Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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14 UCW AUGUST 10 - 16, 2022 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM Botanical Garden hosts 80s prom murder mystery event by HANNAH LEE EVENTS Solve the fictional murder of class jock Bobby Backer during the final event of the Sunset Series on Friday, Aug. 19 at the Cape Fear Botanical Garden. is 80's Prom Murder Mystery in the Gar- den will take you back to a time when hairspray was potent in the air and neon seemed to be everywhere. e students of Shermer High find themselves battling it out over grades, popularity, affection, class rankings and what they all have been focused on for years: who will be awarded the prom king and queen title? Prom officially starts at 5 p.m. During this time, guests can mingle, drink, dance and shop from local vendors. e prom will even feature a photo booth section that will allow couples to take photos of themselves in true 1980s fashion. ere will also be three food trucks on site: Wild Sunflower Pizza, Cavity Connection, and Jaz-N-Soul. At 6:15 p.m., prom court nominations will begin. At 6:30 p.m., the prom court is announced. Every guest is strongly recommended to arrive before 6:30 p.m. "We really do encourage everybody to get here before the prom court is nominated at 6:30 be- cause if somebody comes in late, they could miss out on some key evidence," Meghan Woolbright, the marketing coordinator for CFBG told Up & Coming Weekly. In the last murder mystery, attendees could use modern technology to gather clues and investi- gate the case. is time, actors from the Gilbert eater will be there to talk with attendees and give their statements. Each actor will play a key suspect in the murder. "We've seen that our visitors like the one-on- one type of them asking questions and our actors and actresses, you know, playing along," Wool- bright said. "at's where we've seen the most authentic experience for our visitors." Each visitor is going to be getting a packet with the theme and character descriptions, but a majority of the mystery will have to be solved by talking to the actors and actresses from the Gilbert eater. From the preppie to the punk rocker, the nerd to the stud, the jock to the jilted — all are suspected, although only one is to blame. Shortly after the murderer has been revealed, there will be a costume contest at the end of the night. Woolbright recommends that people think of the big hair, puffy sleeves on the giant prom dresses, and matching pastel suits. "e more you dress up and the more excited you are, the better it's going to be," she said. e Gardens are expecting a big turnout for this event. e last murder mystery had 100 people in attendance. is marks the third year for the Sunset Series, a public event and fundraiser for the garden. e event is free for Cape Fear Botanical Garden members and $10 plus tax for non-members. Visit www.capefearbg.org/event/the-sunset- series to learn more. Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra kicks off new season by ASHLEY SHIRLEY Beethoven and beer may seem an unlikely pairing, but the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra makes it work as they gear up for a new season with a kick-off party at Gaston Taproom on Aug. 19 at 7 p.m. e free, family-friendly "mini-concert" will last about 90 minutes and feature food trucks, lots of seating and some of the FSO's most tal- ented musicians. e orchestra's String Quartet, comprised of concertmaster Fabián López and several prin- cipal players, will perform a variety of music for people in attendance. While classical pieces are to be expected, be prepared for some popular, recognizable tunes as well. e kick-off at Gaston's Taproom is a part of the orchestra's Symphony on Tap Program, which launched last year. e popular concert series allows the orchestra to set up shop in casual set- tings around Fayetteville and bring beautiful mu- sic to the people of the community free of charge. "Our string quartet is a really great group of musicians," Anna Meyer, the FSO's interim direc- tor, told Up & Coming Weekly. "is event will be a good time to share about our upcoming season and just enjoy great music and beer — you can't go wrong there," she joked. e FSO's Jazz Quartet, another talented en- semble, will make an appearance at Bright Light Brewing Co. on Sunday, Aug. 28. e 2022-2023 season will showcase the enor- mous talent of the Fayetteville Symphony Or- chestra through several ticketed events as well as community concerts that are free to attend. Also set to return this season is the wildly popular Symphony Movie Night at Dirtbag Ales. e mash-up of live orchestral music against the spooky backdrop of 1920s silent-film classic "Nosferatu" proved to be a winning combination with audiences, and those who missed it last year can check it out on Saturday, Oct. 22. e FSO is also planning to include more church venues this upcoming season, about which Meyer is particularly excited. "I'm looking forward to playing at different churches around town," she shared. "We really enjoyed that last season and decided to broaden our horizons this year. We get to reach a lot of people, and it allows us to play in some beautiful venues." A staple of the community for over 65 years, the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra has under- gone many changes. Still, their commitment to musical excellence and attitude of service shines through with initiatives like Symphony Movie Night, Symphony on Tap and their free commu- nity concerts throughout the season. e orches- tra takes pride in maintaining a relationship with the community that strives to "meet them where they are" and delivers on its promise to "educate, entertain, and inspire the citizens of Fayetteville." In addition to a packed performance season, the FSO is passionate about the arts regarding Cumberland County's youth. By developing the Fayetteville Symphony Youth Orchestra, String Sinfonietta, and various summer camps, the FSO is invested in creating beautiful music and tal- ented musicians for generations to come. Gaston Taproom is located at 421 Chicago Drive in Fayetteville. For more information about the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra and its upcoming season, visit www.fayettevillesymphony.org/. HANNAH LEE, Assistant Editor. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomin- gweekly.com. 910-484-6200. ASHLEY SHIRLEY, Staff Writer. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomin- gweekly.com. 910-484-6200 e Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra String Quartet will per- form at the Season Kick-Off event on Aug. 19. (Photo courtesy Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra)