🔑 Key Takeaways
- The 48th annual U.S. Open King Mackerel Tournament is one of the largest fishing tournaments on the East Coast, happening October 1-3 in Southport at Dutchman Creek Park
- Jon Pardi performs at Live Oak Bank Pavilion in downtown Wilmington on October 1st with riverside dining and parking considerations for attendees
- Cape Fear Community College hosts a Business and IT Career Fair on October 6th connecting job seekers directly with hiring companies in the region
- Fall family activities include Trask Family Farms corn maze and pumpkin patch through November, plus the Cape Fear Kite Festival at Fort Fisher November 6-8
- Regular community events like Riverfront Farmer's Market (Saturdays on Dock Street) and Airlie Gardens art installations provide year-round local engagement opportunities
📋 Episode Chapters
Episode Summary
Show Notes
📝 Full Episode Transcript
Full Episode Transcript: This Week Around Wilmington: Jon Pardi and King Mackerel Tournament
This is the complete, auto-generated transcript of the episode. Timestamps are provided for quick reference.
Welcome to Real Stories with Buddy Blake. Today's episode features real estate insights from Buddy Blake. Let's dive in. So, Buddy, this week feels like a real grab bag around Wilmington.
Fishing tournaments, country music, corn mazes. Where do you even want to start? Yeah, honestly, there's a lot going on. I'd say start down in Southport, because that one's kind of a big deal for the coast.
Okay, tell me about it. What's happening down there? So it's the 48th annual U.S. Open King Mackerel Tournament, and it's happening at Dutchman Creek Park in Brunswick County this weekend, October 1st through 3rd.
Port City Daily actually calls it one of the largest tournaments of its kind on the whole East Coast. Wait, 48 years? That's wild.
That's basically a Wilmington institution at this point. It really is. And if you're near Southport, and you see all these boat trailers everywhere, and you're wondering what's going on, that's your answer right there.
Worth driving down just to watch, even if you're not fishing yourself. Serious anglers, serious boats, I'm guessing. Oh, for sure. It's a whole scene down there that weekend.
All right, let's move up the coast a little. What's happening downtown? So downtown, John Party is playing at the Live Oat Bank Pavilion at Riverfront Park. That's October 1st.
One night, things kick off in Southport, actually. Oh, nice. I like John Party. So that's right on the river?
Right in the heart of downtown Wilmington, yeah. So if you live or work anywhere near there, just plan for extra foot traffic and tighter parking that evening. Good excuse to just make a night of it, though, right?
Grab dinner riverside? Exactly. That's kind of how I'd play it. Go early, eat somewhere along the river, enjoy the show.
Okay, so beyond the tournament and the concert, what else is on your radar this week? A few things. If anybody's job hunting, Cate Fier Community College is running a business and IT career fair October 6th, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the North Campus McKeithin Center in Wilmington.
CFCC News says job seekers get to meet directly with hiring companies. That's a nice direct way to job hunt, actually meeting people instead of just applications online. Right, especially local in business and IT fields.
Worth the trip if that's you. What about the farmer's market? Is that still happening every week? Yep, Riverfront Farmer's Market, every Saturday on Dock Street downtown.
Steady option if you just want fresh produce and local vendors without going far. Now tell me about this corn maze, because that feels very fall right now. Yeah, Trask Family Farms has their corn maze and pumpkin patch running select days through the beginning of November.
Good family outing as it starts cooling off. And didn't I hear something about frogs at Airlie Gardens? Or am I making that up? No, you're not making it up.
It's called Unfrugetable. It's an art installation out at Airlie Gardens, on display daily through the end of the year. Nice reason to walk the gardens if you haven't been out that way in a while. And I know kites are a big deal out at Fort Fisher.
Is that coming up too? It is. The Cape Fear Kite Festival comes back for three days, November 6th through 8th at Fort Fisher State Recreation Area.
If you're near Fort Fisher, mark the calendar. It's a colorful weekend out on the sand. Man, between Southport and downtown Wilmington, it really does feel like something's happening everywhere this week.
It really does. And honestly, whether you're near the water in Southport or closer to downtown, I'm always glad to talk about what's going on in these neighborhoods, market-wise or otherwise. Well, Buddy, this was a fun one to run through.
How can folks reach you if they want to chat? Just give me a call or text anytime, 910-395-1000. And the full rundown with all the details is linked in the show notes. Perfect.
Thanks, Buddy. Catch you next week. Thanks for listening to Real Stories with Buddy Blake. For the full article and more, check the show notes.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What is the U.S. Open King Mackerel Tournament and when does it happen?
The U.S. Open King Mackerel Tournament is the 48th annual fishing competition held October 1-3 at Dutchman Creek Park in Southport, Brunswick County. It's recognized as one of the largest tournaments of its kind on the entire East Coast, attracting serious anglers and boats with a full weekend event atmosphere.
Where is Jon Pardi performing in Wilmington this week?
Jon Pardi is performing at Live Oak Bank Pavilion at Riverfront Park in downtown Wilmington on October 1st. The venue is located in the heart of downtown along the river, making it convenient for visitors to combine dinner and entertainment in the area.
What job opportunities are available at the CFCC Career Fair?
Cape Fear Community College hosts a Business and IT Career Fair on October 6th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the North Campus McKeithin Center in Wilmington. Job seekers can meet directly with hiring companies in the business and IT fields for local employment opportunities.
When is the Cape Fear Kite Festival and where is it located?
The Cape Fear Kite Festival takes place November 6-8 at Fort Fisher State Recreation Area. It's a three-day colorful event on the beach featuring kites and family-friendly activities.
What fall family activities are available around Wilmington right now?
Trask Family Farms offers a corn maze and pumpkin patch running select days through early November, while Airlie Gardens features an art installation called 'Unfrugetable' displayed daily through year-end. The Riverfront Farmer's Market also operates every Saturday on Dock Street for fresh local produce.
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