Weekend in Winston: Homecoming, Hot Air Balloons & Harry Potter
Old Gold & Black writer Avery Finch has your weekend plans figured out for you.
Hey, Wake Forest and happy weekend! My name is Avery Finch, a Wake Forest sophomore and writer for the Old Gold & Black. On Fridays, I’ll be taking over the OGB newsletter to help students discover fun things to do in and around Winston- Salem. Without further ado, here’s your fifth Weekend in Winston guide, courtesy of me and my Google expertise:
Homecoming weekend!
Friday
Happy Friday! It's been a week. But… who’s excited for our alumni to come visit?! If you aren't busy catching up with old friends and you need some ideas for things to do, I have you covered.
This is something that I have been waiting for since I found it. I suggest going on Friday so that you can see the mass launch of the hot air balloons from 4:30pm - 6:00pm and the evening balloon glow from 6:30 - 7:30pm. Plus, you won't miss the football game on Saturday! Tickets start at $15 and if you are feeling adventurous, you can book a ticket to ride in a hot air balloon for $325. Do keep in mind that if it is raining they will not be able to inflate and launch the balloons.
Where: 260 Hangar Drive, Statesville
When: October 20th - 22nd
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Feeling the fall weather and ready to rewatch Harry Potter for the 236878th time? a/perture cinema will be hosting a screening of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone at 7:30pm in Bailey Park in the Innovation Quarter downtown. They will offer food from West Coast Wanderer and Kona Ice and drinks from Incendiary Brewing Company. Bring a chair or blanket!
Where: Bailey Park in the Innovation Quarter
When: 7:00 p.m.
Fall Festival at Hanging Rock State Park
This free event offers live music, food trucks, games and raffles, face painting, craft vendors and a cake walk at 3:00 p.m. Hanging Rock is beautiful this time of year, so go check it out!
Where: 1005 Visitor Center Drive Westfield
When: 1:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Halloween Silent Disco Dance Party
The Ramkat is hosting a Silent Disco Dance Party with DJs SK, Poochie La Fever & Mauve Angeles.
Where: 170 W Ninth St
Doors: 8:00 p.m. | Show: 9:00 p.m.
Come for a costume contest, raffle and photo booth. Or, to dance to performances by $IFU, Nervous Surface, Daniel Vaughan, Lucid Amethyst, Transcendentalweather, Boydmoney and Snoffthemaker. Art and services will be provided by Super Them Tooth Gems, Poniebeads, Jjunglebeads, Baby W33d, Allnbones, and Larking Vintage.
Where: Toasted 526 North Liberty Street
When: 7:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Saturday
I know you probably want to spend most of your time at the homecoming game against Pitt at 3:30 p.m., but here are a few other options!
Kremsernacht: A Halloween Escape Room
Old Salem is offering a hands-on mystery escape room centered around Old Salem lore and the story of Old Salem’s Andreas Kremser aka “Little Red Man.” It will include visiting places that he is known to haunt in the Single Brother’s House. There will be groups of 10+ people per tour and the tours should run about 50 minutes.
Where: 10 W Academy St
$40 per ticket
Hanging Rock State Park will be hosting the Forsyth Astronomical Society that will provide telescopes to show the first quarter (half lit, half dark) moon, along with the planets Jupiter and Saturn. If you’re lucky , you will be able to see the Orionids meteor shower. In addition, there will be smores, cornhole and stories by the lake. If you’re feeling it– there will be an after-party at the Green Heron Alehouse!
$25
Interested in a ghost tour? Me neither, but in case you said yes, Carolina History & Haunts offers ghost tours weekly on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. You can choose from a 7:00 p.m. tour or a 9:00 p.m. tour on Saturdays, and an 8:00 p.m. tour on Mondays and Fridays.
Interested in a Haunted House with a story? Hacker House is offering their haunted house at 188 Hacker House Trail Pilot Mountain and have times from 8:00pm - 10:30pm. Read the story of its haunting here.
This block party in the Arts District on Trade Street will feature booths of new community artists, live performers and creative leaders within the community. Go rack up that dorm decor!
Where: Arts District Winston Salem Trade Street & 6th Street
Ardmore RAH! 10K, 5K, Fun Run and Food Drive
This Run Against Hunger (RAH) will raise money for the Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC, which helps food insecure and at-risk families in our community.
Where: Redeemer Presbyterian 1046 Miller St
When: 10K - 8:00 a.m. | 5K - 9:15 a.m. | Fun run - 8:10 a.m.
Sunday
Not going to lie, there is not a lot going on in Winston this Sunday. BUT fear not, I have some personal suggestions.
You could probably guess but — a classic good old walk through the Reynolda trails and brunch in Reynolda Village always does the trick. Especially since it's going to be a sunny day with a high temperature of 67 degrees and the leaves are starting to turn. Although I know it’s possible that you have done this thousands of times before, if you haven’t, here’s my advice:
Obviously, walk the trails that go through the woodlands, past the waterfall, the lake, the boathouse and the meadow (you can follow the trail markers and map by the boathouse). If you want a longer walk – continue through to the Graylyn Estate.
If you feel like touring a house – Reynolda House, the former home of Katharine Smith and R.J.Reynolds, founder of the R.J.Reynolds Tobacco Company, is free to tour for Wake Forest students and is along the path.
Then, a good place to do some homework and eat something is Penny Path crepes, Dough Joes or Theodore’s.
Or, if after a busy week you want to sit in a movie theater to relax or are looking for a halloween scare, here are a few options:
The Grand– 5601 University Pkwy
Killers of the Flower Moon: Imax (12:15, 4:45, 9:00) Regular (1:30, 6:30, 7:00)
Beetlejuice: (6:40, 9:15)
Butcher’s Crossing: (12:30, 3:15, 6:00, 8:30)
The Nightmare Before Christmas 30th anniversary: (12:30, 2:45, 5:00, 7:15, 9:30)
Taylor Swift Eras Tour (12:00, 3:00, 3:45, 7:00, 7:30)
Hocus Pocus 30th Anniversary (6:15, 8:45)
The Exorcist: Believer (12:45, 3:30, 6:15, 9:00)
Saw X: (1:15, 4:00, 6:45, 9:45)
The Creator: (12:15, 3:30, 6:30, 9:30)
The Blind: (12:00, 2:45, 5:45, 8:45)
A Haunting in Venice: (3:00, 5:30, 8:00, 10:30)
The Nun II: (2:35, 5:15 7:45, 10:25)
The Equalizer: (1:45, 4:25, 7:20, 10:00)
Amc Theaters– 1501 Hanes Mall Blvd
Killers of the Flower Moon: (11:30, 4:00, 6:30, 8:30, 10:00)
Taylor Swift The Eras Tour: Open Captions (2:00, 5:30, 9:00) Digital (12:00, 1:00, 2:30, 3:30, 4:30, 6:00, 7:00, 8:00, 9:30, 10:30)
The Exorcist: (1:00, 4:00, 7:00, 10:00)
Saw X: (1:30, 4:30, 7:30, 10:30)
The Creator: (12:00, 3:15, 6:30, 10:50)
Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas 30th Anniversary: Real 3D (12:45) Digital (3:00, 5:15, 7:30, 9:45)
If you are looking for local live music this weekend here is a list of live music in Winston this weekend, from The Go-To Winston-Salem
Lastly, if you want to get into the Halloween spirit, here is a list of the most haunted places in Winston.
Have a great weekend!
— Avery
Have a tip for fun things to do in Winston? Email fincam22@wfu.edu