Fuquay-Varina's downtown has two centers. The Fuquay side sits along South Main Street, around Fuquay Mineral Spring Park. The Varina side sits along East Broad Street, where Aviator's TapHouse fills the old train depot at 600 E. Broad St. Visit Raleigh's downtown guide puts the walk between them at about 15 minutes.
Most of the year, the downtown calendar picks one side or the other. On November 6 and 7 it uses both, one night after the other. Saturday is planted on the Varina side, and that's where two of 2026's new kitchens opened. That makes the 11th BBQ, Blues & Brews the easiest excuse this fall to spend an afternoon on East Broad Street.
The weekend, by district
The Fuquay-Varina Downtown Association has named the Friday "First Friday Meets BBQ Blues & Brews," so the two days are meant to run together.
| Friday, Nov. 6 | Saturday, Nov. 7 | |
|---|---|---|
| Event | First Friday Meets BBQ Blues & Brews | BBQ, Blues & Brews, 11th year |
| Hours | 5 to 9 p.m. | Noon to 4 p.m. |
| Where | Businesses in both downtown districts | Varina Parking Lot, 801 Durham St. |
| Sponsor or host | Revelry Barber & Shave Shop | Fuquay-Varina Downtown Association |
The FVDA events page says shops and restaurants in both districts will stay open late Friday. Its November entry still says "Details to come" and tells people to check back as the date gets closer, or follow FVDA on Facebook and Instagram. Saturday is already set.
Saturday is a Varina afternoon
FVDA bills BBQ, Blues & Brews as Southwestern Wake County's biggest festival of its kind. This year it returns to "Varina's historic downtown," with BBQ sampling and judging, live blues, local craft beverages, a vendor market and booths from community groups. FVDA's sponsorship page says the festival draws more than 5,000 people, and it lists the 2025 event as November 8, 2025. At the Town Board's November 18, 2025 meeting, the minutes record praise for the 2025 festival's more than 40 vendors.
Entry is free. The tasting ticket is for people who want to eat their way through the field. According to the 2026 ticket page, it gets you one sample from each of the 15 BBQ cook teams and a People's Choice ballot. Prices go up as the day gets closer:
- $25 for the Friends of Downtown presale.
- $27 for the general online presale, which opened August 7 and runs through November 6.
- $30 on festival day, November 7.
If you buy ahead, you can pick up tickets at the FVDA office, 108 Raleigh St., from Monday, November 2 through Thursday, November 5, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Will call opens at noon on festival day. Tickets are nonrefundable, and the event goes on rain or shine. One more planning note: FVDA asks people to leave pets at home because of the crowds and loud music.
Organizers haven't named the 15 teams or the blues acts yet, so the ticket is a bet on the format. You get 15 samples, and your ballot helps pick the People's Choice.
What's new a few doors from the festival
The festival ends at 4 p.m., hours before dinner. Over the past few months, the Varina side has picked up new places to fill that gap.
TrY Seafood Grill opened at 525 E. Broad St., in the former Aviation Smokehouse space. Suburban Living's September 4 roundup placed it in downtown Varina and marked it "Now Open." As of mid-October, CBS 17 described it serving Southern comfort food and seafood in town.
Momo Station serves Nepalese momos and Himalayan food at 405 E. Broad St., Suite 249. WRAL's July 31 food roundup reported it had opened.
The street's longtime anchor is still there too. Aviator's TapHouse is in the historic Varina train depot at 600 E. Broad St.
So Saturday can stay on one side of downtown. You can sample BBQ at the Durham Street lot from noon, then eat dinner at a Broad Street spot that didn't exist at last year's festival, all without moving the car.
Friday tilts toward Main Street
Friday is the night for the Fuquay side, since all of Saturday happens in Varina. Main Street has its own new arrival. Sully's Misfits Kitchen is open at 213 Fayetteville St., Suite 1B, inside The Brick in downtown Fuquay. The Triangle Food Blog already listed it as open in mid-July.
FVDA's Friday pitch is "shop, sip, stroll & dine" in the Downtown Social District. The Town has set rules for the district, and the Town's Social District FAQ spells them out:
- Only drinks bought from qualifying ABC permittees inside the district are allowed. Outside alcohol, cans and glass bottles are not.
- Cups must be non-glass, no larger than 16 ounces, and marked with the business and the district's logo. Businesses write the date and time served on the sticker.
- Open drinks can't leave the district or go into a vehicle. The Town asks people to throw cups away before leaving the district.
The Town has published separate maps for the Fuquay and Varina social districts, and its documents don't all list the same hours. Before Friday, check the Town's current Fuquay district map and posted signs. This is general information, not legal advice, so go by the Town's official rules over any summary, including this one.
Main Street is changing between festivals
The Fuquay side is in flux this fall. The Rican Lab is coming to 330 S. Main St., the former Fainting Goat space. Suburban Living lists it as "Coming Soon," with no opening date.
On the north end, Early Bird Café has closed its spot at 736 N. Main St., where it shared space with Little Portugal. The Triangle Food Blog reported on September 18 that it plans to reopen in a new space of its own in 2027, with a bigger menu and longer hours.
Both changes bear on Friday. For now, the newest place to eat on the Fuquay side is Sully's, and Main Street's next opening is still on the way.
December brings the crowds back to Fuquay
After this weekend, the biggest dates on the calendar head back to the Fuquay side.
| Date | Event | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Sat., Nov. 28 | Small Business Saturday | Details not yet posted |
| Thu., Dec. 3 | Town Tree Lighting, 6 to 8 p.m. | Vance Street Parking Lot and Fuquay Mineral Spring Park |
| Fri., Dec. 4 | First Friday, 5 to 9 p.m. | Downtown Fuquay-Varina |
| Sun., Dec. 6 | Christmas Parade, 4 p.m. | Main Street, downtown Fuquay |
The Tree Lighting fills most of a Thursday evening. Ice skating runs 4 to 8 p.m. and an artist market runs 5 to 8 p.m. The tree and menorah are lit at 6 p.m. at the Vance Street Parking Lot, 205 S. Main St. From 6:15 to 8 p.m. there are choral performances, plus Santa pictures at Fuquay Mineral Spring Park. Three days later, the Christmas Parade, hosted by the Writing, Music, and Film Society, steps off on Main Street at 4 p.m. on Sunday, December 6.
So the December crowds will be on Main Street. November 7 is the downtown day when the crowd, the music and two of the year's new kitchens all line up on the Varina side.
We like talking about which corner of downtown suits which kind of weekend, and the Fuquay and Varina sides each have their own feel. If you'd like a local take on either one, or you're thinking about a home within walking distance of Broad Street or Main Street, DiProfio Homes would be glad to hear from you. Contact Us.
