AGP Executive Report

Live Events: Blue Ridge Pro Rodeo brings two nights of competition and family entertainment to Ferguson Oct. 23–24; Horne Creek Farm’s Cornshucking Frolic is set for Oct. 17. State Fair: The N.C. State Fair opens Oct. 15 with a new Ferris wheel. Film & Digital: New financial assistance is coming to North Carolina’s film industry, while MrBeast’s latest video turns a struggling Raleigh mall into a viral playground. Arts Funding: More than $3 million in grants is being deployed across North Carolina for music and arts education. Asheville Landmark: The historic basilica has reopened after renovations.

State Fair: The N.C. State Fair opens Oct. 15 with its biggest-ever Ferris wheel and more than 80 new foods. Live Music: Pitt County songwriter Scott Pearce is among the performers at Fountain Fest in downtown Fountain. Film Industry: New financial support aims to boost North Carolina productions, while Cape Fear Community College trains the next generation of film workers; a separate $3 million-plus grant effort will back music and arts education statewide. Local Attractions: Asheville’s historic basilica has reopened after renovations, and MumFest drew crowds to downtown New Bern. Digital Entertainment: MrBeast turned a struggling Raleigh mall into a viral playground in a recent video. College Sports: UNC football scored a major upset, beating No. 25 Pitt 21-17 for Bill Belichick’s first win over a ranked opponent at the school.

Film Industry: North Carolina lawmakers have pledged another $31 million in tax rebates for film projects, offering crews a boost after months of uncertainty. Arts & Heritage: Asheville’s 117-year-old St. Lawrence Basilica has reopened after a $7.7 million restoration repaired its roof and storm damage; more work is planned. College Football: UNC upset No. 25 Pitt 21-17, giving coach Bill Belichick his first win over a ranked team with the Tar Heels. Local Craft: Edenton’s new Coastal Stitch shop brings the online needlepoint business into a downtown storefront, drawing customers from across the region. Music Education: A coalition is bringing more than $3 million in grants to North Carolina music and arts education programs. Community Festivals: Rain didn’t stop crowds at New Bern’s MumFest or NC Central’s homecoming parade, while Edenton’s Peanut Festival paired downtown markets and porch concerts with its annual parade.

Storm Disruptions: Isaias is forcing cancellations and delays at weekend events across the Carolinas, while North Carolina officials prepare for heavy rain and possible flooding. Viral NC: MrBeast turned Raleigh’s Triangle Town Center into an action-filled playground for a video that has topped 5 million views. Live Music: Pitt County songwriter Scott Pearce is among the featured performers at Saturday’s inaugural Fountain Fest. Literary North Carolina: A new Asheville feature revisits F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald’s connections to Thomas Wolfe and his mother’s boardinghouse. Arts & Crafts: Seagrove potter Crystal King has made 30 collectible pottery pinecones for an Oct. 17 scavenger hunt on Moore County trails.

Live Music: Mount Airy vocal group VOCE brings spirituals and sacred music to Grace Moravian Church on Monday at 7 p.m. The fall concert is free. North Carolina Design: Raleigh native Lindy Stark has grown her whimsical home-goods brand from a 2022 launch to about 250 stores, with products made using natural and recycled materials. Streaming Fraud: Cornelius musician Michael Smith was sentenced to 18 months in prison for using bots to inflate streams of AI-generated songs and collect more than $8 million in royalties. Arts Education: The Music Impact Coalition is bringing more than $3 million in grants to music and arts education initiatives, starting in North Carolina. Crafts & Community: Valle Country Fair returns Oct. 17 with about 144 exhibitors, including three Ashe County artists. The free-admission fair has raised more than $1.4 million for High Country aid groups and emergency relief.

Music: Chapel Hill-based saxophonist Rahsaan Barber released Eternal on Oct. 9. The album pairs eight originals with a Marvin Gaye classic and channels personal grief into new work. Durham is also marking a peak month for live music, with its classical concert series returning. Festivals: Swansboro’s Mullet Festival returns with more than 160 vendors, a parade and free admission. Arts & Attractions: The North Carolina Arboretum’s Thomas Dambo troll installation set an attendance record, while Boone’s cult-classic performance continues to keep the town weird. Arts Funding: The Music Impact Coalition plans to start its $3 million arts-program grant effort in North Carolina.

Boone Theater: Appalachian Theatre’s fifth annual Rocky Horror Picture Show shadowcast returns Oct. 17–18, pairing the film with live performers and audience participation. Durham Live Music: Three downtown festivals are set across October, bringing local acts and sounds from hip-hop and punk to folk, Americana and electronic music. Arts Education: Music Impact Coalition plans to distribute more than $3 million in grants to music and arts education initiatives across North Carolina. Mountain Attraction: The North Carolina Arboretum’s Thomas Dambo troll exhibit has set an attendance record. Film Industry: New funding is aimed at boosting North Carolina’s film sector as Cape Fear Community College trains the next generation of workers.

Asheville Arts: The North Carolina Arboretum’s Thomas Dambo troll exhibit drew a record 152,427 visitors and generated $6.35 million in direct local spending last winter, its strongest attendance in 40 years. Exhibitions & Music: Asheville’s “October’s Ghost” opens Oct. 17 at Mark Bettis Gallery, while Pan Harmonia launches its 27th season Oct. 16 in Black Mountain with Glencoe, blending Scottish and Appalachian traditions. Arts Funding: North Carolina lawmakers have pledged $31 million in additional one-time film grants as Cape Fear Community College trains the next generation of film workers. The Music Impact Coalition also plans to distribute more than $3 million for music and arts education across the state. Music Industry: North Carolina’s Michael Smith was sentenced to 18 months in prison for using AI songs and automated accounts to fraudulently collect more than $8 million in streaming royalties.

Film Industry: North Carolina lawmakers approved $31 million in additional one-time film grants, giving the state’s production sector a boost as Cape Fear Community College trains the next generation of crew members. Music Education: The Music Impact Coalition is bringing more than $3 million in grants to North Carolina music and arts education programs. Mount Airy Festival: The Autumn Leaves Festival celebrates its 60th year this weekend with live music, arts and crafts, local food and more than 200 vendors. Music Fraud: A North Carolina man received an 18-month sentence in the first federal case involving AI-generated songs and bots used to inflate streaming royalties.

Film in Wilmington: State lawmakers have pledged an additional $31 million for North Carolina film grants, with a formal vote expected in November. The commitment drew cheers from production leaders, though workers raised concerns about the program’s long-term stability. Music and Arts Education: The Music Impact Coalition plans to distribute more than $3 million in grants for music and arts programs across North Carolina. Local Artist Spotlight: Dale Edwards, managing editor of The News of Orange, is opening his first solo painting show at Thomas Stevens Gallery, featuring scenes of central North Carolina. Greenville’s Entertainment Scene: New venues on Dickinson Avenue—including Fellowship Games, where visitors gather to play tabletop games—are adding to the downtown district’s mix of restaurants, bars and shops. ECU Homecoming: East Carolina University’s four-day celebration includes a student skit and dance competition, alumni events, a parade and a Saturday football game. Music Industry Fraud: North Carolina singer-songwriter Mike Smith was sentenced to 18 months in prison for using AI-generated songs and bots to collect more than $8 million in fraudulent streaming royalties.

NASCAR Spotlight: UniFirst and Chase Elliott return to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the No. 9 Chevy’s Chase race on Oct. 11 (3 p.m. ET, USA Network). Port Watch: Wilmington’s planned dredging project is paused as “forever chemicals” concerns prompt the NC Ports Authority to ask the Army Corps to suspend review. Music & Arts: NC songwriter Laurelyn Dossett releases “How Many Moons,” teaming with Durham producer MC Taylor of Hiss Golden Messenger. Local Education/Policy: Davidson County Schools weighs new rules that would require parent permission for certain high-school library books. Music Education Funding: Music Impact Coalition launches an NC pilot with $3M+ in grants to expand music and arts learning for 226,000+ students. Sports Betting & Tech: Researchers say AI-generated political ads are booming, with Republicans behind most of the spending—raising new questions for media and transparency. Health Care Milestone: Atrium Health’s AirCare marks 40 years, now transporting nearly 40,000 patients across NC and Virginia.

Wake County Voters & Local Bonds: Wake County ballots this fall may include multiple bond questions—school, community college, plus housing and transportation in Raleigh, and a parks bond in Knightdale—aimed at big one-time projects like HVAC fixes, bike lanes, and affordable homes. CFP Bubble Watch: College Football Playoff talk is back on the table, with one-loss teams like Florida on the bubble after a loss to Missouri, while other contenders hover near the cut line. Heat Safety in College Football: The season’s heat crisis deepened after an Iowa marching band member died following heat stroke, renewing pressure for stronger cooling and safety planning at stadiums. North Carolina Sports Media: The Hornets’ preseason opener airs Tuesday on WMBF’s Palmetto Sports & Entertainment Network, part of a multi-market broadcast partnership. Local Arts/Community Spotlight: Princeville’s Homecoming leaned into storytelling and community-building, with volunteers pitching in even during heavy rain. Major Legal/Policy: Attorney General William Tong’s antitrust fight against RealPage’s rent-pricing algorithm will continue after a court denied efforts to dismiss the case. Business & Growth: Roth Capital expanded its North Carolina industrial portfolio with a $3.05M small-bay acquisition in the Raleigh-Durham market.

Special Session Watch: North Carolina lawmakers are set to return to Raleigh for a special session to consider suspending the state gas tax and easing gas/diesel prices, with AAA reporting diesel around $6.01 and unleaded gas about $4.02 statewide. Consumer & Legal: A Wake County judge entered default judgment against Holly Christina Photography, with the NC AG seeking nearly $600,000 in restitution and $1.1 million in civil penalties over alleged failure to deliver wedding photo/video services. Local Housing: Wake County is moving ahead with its 2027 property revaluation of about 460,000 parcels, raising affordability concerns for homeowners as values rise. Ports & Environment: The NC State Ports Authority paused the Wilmington Harbor deepening plan, citing potential PFAS (“forever chemicals”) impacts in the Cape Fear River. Arts & Music: Grammy winner Victoria Monét announced her “Frequency Of Love” tour, including a Raleigh stop Oct. 27 at Red Hat Amphitheater. Sports: Pitt will host UNC with a new QB after Mason Heintschel’s torn ACL, turning the spotlight to Holden Geriner.

Healthcare Leadership: Trine University named Sue Stevens, Ed.D., as dean of its Brooks College of Health Professions, tasking her with steering academics, enrollment growth, accreditation, and operations. Food Safety Alert: The FDA says 122,000 cases of 28-ounce Gatorade (Lemon Lime and Orange, regular and Zero) were recalled in 37 states, including North Carolina, due to undeclared Yellow No. 5 and/or Yellow No. 6. Local Resilience & Community: Appalachian State researchers are rolling out Hurricane Helene recovery work through the NC Collaboratory’s WNC R3 initiative, spanning energy systems, data coordination, community health, and arts. Arts & Entertainment: Magnolia Arts Center’s Miss-Cast 2027 womanless beauty pageant fundraiser is set for Oct. 3 in Greenville, with tickets and proceeds supporting inclusive theater and performing arts. Sports Culture: Charlotte Flair brought “Queen City” pride to Sunday Night Football at Bank of America Stadium, drumming up Panthers fans before kickoff.

Local Sports Spotlight: The Carolina Panthers kick off Sunday Night Football at Bank of America Stadium vs. the Detroit Lions, with Chuba Hubbard scoring early and the game drawing major attention as Carolina deals with key injuries, including a Tommy Tremble setback that could affect the passing game. College Football Buzz: Notre Dame stays near the top after a 37-26 win over North Carolina, while the AP Top 25 reshuffles with Missouri surging after a rout of Florida and Pitt cracking the rankings at No. 25. Community & Arts Calendar: Appalachian State’s homecoming week in Boone features events on Sanford Mall, including the “NEERly Naked Mile,” a free horn quartet recital at Rosen Concert Hall, and a homecoming farmers market. Music & Culture: Durham rapper Jooselord launches the free “All Onyx World Music Festival” on Oct. 30, bringing 33 artists to support families facing childhood illness. Civic Info: North Carolina early voting runs Oct. 15–31, with key deadlines for registration and absentee requests ahead of Nov. 3.

Hornets Hype Run: The Charlotte Hornets kick off “The Pull-Up,” a month-long October activation series with pop-ups, partner events, and community stops across the Carolinas ahead of the Oct. 23 home opener. Sports Betting Buzz: Multiple promos are pushing NFL Week 4 and Sunday Night Football in North Carolina, including Fanatics, BetMGM, Kalshi, and Polymarket offers tied to games like Lions vs. Panthers. College Football Spotlight: Notre Dame’s Week 5 win over UNC (37-26) keeps the national attention on the Tar Heels’ tough stretch, while bowl and playoff projections continue to reshuffle the postseason picture. Local Community Moment: After a nor’easter derailed an Outer Banks wedding and stranded guests by washing out NC 12, the Hatteras community rallied for an impromptu celebration and fundraiser. Policy Watch: NC GOP leaders call for a special General Assembly session aimed at easing high gas prices. Public Health Alert: FDA recalls frozen berries sold at Walmart and Trader Joe’s over possible E. coli contamination, including products distributed in North Carolina.