3 things happening in NC: Wright Brothers Day, holidays at Reynolda House, and Hillsborough Lantern Walk

Every week, Cardinal & Pine picks 3 things happening in NC that are worth your time. This week, a party for NC’s historic first flight, the holidays come alive at Reynolda House in Winston-Salem, and Hillsborough lights up with its Solstice Lantern Walk.

The North Carolina/Ohio license plate wars stem from the fact that the tags on Ohio vehicles often read “Birthplace of Aviation,” a slogan that replaced “The Heart of it All” in 1998, according to the Daily Mail. 

Of course, North Carolinians claim the “First in Flight” on many of their own license plates thanks to the fact that the Ohio-born Wright Brothers carried out their experiments in Kitty Hawk in the Outer Banks until they got them right and changed the world. 

The rivalry took a comedic turn in 2021 when Ohio unveiled a new license plate design depicting a Wright Brothers plane pulling a banner boasting their challenged slogan … from the front of the aircraft. NC DOT put out a tweet at the time poking fun at the inexplicable mistake, writing, “Y’all leave Ohio alone. They wouldn’t know. They weren’t there.”

Bless their hearts. 

This week, North Carolina continues to claim its role as first in flight with an annual celebration of the brothers’ first flight in Kitty Hawk. It’s one of three events we’ve compiled that are worth checking out this week across the state. 

Have something happening in NC that you want to tell us about? Write us. And for past editions of “3 things happening in NC,” click here.

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Wright Brothers Day in Kill Devil Hills

Wednesday, Dec. 17, 12:30-3 p.m.

Wright Brothers Day, a celebration of the historic first flight on the NC Outer Banks, is Dec. 17. (Shutterstock)

Wright Brothers Day is celebrated each year on Dec. 17, marking the first successful flights in a heavier-than-air, mechanically propelled airplane called the “Wright Flyer” that Orville and Wilbur Wright made on that date in 1903. 

The First Flight Society and the National Park Service observe this momentous anniversary annually near the Wright Brothers National Memorial Visitor Center at 1000 N Croatan Highway in Kill Devil Hills, often highlighting the work of other aeronautical innovators. 

This year’s luncheon, which benefits the First Flight Society’s mission to preserve the legacy of the Wright Brothers’ achievements, honors William P. Lear, who invented several key components of aviation equipment, including the Lear F-5 Autopilot, and founded Lear Jet Industries, becoming a household name in private aviation. 

Lear’s daughter, Shanda Lear-Baylor, will be a featured speaker alongside Phoenix Air Group chief pilot and director of operations Jeff Coggins. 

An Enchanted Christmas at Reynolda in Winston-Salem

Wednesday, Dec. 17, 5:30-8 p.m.

 

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The Reynolda House Museum of American Art was originally the home of Katharine Smith and RJ Reynolds, founder of the RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company, a business that went on to define not only Winston-Salem but much of the Triad. 

When the Reynolds family first moved into the house just before Christmas in 1917, they adorned the mesmerizing Reception Hall with festive light and decorations. More than a century later, the museum staff brings that same spirit to its two annual holiday events, inviting community members to wrap themselves in the Christmas spirit the same way the family once did. 

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The night features live music played on the historic 1917 Aeolian organ, DIY card-making, a cozy hot chocolate bar and other family-friendly festivities in an unmatched atmosphere. 

Solstice Lantern Walk & Market in Hillsborough

Saturday, Dec. 20, 5-8 p.m.

Hillsborough’s luminescent Solstice Lantern Walk is a highlight of this time of year. (Hillsborough Photography via Orange County Arts Commission)

Damn near every town in North Carolina is rolling out their respective Christmas light displays, but Hillsborough does things a little differently. 

This cherished, annual community tradition marks the winter solstice by inviting residents from all over to craft handmade lanterns before taking part in a meditative procession along Eno River’s Riverwalk trail, with each piece doing its part to light the path toward warmer, brighter days ahead. 

The Solstice Market features local artists, live music and performances, interactive activities, hot drinks, and warm food for all to enjoy around the lantern walk. 

“Hillsborough’s Lantern Walk joins countless other solstice observations around the world and throughout history,” wrote Bridget Booher in Our State magazine in 2020. “Solstice rituals underscore that all things are passing — no matter how dark things may get, brighter days are ahead.”

 

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