Since Fayetteville Street was reopened to cars at the inaugural Raleigh Wide Open in 2006, the central street has become the center of the renewed and re-energized Downtown Raleigh. Each year, the City of Raleigh has used this time of year to christen a new piece of this synergy and a chance to bring thousands of visitors to the city center. This year will be no different and while it is not exactly the grand opening of the new downtown amphitheater or the end of the construction on Hillsborough Street, Raleigh Wide Open is expected to bring almost 75,000 people to downtown.
In the past few years, a new arm of the Raleigh Wide Open celebration has emerged, the Cherry Bounce Fest which will return for its third straight year. Cherry Bounce is the work of the downtown duo of Billy Warden and Greg Behr and this year will include everything from burlesque cabaret dancers to gouge wrestling to a day long stage full of local, national and international musical acts.
Cherry Bounce kicks off on Thursday with some poetry slam and cabaret and ends on Saturday night with Colombian electro-dance crew Bomba Estero and bargain vinyl lovin’ cousins Tom van Buskirk and George Langford, also known as Javelin. (Local rockers Bright Young Things have been added to the Cherry Bounce Saturday stage at 1:45pm) By the time Saturday rolls along, Cherry Bounce could have a handful of downtown exhausted already, but you will not want to miss the Gouge Wrestling (a former staple of the downtown nightlife making its return to the street) for sure. Below is a quick synopsis of some of the highlights or check out the full schedule here or their homepage.
Cherry Bounce sponsor Indy Week and will be giving away Hopscotch tickets: A total of two pairs of Club Wristbands—one pair to give away on Thursday night, one pair on Friday night. And one pair of All-Show Wristbands to give away on the Saturday mainstage.
FULL CHERRY BOUNCE SCHEDULE (CLICK HERE)
On Thursday, 7/29, award-winning slam poets led by dynamo Dasan Ahanu gather amid burlesque performers, music and a PBaRt show from co-sponsor PBR for the Love vs. Lust Cabaret. The wooing starts at 8:30pm in the Extra Gravy room above Gravy restaurant (135 S. Wilmington). The show is free, with food and drink available prior upon reservation with Gravy Restaurant including a special dinner for two for $50 plus a bottle of wine!
On Friday, 7/30, Beach Bounce Night serves up a tropical party for the screening of a sun’n’fun movie, “Lord of the Flies,” and vintage, on-point educational films. Produced by A/V Geeks, the summer-y soiree is the first entertainment event ever scheduled in the outdoor courtyard at Sitti restaurant (137 S. Wilmington). The show is free, with food and drink available prior and during. Show starts at 8:30 p.m.
On Saturday, 7/31, the action includes not only musical headliners Javelin and international dance act Bomba Estereo, but a bonafide professional wrestling bout for the Cherry Bounce Heavyweight Championship (presented by GOUGE Wrestling with official belt by local sculptor Matt McConnell). The music and mayhem—all free—unfold on Hargett St. outside presenting sponsor The Raleigh Times (14 E. Hargett St.) starting at noon.
FULL RALEIGH WIDE OPEN 5 SCHEDULE (CLICK HERE)
Cherry Bounce will get things warmed up on a hyper-local level and usher in the large tourist vortex that is the official Raleigh Wide Open party all day Saturday. From BMX Stunt Shows to Bluegrass bands to breakdancing and a Krispy Kreme doughnuts eating competition, RWO5 will have an event for everyone. A parade will get things kicked off at 11am and Fayetteville Street will be full of thousands of residents until the final fireworks cap off the night around 10:45pm. Check out the full RWO5 schedule here or on their homepage.
Along with the 20-something bands on multiple stages (including a ticketed Barenaked Ladies show at the downtown amphitheater), City Plaza will be home to Maximus Circus for the last four hours of the day-long event. The locally produced futuristic circus will featured LED-laced outfits, rickshaw chariots, fire-spinners and more. We expect this to be one of the highlights of this years event. We put together a quick preview of Maximus Circus to get you excited.
MAXIMUS CIRCUS SNEAK PEEK (CLICK HERE)
Start planning your weekend now. There will be plenty of things to do downtown and it’ll be one of the few times per year you’ll be able to walk around the streets of downtown (within limits of course) enjoying a beer in hand. Although this year’s event has yet to start, we can’t help but to start to wonder how many years the City of Raleigh will be able to pull off this event without a particular civic centerpiece as the main attraction. We keep thinking Moore Square may be the next big project completed in downtown but that may not be until 2012. But hey, we’ll welcome almost anything that brings in the revenue for the downtown business and I’m sure they do to. Now, take to the streets!
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