It’s the month of red (wine), white (buttercream) and (true) blue food and wine events around Wilmington. Here are some of the events happening in July at local restaurants, breweries and bars.
July 1: The former location of Wilmington’s popular gay club will host a Pride-themed pop-up for one more night. The space at 115 S. Front St. is currently home to Prost Biergarten, but from 6 to 10 p.m. you can relive the days of Micky Ratz nightclub. Catch performances by Tara Nicole Brooks, Ebony Addams and Purina Chow.
July 4: There are fireworks, music and lots of other fun events on the Fourth of July. One popular event, Freedom Fest, takes place annually at Waterline Brewing Company, 721 Surry St. in Wilmington. Starting at 1 p.m., there will be games, prizes, face painting, food trucks, water balloon fights and more.
July 5-7: The renovated bar at 1756 Carolina Beach Road in Wilmington will host after-parties for shows at the nearby amphitheater, including a Michael Franti post-concert party. Enjoy cocktails and live music at Greenfield Lake Yacht Club.
July 7: Downtown bar Cape Fear Spirits & Beer will celebrate its 21st anniversary at 139 N. Front St. Collaborative beers, special merchandise, cool glassware and more will be available for purchase. Event begins at 1 p.m.
July 9: Cape Fear Food & Wine Club at The Seasoned Gourmet will host a Founding Fathers wine dinner with sommelier Mike Summerlin and chef Gwen Gulliksen featuring wines from Virginia, France and Italy. Tickets are $90 and start at 6:30 p.m. at 5500 Market St. in Wilmington.
July 11: You can support two local nonprofits at events taking place today. Little Dipper Fondue, 138 S. Front St. in Wilmington, is hosting a fondue fundraiser for Kitty Patrol, and nearby GelaRto gelato shop, 18 S. Water St., is donating a portion of proceeds to NourishNC. You can also drop off donations for the food drive and receive prizes.
July 11: The Historic Wilmington Foundation and Cotton Exchange will host a Preservation Crawl event. Local bartenders from Banter, Drum & Draft, Exchange Barbershop & Lounge, KGB, Prost and Wine Not Sky Bar & Lounge will be serving up specialty cocktails and Momentum Spirits will be conducting tastings. Tickets are $75 and the event will run from 5 to 8 p.m.
July 12: Ellipsis, the innovative dining venture from We Are True Blue restaurant group, is shaking things up a bit. Instead of ticketed events that change nightly, they’re introducing themed culinary pop-ups every six weeks. The first event, the Italian summer-inspired Farfalla, will be open Wednesday through Saturday from 4 to 9 p.m. and take reservations starting today at 1502 S. Third St. in Wilmington’s South Front neighborhood. The menu includes dishes like roasted chicken with artichokes, olives and lemon broth and a vegan-style cacio e pepe with cauliflower and almond ricotta.
July 12: Monkey Junction’s newest Fun Bowl has its grand opening today, offering tastings and more in the former Breadsmith location at 5226 S. College Road near Cape Fear Seafoods.
July 14: In celebration of National Mac and Cheese Day, Brunswick Beer Exchange, 113 Village Road NE in Leland, will host a cook-off contest and NourishNC food drive starting July 1. The cook-off tasting begins at 3 p.m., and entry for the contest and tasting is $5.
July 17-18: Ruth’s Chris Steak House, 244 N. Water St. in Wilmington, continues its monthly series with a two-night Caymus Wine Dinner, cost $130 per person, beginning at 6:30 p.m.
July 20: Bowstring Burgers and Brewyard celebrates its one-year anniversary in Wilmington’s Soda Pop District with a free celebration with three bands at 3 p.m. at 1002 Princess St.
July 25: In Leland, Unwined on the Square, a wine and yoga shop at 2163 Britton Road, is hosting a variety of events. Today is a cake decorating class with BB Bakes NC. Learn how to properly apply a crumb coat, a smooth finish and piping techniques. Participants will be provided with materials to decorate a 6-inch cake to take home. The event is from 6 to 8 p.m. and costs $40 after registration.
July 26-28: Over a dozen Wilmington bars and restaurants come together to celebrate the original coffee cocktail during Espresso Martini Weekend, where participating establishments will have special menus and events and attendees can vote for their favorites.
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Alison Ballard is StarNews’ food and drink reporter. She can be reached at aballard@gannett.com.
