have top-notch security at the parade, especially to prevent accidents.
“A couple of years ago, accidents took place in a couple of parades in North Carolina. We beefed up security every single year, working together with the City of Fayetteville, the city police, and the Fayetteville Jeeps Club,” said Price. “They have a ton of jeeps that will come through, and they have somehow become the staple part of the parade because we send jeeps two by two behind every walking entry to protect that entry from any loose or runaway cars.”
Price added, “This is one of our ways that we try to target safety as a main issue for our walking groups to include our bands.”
It takes a lot of moving parts to plan a parade, and Price enjoys every moment of the process.
“This will be my 5th year chairing the parade committee, and every year I say that I am not going to do it next year,” said Price. “Something will happen at the parade that makes me see that this is why we serve, and my goal is for all the little boys, little girls and their families to come out and have a good time for that two-hour window and for everything to be close to perfect.”
The parade is free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.fayettevillerotaryclub.org.

“Light Up the City” returns

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Tuesday, 02 December 2025

Written by Jamie Bishop

Downtown Fayetteville is preparing to welcome one of its most festive community traditions as “Light Up the City” returns this December, inviting residents and visitors to take an evening walking tour through the Cool Spring Downtown District. The annual event encourages local businesses to decorate their storefronts with holiday lights, themed displays, and imaginative décor, transforming the district into a glowing holiday corridor.
Hosted by the Cool Spring Downtown District, the initiative began as a creative way to connect families with the businesses that line Hay Street, Person Street, and the surrounding blocks. What started as a simple decorating effort has grown into a full holiday experience, with shops, restaurants and small boutiques using their windows as canvases for seasonal storytelling. Many businesses spend weeks planning their displays, treating the event as both a celebration and a chance to highlight the character of downtown.
The walking tour format is intentional. Instead of driving past homes or viewing lights from a distance, “Light Up the City” encourages people to slow down, explore on foot, and rediscover the district at an unhurried pace. Streets remain open, but the focus is on strolling, grabbing cocoa from a café, browsing local shelves for holiday gifts, or pausing to take photos in front of the most creative displays.
This year’s decorations are expected to range from traditional winter scenes to bold, modern interpretations. Some shops typically lean into classic pine-and-lights themes, while others incorporate unexpected color palettes, animated displays or playful elements designed to surprise passersby. Over the past few years, families have made the walk a seasonal tradition, returning annually to see how the storefronts change and which businesses push the boundaries of creativity.
“Light Up the City” not only adds holiday charm to the district but also provides a boost to local commerce during a critical shopping season. Small businesses often rely on increased December foot traffic, and the walking trail steers residents directly past shops they may not normally notice. Many storeowners extend their hours, offer warm drinks, or provide small discounts to encourage browsing. Restaurants and bakeries often see an uptick in evening diners who pair the holiday stroll with dinner or dessert.
For Fayetteville residents, the event carries a sense of local pride. It positions the downtown area as a place where tradition and creativity intersect and where businesses and residents take part in building a shared holiday atmosphere. The district’s walkable sidewalks, historic buildings and open gathering spaces serve as a natural backdrop for a winter light trail. A community voting part also adds an element of friendly competition. Walkers can select their favorite storefront, and the business with the most votes receives a community choice recognition in the new year. While the award is lighthearted, the excitement around the displays often motivates businesses to elevate their designs each season.
Visitors are encouraged to dress warmly and wear comfortable shoes, as the tour stretches across multiple blocks. Parking is available throughout downtown, though many families choose to make an evening of the event by arriving early for dinner or staying late for treats. As crowds wander through the lights, the atmosphere becomes almost nostalgic: holiday music drifting from shop doors, children pointing out animated window scenes and couples pausing for photos beside decorated trees.
“A stroll through downtown during 'Light Up the City' feels like watching Fayetteville shine from the inside out one storefront at a time,” – Jamie Bishop
For a city rooted in community, creativity, and seasonal tradition, “Light Up the City” remains one of Fayetteville’s most cherished ways to welcome winter.