🌳 Canes Host the Conference Final, a Hometown Memorial Day, Blackwater Band, and ZZ Top in Cary

Good morning, W.Y.R. neighbors! Memorial Day weekend comes in loud this year. The Carolina Hurricanes bring the Eastern Conference Final home to Lenovo Center for two games (Thursday and Saturday) and are four wins from the Stanley Cup Final. Monday is Memorial Day, with morning ceremonies in both Wake Forest (the VFW at Heritage) and Rolesville (the town’s Memorial Mile). Sunday night, Blackwater Band keeps the Six Sundays in Spring series rolling at Joyner Park, ZZ Top with Dwight Yoakam roll into Koka Booth in Cary on Friday, and Saturday night has a murder mystery downstairs at Norse brewery if you want something ticketed and indoors.

In today’s edition of The WYRe:

Let's get to it.

— Dave & Egle

🇺🇸 Memorial Day in Wake Forest & Rolesville 📍 Wake Forest: Veterans Memorial at Heritage, 1234 Heritage Club Ave | Rolesville: Town Hall, 502 Southtown Circle | Monday, May 25 | Wake Forest 11 AM, Rolesville 11 AM to 1 PM | FREE

Two hometown ceremonies honor the fallen on Monday morning. In Wake Forest, VFW Post 8466 hosts its annual Memorial Day ceremony at the Veterans Memorial at Heritage, with speakers, a wreath laying, and the playing of taps. It draws a big crowd, so go early for parking. In Rolesville, the Memorial Mile begins with a flag ceremony hosted by the Rolesville Garden Club at Town Hall, followed by a Walk of Remembrance, with memorial signs lining South Main Street. Both are free and open to everyone. Heads up: town offices and county libraries are closed for the holiday.

🏒 The Canes Bring the Conference Final Home 📍 Lenovo Center, 1400 Edwards Mill Rd, Raleigh | Game 1: Thursday, May 21 at 8 PM | Game 2: Saturday, May 23 at 7 PM | Ticketed

The Hurricanes are four wins from the Stanley Cup Final. After finishing as the top seed in the East and sweeping their way through the first two rounds, Carolina opens the Eastern Conference Final against the Montreal Canadiens with two home games right here this week. Game 1 is Thursday night, Game 2 is Saturday. Expect Lenovo Center to be deafening and downtown Raleigh to be a sea of red. No tickets? Every bar with a TV will be packed, and with storms in the forecast all week, a playoff watch party is the perfect rainy-night plan.

🎵 Six Sundays in Spring: Blackwater Band 📍 E. Carroll Joyner Park Amphitheater, 701 Harris Rd, Wake Forest | Sunday, May 24 | 5:30 to 7:30 PM | FREE

Week five of the beloved Six Sundays series brings Blackwater Band to the Joyner Park amphitheater for an evening of beach music and Carolina shag favorites. Bring a blanket, a picnic, and the kids (no alcohol, no grills, leashed pets welcome) and settle in for the kind of laid-back Sunday this town does best. Food trucks will be on site. It’s rain or shine, but with storms in the forecast, keep an eye on the sky. Only one Sunday left after this: Snapback closes out the series May 31.

🎸 ZZ Top with Dwight Yoakam: Dos Amigos Tour 📍 Koka Booth Amphitheatre, 8003 Regency Pkwy, Cary | Friday, May 22 | 7 PM | Ticketed

Worth the drive this week: two American legends co-headline the Koka Booth stage on Friday night. ZZ Top still bring the beards, the boogie, and a half-century of hits, and country legend Dwight Yoakam matches them hit for hit, with Wesko opening the night. Koka Booth’s tree-ringed lawn is one of the best summer-concert seats in the Triangle. Bring rain gear just in case, the forecast is iffy.

Open Play Basketball (35+) | Joyner Park CC | 6:15-7:45 AM

Open Play Pickleball | Joyner Park CC | 8-11:30 AM

Spring into Nature (5+) | Prairie Ridge | 10 AM

Imagination Playground | Moore Square | 11 AM

Bale Out! Bale Plant Starters | Youngsville Branch Library | 11 AM

STEM Build (Lego) | Joyner Park CC | 12-4 PM

Homeschool Rec (basketball & volleyball) | Joyner Park CC | 12-2:30 PM

Youth open play Basketball (17 and under) | Joyner Park CC | 3-5 PM

May Month of Fitness | Joyner Park Amphitheater | 6-8 PM

Sip with the Planted Bean | Unwined on White | 6:30 PM

Gnome Knows Trivia | Norse Brewing | 6:30 PM 

Karaoke with DJ Ava | Broadsides and Brews | 7-10 PM 

Karaoke Thursdays | Gatehouse Tavern | 8-11 PM

Retro Rewind Music Bingo | White Street Brewing Co. Taproom | 7-9 PM 

Carolina Hurricanes vs. Montreal Canadiens, Game 1 | Lenovo Center, Raleigh | 8 PM | ticketed

Open Play Pickleball | Joyner Park CC | 6:15-11:30 AM

Preschool Open Play (1-5yo) | Joyner Park Cc | 8 AM-4 PM

Drinking Gourd Gallery | Wake Forest Community Library | 10 AM

Game On! at Moore Square | Moore Square | 10 AM - 5 PM

Open Play Basketball (35+) | Joyner Park CC | 12-2 PM

9 Ball Tournament | Bud’s Tavern | 8 PM

Holding Park Pool is officially open! Open swim times are M-Sa 10 AM-1 PM, 1:30-4:30 PM, and 5-8 PM.

Wake Forest Farmers Market | 235 S Taylor St, Wake Forest | 8 AM-noon | FREE

Downtown Rolesville Farmers Market | Cobblestone Village, 108 S Main St, Rolesville | 9 AM-1 PM | FREE

2nd Annual Tribute to Rock Concert | Compass Rose Brewery, 3201 Northside Dr, Raleigh | noon-10 PM | FREE entry

Food Trucks | ZincHouse Winery & Brewery, 6225 Wake Forest Hwy, Durham | noon-9 PM | menu pricing

Trading Card Afternoon | Burnt Barrel | 2 PM 

Andy Hall | ZincHouse Winery & Brewery, 6225 Wake Forest Hwy, Durham | 4-7 PM | FREE entry

Paint & Sip | The Makery WF | 6-8 PM 

Murder Mystery Night | Norse Brewing Company, 203 Brooks St, Wake Forest | 6-9 PM | $15

Carolina Hurricanes vs. Montreal Canadiens, Game 2 | Lenovo Center, Raleigh | 7 PM | ticketed

Snapback | ZincHouse Winery & Brewery, 6225 Wake Forest Hwy, Durham | 7-10 PM | FREE entry

Open Mic / Karaoke Night | Compass Rose Brewery, 3201 Northside Dr, Raleigh | 8-11 PM | FREE

Holding Park Pool is officially open! Open swim times on Sunday are 1:30-4:30 PM, and 5-8 PM.

Imagination Playground | Moore Square | 11 AM

Sunday Morning Yoga | Compass Rose Brewery, 3201 Northside Dr, Raleigh | 11 AM-noon | donations appreciated

Food Trucks | ZincHouse Winery & Brewery, 6225 Wake Forest Hwy, Durham | noon-7 PM | menu pricing

Open Play Basketball (35+) | Joyner Park CC | 1-4:45 PM

Kevin Lee | ZincHouse Winery & Brewery, 6225 Wake Forest Hwy, Durham | 2-5 PM | FREE entry

Six Sundays in Spring: Blackwater Band | E. Carroll Joyner Park Amphitheater, 701 Harris Rd, Wake Forest | 5:30-7:30 PM | FREE

Town Offices and Community Centers are closed today in honor of Memorial Day.

Memorial Mile | Rolesville Community Center, 514 Southtown Cir, Rolesville | 11 AM | FREE

Memorial Day hours | Norse Brewing Company, 203 Brooks St, Wake Forest | 11 AM-9 PM | menu pricing

Memorial Day | Blackbird Brewery, 3608 Rogers Branch Rd, Wake Forest | 1-10 PM | menu pricing

Monday Movie Night | Compass Rose Brewery, 3201 Northside Dr, Raleigh | 6:30-8:30 PM | FREE

Tennis on Tap Bar League | Compass Rose Brewery, 3201 Northside Dr, Raleigh | 6:30-8:30 PM | price not listed

Hammered Trivia | Blackbird Brewery, 3608 Rogers Branch Rd, Wake Forest | 7-9 PM | FREE

Carolina Hurricanes at Montreal Canadiens, Game 3 | TV: TNT, truTV, HBO Max | 8 PM | away game

Open Play Basketball (35+) | Joyner Park CC | 6:15-7:45 AM

Open Play Pickleball | Joyner Park CC | 8-11:30 AM

Imagination Playground & Storytime | Moore Square | 11 AM

BYO Book | Northeast Regional Library | 11 AM

STEM Build (Lego) | Joyner Park CC | 12-4 PM

Homeschool Rec (basketball & volleyball) | Joyner Park CC | 12-2:30 PM

Wake Forest Stitchers | Wake Forest Community Library | 12-2 PM 

Youth open play Basketball (17 and under) | Joyner Park CC | 3-5 PM

May Month of Fitness | Joyner Park Amphitheater | 6-8 PM

Music Bingo | Blackbird Brewery | 7-9 PM

Trivia | Fortnight Brewing | 7-8:30 PM

Tuesday Trivia | Wakefield Tavern | 7-8:30 PM

Trivia Night | Gatehouse Tavern | 7:30 PM

Trivia Tuesday: Pixar | Unwined on White | 7:30-9 PM

Open Play Pickleball | Joyner Park CC | 6:15-11:30 AM

Preschool Open Play (1-5yo) | Joyner Park CC | 8 AM-4 PM

Game On! | Moore Square | 10 AM

Open Play Basketball (18+) | Joyner Park CC | 12-2 PM

May Month of Fitness | Joyner Park Amphitheater | 6-8 PM

Music Bingo | Gatehouse Tavern | 7 PM

Line Dancing Class | Zinchouse (Carriage House) | 6:30 PM $15

The Art of Wine: A Tasting Experience | Zinchouse | 7 PM Register

Live Trivia  | White Street Brewing Co. Taproom | 8-9 PM 

Music Bingo | Fortnight Brewing | 7-9 PM

Carolina Hurricanes at Montreal Canadiens, Game 4 | TV: TNT, truTV, HBO Max | 8 PM | away game

_{This section’s not sponsored. We just think it’s stuff worth knowing. We’ll always tell you when something’s sponsored.}

91 🌡️ 60 | ⛈️

72 🌡️ 61 | 🌧️

79 🌡️ 60 | ⛈️

82 🌡️ 66 | ⛈️

85 🌡️ 66 | ⛈️

84 🌡️ 66 | ⛈️

83 🌡️ 66 | ⛈️

Forecast captured on the Wednesday before this newsletter edition. The weather around here changes fast, so double‑check closer to the day before finalizing plans.

This is the deepest the Canes have gone in years. Carolina finished the regular season as the No. 1 seed in the East, then swept both the first and second rounds to reach the Eastern Conference Final against an Original Six opponent in the Montreal Canadiens. Two of the first four games are at Lenovo Center this week, and a Cup Final berth is on the line. 

🏒 Conference Final Game 1 | Canadiens at Canes | Lenovo Center, Raleigh | Thu, May 21 | 8 PM ET | TNT, truTV, HBO Max

🏒 Conference Final Game 2 | Canadiens at Canes | Lenovo Center, Raleigh | Sat, May 23 | 7 PM ET | TNT, truTV, HBO Max

🏒 Conference Final Game 3 | Canes at Canadiens | Bell Centre, Montreal | Mon, May 25 | 8 PM ET | TNT, truTV, HBO Max

🏒 Conference Final Game 4 | Canes at Canadiens | Bell Centre, Montreal | Wed, May 27 | 8 PM ET | TNT, truTV, HBO Max

Sterling Scott | Blackbird Brewery | 6-9 PM
Live Music | Zinchouse | 6:30-9:30 PM
Raleigh Assassins | The Cardinal | 9 PM - 12 AM

ZZ Top & Dwight Yoakam | Koka Booth Amphitheater | 7 PM tickets
A Tribute to Dylan & Cash | Wake Forest Listening Room | 7:30 PM
Live Music | Gatehouse Tavern | 7-10 PM
Live Music | Wakefield Tavern | 7-10 PM
JT Parrothead | Tonic, Bar, and Social Club | 7:30-10:30 PM
Kerry Long | Broadsides and Brews | 8-11 PM
Sagamore Band | The Real McCoy’s | 9 PM - 12 AM
Peak City Band | The Cardinal | 9 PM - 12 AM

Live Music | Zinchouse | 4-10 PM
Live Music | Wakefield Tavern | 7-10 PM
Grace Luca | Unwined on White | 7-9 PM
Maverick Rose | Tonic, Bar, and Social Club | 7:30-10:30 PM
Marc Brown | Fortnight Brewing | 6-9 PM
Center Stage Saturday | Broadsides and Brews | 7-11 PM
Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 | Koka Booth Amphitheater | 8 PM 
Sammy and Jared | The Real McCoy’s | 9 PM - 12 AM
Radio Gnomes | The Cardinal | 9 PM - 12 AM

Busker Night | Tonic, Bar & Social Club | 6-9 PM

Karaoke with DJ Sobel | The Real McCoy’s | 8-11 PM

Live Music | Zinchouse | 6:30-9:30 PM
Live Music | Tonic, Bar and Social Club | 7:30-9:30 PM

Thanks for reading today’s edition of The WYRe. That's a wrap for this week. Share it with someone who’s always asking what's going on this weekend.

See you around town!
TheWYReNewsletter.com

Want to get in touch? Send an email to [email protected]