Entertainment

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. 

Haymount Fall Pop-Up Market debuts

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Wednesday, 24 September 2025

Written by Tara Kamiya

Autumn ushers in the debut of the Haymount Fall Pop-Up Market. The event, set for Saturday, Oct. 4, welcomes the community to a day of shopping, food and family fun. The market will take place in the historic Haymount district from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at LWood Media Group, 2000 Ft. Bragg Road.
Organizers say the seasonal market is designed to showcase the talent and entrepreneurial spirit of local vendors while offering a memorable outing for families. More than just a shopping opportunity, the market promises a blend of creativity, culture and culinary delights that highlight Fayetteville’s vibrant community.
Guests will have the chance to browse booths featuring handmade crafts, unique goods and innovative services provided by local artisans and small businesses. Food trucks will line the venue, serving a variety of flavors to satisfy every palate, from classic comfort foods to inventive street cuisine.
For younger attendees, the event offers an activity tailor-made for fall: pumpkin painting. This hands-on seasonal activity will provide children with a fun, festive keepsake to take home, adding to the family-friendly atmosphere of the market.
“Events like this are about more than just commerce,” LWood Media Group representatives said in a statement. “They’re about creating connections between local businesses and the community. We’re excited to see the creativity and diversity that vendors will bring to the Haymount Fall Pop-Up Market.”
The event takes place in the Haymount district, a nationally recognized historic area of Fayetteville that blends residential charm with cultural landmarks. The neighborhood is home to structures dating back to 1817, including the Robert Strange Town House, once occupied by U.S. Sen. Robert Strange. Other notable sites include the Highsmith-Rainey Specialty Hospital, designed by architect Charles C. Hartmann and completed in 1926, and the Poe House, a popular local attraction.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983, with a boundary expansion in 2007, Haymount provides a distinctive backdrop for the market. Organizers say the historic district’s character and accessibility make it an ideal location for community gatherings.
The Haymount Fall Pop-Up Market joins a growing list of seasonal events in Fayetteville that emphasize local business support and community connection. Residents and visitors alike are encouraged to attend, shop and enjoy the festive offerings.
“With the combination of local vendors, delicious food trucks and fun activities for kids, this is the perfect way to celebrate the fall season,” organizers said. “We invite everyone to come out, bring their families and neighbors, and enjoy a day filled with community spirit.”
For families and friends seeking a way to celebrate the season, the 2025 Haymount Fall Pop-Up Market offers a lively, local option. With its mix of history, culture and autumn festivity, the event is poised to become a highlight of the fall calendar in Fayetteville.

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)

Southeastern Regional NC Poetry Slam returns

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Wednesday, 24 September 2025

Written by Sheila D. Barker

The Southeastern Regional NC Poetry Slam is back, bringing some of the fiercest poets from across the country for a no-holds-barred lyrical showdown. Happening on Saturday, Sept. 27, at the Capitol Encore Academy, 126 Hay Street, this event promises an evening of passion, power, and poetry that speaks directly to the soul.
Hosted by nationally acclaimed poet Dasan Ahanu, the slam kicks off with doors opening at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m. For just $10 admission, audiences will experience electrifying performances that blur the line between art and raw emotion.
Organizer El’Ja Bowens shared why this year’s slam is more than just a competition.
“The Southeastern Regional NC Poetry Slam is a powerful mix of art, energy, and community. It’s where poets from different backgrounds come together to share their stories and truth on stage. It’s more than competition—it’s connection,” he said.
That spirit of connection is exactly why the Capitol Encore Academy was chosen as the venue. The downtown Fayetteville location embodies creativity and accessibility, making it the perfect place for voices to rise and be heard.
What makes this year’s slam especially exciting? The scale and the energy. With registration slots filling up in just 35 minutes, the demand is undeniable. Poets from across the region will bring diverse styles and authentic stories—some that will make you laugh, some that will challenge your perspective, and others that will move you to your core.
In true slam tradition, the audience plays a central role. Five audience members will be chosen as judges, scoring each performance on a scale of 0 to 10. The highest and lowest scores are dropped, and the middle three decide the outcome. This format ensures that the slam stays raw, real, and unpredictable—because at its heart, it’s about how each poet connects with the room in that moment.
Bowens believes events like this are vital to Fayetteville’s thriving arts scene.
“Spoken word gives people a platform to be seen, heard, and inspired. By bringing poets and audiences together, we’re not just fostering creativity—we’re building community and strengthening our cultural heartbeat.”
Don’t miss this night of lyrical fire. Come witness the power of spoken word, and see who will take the crown at this year’s Southeastern Regional NC Poetry Slam!