Entertainment
Dock’s at the Capitol
Pottery downtown Fay!
Operation Celebrate Freedom-a night to remember
Operation Celebrate Freedom
GO Swampdogs
Beat the Heat !
Below, I’ve outlined a few family-friendly ways to beat the heat this summer. These places are all great fun!
Fantasy Lake
Fantasy Lake is located on a six-acre man-made lake in Hope Mills and is surrounded by white sand beaches. In addition to lots of room to swim, the facility offers dozens of special activities including:
- Trapeze Swings
- Water Slides - both enclosed slides and slower open slides
- Pedal Boats
- Drop Slides - featuring a free fall at the end
- Jump Tower
- Porch swings in the water
- Water Volleyball
Admission is $14 for adults (11+) and $10 for ages 3-10. Fantasy Lake is open 10 am - 6 pm throughout the season. More information: www.fantasylakewaterpark.com
Smith Lake
Located one mile outside of Ft. Bragg, Smith Lake Recreation Park offers a large lifeguarded beach from 12- 7 pm Thursday through Sunday throughout the summer. The park has volleyball, a playground and floating trampolines in the children’s swimming area.
Managed by Fort Bragg MWR, Smith Lake is open to the public. Admission is $5 for the public $4 for government ID holders and $2 for children 6-16. Mountain bike trails and Paintball Adventure Sports are available on-site for an additional fee. Camping is available for active duty personnel, military retirees and Department of Defense civilians. More information: www.fortbraggmwr.com/smithlake.php
Waldo’s Beach
A third place to beat the heat is Lake Waldo’s Beach in Hope Mills. Lake Waldo’s Beach has water slides, a lazy river, pool and lake swimming, picnic areas, playgrounds, a pet trail, fishing pier, boat ramp, fishing and paddle boat rental.
Open daily Memorial Day through Labor Day. Admission is $12 for ages (11+) and $10 for children under 10. Admission is ½ price Monday through Friday. Camping is also available. http://www.lakewaldosbeachcampground.com/
Splash Pad
The under 10-set love the Splash Pad at Christina Smith park. Admission is free. The Splash Pad features water guns, sprinklers, sprayers and cannons all under colorful arches. A shaded picnic area is just outside the fence and restrooms are nearby. Hours are 3-6 Monday through Friday; 10-6 Saturday and 1-6 on Sunday. http://www.fcpr.us/aquatics.aspx
Blues and Brews Festival
Carolina Ale House
We recently got a new addition to our Fayetteville restaurants and bars: Carolina Ale House, which is conveniently located right across from Cross Creek Mall. I went there last night for the first time and the patio was packed full of people enjoying their dinners and brews. There’s a bar both inside and outside the restaurant, as well as pool tables for extra entertainment. The chicken quesidilla I had was wonderful and the beers were reasonably priced. Overall, great first time and I’m very excited for Fayetteville’s new addition! The perfect getaway for a nice evening out.
Thinking of Hosting an Event Downtown?
Birthdays, wedding receptions, anniversaries…there are so many great milestones and what better place to celebrate, but Downtown Fayetteville. Lucky for everyone there are fantastic places to choose from including locations for small, intimate gatherings to large, formal receptions. Some examples include:
The Metropolitan Room
The Metropolitan Room boasts a 5,000 square foot plus ballroom, a unique mini vault lounge (which can be used for serving drinks), lobby, marbled entrance foyer with a marble fountain and a private four story parking garage. Floor to ceiling windows complete the look and the view of Downtown Fayetteville and the Market House is extraordinary. This beautiful addition to Downtown Fayetteville can service parties from 50 to 500 people. Visit www.themetroroom.com for more details.
The Rainbow Room
The Rainbow Room is a prime example of a renovated downtown building centered on Hay Street, which features brick sidewalks and blossoming trees. With a modern interior and room for 100-150, this venue has housed wedding receptions, corporate meetings and the like. They provide chairs and tables for your guests and also allow the flexibility to bring your own caterer, music and decorations. For small, intimate gatherings, this is your venue. Visit www.rainbowroom.biz for more information.
AIT’s Festival Hall
AIT’s Festival Hall has a seating capacity of 250 in their 3,300 square foot main hall and plenty of downtown parking. The room is almost a blank canvas as far as the different seating arrangements that can be imagined featuring round and rectangular tables. Table linens, setup and breakdown of the room are included in their event package. Visit www.ait.com/aitauditoriumlayout.php for photos and contact information.
City of Fayetteville Parks and Buildings
Cross Creek Park, The Transportation Museum and other downtown public properties are also available for your special event. Call Erica Brady for special events at 433-1505 or Bruce Daws for events in historic properties at 433-1457.
Really, what better place and what better backdrop can you ask for on your special day, no matter the occasion, than Downtown Fayetteville? Along with our historic churches, parks and buildings, your guests will thank you for their gorgeous photos and their long-lived memories. Find your perfect venue downtown – you will be glad you did!
Fantastic Events Coming Up Monthly, Downtown!
Field of Honor
The 2010 Glory Days Field of Honor, sponsored by the Fayetteville Downtown Alliance, is a memorial to all of our servicemen and women. You can get involved by sponsoring an American flag to join the hundred that will fly at the Airborne and Special Operations Museum from May 14 to June 29. Individual flags are $25.00 and corporate sponsorships are available. Visit www.glorydaysnc.com for more information. If you have not seen it before, it will take your breath away.
31 Days of Glory
31 Days of Glory is a month-long celebration of performances, ceremonies, exhibits and activities sponsored by a host of organizations including the Fayetteville Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, the Fayetteville Downtown Alliance, Fort Bragg MWR, Museum of the Cape Fear and many other participating partners. The entire month of May is dedicated to honor soldiers, vets and their families and will include great events such as the Glory Days Downtown Memorial Day Celebration, a Military Film Festival at the Cameo Theatre and the fundraiser Walk a Mile in Their Boots. For a full list of events and activities, visit www.31daysofglory.com.
Fourth Friday
Fourth Friday is a celebration of the arts in beautiful downtown Fayetteville. In May, Fourth Friday will be expanding to include Arts Alive at Fourth Friday, sponsored by the Arts Council, hosting live entertainment stages, art booths with professional artists displaying their art for sale and artists demonstrating their craft on Franklin and Maxwell streets. And, as always, merchants and restaurant owners around the district will open their doors wide and will feature specials, artists, music and much more! For more information, visit www.theartscouncil.com.
Fayetteville after Five
Fayetteville after Five, sponsored by the Fayetteville Museum of Art, is a terrific, and free, concert series hosted at Festival Park. Starting after work, bring your lawn chairs and beach blankets, grab dinner and beverages and enjoy a great selection of music among friends. The 2010 line-up includes:
- May 20 – The Tams
- June 17 – Coconut Groove Band
- July 15 – Suicide Blonde
- Aug. 19 – Craig Woolard Band
- Sept. 16 – Chairmen of the Board
Mark your calendars! For more information, visit www.fayettevillemuseumart.org.