POW! We’re back Fuquay. The new Spider Man movie pulled in a cool $932 million worldwide in its opening weekend, the second-biggest global debut ever.
Peter Parker may be busy saving New York City, but Fuquay seems to have things under control: a new Wye Hill pour at McWally’s, four bands at Mason Jar, and enough live music to keep us occupied through Thursday. Crisis averted. Here’s your week ahead.
First time here? Welcome in. Every Friday, we send the best things to eat, drink, hear, and do around Fuquay-Varina.
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— First Sip Fuquay Team
THE SHORT LIST
Start Here: Your Weekend Lineup
If you only read one thing this week, make it this. The biggest stuff happening across town this week:
FRIDAY
WE GOT THE JAZZ @ Track Record — 6:00–9:00 PM: A ticketed jazz listening night with a DJ set from Zairis Téjion.
Pint Night featuring Wye Hill @ McWally’s — 6:00–8:00 PM: Wye Hill takes over the taps with their “When There are Nine” beer for a clean Friday happy-hour option.
SATURDAY
Cars & Coffee @ Aviator — 7:00–11:00 AM: Cars start rolling in early, coffee starts at 7, breakfast at 8, and the event itself is free.
Fuquay-Varina Growers Market — 8:00 AM–12:00 PM: The Saturday market is back on Main Street with its usual mix of local growers, makers and food vendors.
Riffs & Rescues @ Mason Jar Lager Co. — 1:00–10:00 PM: Four local bands, heavy music, rescue fundraising, vendors, raffles and adoptables. Free and all ages.
THURSDAY
Too Darn Hot! @ Fuquay-Varina Arts Center — 7:30 PM: Neuse River Big Band closes out the week with a summer-themed big-band concert. Tickets are $20.
SATURDAY
🤘 Heavy rock for a very good cause at Mason Jar
Image Credit: Mason Jar
Riffs & Rescues | Mason Jar Lager Co. | Saturday, August 15, 1:00–10:00 PM | Free
If your Saturday plans could use more guitar distortion, Mason Jar has you covered. Riffs & Rescues brings together Fusebox, Midnight Still, Dumb Apologies and Intervallum for an afternoon of local heavy music, with the live-band portion running from 1:00–7:00 PM.
But this one has more going for it than the lineup. The event benefits Lending Paws and adds rescue fundraising, raffles, local vendors and artists before continuing into the night. It’s free, all ages and easily the biggest event this weekend.
SATURDAY
🚗 Cars & coffee coming at you fast once again
Image Credit: Aviator Cars and Coffee
Cars & Coffee | Aviator Brewing Company | Saturday, August 15, 7:00–11:00 AM | Free
Aviator’s monthly Cars & Coffee is back Saturday morning, and the official schedule starts at 7:00 AM . Coffee service begins at 7, breakfast starts at 8 and the event itself is free.
That makes the obvious Saturday move pretty simple: Cars & Coffee first, then swing by the Growers Market before it closes at noon. You can knock out two of the weekend’s better stops before Fuquay hits peak August.
FRIDAY
🎷 A proper jazz evening lands at Track Record
Image Credit: Track Record Vinyl
WE GOT THE JAZZ | Track Record Vinyl Shop & Listening Lounge | Friday, August 14, 6:00 PM
Track Record is built around the idea that music deserves to be listened to rather than scrolled past, and WE GOT THE JAZZ leans into that premise as directly as the name suggests. It's a dedicated jazz evening — one genre, one room, one night — in a venue that was designed for exactly this kind of focused listening.
Friday at 6:00 PM puts this right at the sweet spot between after-work stop and actual evening plans. It runs alongside Pint Night at McWally's a few blocks away, so you have two genuine options at the same hour. If jazz isn't your first instinct, it's still worth knowing about Track Record.
FRIDAY
🍺 Another week, another beer release…McWally’s Pint Night taps a Wye Hill brewing staple
Image Credit: McWally’s
Pint Night featuring Wye Hill Brewing | McWally's | Friday, August 14, 6:00–8:00 PM
Pint Nights at McWally's bring in a rotating guest brewery, but this one comes with a specific beer worth noting: Wye Hill Brewing's "When There are Nine," a release named in tribute to the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Wye Hill is a Raleigh brewery with a track record of beers that carry weight, so this isn't a generic tap takeover.
The two-hour window (6:00–8:00 PM) makes this a clean after-work stop rather than a commitment. It overlaps neatly with WE GOT THE JAZZ at Track Record down the street, so Friday evening has more going on than a typical mid-August night. Come for one, go to the other, and you've covered the best of what FV has on a Friday without trying very hard.
SATURDAY
🌽 Growers Market peaks in mid-August
Image Credit: Growers Market
Fuquay-Varina Growers Market | Chamber of Commerce Parking Lot, 121 N. Main Street | Saturday, August 15, 8:00 AM–12:00 PM | Free
The FV Growers Market runs every Saturday through September 5, and mid-August is the week the whole season was building toward. Tomatoes are at full swing, corn is in, peaches are hanging on, and the baked goods and honey vendors are doing their best work of the year. Local farmers bring fresh produce, eggs, jams, jellies, and salsa alongside the usual rotation of prepared-food vendors.
The market wraps at noon, which makes the math simple: get there by 9:00 or 9:30 if you want first pick on anything with a short supply. The Chamber of Commerce lot on N. Main puts you a short walk from downtown coffee and breakfast options, so the morning writes itself. This is also the second-to-last month of the regular season.
LIVE TUNES
🎶 Your Weekend Music Calendar
Image Credit: Southgate 40
Here’s this weekend’s lineup:
Friday, August 14
Stolen Goods — Aviator TapHouse: 7:00–10:00 PM
Chris Hooper Duo — Aviator Ready Room: 7:00–10:00 PM
Southgate 40 — Aviator Hangar Bar: 8:00–11:00 PM
King Pappy — Aviator Pizza Pub: 8:00–11:00 PM
Garland Mason — My Way Tavern: 9:00–11:00 PM
Saturday, August 15
Riffs & Rescues: Fusebox, Midnight Still, Dumb Apologies + Intervallum — Mason Jar Lager Co. — live bands 1:00–7:00 PM; event continues until 10:00 PM
Jam Biscuit Aviator Amphitheater: 4:00–7:00 PM
Matt Crowe — Aviator TapHouse: 7:00–10:00 PM
Carolina Revival — Aviator Pizza Pub: 7:00–10:00 PM
Jennifer Van Meter — Oaklyn Springs Brewery: 7:00–10:00 PM
Working On Commission — Aviator Hangar Bar: 8:00–11:00 PM
Sunday, August 16
George Berkley — Aviator Hangar Bar: 2:00–5:00 PM
Open Mic — Oaklyn Springs Brewery: 2:00–5:00 PM
Wednesday, August 19
Nicholas Vernon — Aviator TapHouse: 7:00–10:00 PM
Kerry Long — Aviator Hangar Bar: 7:00–10:00 PM
Thursday, August 20
Ryan Lloyd — Aviator TapHouse: 7:00–10:00 PM
Neuse River Big Band: Too Darn Hot! Fuquay-Varina Arts Center — 7:30 PM
Brian Jones Open Mic — Aviator Hangar Bar: 8:00–11:00 PM
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THE REST
Honorable mentions for the week
Open Mic @ Oaklyn Springs — Sunday, 2:00–5:00 PM: Bring a song or grab a beer and listen to whoever gets the mic.
Sunday Mimosa Special @ The Mill — Sunday: $4 mimosas every Sunday.
Planning Board Meeting — Monday, 6:00 PM: Worth knowing about if Fuquay’s current development plans are your thing.
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