Since 1949, the quarter-mile track hosted grassroots events weekly. | City of Winston-Salem via Instagram
New year, new plans. January in Winston-Salem is packed with can’t-miss events to kick off 2026 on a high note.
Festivals + Shows
14th Annual Movable Feast Weekend | Saturday, Jan. 24-Sunday, Jan. 25 | Times vary | Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts | $69 | This winter signature book club event will have you geeking out about your favorite reads, plus a chance to connect with fellow book lovers and meet authors.
NASCAR Cookout Clash Weekend | Saturday, Jan. 31 + Sunday, Feb. 1 | Times vary | Bowman Gray Stadium | $20+ | Get fired up for a jammed-packed weekend and cheer on drivers as they qualify for the Cup Series, meet racers, and get lost in the thrill of car racing.
Live music
An Evening with Somewhat Petty: A Tribute to Tom Petty | Saturday, Jan. 10 | 8 p.m. | The Ramkat | $23 | The Asheville band will play Petty’s famous hits like “Free Fallin’,” American Girl,” and fan favorites like “The Waiting.”
Theater
Anthony Wayne Live: A Cabaret Musical Experience | Saturday, Jan. 24+Sunday, Jan. 25 | Times vary | Hanesbrands Theatre | $30+ | Experience a night of Broadway hits and embark on an adventure of joy, heartache, and yearning as one man dreams of finding his light.
Try with friends
Bourbon & Cocktail Class | Wednesday, Jan. 14 | 5 p.m. | The Katharine Brasserie and Bar | $93 | Delve into the fascinating history of bourbon in Winston-Salem while learning the skills to create three bourbon cocktails for yourself.
Time to book it to the DMV if you haven’t gotten your REAL ID (unless you love paying a $45 fee every time you travel). The updated form of driver’s license will be required at airport checkpoints to confirm identity, starting Sunday, Feb. 1. It’s as simple as catching feelings flights with our guide to getting your REAL ID. (WFMY News 2)
Ranked
Curious who ended up on the list of 2025 Top 100 most art-vibrant communities across the nation, according to SMU Data Arts? We won’t spoil the rest, but we think Winston-Salem is missing, and we’re here to make the case for why our arts community deserves the spotlight.
Number
$1 million. That’s how much Broadway veteran and UNCSA alumnae Caitlin Carter gifted the school as a planned gift for the high school ballet program. The fund will go toward a full-ride tuition (including room and board) for an out-of-state admitted student each year.
Edu
If you’re ready to revisit school — but this time as the boss — grab your principal cape and join “Be a Principal for a Day” on Wednesday, Feb. 4. Spend the day shadowing a principal at a Winston-Salem/Forsyth County school to get an inside look at the challenges + responsibilities of school leadership — register to participate.
Answered
Tuscani, Clemmons Kitchen, and Betty on Burke are a few of our readers’ favorite restaurants. Looking for more suggestions? These are the spots WStoday readers can’t stop raving about.
Trending
It looks like all the Conformity Gate conspiracy theories that have been flooding the internet, thanks to “Stranger Things” fans, are false. It’s okay if you still believe. For those who don’t want to let the story of 1980s Hawkins end, grab some vintage threads to bring it to life. (Variety)
Finance
You’re smart — but your spending can still be dumb. Here are the 11 dumbest things smart people waste money on.*
AI won’t take over the world — people who know how to use AI will. That’s why 1M+ pros working at Google, Meta, and OpenAI read Superhuman AI. Join now and learn AI skills, tools, and news in just three minutes a day. Subscribe for free.*
The Buy
Take the guesswork out of healthy eating with chef-cooked meals from Forkful. Instead of spending hours on Pinterest looking for recipes, opt for high-quality, nourishing meals delivered right to your door. Forkful’s meals boast only the finest ingredients, like grass-fed meats, wild-caught seafood, and organic produce. Think: protein-packed pastas and plant-based burrito bowls. Plus, Forkful meals are never frozen + only take 2-3 minutes to prepare.
Missed me yesterday? I hope you enjoy the subtle appearances of my managing editor, Eric G., as he used to live in the Triad and loves our city.
I’ve been enjoying my time back home and even got to take a walk around my old college campus (University of Maryland, College Park), which felt refreshing and nostalgic. So much looks different from when I left, but somehow it still feels the same. If you’re not from the Twin City, where did you move from?
Can you tell students are on winter break by the empty campus sighting?
}})
