Happy Tuesday, Wilmington. You know the drill – grab your coffee (or whatever you sip in the morning), kick back, and let Wilmington Brief serve up everything you need to know for the week ahead.
📰 In the news
Local happenings: Trace your seafood back to local fishermen, discover new cool-weather shelter hours with meals and aid, and choose a Cape Fear River boat adventure — catch up here.
State-level stories: Former governor enters 2026 Senate race as middle class champion, regulators propose blue crab harvest cuts, and shelter dog Finley masters tricks awaiting adoption — see what else is brewing.
National headlines: Landmark trial shows lifestyle programs can rewind cognitive aging, the one ten thousandth spending rule, and shocking home prices in California — peruse the best of the rest.
Health: If you’ve struggled with weight loss, you’re not alone. Today’s GLP-1 medications (the same active ingredients found in Ozempic® and Wegovy®) are helping people manage cravings and build healthier habits. Hers makes it easy to get started, with a personalized plan and licensed providers – start your journey.
Highlights this week
- Pitch your startup and network every Wednesday
- Join Thursday senior fitness at Maides Park
- Spot scams and stay safe online
- Volunteer at Pine Valley’s Coastal Gardens
- Explore fresh produce and artisan goods
- Lawn looking rough? TruGreen’s 50% off
🫶 We got your back
BBQ: Cravings can’t wait for the weekend. These BBQ spots in Wilmington serve up slow-smoked perfection your taste buds will love.
Food: Think you’ve tasted it all in NC? Moravian cookies and fresh-foraged ramps will ruin every other meal for you. These hidden flavors prove there’s so much more than BBQ.
Pub: Whether you’re looking to unwind after work, test your trivia chops, or finally master darts, Seven Mile Post is your neighborhood go-to for good pints, friendly banter, and just enough questionable decisions to keep things interesting.
Finance: Most folks don’t realize you can roll over your 401k or IRA to invest in cryptocurrency… all with the same tax benefits as a traditional retirement account on top of the the potential upside. iTustCapital makes the entire process a breeze with $0 monthly fees and an incredibly simple setup process.
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📆 Around town this week
All events are subject to change without notice. This is entirey outside our control. Please check official event pages and social media for the most up to date information.
This week
🥕 Tuesday Evening Wilmington Farmers Market @ Tidal Creek Co-op Café | Tuesday (7/29) at 4:00pm – Nothing cures the Tuesday blahs like meandering through lantern-lit stalls of farm-fresh veggies, drop-dead gorgeous kale, and artisanal trinkets. Wilmington’s new evening farmers market serves up heirloom tomatoes, hand-poured soaps, witty neighborly banter, and enough fresh bread to make your carb-loving heart sing.
🎸 Stu Cru Jamaru: Open Jam Sesh @ The Bend | Tuesday (7/29) at 7:00pm – Whether you’re a guitar hero who never misses a chord change, or someone still figuring out which end of the drumstick to hold, tonight’s open jam at The Bend offers free entry, cross-genre experiments, witty banter, and just plain exuberant noise.
🐻 Winnie the Pooh | Thursday (7/31) at 10:30am – If your tiny humans are convinced screen time is a birthright, Bright Star Theatre’s 45-minute romp through the Hundred Acre Wood brings Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, Tigger, and Christopher Robin to life. It’s a giggly, honey-dripping adventure that beats any cartoon.
🎆 Fireworks by the Sea & Boardwalk Blast @ Carolina Beach Boardwalk | Friday (8/1) at 6:30pm – Need an excuse to skip your usual Thursday night Netflix binge? Head to the boardwalk for live Motown and rock, beachside eats, and fireworks bursting over the surf. It’s Carolina Beach’s 100th birthday party, minus the awkward small talk.
🦃 Emery Freeman & The Turkey Buzzards | Friday (8/1) at 8:00pm – Wondering what outlaw country sounds like at its most honest? Emery Freeman delivers a weathered, Cash-and-Foley-approved twang, backed by our own Turkey Buzzards, whose sticky-humidity harmonies haul you from North Carolina’s backroads to dusty West Coast cellars. All for fifteen bucks, no cowboy hat required.
This weekend
🚤 Black Water Adventure @ Wilmington Water Tours | Saturday (8/2) at 10:00am – This river cruise sneaks you beyond the usual waterfront into the black water stretches of the Cape Fear, complete with Captain Doug’s offbeat history tidbits and riverside wildlife. Grab a morning coffee or a hair-of-the-dog Bloody Mary from the bar, and bring your camera.
🧶 Ravelled Fiber Arts Group @ Pine Valley Library | Saturday (8/2) at 1:00pm – Nothing cures weekend wanderlust quite like swapping knit-shaming stories over a ball of yarn. Swing by Pine Valley Public Library on Saturday for crochet, knitting, and macramé help from resident experts. All skill levels, shameless yarn stashing encouraged.
🎷 Jay Killman Trio Plays Monk | Saturday (8/2) at 8:00pm – If you thought your record collection was dusty, Jay Killman’s trio is about to spin some timeless Monk piano magic downtown. Expect playful dissonance, tight grooves, and the kind of improvisation that makes you grateful for adulting weekends.
🏚️ Latimer House Night Tour @ Latimer House | Saturday (8/2) at 8:00pm – This Latimer House night tour trades your screen glow for 19th century gaslight ambiance, soot-free, with twice the intrigue. We’ll spill the tea on how flickering lamps worked, why they terrified servants or society ladies, and what it meant to live under their lurid glow.
🪕 Back Yard Bluegrass Sundays | Sunday (8/3) at 3:00pm – Sunday afternoons just got a rustic upgrade with Back Yard Bluegrass Sundays, where Jones Smith and a lineup of top pickers turn your cold beer into toe-tappin’ currency. Pull up a chair, master the head nod, and let genuine riffs replace small talk.
Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →
🎶 Live music & entertainment
- 7/29 Stu Cru Jamaru @ The Bend – 7 pm
- 7/29 Sheldon Benton @ SeaWitch Cafe – 7 pm
- 7/29 Drum Circle @ Barzarre – 7 pm
- 7/30 Music Bingo @ Locals Tavern – 6:30 pm
- 7/30 Cordovas @ The Palm Room – 7 pm
- 7/30 Meeser Eddie’s Funtime @ Dead Crow Comedy – 7 pm
- 7/30 Zaraoke Night @ Barzarre – 7 pm
- 7/31 Sounds of Summer Concerts @ Wrightsville Beach Park – 6:30 pm
- 7/31 Open Mic Night @ The Bend – 7 pm
- 7/31 Hooked on Sonics @ Barzarre – 8 pm
This house is wild
*This 👇 could be your listing. Hit us up if you’ve got a home (or 12) to sell.
Listed by: Vance B Young (Intracoastal Realty Corp)
A $500,000 top-to-bottom remodel means everything here is fresh, from the double laundry rooms to the sparkling new kitchen with Viking appliances and a massive quartz island. Arched mahogany French doors, a paneled study, and wrought iron railings dial up the drama, while custom built-ins and detailed crown moldings keep things classic. The first-floor master suite brings spa vibes with a soaking tub and frameless glass shower.
Upstairs, dual staircases lead to four bedrooms, three baths, a den, and a walk-in attic that’s ready for whatever you dream up. Out back, a screened porch, pool, and fire pit set the scene for laid-back gatherings. Tucked on a quiet cul-de-sac in Landfall, it’s just a quick stroll to wooded trails and the mile-long path around Landfall Lake.
