Enjoy your beer on site, or take it to-go. Patrons can mix and match their own six-packs, buy a la carte, or even order a keg of craft beer for their next mixer. Lighthouse also caters events. But the best way to enjoy Lighthouse, once you’ve combed the aisles in search of the perfect drink, is to pop out to Lighthouse’s beer garden, a delightful outdoor arrangement of beach chairs and umbrellas. It’s the perfect way to wind down after a long day at the office, or a long day at the beach. You can breathe in the salty ocean air, and mingle with southern bells and surfer dudes alike. Pets welcome! Lighthouse Beer & Wine embodies Wrightsville’s laid-back, beachy attitude.

It’s customary to get Mom a bouquet of flowers on Mother’s Day. Instead, try treating her to over 600 acres of public gardens, featuring camellias, azaleas, towering oaks and weeping willows. I’m talking about Airlie Gardens, located at 300 Airlie Road. This Friday, May 11, is their National Public Gardens Day which includes a guided bird hike through the gardens, butterfly house tour and drawings for Airlie memberships and tickets to the renowned summer concert series. Local sculptor Andy Cobb will also be unveiling a custom piece to the Butterfly House in honor of National Public Gardens Day. For the nature lover, Airlie Gardens seemingly endless botanic gardens and nature trails are a treat. For National Public Gardens Day, the gardens will extend their hours until 7pm, though they are typically open Sunday-Monday from 9am-5pm.

There are also a number of festive Mother’s Day options offshore as well. The Henrietta III on the Cape Fear River will depart at noon for their Mother’s Day Riverboat Luncheon Cruise. Enjoy a deli lunch and an afternoon breeze as a tour guide narrates a history of the majestic Cape Fear. For something a little less traditional, try Captain’s Lazy Day Mother’s Day Cruise, which departs at 1pm and features Bloody Marys and Mimosas. Or take a historic cruise of Harbor Island– boats will leave every hour from 11am to 5pm, with an encore sunset cruise at 6:30pm. Reservations for Luncheon and Lazy Day cruises are a must, and are strongly recommended for the Harbor Island cruise.

Whatever Mom’s interests are, there are tons of fun ways to celebrate and let her know you care.

 
On Cinco de Mayo, regardless of your heritage, please do enjoy a delicioso Mexican dinner. Wilmington has a variety of Mexican restaurants in nearly every part of town. K-38 Baja Grill has a diverse menu of Mexican and Baja flavors and beachy atmosphere, both in Porter’s Neck and on Oleander Drive in central Wilmington. Say sí to the fish tacos! El Cazador in Carolina Beach is purported to be the best Mexican food on the peninsula. For downtowners, Mixto offers a mix of authentic Central American flavors with a contemporary twist. The outdoor patio has a gorgeous view of the Cape Fear and urban scene. They also have the most thorough Margarita menu I’ve ever seen, from the very traditional to the very inventive. I also must recommend El Cerro Grande in central Wilmington, on South College Rd. It’s a bit off the beaten path, the decor is simple, but the food knocks my socks off every time! I believe it’s the most authentic Mexican food in Wilmington. The salsa is fresh and the service outstanding. Try the enchiladas verdes!

 
For those of us who would rather avoid the raucousness of Cinco de Mayo but still enjoy a stiff drink, margaritas can be made at home. Skip the sugary pre-made mixes… authentic margaritas can be made with just a few simple ingredients. Start by rimming your margarita glass with coarse salt and lime juice. Combine 3 parts tequila (I recommend reposado), 1.5 parts Cointreau, 1 part freshly squeezed lime juice, and a pinch of salt. Stir well, and serve on the rocks.

The 2012 Parade of Homes is a self-guided tour, so feel free to peruse the homes at your leisure anytime from noon to 5pm. The event is free and open to the public! An interactive map can be found on their website, or you can download the mobile app. The open houses can be found in various parts of town, including downtown, Leland, Southport, Wrightsville, Whiskey Creek and Pleasure Island. These houses truly run the gamut of tastes and styles– browse European cottages, coastal, brick, townhouses, and so much more. You can even vote for your favorites on the Parade of Homes facebook page. The Parade of Homes will host their annual awards banquet on Friday, May 4 beginning at 6:15 at the Hilton Riverside, and will also have an encore of the Parade of Homes tour May 5-6.

The 2012 Cape Fear Independent Film festival is also hosted at various locations around town, beginning with a Regional Film Showcase at The Browncoat at 8pm. The showcase will feature short films from Wilmington, Raleigh and Chapel Hill, including Eat Me, a comedy in which siblings compete for the fortune of their dying mother, and Zombie Wrangler, a documentary about actors who aspire to portray zombies on screen. The featured full-lengths include a German-language film titled Schlafende Hunde (Sleeping Dogs) about a father haunted by visions of his own death trying to reconnect with his estranged son, and Meherjaan, a love story and family drama set during Bangladesh’s war for independence, which has already won over a dozen awards on the international film circuit. The weekend will also feature discussion panels with up and coming actors and comedians, and will close with the Wilmington Film Awards on Sunday, April 29 at The Brikhouse. Individual events cost $5-10, and an all-access pass can be purchased at WilmingtonTickets for only $60.

 
Carolina Beach and the nearby Kure beach also make excellent day trips. The beaches are much less crowded than Wrightsville, and the parking much more ample. Kure Beach is home to the Fort Fisher Aquarium (one of my favorites!) and is the only beach in the area that allows dogs year round. Besides miles of gorgeous surf and sand, Carolina Beach boasts a state park with more than 700 acres of nature trails. Camping is permitted and encouraged, and if you’re lucky you might even catch a glimpse of the rare Venus-flytrap. Carolina Beach also has an enchanting boardwalk of shops, dining and nightlife. The Olde Salty is a favorite with locals, or dine on the pier at the Ocean Grill & Tiki Bar for a beachy ambiance. And the seafood in Carolina Beach might literally be the freshest in town– did you know that the Carolina Beach Yacht basin boasts one of the largest fishing fleets north of Florida?  Grouper, snapper, trout, and flounder are just a few of the fish in abundance.

To see the Azalea Fest headliners Kenny Loggins and Scotty McCreery, head over to UNCW’s Trask Coliseum at 8:00pm April 12 and 13 respectively. Remember to purchase tickets in advance! Personally, I’ll be headed to the Festival of Cultures in Bailey Park, “a truly multicultural event which highlights the rich diversity of cultures that make the Greater Cape Fear Region a delightful place to live. As usual, the Festival has many exciting events of entertainment and pageantry with two days of dancers, singers, and musicians that will delight you. The performers, dressed in authentic bright traditional costumes, will showcase a medley of upbeat rhythms that will include classical, traditional, and contemporary dances, music, and other pageantry of each culture.” And don’t miss the Historic Home Tour, a self-guided tour of historic downtown homes open to the public, which runs from 1:00pm – 5:00pm Saturday and Sunday. There are so many other events that comprise Azalea Fest (the circus! boxing! a juried art show! and let’s not forget the parade!) and the best way to find out what they’re all about is to come down and see for yourself.

Grab your tennis racket and swat out a few matches with a friend at the nearby tennis courts. Or enjoy a quiet stroll around the lake on the walking/biking path. The loop is five miles in circumference, making it a popular spot for walking, jogging, dog-walking and fishing. Keep your eyes open for ducks and their ducklings, geese, heron and even owls along the way. In fact, serious bird-enthusiasts can reserve a one and a half hour eco/birding tour with a tour guide for just $15 per person. The park’s website also offers a free, downloadable audio tour so you can learn the history of Greenfield Lake as you traipse through its abundant flora.
Not a nature lover? Greenfield Lake also has something spectacular to offer the local arts community. Located within the park, Greenfield Amphitheater is a state-of-the-art outdoor stage, home to Wilmington’s Shakespeare On The Green series, the Lighthouse Beer Festival, and a slew of summer concerts and plays. It’s easy to see why Greenfield Lake would be a great date spot in the afternoon, or evening. Watch your favorite band play into the dusk as you and that special someone sip red wine, and the setting sun melts into the serene lake just beyond the stage. Whether you’re alone or together, Greenfield Lake is a must! Do not miss this local gem.

The exhibits themselves are beautifully designed, many using natural materials from the animals’ native regions, and some even offer an interactive approach. As part of the two-story shark tank, patrons can lean out into a concave bubble in the glass and feel like they are part of the action of the ocean, as Sharpnose Sharks and Hammerheads swarm about. And don’t miss the manta ray and stingray exhibit, where you can watch a live feeding and also reach out and “pet” them (in case you’re wondering, they’re oddly rubbery). However, my favorite exhibit was definitely the Moon Jellyfish tank, in which several jellyfish changed every color of the rainbow in complete synchronicity. It was a bit of an optical illusion–the tank was equipped with hidden LED lights, I found out later, and typically Moon Jellyfish are pigmentless– but a darn good one that was indescribably pleasing to the eyes.

Moving at a comfortable pace, the Fort Fisher Aquarium takes about two hours, and upon exit many people make a stop at the gift shop or the small outdoor snack bar. I’d recommend taking a jaunt on the grounds outside the aquarium, where you can stroll through beautifully landscaped paths or take a pause on the Japanese-style bridge overlooking a turtle pond. The Fort Fisher Aquarium is really a great place to bring the children, and there are lots of sites throughout the aquarium geared towards the 10-and-under crowd (who knew a Megalodon shark exhibit could be kid-friendly?). However, the adult visitor may want to come on a weekday to enjoy smaller crowds.

Some galleries offer a more traditional art experience, such as WHQR’s MC Erny’s Gallery, whose Pelicans: An Exhibition by Artists of the Coastal Region premiers that night. Other galleries, such as the Checker Cab Production Company Gallery, are slightly more risqué—Franciska Dekkar’s Naked Truth features “original figurative drawings and pastels…  This abstract, free-form style of drawing in pencil, ink, and oil pastels tells a story expressing the humor as well as the seriousness that she sees in the human form.” Fourth Friday isn’t limited to the visual arts either. Costello’s Piano Bar will host Emergence—UNCW’s Creative Writing MFA Art Show, which will be followed by a reading of poetry, fiction and nonfiction from some of Wilmington’s most talented crop of young writers. Furthermore, the show will feature live bluegrass music by famed Southern writer Clyde Edgerton.

Many of the participating galleries and studios will feature opening receptions, demonstrations, artist discussions, live music, other traditional and non-traditional art-activities, and, of course, food and wine. Participating galleries include 621N4TH Gallery, Acme Art Studios, Bottega Gallery & Art Bar, The Calico Room, Cape Fear Native, Caprice Bistro, Checker Cab Gallery, Five Star Tavern, Golden Gallery, MC Erny Gallery at WHQR, New Elements Gallery, Old Books on Front Street, Opera Room & Gallery, Port City Pottery & Fine Crafts, Projekte, Riverside Dental Arts, Wicked Gallery, and Wilmington Wine. The gallery hop is self-guided, so feel free to browse various galleries in the downtown vicinity after 6pm. See you there!

The St. Patrick’s Day Parade will begin at 11am at the intersection of Red Cross and Front Street and features over 50 music, civic, social, military, educational, and religious groups. The parade lasts until 2pm and does a full loop downtown—just listen for the bagpipes. Don’t miss the Festival immediately afterwards at Riverfront Park. Delicious Irish fare will abound, as well as more live music from the  Wilmington Police Pipes & Drums,  The Molly Malones, and performances from the Walsh Kelley School of Irish Dancing and the Slainte UNCW Irish Dance Club. The festival ends at 7pm, but if you’re looking to drink green Guinness until the wee hours, you could head back to Fat Tony’s for their St. Patty’s afterparty, or to authentic Irish pub Slainte on the corner of Market and Front. Something tells me there will be no shortage of Irish-themed fun at any establishment on Front Street.

However, if you’re looking to escape the hustle and bustle, try a St. Patrick’s Day cruise on the Cape Fear River. Wilmington Water Tours will offer a decidedly Irish cruise on March 17, featuring live music, and food & drink from Front Street Brewery. If you don’t want to be left ashore, be there by 5:30pm! If you want to do more on St.Patrick’s Day than damage your liver, head down to Carolina Beach for the 8th annual Lo Tide Run 5k/10k. Grab a friend and run a stretch of the beach for a cause. All proceeds from registration fees, sponsors and individual donors are distributed to assist recipients that are local cancer victims in financial need. The Steve Haydu St. Patrick’s Day Lo Tide Run is from 8am-11pm at the Carolina Beach Boardwalk Gazebo, and this year features an After Party from 1pm-7pm.