🧵 In Today’s Edition

1. The Weekender
2. Free Comic Book Day in Downtown Greensboro
3. Around the State

Your Guide to Getting Out There This Weekend

While there’s rain in the forecast, it may not be enough to deter people from getting outside. This weekend, we’ve got an array of events including a plant sale, live music and dancing, a celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander culture, a chance at free comic books, and more. Let’s get to it.

FRIDAY, MAY 2

Passalong Plant Sale @ NC Cooperative Extension – Guilford Center

On Friday through Saturday afternoon, plant enthusiasts can visit the Guilford County branch of the state’s cooperative extension to buy an array of perennials, natives, pollinator plants, shrubs, trees, and houseplants. Extension Master Gardener volunteers will be on-site to answer any questions. Shopping on Friday morning requires registration. Learn more here.

Local Folk GSO Summer Tour Kick-Off @ Natty Greene’s
5:15 p.m.

In anticipation of this year’s Folk Festival, organizers have scheduled an evening of free live music at Natty Greene’s. Visitors will be the first to experience this year’s festival lineup and hear local talent. Learn more here.

The Guitar Shop Off Elm Street Grand Opening @ 108 Bain Street
6 p.m.

If you’re more inclined to play music rather than watch, why not check out Greensboro’s newest guitar shop, located right across the street from Mellow Mushroom? Live music will be playing and visitors will have an opportunity to talk to the owners. Learn more here.

Celebrating AAPI Month @ 200 N. Davie Street
6-9 p.m.

To celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, locals can shop and try food vendors, watch Montagnard and Cambodian dance performances, view a film panel discussion, and witness live painting at this weekend’s First Friday event. Learn more here. 

Noches Latinas with Maria Gonzalez and Casa Azul of Greensboro @ LeBauer Park
6:30-9:45 p.m.

Once you’ve had your fill of Asian food and finished watching dance performances, why not try your hand at some moves in the park? Casa Azul will be hosting an evening of Latin dancing, including salsa, merengue, bachata, and more. Lessons start at 6:30 and social dancing starts an hour later. Learn more here.

Jim Henson’s Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock Live! @ Tanger Center
7 p.m.

If musical theater is more your speed, travel back in time to the eighties with Jim Henson’s Fraggle Rock live on stage at the Tanger Center. The show brings the beloved puppets to life with musical numbers and dancing fit for the whole family. Tickets on sale here.

SATURDAY, MAY 3

10th Annual Wheels on the Greenway @ Woven Works Park
9 a.m.-1 p.m.

This free community event celebrates wheels of all kinds, including bikes, trikes, scooters, rollerblades, skateboards, strollers, and wagons. Join the fun by hitting the downtown greenway, where interactive activities like cycle demos, helmet giveaways, repair stations, and skateboard demos will keep participants moving and grooving. On-site refreshments by local vendors will be available as well. Learn more here.

Family Fun Festival @ LeBauer Park
10 a.m.-2 p.m.

This varied festival downtown has everything to keep your kids entertained. Bounce houses, inflatable basketball, a paper palace, magicians, and more will be available. Free for all, the event will also feature local food trucks and snacks. Learn more here.

Sky Watch for Audubon Spring Bird Count @ 6062 N. Church Street
1-3 p.m.

Bird enthusiasts who have ever wanted to improve their identifying skills will get a crash course from Haw River State Park staff. Visitors will learn bird-ID basics for identifying raptors and other types of birds based on their silhouettes, flight patterns, and more. Drop in anytime, no registration required. Learn more here.

SUNDAY, MAY 4

Get the Tea at CAN-NC! Designing Functional Teapots
10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Starting on May 4, the Creative Aging Network will host a 6-week class for participants to create their own functional teapot. Students will learn how to throw a pot on the wheel and then shape, assemble, and finish their pots from start to pour. Prior wheel-throwing experience is helpful but not required. Registration can be found here.

Greensboro Food Truck Festival 2025 @ 203 N. Church Street
2-8 p.m.

It’s back. The yearly free food truck festival that draws thousands of hungry stomachs returns to Greensboro this Sunday. More than 50 food trucks offering everything from ice cream to hot chicken to noodles to crab cakes to dumplings to lobster rolls and more will entice customers. But beware, lines get long and waits can take a while, so get there early if you can. Learn more here.

–Sayaka Matsuoka

Thanks for reading The Thread, a 3x week newsletter written by Greensboro editor Joe Killian and reporters Sayaka Matsuoka and Gale Melcher. Reach us with tips or ideas at greensboro@theassemblync.com.

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(Photo: Gale Melcher for The Thread)

Free Comic Book Day in Downtown Greensboro

Acme Comics, which opened in 1983, is hosting a block party with other local businesses on Saturday to celebrate Free Comic Book Day. Acme Comics’ downtown location at 335 S. Davie St. will unlock its doors at 11 a.m. and give away free comics, co-owner Ben Roberts told The Thread. Nearby businesses will host other events throughout the day.

“This is truly a community event,” Roberts said.

This interview has been edited for clarity.

What can people expect from the event? 

We’ve partnered up with a lot of our friends in Hamburger Square: Natty Greene’s, Chandler’s, Little Brother Brewing, Design Archives, Grey’s Tavern. They’re going to have Free Comic Book Day-inspired events. Chandler’s will have a bunch of cool, really professional cosplayers coming out for Breakfast with Spiderman and friends. At noon, local comic book artist Ben Hill will be doing a class for kids on how to make their own comic, and they’ll be able to leave with their own artwork. We and Design Archives have curated a vendor market that’s going to be covering almost all of Elm Street right there at the Hamburger Square intersection. There’s going to be 40+ vendors and artists. Natty Greene’s will have music and drink specials, and so will Grey’s Tavern. One of the things I’m most excited about: Little Brother Brewing is the original Acme Comics location, where it opened up in 1983. We’ll have an Acme Comics history installation there.

How did you become interested in comic books? When I was very young, I would spend a lot of time with my grandfather, and he would take me to Acme Comics. It’s basically how I learned to read. I just kind of got hooked. Comics are amazing, it’s like seeing a movie with an unlimited budget—anything and everything can happen.

What are people reading these days? Because comics can be made so quickly, even faster than a movie, they’re usually on the pulse of what’s going on in the world, even more so than anything else. I would say, a couple of years ago, no one wanted to know anything about Superman. Superman was for older people. Now with this new James Gunn movie, there are kids wanting to know about Superman. That’s really fascinating because of—if I can get a little nerdy about it—what Superman means. He’s supposed to be the best of us. He makes a choice every day to be a good person. It’s cool to see people interested in that character and what he’s about.

Why should people read comic books? It’s such an interesting and fascinating way to tell a story. It can take you anywhere.

What advice do you have for people who are interested in getting into comic books but aren’t sure where to start? 

You don’t have to start at the beginning. Talk to a comic book store employee. That’s my favorite part of the job—connecting people with good stories. We love giving recommendations, finding out your tastes, and even if you come in and you don’t want to see a superhero, it’s guaranteed that there is a comic you will find and you will love.

–Gale Melcher

Read this newsletter online or contact The Thread team with tips and feedback at greensboro@theassemblync.com.

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Gale is a Report for America corps member and Greensboro-based reporter for The Assembly. She previously covered local government and community issues for Triad City Beat. She holds a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from N.C. State University.

Sayaka Matsuoka is a Greensboro-based reporter for The Assembly. She was formerly the managing editor for Triad City Beat, an alt-weekly based in Greensboro. She has reported for INDY Week, The Bitter Southerner, and Nerdist, and is the editorial/diversity chair for AAN Publishers.