The July 2023 Issue

Sock puppets playing baseball, metal flowers blooming downtown, children riding lions in the park: Among Alamance County’s historic textile mills, a family-friendly wonderland sparks the imagination.

A front porch is an invitation: to stop and chat awhile, to relax and enjoy the evening air, to learn about life and watch as the world goes by.

A children’s author and her family transformed a former livery stable in Black Mountain into a literary haven that expands the imaginations of new bookworms.

One of the first settlers in Jackson County built a house for his family that still stands more than a century and a half later. Those who called the place home left their mark — and their memories — on the wooden walls.

Nothing beats the sweet promise of a summer peach grown in the Sandhills. At Kalawi Farm in Eagle Springs, a third-generation peach farmer ensures the tradition lives on.

The rugged profile of the old man has long captivated North Carolinians as it keeps watch over the Blue Ridge.

At tables cast in light from stained-glass windows, diners explore Italian, French, and Mexican flavors in a 19th-century church turned restaurant.

Turn up the volume on our curated Spotify playlist that’s filled with rock ’n’ roll tunes by North Carolina musicians from the 1950s to the 2000s.

Celebrate a bounty of berries, melons, peaches, figs, muscadines, and apples at fun North Carolina festivals from mountains to coast.

From baking sweet treats to scoping out tea shops, a computer coder finds her range of passions reflected in this magazine.

Thumb through old family recipes, church cookbooks, or the pages of The State, and you’ll find the secret ingredient to dishes that have stood the test of time: simplicity.

In 1985, a Harnett County couple invented a creative concoction of cabbage and New Coke that they dubbed “Mountain Caviar.”

For two parents of former campers, re-creating a pickup weekend involves a trip to Surry County, a visit to Shelton Vineyards, and fond recollections of past reunions. But no kids.

From our fertile soils bursts a colorful bounty. With hard work and a tender touch, farmers across the state provide us with the sweet taste of summer.

When it comes to cooling off on a hot summer day, a treat from the freezer is hard to beat — and everyone has a favorite.

For many, a trip to the beach isn’t the same without a detour through Wayne County to one of North Carolina’s iconic barbecue restaurants.

Float by a 60-foot-tall waterfall, hike along a path lined with vibrant seasonal blooms, and plan for a picnic with vista views while exploring these mountainous trails.

Across North Carolina and through the years, artists of all stripes have contributed to an ever-evolving genre of music that’s defined by its edginess and energy.

Using music as her road map, one writer travels among the swamps and cypress trees of Harnett County, looking — and listening — for traces of the obscure ’50s rock ’n’ roll legend whose powerful riff inspired generations of guitarists.

A muralist set out to honor North Carolina’s musical heritage by painting portraits of notable artists — some famous rockers and others musicians who inspired them — in the towns and cities that they once called home.

During their historic 1964 debut on The Ed Sullivan Show, The Beatles instantly made Ludwig the world’s most recognizable drum brand, inspiring a young musician in Charlotte to form his own fab four. At a factory in Monroe, Ludwig is still making those same drums.

Some of the biggest names in rock ’n’ roll have taken a break from the stage while traveling through North Carolina to explore and mingle with locals.

They didn’t look like much from the outside, but across North Carolina, general stores and barns and even cabins were the place to be when the jukebox started playing.

In 1974, one of the largest music festivals ever held in the Southeast broke records — and fences — at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. Decades later, fans recall August Jam with fondness.

The roar of the crowds, the elaborate sets, the life-changing performances by artists who would become some of the world’s most legendary music acts: These memorable concerts are cemented in North Carolina’s rock ’n’ roll history — and in the memories of devoted fans.