News Digest for Town of Carrboro, NC 

(April 30, 2025) 

May is pretty, May is mild, Dances like a happy child. Celebrate Carrboro Day this Sunday, May 4. There will be live music, food vendors, poetry, crafts and interactive family games - and thanks to the Carrboro Garden Club, there will be plant giveaways. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and Carrboro Police will be hosting Mental Health Mondays. Check out all the Bike Month events, and get ready for the Freight Train Blues concert series! 

Join us at Carrboro Day 2025

Join us at Carrboro Town Commons, 301 W. Main St. Carrboro, NC 27510 from 1 to 5 p.m.  on Sunday, May 4, 2025 for Carrboro Day.

Join neighbors and friends to celebrate the unique qualities that make our town special. Plenty of family activities including live music, food vendors, poetry, crafts and interactive family games. Bring a chair or blanket and enjoy a leisurely day on the Town Commons.. 

More info about Carrboro Day is available at www.CarrboroDay.com  

Carrboro promotes No Mow May

The Town of Carrboro is participating in No Mow May! For the month of May, Town landscape crews will allow the flowering plants in certain areas to bloom, providing bees and other pollinators with food and habitat they need to survive. Look out for the Bee City USA No Mow May signs in Wilson Park, Hank Anderson Park, Martin Luther King, Jr. Park and near Town Hall. 

The goal of No Mow May is to allow grass to grow unmown for the month of May, creating habitat and forage for early season pollinators. 

Read more about No Mo May.

Save the Dates: Bike Month Events

Make way for Bike Month rolling into Carrboro this May. 

Check out all the Bike Month events in and Carrboro. They are the perfect opportunity to experience the joys and health benefits of biking, to get outside during the spring season, and to see and experience the community at a different scale and pace.

• Bike & Roll to School Day - Wednesday, May 7, before and after school
• Carrboro Bike Breakfast - Tuesday, May 13 from 7 to 10 a.m. at Libba Cotten Bikeway 
• Wednesday Night Bike Ride - Social Ride - Wednesday, May 14 at 7 p.m. starting at Carrboro Town Commons, 301 W. Main St. 
• Bike to Work - Friday, May 16 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. - Community-wide
• Bike on Bus Workshop at the Carrboro Farmers' Market – Saturday, May 17 from 9 a.m. to noon at Carrboro Town Commons, 301 W. Main St.
• Wednesday Night Bike Ride - Social Ride - Wednesday, May 28 at 7 p.m. starting at Carrboro Town Commons, 301 W. Main St. 
• Ride into Pride - Queer Ride Carrboro - Saturday, May 31 at 7 p.m.  starting at Carrboro Town Commons, 301 W. Main St.

Learn more about Bike Month and all the exciting events rolling your way!

11th Annual Freight Train Blues Concert Series Returns to Carrboro 

The Town of Carrboro proudly presents the Music Maker Foundation’s Freight Train Blues series of live concerts every Friday evening between May 16 and June 13, 2025, at Carrboro Town Commons, 301 W. Main Street. Concerts start at 6:30 p.m. 

The series is a collaboration among Music Maker Foundation; the Town of Carrboro, WUNC 91.5 FM, and The Forests at Duke.

Bring your picnic, lawn chairs and blankets for a free evening of free live music on the lawn. Beer and food will be available for purchase at the events. 

• May 16 - Jimbo Mathus and the Creatures of the Southern Wild (Roots)
• May 23 - Diana Tuffin (Blues/Jazz) and Thomas Rhyant Jr. (Acoustic Blues)
• May 30 - Dedicated Men of Zion & Faith & Harmony 
• June 6 -  Conjunto Breve (Salsa)
• June 13 -  Gail Caesar, Lakota John Locklear

Learn more about the  2025 Freight Train Blues Concert Series.

Arbor Day in Carrboro

 Honoring the contribution trees make to our health and well-being and their essential role in the ecology of the planet, Mayor Barbara Foushee proclaimed Friday, April 25 to be Arbor Day in Carrboro. 

Thanks to Carrboro Horticulturalist Weldon Jenkins, a Black Gum tree has been planted at Wilson Park at 110 Williams St. for this special day. 

Carrboro has been recognized by the National Arbor Day Foundation as a Tree City USA for 40 years. In an era where cities and towns face increasing challenges related to air quality, public health and climate change, nurturing our trees has never been more important. 

For Healthier Soil, Healthier Food...Compost!

Mayor Barbara Foushee proclaims May 4-10 International Compost Awareness Week in Carrboro. This year’s theme, "Sustainable Communities Begin with Compost!" highlights composting in all kinds of communities at any scale – from the backyard home composter to community composters, to large-scale facilities to all those who recognize the many benefits of using compost on our soils.  

Composting materials, such as food scraps and yard trimmings, converts them into a nutrient-rich soil amendment that communities can use to promote soil fertility and productivity, improve water quality, reduce stormwater runoff and soil erosion, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

Learn more about  composting in Carrboro

Town Council Update

The Town Council is scheduled to meet at 6 p.m. 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 6.

• Check out the  agenda.   
•  Livestream the meeting.

Past Meeting Recap 

The Carrboro Town Council met on Tuesday, April 15 for a regular meeting, and took the following actions:

• Heard Mayoral Proclamations for Black Restaurant Week, Lineworker Appreciation Day, and Arbor Day. 
• Recognized Carrboro High School students who completed Carrboro Rise, a civic education class piloted by the Town Manager’s Office.
• Received an overview of planning-related draft legislation from the 2025 legislative session for North Carolina. The draft legislation includes several bills with significant implications for land use planning and regulation in North Carolina. If enacted, these proposals could substantially affect how local governments plan, regulate, and manage development within their jurisdictions.
• Received a presentation of the Customer Assistance Program from OWASA representatives.
• Considered and provided direction on the Advisory Boards/Commissions Membership Process.

 Watch the livestream.

Read more in  the Town Council Update

Mental Health Mondays

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and Carrboro Police will be hosting Mental Health Mondays (May 5, 12 and 19) at the Drakeford Library Complex from 12 - 2 p.m.

Come join the Diversion Social Worker Monrita Hughes (pictured below) and the Carrboro Police Department for conversation, information, and more!

Relax and Renew: Celebrate Mental

Health Month

May is Mental Health Month.  The Race and Equity Office is partnering with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority,  Inc. Mu Omicron Omega Chapter to offer an opportunity for community to learn about sound therapy which helps with self-care.  

Join us on Saturday, May 17 at the Carrboro Century Center, 100 N. Greensboro St., for a rejuvenating experience of sound healing and gentle movement. This unique session combines the soothing power of sound with mindful flow exercises to help release tension, calm the mind and restore your energy.

What to expect:

• Sound Bath: Immerse yourself in the calming vibrations of crystal bowls, chimes and other healing instruments to restore balance to your body and mind.
• Flowing Movement: A gentle, guided flow that will help release tension, improve flexibility, and promote overall well-being.
• A Deep Sense of Relaxation: Let go of stress and leave feeling grounded, renewed and re-energized.

What to bring:

• water
• a yoga mat or blanket
• wear comfortable clothes that allow for movement

Community Dinner marks its 25th year 

Friendships won’t save the world. But they can sure shore up your health and make your life a lot better. The 25th Annual Community Dinner, supported by the Town of Carrboro and many other organizations, has the motto "Sit down with a stranger and leave with a friend."

Neighbors, strangers and then friends ate together and shared personal stories at their tables, and enjoyed music and lively performances on Sunday, April 27, 2025. The Community Dinner took place at McDougle Middle School.

Thanks to Nerys Levy and the many organizers and volunteers who make this event happen each year!

Check out our Monthly Events Newsletter to discover all the exciting programs and special events that are coming up!  

Please note that our Summer Brochure will be released in mid-April. Registration for our Summer programs begins on May 7 for Carrboro residents, and May 8 for all others. 

2025 Summer Recreation, Parks and Cultural Resources Program Guide 

The Carrboro Recreation, Parks, & Cultural Resources Department’s Summer program brochure is now available! This includes registration for 2025 Fall athletic leagues and 2025 summer camps.

Registration for Carrboro Residents begins on Wednesday, May 7 at 8:30 a.m. and registration for all other participants begins on Thursday, May 8.

Learn more about the Program Guide and How to Register.

Public parking available in downtown Carrboro

It’s easy to find free two-hour public parking in Carrboro, where you can access convenient parking at 11 public lots all over town.

Please remember that the Carr Mill Mall parking area is for mall customers and is not a public parking lot. Leaving the mall premises after parking risks towing. When in doubt, always park in public lots, and enjoy a hassle-free and relaxed shopping and dining experience.

Find more information including an interactive parking map on our Downtown Parking webpage.