What's Good, Wilmington (3/4)

Happy Tuesday, Wilmington. You know the drill – grab your coffee (or whatever you sip in the morning), kick back, and let The Wilmington Brief serve up this week’s What’s Good Edition featuring five things that’ll help you live better, stay ahead, stress less, and enjoy more ☕️

In this week’s edition:

• Get shamrocked ☘️

• A lot o’ free stuff 📑

• Healthier eats 🥕

• Friendly reminder 📋️

• Spring tune-ups 🏠️

Let’s get to it!

🛎️ Wilmington is going greeeeen

Wilmington is painting the town green next weekend with a St. Patrick's Day celebration that has something for everyone. The festivities kick off March 15th with the traditional St. Patrick's Day Parade at 11.

After, there’s no shortage of ways to continue the fun.

There’s a spring craft market at the Burgwin-Wright House Gardens (including access to the historic house, jail, and art gallery.

The official parade after-party at Waterline Brewing is free, family-friendly, and packed full of live music and other fun.

Dram & Draught is throwing a party from 1-6 featuring live music from Paul Hock, cocktail specials, and the option to purchase ticket packages that include an exclusive St. Paddy's Day t-shirt and specialty drink. Tap Yard is also throwing a party with music, local vendors, food trucks, and a beer garden.

Flannel Rebellion will be playing 90s grunge at Ogden Tap Room’s 7th annual Paddy’s Day show. Animal lovers can support Paws 4 People at Wine Knot Sky Bar & Cocktail Lounge with drinks, food, and puppy shenanigans.

There are also pub crawls on Friday, Saturday, and Monday, ensuring plenty of chances for adults to get in on the fun all weekend long.

The 7th annual Beer, Bourbon, & BBQ Fest is also March 15th at The Shell downtown — wear green and get a free bag.

Looking forward, Blooms & Brews is March 21st and Azalea Fest kicks off April 2nd with the annual Herb and Garden Fair starting April 5th.

📚 Your library card has secret super powers

Your New Hanover County library card might be the most underutilized tool in your wallet. Don’t have one? You should get one! It’s free for residents →

Beyond free books (which is a huge win already if we’re being honest), our libraries have evolved into community resource with benefits that make premium subscriptions jealous.

From documentaries, newspapers, and free online courses to audio books, eBooks, tv shows, movies, and music, your card gives you immediate access to a whole lot of stuff.

On top of that, you can check out crafting kits, puzzles, board games, a ukulele, a ring light, a telescope, a white noise machine, and more.

Each branch also offers free programs for understanding the tech in your pocket, story times for families, teen hangouts, game nights, lectures, book clubs, craft circles, scavenger hunts, free tax preparation, and more.

If you’ve been waiting for a sign to check out your neighborhood library, this is it →

🥗 A quick tip to healthier eating around town

Finding quick & nutritious food can feel like hunting for a unicorn. The secret weapon? Establishing a rotation of healthy local spots for those "I can't even" days.

It’s not always easy to find places with transparent ingredients and balanced meals featuring actual vegetables. But when you find one, make a mental note, start a list in your notes app, or write it down on paper.

This way, you always have a go-to when you don’t want to think about lunch or dinner.

I started my own list a few weeks ago and let me tell you… it’s a whole lot easier to make smart choices amidst the chaos.

Top of my list? Fresh N Fab — everything on the menu is so tasty you’ll have to remind yourself it’s healthy, but their Salmon Lover Bowl is one of my favorites.

📝 You have 42 days to file your taxes

This is your friendly reminder that April 15th will be here before you know it. Whether you DIY it with TurboTax, keep it old school with pen, paper, and snail mail, or leave it to the pros (we like David E Tepper & Hayes), it’s just as important to get all your tax ducks in a row as soon as possible.

If you need extra assistance, AARP, VITA, and UNCW will be various locations on different days at different times until April 15th to help you for free.

No matter your age or income, they’ll answer all your questions and hep you cross “tax panic” off your to do list →

🏠 Spring tune-ups for homeowners

As the seasons change, it's time to give your home some spring attention. Start by inspecting your roof for rebellious shingles, sagging, and plant growth and checking screens before bug season launches its all-out invasion. You should also make sure your gutters are in working order. Hit up Cheerier Exteriors if you prefer relaxing instead of getting up on a ladder.

Your foundation and siding are other areas that require special scrutiny. Look for obvious signs of wear, cracks, and deterioration that can lead to expensive problems later.

While you're outside, check your irrigation and drainage systems, look for areas that could cause pooling water, and trim plants that are getting too cozy with your foundation (Bowman’s Best is great if you don’t want to deal with it yourself). You may also want to consider giving your deck and siding a proper power wash to rinse away sand, dust, and other grime – just be gentle with those pressure settings.

Inside, make sure your air conditioner is ready for the warmer months ahead. If you need a tune-up, repair, or replacement, we like James & Son and Batts.

Warm NC offers an emergency home repair program for qualified residents.

🧩 Extra fun & games

This week’s word search features the most fun, unique, or Wilmington-esque words from this edition.

See ya Friday (with a fresh batch of 20+ things going on next week)!

P.S. Know of any good things around Wilmington we should share or want to ask a question? Feel free to reply (or email us) any time.