News Digest for Town of Carrboro, NC 

(Sept. 24, 2025) 

Fall has come to Carrboro! We can all look forward to the days getting shorter, the weather cooling off, and the Carrboro Music Festival, of course! The festival kickoff is set for Saturday and segues into the full festival on Sunday with music featured at venues all over town.  Also in this issue, Town Manager Patrice Toney brought together more than 90 dedicated employees of the Town of Carrboro for a spirited “Carrboro Forward” celebration — an event designed to honor accomplishments, welcome new team members, and set the tone for the year ahead. Did you know? Carrboro’s workforce serves the community across an impressive array of departments. Feel free to explore career opportunities with the Town of Carrboro! 

Carrboro Music Festival - Lots of music, 

all around town, all for free!

The 28th Carrboro Music Festival is almost here! Lots of music, all around town, all for free! 

This fun event is free for everyone to enjoy. We start our kick-off event on Saturday, Sept. 27 with an Open Mic at Town Commons from 2 to 4 p.m. and then a show at the Cat’s Cradle later in the evening featuring Whoop and a supporting act. 

The Carrboro Music Festival's main event starts at 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 28 with live performances at various venues around Carrboro. The Hip-Hop and Grooves stage starts at 2 p.m. in the Back Room of the Cat’s Cradle featuring 13 acts. 

Carrboro’s All America City (AAC) Award  Celebration occurs at Sunday's start of the Carrboro Music Festival at 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 28, in the Drakeford Performance Space.  followed by the Triangle Jazz Orchestra. A special guest for the celebration is All-America City Award Director Rebecca Trout who will share aspects of Carrboro deserving of national recognition that were noted by a panel of judges.  Learn more about Carrboro's AAC win.

We have interactive and educational workshops available during the event as well. 

• For workshop times and all other Carrboro Music Festival information please visit Carrboromusicfestival.com . 
• You can also download the free Carrboro Music Festival App on your smartphone 

Getting Around

• Each year, the Carrboro Music Festival draws a large number of attendees.  Please consider alternative modes of transportation when accessing the event.
• Take the Bus Shuttle - The Town of Carrboro has partnered with Chapel Hill Transit to provide a free shuttle for festival-goers.  The shuttle will run on Sunday from 12 to 9 p.m. from the Jones Ferry Road Park & Ride Lot, located just south of the intersection of Old Fayetteville Road and Jones Ferry Road across from the entrance to Poplar Place Apartment Homes and beside University Lake Road.
• Shuttle service will run approximately every 15-20 minutes and drop-off locations exist near most of the music venues.
• Check the festival website for additional parking options. 

Carrboro Forward: Staff Celebration Brings Energy, Recognition and Vision to the Year Ahead 

CARRBORO, NC — Town Manager Patrice Toney brought together more than 90 dedicated employees of the Town of Carrboro for a spirited “Carrboro Forward” celebration — an event designed to honor accomplishments, welcome new team members, and set the tone for the year ahead.

Hosted at The Drakeford on Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025, the gathering blended community spirit with professional pride. Staff enjoyed a relaxed lunch, celebrated the remarkable contributions of their coworkers, and heard updates on exciting projects shaping Carrboro’s future. Laughter and applause filled the room — and even the dance floor, as employees jumped in for a lively “Boots on the Ground” line dance that captured Carrboro’s signature mix of fans, fun, and fellowship.

The event also featured a special presentation by Taylor Gay, Business Success Navigator with the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce, as part of the Town’s Community Conversations professional development series. This program provides staff with tools, inspiration, and fresh perspectives to strengthen their knowledge of services in the Carrboro community.

“Carrboro Forward is about more than looking back at what we’ve achieved,” said Town Manager Patrice Toney. “It’s about celebrating the people who make it possible — our staff — and creating momentum as we build a stronger, more connected future together.”

Did you know? Carrboro’s workforce serves the community across an impressive array of departments — including the Town Manager’s Office (featuring the Race and Equity and Climate Action teams), Public Works, Planning, Housing and Community Services, Information Technology, Carrboro Police, Carrboro Fire-Rescue, Human Resources, Communication and Engagement, and Finance. Every day, these teams work behind the scenes and on the front lines to keep Carrboro thriving.

Want to join this incredible team?
Explore career opportunities with the Town of Carrboro at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/carrboro

🆕 New Employees: Deputy Chief David LaPlante, Fire-Rescue; Lany Newman, Economic Development; Aaron Kienow, Climate Action; Junika Jones, Crisis Diversion Worker/CARE Team; Matt Simon, GIS; Grayce Curry, Recreation, Parks and Cultural Resources

🌟 Spotlight on Stars: Eve Greene, Communication & Engagement; Monrita Hughes and Junika Jones, CARE Team

🏅 Tropical Storm Chantal Commendations: Fire, Police and Public Works Teams

4th Amendment Workplace Training

The Town of Carrboro's Economic Development Department hosted a 4th Amendment Workshop led by Siembra NC on Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025. It was attended by a combination of Town employees and business owners from Carrboro. 

The Town of Carrboro became the first city in North Carolina to proclaim itself as a 4th Amendment Workplace, an effort to ensure respect for the Constitution and discourage federal overreach into local communities.

The 4th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States reads in full: “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.” 

• To learn more about Siembra NC’s 4^th Amendment initiative visit: https://4thworkplace.org
• View the Town’s Newsflash: https://www.carrboronc.gov/civicalerts.aspx?aid=3003

Plant Milkweed, Save Monarchs:

Pick Up Free Seeds Oct. 4

Monarch butterflies need our help. Their population in the U.S. has dropped sharply since the 1990s, and Carrboro is taking action by joining the Mayors’ Monarch Pledge. One simple way you can make a difference is by planting native milkweed this fall.

Why Milkweed Matters

Monarchs rely exclusively on milkweed as a food source for their larvae and eating it makes them poisonous to predators. 

Get Free Seeds

Pick up a free packet of native milkweed seeds at the food waste drop-off station during the Carrboro Farmers’ Market on Saturday, Oct. 4.

How to Plant

Planting is easy:

• Sprinkle the seeds in a pot or on soil in your yard.
• Cover lightly with a few inches of loosely packed mulch or straw.
• Water lightly.
• Let nature do the rest! The seeds will sprout in spring.

Choose Native Varieties

When planting, be sure to choose native milkweed species. Native plants are adapted to the local environment and provide food and habitat for a wide range of local pollinators. For more information on native milkweeds in North Carolina, the "Milkweeds of the Southeast" publication from the Xerces Society is a great resource. 

Celebrate Walk & Roll to School Day with Carrboro

Mayor Barbara Foushee will proclaim Wednesday, Oct. 8 as the 29th Annual National Walk & Roll to School Day in Carrboro.

Communities participate in Walk & Roll to School Day to encourage all forms of active transportation to school and to inspire local action to create habits, policies, and environments that support students walking to and from school. 

Mayor Foushee will lead a walk, ride, and roll to school on Oct. 8 with students and parents from Wilson Park to Carrboro Elementary School. 

Anyone looking to walk, ride, and roll to school with the mayor should meet at the bike repair stand at Wilson Park, 101 Wilson St., between 7 and 7:15 a.m. There will be a group photo before the group begins to Walk & Roll to School at 7:20 a.m. The participants should arrive at Carrboro Elementary by 7:35 a.m.

Learn more: 

Author Event: Frances Shetley's New Book "Vignettes"

Join us for a special book reading and a celebration of Carrboro history with longtime resident and author, Frances Shetley! 

On Friday, Oct. 24, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Frances will read from her new book, "Vignettes." The book is a collection of true stories from her life, starting on her father's farm in Calvander and continuing through her years living in and around Carrboro. 

At 98 years old, Frances has seen Carrboro grow and transform. A former alderwoman and the namesake of the Frances Shetley bike path, her stories capture the town's history through lively accounts of farming, family, technology, and civic engagement. As she writes in the story "Frances and the Pink Bulldozer," "I know how to make my mark." 

This is a unique opportunity to hear a master storyteller share her personal history and the history of our community. 

The event will be held on the third floor of the Drakeford Library Complex at 203 S. Greensboro Street in Carrboro. Light refreshments will be served. 

Town Council Update

The Carrboro Town Council will meet for a regularly scheduled meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025. 

The Town Council meets at Carrboro Town Hall, 301 W. Main St. Members of the public are welcome to attend in person or can view the livestream.

• The agenda for this meeting is available  online 
• Watch the meeting live on  YouTube . 

Past Meeting Recap 

The Carrboro Town Council met on Tuesday, Sept. 16, and took actions on the following items:

• Heard proclamations for the All-America City Award for the Town of Carrboro, School for People Under Six 55th Anniversary Celebration, Diaper Need Awareness Week, and American Pharmacists Month
• Authorized the Town Manager to Execute a Supplemental Agreement with NCDOT for the Bicycle Loop Detector Project 
• Authorized the Town Manager to Initiate an agreement with NCDOT for the Bike Plan Group Project to  construct three projects: a sidepath along the southwest end of Shelton Street, restriping East Poplar Avenue to create a pedestrian lane, and restriping the 100 Block Maple Avenue to create a contraflow lane.
• Deferred consideration to approve a request for a permit extension for Phase 1 of Lloyd Farm development at 700 and 706 Old Fayetteville Road to a future meeting on Oct. 7.
• Set a public hearing for Oct. 21, 2025, to consider adopting the Downtown Area Plan, which explores opportunities for growth in the downtown area and along Jones Ferry Road in line with the Carrboro Connects Comprehensive Plan.
• Held a legislative public hearing on Land Use Ordinance Text Amendments Relating to Advisory Board and Commissions.
• Received an update on the Town’s response before, during and after Tropical Storm Chantal, its financial impact on the Town’s budget, and plans for EV/Hybrid vehicle replacements and EV chargers.
• Received an update on the 2025 Green Neighborhoods Grant Program.
• Made appointment to the Tourism Development Authority (Aaron Nelson) and the Climate & Environmental Advisory Commission (Jeff Gannon and Charm Wheaton).

• Watch the livestream on YouTube.
• Learn more by reading the full Town Council Update .

Carrboro Celebrates American

Pharmacists Month

Mayor Barbara Foushee proclaims October 2025 as American Pharmacists Month in Carrboro.

Pharmacists and student pharmacists from the University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy actively serve the Carrboro community through outreach events, including providing free blood pressure and blood glucose screenings at the Carrboro Farmers Market multiple times each year.

During these events, pharmacists and student pharmacists counsel patients on how to interpret their readings and empower them with practical strategies to improve their health, including non-pharmacologic approaches such as diet, exercise and lifestyle modifications.

These services make preventive health care more accessible to Carrboro residents, while strengthening awareness of medication use, chronic disease management, and wellness

Pharmacists’ expertise in medication therapy management, combined with their accessibility in the community, positions them as key partners in improving health outcomes and reducing healthcare costs.

Carrboro residents are encouraged to recognize and celebrate the valuable contributions of pharmacists and student pharmacists in our community.

Read the full proclamation.

EV Event for National Drive Electric Month happening in Carrboro

Come out to learn more about electric vehicles at an event of National Drive Electric Month from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 4 in the parking lot for the Carrboro Century Center located at 101 N. Greensboro St. 

Electric vehicles – you see them on the road, but have you ever been in one? Do you wonder how they work? This is a casual opportunity to check out these rides and speak with experts. Look inside some Town of Carrboro and Town of Chapel Hill EVs and speak with local EV owners who are excited to share their experience. 

This event is organized by the Town of Carrboro, Orange County, and the Town of Chapel Hill, along with EV drivers from the community. 

Find public parking here. Note that Carr Mill Mall is for mall customers and is not a public parking lot. Leaving the mall premises after parking risks towing. 

National Drive Electric Month, Sept. 12 to Oct. 12, 2025, is a nationwide celebration to raise awareness of the many benefits of all-electric and plug-in hybrid cars, trucks, motorcycles, and more. National Drive Electric Month is presented by Plug In America, Electric Vehicle Association, Sierra Club, EVHybridNoire, and Drive Electric USA.

Carrboro to update the Safe Routes 

to School Strategic Action Plan

The Town of Carrboro Planning Department is working to update its Safe Routes to School Strategic Action Plan with funding support from a North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Safe Routes to School Non-Infrastructure Grant. This plan will guide efforts to make it safer, easier, and more enjoyable for students to walk, bike, or roll to school at Carrboro Elementary School, McDougle Elementary School, Morris Grove Elementary School, McDougle Middle School, and Carrboro High School. 

As part of the planning process, the project team will:

• Evaluate how students are currently getting to school.
• Listen to residents, parents, school staff, and community members about their needs and ideas.
• Develop strategies and action steps—such as new sidewalks, safer crossings, or programs like a walking school bus—to support safe, active travel. 

Why update the plan now? 

Carrboro’s last Safe Routes to School Strategic Action Plan was adopted in 2012. A lot has changed since then! Today, the Town is focused on:

• Addressing current safety concerns and infrastructure needs around our schools.
• Supporting healthy habits by encouraging more walking, biking, and rolling.
• Reducing traffic congestion and stress during school drop-off and pick-up times.

Project Schedule

• Fall 2025: Review existing Town policies and the 2012 plan; collect data on student travel patterns; engage families, schools, and community members through surveys, school walk audits, and pop-up events.
• Winter 2025: Draft an updated plan that identifies priority routes, safety improvements, and programs for each of Carrboro’s five schools.
• Spring 2026: Share the draft plan with the community for public review and feedback before adoption.

How can you get involved?

Your voice is essential—whether your child walks, rides the bus, or carpools. Visit our project website to:

• Tell us about your school travel experience.
• Share ideas for programs and identify areas that feel unsafe.
• Join upcoming school and community events. 
• Project website: Engage Carrboro

 Together, we can make Carrboro’s routes to school safer, healthier, and more enjoyable for everyone. 

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

2025 Fall Recreation, Parks and Cultural Resources Program Guide 

The Carrboro Recreation, Parks, & Cultural Resources Department’s Fall program brochure is now available! This includes registration for the 2025-2026 Youth Basketball Leagues.

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.