Items Needed for Kids in Need at Forsyth County, NC Schools

By Jessica Thomas Lewis

The Forsyth County United Way is asking for donations in honor of MLK Virtual Day of Service. 

Local Title I schools in our area need items for our kids in need. 

-New Socks all sizes 
-New underwear sizes (3T-16 years for boys and girls)
-Uniform attire: collared red/white/blue shirts, black/navy/khaki pants
-Gloves, all sizes 
-Hats, lightly used / washed
-Scarfs, lightly used / washed

You can bring donations to Maple Springs UMC (Craven Hall lobby) at 2569 Reynolda Road, Winston-Salem, NC from December 31, 2017-January 7, 2018 or bring donations to the United Way of Forsyth County at 301 North Main Street, Winston-Salem, NC  Suite 1700.  Collection dates are January 3, 2018-January 14, 2018 at the United Way. 

Looking for other ways to volunteer locally?  Check out volunteermatch.com (No affiliate, we just think it's a great resource!)

Quarry Park in Winston-Salem, NC

By Jessica Thomas Lewis

Hidden off Reynolds Park Road in Winston-Salem, Quarry Park offers a nice place for passive activities and relaxation.  The access road is next to the William Roscoe Anderson Jr. Recreation Center.   Just minutes from downtown,  this 228-acre park includes a 12-acre quarry with 130-foot bluffs that overlook waters that are so clear you can see dozens of feet below the surface.

The park includes open green space with walking/biking trails, overlooks and an observation platform over the quarry.  Quarry Park also has an event lawn and lawn amphitheater. Winston-Salem's downtown skyline and the Sauratown mountains can be seen in the distance.

The park includes the Waughtown Greenway Connector, providing access from Reynolds Park and the Salem Creek Greenway.  There is a greenway rest area with bike parking and several bike racks throughout the park.

Cool sculptures made for sitting adorn the walking trails and there are lots of metal benches for quiet moments and spectacular views.  The metal benches were designed to resemble the screens once used to sort gravel in the old quarry.  Water fountains and trash receptacles are placed along the trails and there are picnic tables.

There is a public restroom tucked under the observation platform. The walls to the restroom are made of large gravel, such as the gravel that was produced by the old quarry for use in the construction of Business 40 and US 52.  The park is handicap accessible and is stroller and dog friendly.

Entry is free and there is plenty of parking.  Quarry Park is perfect for a quiet afternoon outside.

FREE Kid Friendly Events Aug 26-Sept 2, 2017

Full Details and more events on our calendar here. 

Sat Aug 26

11:00am – 11:45am GSO Free Class in the Park! - LeBauer Park
11:00am – 12:00pm GSO Saturday Story Hour - International Civil Rights Center & Museum
12:00pm – 7:00pm LVILLE Weekends at Westbend - Westbend Winery and Brewery
12:00pm – 9:00pm MTAIRY 5th Annual Carolina Sky Music Fest! - Round Peak Vineyards
7:00pm – 10:00pm W-S Summer on Liberty - 6th and Liberty, Downtown Winston-Salem

Sun Aug 27

12:00pm – 7:00pm LVILLE  Weekends at Westbend - Westbend Winery and Brewery
2:00pm – 4:30pm GSO Chess in the Park - LeBauer Park
3:00pm – 5:00pm GSO Yappy Hour Weekly Meetup for Four Legged Friends - LeBauer Park,
3:00pm – 9:00pm Greensboro Food Truck Festival - Downtown Greensboro
4:00pm – 7:00pm CLE Arts Council Summer Parks Series featuring Camel City Jazz
5:00pm – 7:30pm HP Kids End of Summer Blast - First Wesleyan Church
6:00pm – 8:30pm GSO MUSEP Concert: Benjy Johnson and Tres Diablos, doby - LeBauer Park

Mon Aug 28

5:30pm – 6:30pm GSO  ZUMBA in the Park - LeBauer Park

Wed Aug 30

5:00pm – 7:00pm GSO Free Family Night at Greenhill - GreenHill

Thu Aug 31

11:00am – 6:00pm W-S You're Invited to the Ribbon Cutting and Official Opening of Central !
7:45pm – 10:45pm GSO Cinema In The Yard: Movie at Revolution Mill

Fri Sep 1

5:00pm – 6:00pm WS First Friday Gallery Hop - Downtown Arts District
6:00pm – 9:00pm GSO First Friday in Greensboro - Downtown Greensboro
7:00pm – 10:00pm  W-S Gallery Hop
7:00pm – 10:30pm GSO UNCG Presents Spartan Cinema at LeBauer Park

Sat Sep 2
 
11:00am – 12:00pm GSO Saturday Story Hour - International Civil Rights Center & Museum
12:00pm – 6:00pm W-S Angelo's Artisan Market
12:30pm – 3:00pm W-S Saturday ART Jam
7:30pm – 10:00pm Graham Movies in the Park - Bill Cooke Park

Bike Sharing in Winston-Salem!

Did you know Winston-Salem now has bike sharing stations?  With eight locations in the city, it's easy to pick up or drop off a bike. Most locations are downtown, with two peripheral sites available.

Bike Share station across from AFAS at 7th and Liberty

There are two options for membership; bikes can be rented hourly or you can buy an annual membership.  Hourly rental is $3/hour (up to $24/ride) or annual membership is $30/year with trips under one hour free (after one hour rental fee is $3/hour).  Each station has posted instructions.  Access to the bicycles is granted through the Zagster app, or you can gain access by text.

After you've joined, you can follow the simple instructions posted on each bike.  First, you find your bike's number (located on the rear) and enter it into the Zagster app to get a unique unlock code.  Next, enter the unlock code into the on-bike keypad, and after the ring lock opens, you can remove the docking cable from the side of the ring lock.

So, what kind of bike are you riding?  This 7 gear cruiser has an adjustable seat height to fit most adult riders.  For safety, each bike has automatic front and rear lights.  Each bicycle also has a convenient basket attached.  Bring your own helmet.

Bikes can be picked up and dropped off 24/7.  They do not have to be dropped off at the same station from which it was picked up.  Current rental stations include: Arts District (7th and Liberty, across from AFAS), the Convention Center (5th and Cherry), the Theater District (across the street from Foothills), 4th and Trade, 4th and Liberty, Bailey Park (4th and Patterson), Gateway Bike (by the YWCA), and Salem Lake.



Winston-Salem is a great fit for bike sharing.  With eleven current greenways (and two more in the planning stages), it's easy to see why our city was selected to be a part of bike sharing!



You can also download the city's bike routes here.


For more information about Zagster bike sharing, check out their website.

By Jessica Thomas Lewis

The Big Chill Ice Cream Festival 2017

 The Big Chill is taking place Sunday, July 16, 2017 at Grace Park in Winston-Salem, between 3-6pm.  This event, presented by The Shalom Project, will have live music, ice cream tasting, and a kids fun area.  

Ice cream will be homemade by community organizations!  

Admission is $3 each or $10 for a family unit, with all proceeds benefitting the programs of the Shalom Project.  The Shalom Project has a medical clinic and pharmacy, clothing closet, food pantry, and welcome table that serves free, hot meals to those that are hungy.  

Tickets can be purchased here.  

By Jessica Thomas Lewis

Our Secret Spot for Fireworks!

By Jessica Thomas Lewis

What's your "secret spot" to watch fireworks on the 4th of July? 

We like to go to Kernersville! 4th of July Park is a great place to hang out with the kids... bring a picnic and play in the park until the fireworks start! 

You can walk over to the school, where there's live music starting at 5:30. 

There's a good view of the fireworks from behind the school, you're a bit away from the crowds and if you get there early enough you'll beat most of the traffic by exiting from the park entrance.

Where do you like to go? 

We have these local listings on our calendar!

1:00pm – 8:00pm Fun Fourth Street Festival - Downtown Greensboro Greensboro

5:30pm – 10:00pm Kernersville 4th of July Fireworks - Kernersville Elementary School, 512 W Mountain St, Kernersville

6:00pm – 10:00pm Independence Day Celebration - July 4, 2017 - Town of Lewisville Lewisville, North Carolina 

 7:30pm – 9:00pm Salem Band Stars & Stripes Concert (Patriotic) - Salem Square, Old Salem Winston-Salem

7:30pm – 9:00pm MUSEP Fun 4th Fireworks Pops Concert: Greensboro Concert Band - First National Bank Field, 408 Bellemeade St, Greensboro, NC 27401, USA

Celebrate Moravian Heritage with Music Festival in Winston-Salem NC

Please join Moravian brothers and sisters from across the United States and from around the world as they share their love of music and hard work of preparation during the week-long Moravian Music Festival in Winston-Salem, July 23 – 29, 2017. All concerts are preceded by a band prelude, and are free and open to the public and are sponsored by the Moravian Music Foundation.

The week begins with a lovefeast at Home Moravian Church, 529 S. Church St., Winston-Salem, NC. The following concert on Monday, July 24, 7:30 p.m., Trinity Moravian Church, 220 E Sprague St, Winston-Salem, NC, is a program of vocal solos, duets, and other small ensembles; Loveliest Immanuel: An Elegant Evening

Tuesday, July 25, 7:30 p.m., Salem Band performs on Salem Square, Salem’s Shining Stars: Best of the Salem Band.

Joining Our Voices: Anthem Sing with the Moramus Chorale, Wednesday, July 26, 7:30 p.m., Home Moravian Church.

On Thursday, July 27, 7:30 p.m., Calvary Moravian Church will host the Festival Band and Chamber Ensembles Concert, in the sanctuary, 600 Holly Ave NW, Winston-Salem, NC; Home Moravian Church will present the Festival Children’s Choir in concert on Friday, July 28, 2:00 p.m.

Sing, O Ye Heavens! The Festival Chorus and Orchestra is 7:30 p.m., Williams Auditorium, Winston-Salem State University.

Saturday, July 29, 9:30 a.m., there will be final performances of several instrumental groups, along with some hymn singing at Mit Freuden zart: Singstunde: The Festival Trombone Choir, Festival Handbell Choir, Chamber Ensembles at Home Moravian Church

For more information, please visit www.MoravianMusicFestival.org and follow the “25thMoravianMusicFestival” on Facebook

Enjoy ARTivity! 2017 Concrete Mural Canvas Fest

Jessica Thomas Lewis

ARTivity on the Green is Winston-Salem's first Art Park, and each year there is a fun Concrete Mural Canvas Fest!   This year was extra exciting because of the Grand Opening of the AFAS (Art For Art Sake) Center for the Arts.  This beautiful addition to downtown Winston-Salem is the new home for Red Dog Gallery and the Unleashed Arts Center.

ARTivity is a great place to hang out.  Prime time to visit is sunset; stay until it's dark for the best experience.  Trade Street is home to Arts on Sunday and Summer on Liberty and other great downtown events.

Concrete Canvas Mural Fest 2017, May 6, 2017

Line-Up of Mural Artists- Brian Davis, Gus Cutty, Andrew Fansler, Ian Bredice, Grace Washko, John Blackburn, Johnny Brown, Joe Dobson, Miss Lotus, Dale Ladd and Holland Berson

In Progress

Complete

In Progress

Complete

 

In Progress.  You can still see a portion of the previous canvas.

Complete
Debbie Harry by @guscutty

In Progress

In Progress

Complete

Complete

Complete

Second Story ladies restroom

Second Story ladies restroom

View from the second floor

First Floor ladies restroom

First Floor Ladies Restroom

Second Floor men's restroom

Red Dog Gallery