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Hello Wilmington! Hope your coffee tastes especially good this morning. 

In today’s bring-the-kiddos edition: The Peking Acrobats, an Empty Bowls fundraiser, and a symphony with Tift Merritt + excuses to get the fam out and about this week.

Today’s sponsor, American Hartford Gold, is helping folks around Wilmington protect their savings as gold and silver continue to gain momentum. Their free guide explains what’s driving the surge… and what to know before adding precious metals to your portfolio. Grab your free copy here.

📰 In the news

Two-decade Cape Fear tradition: Empty Bowls Wilmington will return March 13 with local potters and restaurants. A $50 ticket supports Good Shepherd Center’s Soup Kitchen and Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard, aiming to raise $75,000 — get all the details.

Unanimous vote backs joint services: Wilmington City Council approved continuing operation of a forensic lab with New Hanover County. Bess Street lab tests blood alcohol and seized drugs, with costs split 40% city, 60% county — get all the details.

An evening of musical renewal: Classical Connections brings the Wilmington Symphony Orchestra with Grammy-nominated Tift Merritt to the Wilson Center on March 14, mixing Beethoven with contemporary pieces inspired by resilience and repair — check out the full lineup.

Nothing prepares you for a pet emergency: I learned that the hard way after charging $10k to a credit card for life-saving surgery on my cat, Miss Stache. As soon as we got home, I signed up for Spot. It’s super affordable – and reimburses up to 90% of the bill.

Compare rates for free: The national average for car insurance is around $175/month. Paying more than that? Same, so I did some shopping around and ended up cutting my premium in half. If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably overpaying too — here’s the comparison tool I used.

Highlights this week:

• Marvel at the Peking Acrobats
• Shop authenticated designer handbags with champagne
• Dedicate America 250 marker honoring forgotten patriots
• Unlock clinical-level wellness data from home

💎 Local business spotlight

Shingles acting up? Between coastal squalls and surprise pollen storms, your roof takes a beating. Masters Roofing handles full replacements and smart repairs with a skilled, tidy crew that keeps it low-stress, so you can get back to living indoors without buckets or worry.

Petal-powered pick‑me‑up: When your space needs a color reset, Julia’s Florist delivers seasonal stems, thoughtful design, and reliable same-day local service. Keep them in your back pocket for birthdays, thank-yous, and just-because surprises, and you’ll look effortlessly prepared.

Midweek send spot: If you’re craving fresh problems with friendly motivation, Wilmington Rock Gym mixes varied climbs with low-key community vibes that make training feel fun. Expect chalky hands, shared beta, and that lingering project inching closer to a tiny victory lap.

These aren’t ads or sponsored placements, just some cool nearby spots we think are worth a visit.

🫶 We got your back

Your data is for sale right now: There are over 400 websites selling your info to marketers, political campaigns, and scammers. They’ve got your phone number, home address, relatives’ names… you name it. That’s how robocallers seem to know everything about you before you pick up. You can remove your info one site at a time, or pay a service to do it for you. Here’s what we recommend →

Why your last diet didn’t work: Sustained weight loss is nearly impossible with diet alone. Your body literally fights back by making you hungrier the moment you start restricting calories. That’s why more doctors are recommending GLP-1s. The best part? Getting them has never been easier. We compared three programs to help you find the right fit. See which ones stood out →

What doctors wish every 65+ adult had at home: Physicians call it “long-lie,” and it’s the real reason falls are so dangerous for older adults. It’s not a broken bone… it’s lying on the floor for hours waiting for someone to notice. We dug into the options that actually solve this problem, and one stood out. See which one →

Thinning hair? It only gets worse: A few months ago, I noticed my ponytail getting thinner. I tried the usual stuff (biotin, shampoo, etc.) but mostly just hoped it would fix itself… until I learned that active follicles can permanently go dormant if you don’t do something about it. The good news? You can get treatment that actually works with no office visits or trips to the pharmacy. Check out my favorite online options →

📆 Fun for the whole fam

Have an event to share? BaseLocal Verified Businesses can submit them for free! Learn more about how to submit an event here →

All events are subject to change without notice. Always check official event pages for the most up to date information.

🏛 Public Tour @ Cameron Art Museum | Wednesday (3/11) at 1:00 PM – Slide out every Wednesday at lunch for a guided tour, free with museum admission, at Cameron Art Museum. A sharp local guide walks you through the exhibits, so you can stop nodding like you get it. Thirty minutes, real art, zero fluff.

👣 Colonial Wilmington & The Revolution Walking Tour @ Burgwin-Wright House and Gardens | Friday (3/13) at 9:00 AM – Swap your usual Riverwalk lap for a guided wander that digs into Wilmington’s 1770s drama, starting at the Burgwin-Wright House. You’ll hit the old jail, courthouse, and market sites, get pre-250th perspective, and justify those comfy shoes, water, and $25.

🧘 Sensory Friendly Hour @ Fit for Fun Center | Saturday (3/14) at 8:00 AM – Calm, sensory-friendly play at Fit For Fun that keeps the fun, skips the overwhelm, and welcomes families, with Behavioral Consulting for Autism. Finally, quiet play you can exhale to. Pre-register to save a spot, then stay for the regular play session free: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D49A9A623A4FFC34-fffoctober#/

🏛 National History Day: Southeast Regional Competition @ New Hanover County Government, NC | Saturday (3/14) at 8:00 AM – The NHC Government Center turns into a history lab as grades 6 to 12 compete in the Southeast Regional National History Day. Expect documentaries, performances, exhibits, papers, and web pages on Revolution, Reaction, and Reform, and prepare to be out-researched by a seventh grader.

🤝 It Takes a Village Meet and Greet @ Unleashed at Landfall | Saturday (3/14) at 11:00 AM – Skip the doomscrolling and meet some very good locals of the four-legged variety at Unleashed at Landfall. It Takes a Village is popping in with adoptable pups, wagging resumes, and zero small talk, so come for treats, leave with a new co-worker, er, companion.

🃏 Pokémon Perfect Order Prerelease @ Cape Fear Games | Saturday (3/14) at 3:00 PM – Trading-card muscle memory still intact? CFG’s Pokémon Perfect Order prerelease is sealed, three friendly rounds, and you build from a fresh Build and Battle Box. It’s $30, you’ll tinker, battle fellow trainers, and walk out with three new packs, win or not.

🤸 Peking Acrobats @ Wilson Center at Cape Fear Community College | Wednesday (3/18) at 7:00 PM – Need a screen-free night that still makes your jaw drop? The Peking Acrobats deliver gravity-snubbing stunts, chair-stack wizardry, Chinese acrobatics, and polished pageantry, ancient artistry meeting slick stagecraft, all ages properly wowed. Bonus: $15 child and student tickets, which beats the price of babysitting.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

📻 Wilmington report

Weather forecast

Today – High: 83°F – Low: 64°F – Precip: 7%

Sunny, with a high near 83. Southwest wind 3 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Later: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64. Southwest wind 10 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph.

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Tomorrow – High: 76°F – Low: 39°F – Precip: 89%

A chance of rain showers between 8am and 11am, then showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 76. West wind 12 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. Later: Rain showers before 2am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 39. North wind 6 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

This house is wild

Waterfront living shines in this 4-bed, 3.5-bath home in gated Inlet Point Harbor with a private dock, drive-on boat slip, and year-round deep water on the Intracoastal. An open plan includes a dedicated office, family room, and main-floor primary suite with a custom closet. A saltwater pool, updated finishes, and access to Freeman Park and Carolina Beach complete the package.

Take a peek inside →