What was once a tobacco factory humming with machinery has been transformed into a showcase for the arts and sciences, a stage for performance, and a hands-on space for kids that unlocks and unleashes their creativity.
I-95 Road Trip: Baseball is Back!
A minor league ball team returns to its new home stadium this year after the pandemic disrupted its 2020 season. Now, Fayetteville Woodpeckers fans can continue making joyful summertime memories — of hot peanuts, booming fireworks, and the sweet crack of bat against ball.
I-95 Road Trip: The Science of Smoke at The Redneck BBQ Lab
The mad scientists of Johnston County have won hearts and awards with their smoked pork, chicken, and beef brisket. And the experiments continue: At The Redneck BBQ Lab in Benson, they’re always cooking up something new.
I-95 Road Trip: A Beacon of Hope in Lumberton
Six years ago, a U.S. Marine established a safe space in Lumberton for the imagination to flourish. Now, after a challenging 2020, his visual and performing arts center expands to a historic building in the heart of downtown.
I-95 Road Trip: Down by the Riverside in Weldon
A former cotton mill just off the interstate in Halifax County has taken on a new life. Today, the enormous 122-year-old building is an antiquarian’s playground packed with rare treasures and stories around every corner.
4 Classic Spots to Eat Bright Leaf Hot Dogs
Get yer red hots! Bright Leafs are so popular in Johnston County that the visitors bureau cooked up the Local Red Hot Dog Trail, with many of the choice spots just a jump off I-95.
19 Showstopping Fourth of July Fireworks Shows in North Carolina
Let freedom ring! Pack a blanket or a lawn chair, head out to one of these spots across the state, and celebrate Independence Day underneath a night sky filled with colorful fireworks.
Our State Presents Made in NC Awards
The Made in NC Awards are for all you North Carolina makers, bakers, crafters, and creators. Whatever it is that you make and sell, we know you’re proud to produce it right here in North Carolina — and we want to help you show it off to the entire state.
Our Stateʼs Dogs of Summer Contest
In honor of our June Coastal issue, which features Seamus the Bernedoodle, we’re celebrating our four-legged friends all month long. Find out how you and your pup can enter our Instagram giveaway, and check out what the Our State staff has to say about their tail-wagging buddies.
