Happy Friday, 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 weekend ahead.

📰 In the news

Local happenings: City surveys residents on local services, readers pick Puerto Rico as top nonstop flight wish, and fall film series launches at Jengo’s Playhouse — catch up here.

State-level stories: Autumn apple picking and scenic treetop balloon rides, 5,012 affordable apartments on the horizon, and Volvo dashboards doubling as toll transponders — see what else is brewing.

National headlines: Mortgage rates are trending down, investors catapult gold above 3500 an ounce, and a tropical wave eyes the Antilles — peruse the best of the rest.

Highlights this week

• Gentle yoga supports museum scholarships
• Enjoy senior fitness at Maides Park
• Chamber hosts monthly networking meeting event
• Kids build and experiment in STEAM club
• Anxiety about debt? Get a free consultation

🫶 We got your back

Pizza: You could grab a frozen pie, but sometimes you need a slice worth writing home about. These pizza spots around Wilmington serve up the kind of drool-worthy perfection that makes you forget takeout ever existed.

Escape: Ditch the tourist traps and head for towns with fewer than 1,000 residents. These North Carolina escapes prove that sometimes the best vacations come without the crowds.

Taqueria: From perfectly charred tortillas to fillings that demand a double order, Block Taco brings the kind of flavor that requires extra napkins and zero regrets.

Bargain shopping: The best finds aren’t always on store shelves. Amazon’s Deals Page is like a never-ending treasure hunt where the good stuff costs less, with new discounts dropping daily.

Save: The average driver pays $175 a month for car insurance, but most of us are paying way more than we should. If it’s been a while since you shopped around, you’re likely part of that “most of us.” This comparison tool may save you hundreds.

👀 Why just read it when you could be in it?

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📆 Around town this weekend

All events are subject to change without notice. This is entirely outside our control. Please check official event pages and social media for the most up to date information.

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Today

🕺 Boba Funk @ Cloud 9 Rooftop Bar | Friday (9/5) at 7:00pm – Friday nights on the rooftop mean Boba Funk’s live grooves echoing above city lights. Sip a handcrafted cocktail, soak in the skyline, and pretend your dance moves aren’t purely for Instagram credits. It’s Cloud 9’s weekly excuse to feel fancy.

🌜 Night Tour of the Burgwin-Wright House @ Burgwin-Wright House & Gardens | Friday (9/5) at 9:00pm – Trade your phone flashlight for candles, and wander the Burgwin-Wright House after dark for Colonial-era spookiness, minus the Netflix. Guided interpreters unveil bygone superstitions and nightly rituals for $20 (plus tax), but spots vanish fast, so call ahead.

This weekend

🎸 Justin Cody Fox Live @ Cloud 9 Rooftop Bar | Saturday (9/6) at 7:00pm – Kick back at Cloud 9 this Saturday for cocktails, killer views, and some live tunes from local favorite Justin Cody Fox. It’s like happy hour leveled up, with enough charm to distract you from your email inbox, and just the right amount of people watching.

🎵 Cape Fear Rising @ The Bend | Saturday (9/6) at 7:00pm – Imagine kicking off your evening at The Bend with Bacon Grease’s Jared Michael Cline belting out tunes that’ll make you question your Spotify habits. Then slide over to The Parlour House for Waveform’s DJ takeover, because dancing in your kitchen just won’t cut it.

🎶 Calloway & Ruby Dice @ Live At Ted’s | Saturday (9/6) at 8:00pm – Skipping the brewpub crowd this weekend? Picture a two-step through Texas with a Midwest blues roadmap and honky tonk detours. Calloway & The Prickly Pears will get your boots moving, and rising star Ruby Dice rounds out the night, all for ten bucks.

🪕 Back Yard Bluegrass Sundays @ Tap Yard Wilmington | Sunday (9/7) at 3:00pm – Nothing says Sunday like Back Yard Bluegrass Sundays under Jones Smith’s watchful eye, toes tapping to back-to-back banjos, mandolins, and fiddles. Bring an old lawn chair, a cold beer, and your best patter. These local pickers and grinners don’t just play, they grin.

🎸 Cardiel @ Reggie’s 42nd Street Tavern | Sunday (9/7) at 7:00pm – Get ready for Cardiel’s two-piece onslaught of skaterock, sludge fuzz, and psychedelic dub that’ll have you grinning like you just landed your first kickflip. These Valencia, Venezuela natives honed their mojo in Mexico City since 2010, so expect tight grooves and serious sonic abrasion.

Next week

📸 Images of Distinction 2025 @ Burgwin-Wright House & Gardens | Monday (9/8) at 10:00am – Consider bailing on your couch for a trip to the Burgwin-Wright House gallery this month, where the Cape Fear Camera Club has corralled the top 5% of shots from local and international comps. Free entry, zero pretentious art-speak required.

🎤 Sheldon Benton @ SeaWitch Cafe & Tiki Bar | Tuesday (9/9) at 7:00pm – Live music, ocean breezes, and tiki vibes? Yes, please. Catch Sheldon Benton bringing the tunes to Carolina Beach—perfect for a midweek escape that feels like a mini vacation.

🎶 Stu Cru Jamaru: Open Jam Sesh @ The Bend | Tuesday (9/9) at 7:00pm – Think your air-guitar skills are ready for a live audience? Dust off that six-string and glide into The Bend’s open jam session where local pros rub elbows with hobbyists, no tickets, no quotas, just pure, spontaneous soundscapes.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

🎶 Live music & entertainment

• 9/5 Andrew Dismukes @ Dead Crow Comedy – 7 pm
• 9/5 Lou Hazel @ Live At Ted’s – 8 pm
• 9/5 Bacon Grease Show @ SeaWitch Cafe – 8 pm
• 9/6 Sounds of Freedom @ Greenfield Lake Amphitheater – 5 pm
• 9/6 Bacon Grease Trio @ The Bend – 7 pm
• 9/6 Let’s Dance @ The Underfront – 8 pm
• 9/9 One Night of Queen @ Cape Fear Community College – 7 pm
• 9/9 Sheldon Benton @ SeaWitch Cafe – 7 pm

🏠️ Price is right – Wilmington edition

How it works: We’re going to give you some facts about a home for sale, including a picture of the outside, the kitchen, and one additional room. Your job? Guess how much it’s listed for (preferably before you click to find out).

Listed by: Lee Crouch (Intracoastal Realty Corp)

A Ligon Flynn original with Ed Lee craftsmanship, this waterfront stunner delivers panoramic views of the Intracoastal, Shinn Creek, Masonboro Inlet, and the Atlantic beyond. Nearly an acre of land and over 110 feet of private shoreline set the stage for sunrise coffee or sunset cocktails on your own dock.

The architecture leans into clean lines and coastal cool, with big windows framing the ever-changing water scenes. Tucked just off Greenville Loop Road, the location makes it a breeze to boat over to Masonboro Island or grab dinner at Wrightsville Beach.

Make your guess, then (and only then)… see how much it costs →