Wilmy Weekly: November 5th

Rain Friday, sun Saturday, four oyster roasts and the Veterans Parade downtown

Author

Jason @ Port City Pulse
November 05, 2026

Good morning, Wilmington! It is 82 and sunny by afternoon, but Friday brings a 78% chance of rain before the skies clear for a sunny Saturday around 73. That makes Saturday the day to be outside, with the Southeast NC Veterans Parade downtown at 10am, the Cape Fear Kite Festival at Fort Fisher and Switchfoot with Anberlin at Greenfield Lake that night. Oyster roast season is also in full swing, with at least four to pick from before Sunday evening. Read on for your weekend game plan, the local news and the forecast.

  • 🍜 Your Weekend Game Plan: rain Friday and sunshine Saturday

  • 👀 What's Happenin' in Wilmington this weekend

  • 🎸 This Weekend's Live Music and Food Trucks

  • 📰 School bond results, Plato's Loft and more local news

  • 🎤 Looking Ahead: Azalea tickets, Veterans Day and BAD Day Fest

Let's get to it!

🍜 Your Weekend Game Plan

Friday is the wet one, so plan the weekend around the weather. Here's the rundown:

  • Thu, Nov 5: Abbamania at Thalian Hall (7:30pm) or Nightrain at Bowstring (6pm).

  • Fri, Nov 6 (rain likely): keep it indoors with The Electric Light Orchestra Experience at the Wilson Center (7:30pm). Celebrate Downtown at Riverfront Park is outdoors, so check the forecast first.

  • Sat, Nov 7 (sunny, high of 73): the Veterans Parade downtown at 10am, the Cape Fear Kite Festival at Fort Fisher and Switchfoot at Greenfield Lake at 7pm.

  • Sun, Nov 8 (sunny, high of 68): the Two Eagles Oyster Roast at 2pm and the last day of the kite festival. Lows dip into the 40s, so bring a jacket.

🎟️ Plus, we're giving away two free movie tickets. Enter the giveaway here. 🎟️

Want to get your business in front of 9,000 Wilmington locals? Let's talk.

Weekly Specials Are Back at Ida Thai!

Mondays: $5/glass of wine | Thursdays: 10% off your meal (excludes drinks) | Sundays: 10% off Sake

What's Happenin' in Wilmington 👀

Thursday, Nov 5

  • 🎟️ Abbamania: Thalian Hall, 7:30pm. Hear what a live ABBA concert would have felt like, with hits like "Dancing Queen" and "Waterloo."

  • 🎸 Nightrain: Tribute to Guns N Roses: Bowstring Brewyard, 6pm. A 14-year touring tribute that has played House of Blues and festivals alongside Alice In Chains and Soundgarden.

  • 🦪 Raw Bar Pop-up: The Oyster Girl NC: Avenue B, 6:30pm. Oysters grown and harvested by Captain Morgan Klein, served raw.

  • 🍸️ Master Cocktail Class: End of Days Distillery, 6pm. A ticketed class on shaking and stirring like a pro.

  • 🎤 Music at CAM: Rock Creek Singers: Cameron Art Museum, 6:30pm, $10–$15. A cappella Broadway, pop and inspirational songs from a select ensemble of the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington, DC. ASL interpretation is available.

  • 😂 DareDevil Dynamo Improv Comedy: Waterline Brewing, 8pm, free. A revolving lineup of local improvisers turns your suggestions into a show. It happens the first Thursday of each month and 18+ is recommended.

Friday, Nov 6

  • 🎟️ Celebrate Downtown: Riverfront Park, 5–8:30pm. A downtown celebration of people, projects and plans for the future, with a Hocus Pocus screening at 6:45pm and the Port City Plates food truck on site.

  • 🌊 Cape Fear Kite Festival: Kure Beach and Carolina Beach, free. Friday is a kite preview at the Kure Beach Pier and the Carolina Beach Aglow evening on the beachfront. More than 80 pro flyers take over Fort Fisher on Saturday and Sunday.

  • 🎸 Port City Blitz: Day 1: Waterline Brewing, 4–10pm, $48.87. The Rumjacks headline with Strike Anywhere as special guests. It is all ages with a punk rock flea market and skate demos.

  • 🎤 The Electric Light Orchestra Experience: Wilson Center at CFCC, 7:30pm. A 12-piece band joins the Wilmington Symphony Orchestra's strings for "Mr. Blue Sky" and "Livin' Thing."

  • 🤠 Drake Milligan: Tumbleweed Tour: Bowstring Brewyard, 7pm. Country traditionalist Drake Milligan on tour behind his album Tumbleweed.

  • 🎷 U.S. Fleet Forces Band Brass Quintet: Thalian Hall, 7:30pm, free. Claim your tickets through the theater's online ticketing page.

  • 🔍️ National Geographic Live: Earth After Dark: Kenan Auditorium (UNCW), 7:30pm, $25–$45. Explorer Babak Tafreshi shares photos and video of the night sky and the life under it.

  • 🦪 Oysters Are Coming: Freya's Haus, 6pm. The first oyster roast of the season with The Oyster Girl NC and live music from Kamden Wayne. It runs until they sell out.

Saturday, Nov 7

  • 📍 Southeast NC Veterans Parade: Downtown Wilmington, 10am, free. Veterans, active-duty military, marching bands and community groups parade along North 3rd Street.

  • 🎣 NC Spot Festival: Hampstead, 9am, $5. Live entertainment, local vendors and plenty of fried spot, with proceeds supporting local schools in eastern Pender County. It runs Sunday too.

  • 🍜 St. Stanislaus Polish Festival: Castle Hayne, 11am–5pm. Polish foods and desserts, dancing, a craft sale and a cash prize raffle on the church grounds.

  • 🎸 Fall Vinyl Market at Mad Mole: Mad Mole Brewing, 1–4pm. Browse records from local shops while Infinite Spins spins and Wasabi Wheels serves eats.

  • 🕯️ 1898 Family Reunion & Healing Festival: ChowTown, 1–5pm. WilmingtoNColor and Coming to the Table bring descendants together for remembrance and healing, with history exhibits, food trucks, music and games.

  • 🔥 9th Annual Neon Bike Ride for Ocean Cure: Carolina Beach Lake Park, 3pm, $23.18. Glow up your bike for a family-friendly ride that benefits Ocean Cure, with food and music.

  • 🦪 Annual CFBO Oyster Roast: Hi-Wire Brewing, 4–7pm, $45. All-you-can-eat oysters from Gator Bay Oyster Co. and a drink ticket, with a silent auction supporting bird conservation. Rumors Tavern also has an all-you-can-eat oyster roast from 4pm for $20.

  • 🎸 Switchfoot with Anberlin: Forever Now Tour: Greenfield Lake Amphitheater, 7pm. Tickets and info are on the event page.

  • 😂 Spamalot: 7:30pm, tickets through the event page. The Tony Award-winning Monty Python musical, with flying cows and killer rabbits.

Sunday, Nov 8

  • 🦪 Two Eagle's Oyster Roast at The Eagles Dare: The Eagle's Dare, 2pm, $40 advance and $50 day of. All-you-can-eat oysters with Circle Pit BBQ. Get there early.

  • 🐕️ Puppy Yoga: Freya's Haus, 10:45am, $20. Yoga with MissionFit Strength Studio and paws4people, and all proceeds go to paws4people.

  • 😂 Spamalot (matinee): 1pm, tickets through the event page.

  • 🎤 Carrie Welling: Live at Ted's, show at 4pm, $22. Doors open at 3pm and it is ages 10 and up.

Will you be attending any of these events?

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

How often would you like to hear from us?

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

Live Music 🎸

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Food Trucks 🚛

CHEF DRIVEN
November 5 | Corning Inc. (310 N. College Rd.) | 10am–1pm
November 6 | Anderson Elementary School | 5pm–8pm

COASTAL 523
November 5 | ChowTown | 12pm–8pm

FLY'N PHIL'E
November 5 | DrumTrout Brewing Co. | 5:30pm–8:30pm

PORT CITY QUE
November 5 | NAPA Auto Parts (Burgaw) | 11am–2pm
November 6 | Hudson Hardware (Castle Hayne) | 11am–2pm

WILMYWOODIE
November 5 | LBC Bottle Shop (Hampstead) | 4pm–8:30pm
November 6 | LBC Bottle Shop (Hampstead) | 4pm–9:30pm

GUSTU PERUANO
November 6 | DrumTrout Brewing Co. | 5pm–8pm

PEPE'S TACO TRUCK
November 6 | Flytrap Brewing | 6pm–10pm

PORT CITY PLATES
November 6 | Riverfront Park | 4:30pm–7:30pm

Truck schedules can change, so check their socials before you head out.

Which day works best for planning your weekend?

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

Wilmington News and Updates

New Hanover County voters approved the $325 million school bond: Unofficial totals show the bond passing 65,712 to 31,140, and Rob Zapple and Leshonda Wallace won county commission seats. Official results are at the NC State Board of Elections.

UNCW bought the Plato's Loft apartments for $16.25 million: The 54-unit complex off Randall Parkway already houses sophomores, juniors and seniors and keeps its name for now. The school says the purchase secures housing students already rely on.

Veterans Day is next Wednesday, Nov. 11: Burgaw will hold a free ceremony at 11am at 115 S. Dickerson St. Wilmington's parade is this Saturday at 10am downtown, and any veteran is welcome to join in.

CFCC and the sheriff's office will run training exercises Saturday, Nov. 14: The active shooter and mass casualty drills run from 7:30am to 5pm at North Campus and Union Station downtown. Neighbors near North Campus may hear sounds resembling gunfire.

Adults 55 and older can audition for The Music Man SR: The Thalian Association's Let's Take the Stage program is free and no experience is needed. Auditions are March 1 and 2 from 5 to 7pm at the Hannah Block Historic USO/Community Arts Center, with shows June 4 to 6.

Looking Ahead

Monday, Nov 9 | Azalea Festival 2027 concert tickets (The Avett Brothers and DJ Diesel) go on sale at noon
Wednesday, Nov 11 | Veterans Day, plus The Elovaters at Greenfield Lake Amphitheater (6pm)
Thursday, Nov 12 | Not Your First Sergeant's 251st Marine Corps Birthday Celebration, The Eagle's Dare (6pm)
Saturday, Nov 14 | BAD Day Music & Arts Festival with The Revivalists, Brooklyn Arts District (2pm)
Saturday, Nov 14 | Taste of Wrightsville Beach, Bluewater Waterfront Grill (5pm)

Weather 🌡️

Friday
67🌡️79 | 🌧️78% | 💨S 9 mph
Saturday
58🌡️73 | ☀️6% | 💨N 9 mph
Sunday
44🌡️68 | ☀️0% | 💨N 6 mph
Monday
43🌡️70 | ☀️2% | 💨NW 5 mph

🌊🌡️ Ocean temperature = 69°F

What did you think of today's Wilmy Weekly?

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

That's the week, Wilmington! Two reminders before you go: set an alarm for noon Monday if you want Azalea Festival tickets, and Wednesday is Veterans Day. We'll see you next Thursday.

Want your business in front of Wilmington? Advertise on AccessWilmington.com and in all three of our newsletters. Email [email protected] and we'll make it easy.