Entertainment

Sweet Valley Ranch brings back Dinosaur World

Details

Tuesday, 09 June 2026

Written by Tara Kamiya

Families from across the Southeast are planning their visit to Sweet Valley Ranch this summer as Dinosaur World enters its sixth season.
Located at Sweet Valley Ranch in Fayetteville at 2990 Sunnyside School Rd., Dinosaur World has become one of the ranch's most recognized attractions since opening in 2021. Ranch officials say interest in the attraction has increased significantly this year, helped by a recent social media post that reached more than 2.5 million views.
The increased attention has already brought visitors from neighboring states, including Tennessee and Virginia. Ranch officials expect even more families to travel to the area during the summer months.
Guests are attracted to more than just the dinosaur displays. Sweet Valley Ranch offers a wide variety of activities designed to create a full day of entertainment for visitors of all ages. Families can explore a quarter mile Dinosaur Trail featuring life-sized dinosaur exhibits while also enjoying many other attractions located throughout the property.
Admission includes access to the Dinosaur Trail, Ice Age Cave, Fossil Museum, Land of Enchantment, playgrounds, inflatables, and more than 350 animals that live on the ranch. Visitors also have the option to purchase additional experiences to customize their visit.
The attraction has become a popular destination for families looking for a day of outdoor recreation and learning. The combination of educational exhibits and hands-on activities has helped establish Dinosaur World as one of North Carolina's leading family attractions.
Sweet Valley Ranch says the attraction is now considered the largest permanent dinosaur attraction in North Carolina. With rising gas prices families are looking for those not too far away attractions that do not necessarily require a hotel stay or more than a tank of gas one way.
Several new additions are available for guests this season. One of the newest attractions is Tiny's Off-Road Adventure, which allows children to enjoy an off-road driving experience designed specifically for younger visitors. The ranch has also redesigned its Land of Enchantment area to create a more immersive environment for guests. In addition, visitors can now take part in e-bike tours through the property's Hills & Thrills experience.
For adults and couples, ranch officials recommend making the trip a full day outing. Along with Dinosaur World, guests can rent golf carts, participate in animal encounters, go fishing, and explore scenic areas throughout the property. The new e-bike tours offer another way for visitors to experience the farm together.
Guests looking for a longer stay can book one of the ranch's on-site Farmhouse Retreat cabins. Dinosaur World admission is included with overnight stays, giving visitors additional time to enjoy the attractions.
The growth of Dinosaur World reflects a larger trend of families seeking destinations that offer multiple activities in one location. By combining educational exhibits, outdoor recreation, animal encounters, and family entertainment, Sweet Valley Ranch has created an experience that appeals to a wide range of visitors.
The summer season is only part of the ranch's yearly calendar. After summer ends, guests will have several seasonal events to look forward to. This year, Sweet Valley Ranch plans to introduce a new Fall Festival. The ranch will also continue operating its popular Backwoods Terror Ranch haunted attraction during the fall season. During the holidays, the property will once again host its annual Festival of Lights. The event has become a tradition for many families throughout the region and serves as the final major attraction of the year.
With new activities, expanded experiences, and growing interest from visitors across state lines, Sweet Valley Ranch expects Dinosaur World to remain one of the area's top family destinations throughout the summer and beyond. For tickets and info, visit https://www.sweetvalleyranchnc.com/tickets

Local NFL star gives back to community with second Game Plan 2 Greatness Community Day

Details

Tuesday, 02 June 2026

Written by Lena Simmons

The Game Plan to Greatness Community Day is a free community empowerment event designed to bring families, youth, athletes, businesses and community organizations together for a day of connection, resources, wellness, mentorship and fun. The community day will be held at Festival Park, located at 225 Ray Ave., on June 13 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Event goers will have the opportunity to meet and greet two-time Super Bowl Cornerback champion Joshua Williams from the Tennessee Titans, along with running back Jaleel McLaughlin, Denver Broncos, and guard Kion Smith, Miami Dolphins. Photograph opportunities with Joshua Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin and Kion Smith will be available. Kwame Molden, cofounder and CEO of SPGBK (Spring Break), is a special guest of Game Plan to Greatness. The brand is deeply rooted in the culture of Fayetteville and celebrates historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Children under the age of 17 must be accompanied by an adult. ID will be checked to match registration. Game Plan to Greatness is a free event, but advanced registration is required. Visit https://bit.ly/4v81eLt to register. Participants need to sign a waiver prior to the event.
The Game Plan to Greatness Community Day was created for inspiration and the mentorship of youth. Family members have access to community resources, health, wellness, civic engagement, and positive and safe experiences within the Fayetteville community. Youth experiences include activities, community exhibitions and demonstrations.
Community impact is a large goal of Game Plan to Greatness. Through collaborations with businesses in the Cumberland County community, financial sponsorships, donations and volunteer support, this event is completely free for the community. Event goers will experience family activities, NFL players meet and greet, autographs, photo opportunities, vendors, youth games, youth activities, free haircuts and wellness services, food, entertainment and community exhibitions and demonstrations.
“Game Plan to Greatness is more than an event. It is a movement focused on empowering families, inspiring youth, and strengthening the community through connection, opportunity and service,” said Karen Clare and Chris Holden, GP2G-2 event coordinators. “Game Plan to Greatness Community Day was born from the vision that Josh Williams shared with his aunties Karen Clare and Tonia-Clare Jones, along with a fraternity brother, Chris Holden. What started as a conversation about giving back to the city that helped shape him quickly evolved into a powerful community movement which centered around sports, mentorships, wellness, opportunity and unity.”
Williams has multiple Super Bowl rings with the Kansas City Chiefs. He was drafted in 2022 and began making an impact on the team. His first recorded interception was against the San Francisco 49ers in a week 7 matchup that year.
The cornerback won back-to-back championships during his time with the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowls LVII and LVIII, recording a total of six tackles between the two games. He is a graduate of Jack Britt High School and Fayetteville State University. Williams is the first player from FSU to be drafted during the regular portion of the draft. He is currently playing for the Tennessee Titans.
“Josh’s goal has always been bigger than football. He wanted to create an experience where young people can see successful hometown athletes who look like them, connect with positive role models, and have access to resources, encouragement, and unforgettable experiences…. all completely free for the community. He wanted families to feel seen, supported and celebrated,” said Clare and Holden.
“We are deeply honored that Josh trusted us to help coordinate this event for the second year in a row. Putting on a completely free event of this magnitude is no easy task, but this labor of love is rooted in genuine community impact. Not everyone truly wants to ‘put on’ for the community the way Josh does.”
Willams will be joined at the event by Jaleel McLaughlin of the Denver Broncos and Kion Smith of the Miami Dolphins. McLaughlin is a native of Marshville, NC. Smith played football at Lumberton High School and FSU.
“To bring in two additional hometown talents like McLaughlin and Smith, who share the exact same vision of giving back, is what this event is about. These young men understand the importance of coming home, inspiring the next generation, and showing our youth that greatness can come from Fayetteville,” said Clare and Holden. ”Josh is such a humble, high-character individual whose purpose extends far beyond the field. His heart for service, leadership and community makes the event incredibly meaningful, and the city absolutely deserves this kind of positive investment, love and energy.”
Do not miss this opportunity to meet some local NFL stars and enjoy a day of family-friendly fun. Be part of a community celebration that inspires and uplifts. All ages are welcome. For more information, contact Karen Clare via email at gameplantogreatness@gmail.com.

(Joshua Williams, Super Bowl winning cornerback, signs autographs during the first Game Plan to Greatness event in Fayetteville. Williams and his friends created the event as a way to give back to his community. Photo courtesy of Game Plan to Greatness)

Gilbert Theater's Playfest keeps theater fresh

Details

Tuesday, 02 June 2026

Written by Amber Little

The Gilbert Theater’s annual PlayFest is back for its thirteenth year. The highly anticipated event of the summer theater season, PlayFest is a three-day play festival featuring plays by North Carolina playwrights and actors. This year’s event will be held from June 26 to 28. Friday and Saturday night shows are at 8 p.m., and Sunday’s show is at 2 p.m. There are no advance ticket sales. Tickets are purchased at the door for a minimum donation of $10.
Started in the summer of 2013 by former Artistic Director Robyne Parrish, PlayFest was created in an effort to highlight the up-and-coming playwrights from the local area and state. It’s also become an opportunity for actors who have previously not been cast in the regular season to have time on the stage and showcase their talent. Since Parrish’s time as AD, her predecessors have continued the tradition and brought the hidden talents to the stage for the world to see.
The process of choosing the plays is the task of a few committees. The first is responsible for taking in applications. The second is tasked with reading and selecting the plays. This committee also gives feedback to the playwrights whose work was not chosen. Once selections have been made, playwrights are offered the opportunity to direct their own plays or pass the torch on to someone else who has shown interest in directing. From the beginning to the end, the creators of these works are completely involved. It’s a true artistic collaboration between writer and theater.
PlayFest isn’t just about the plays. It’s about the people. It’s a chance for those who have been thinking about taking on new roles in the theater to take the reins and grow in their skills and passion.
In the past, there have been 5 plays featured for the weekend, but this year is setting a record with seven. This year’s lineup includes:
Mama, I Love You by E.J. Batiste
Olive Juice by Michael Houck
The Archive by Cas Corum
Leaping Tall Buildings by Steven Roten
Dawn is Daying by Larry Bliss
Mom Bomb by F.J. Hartland
The Ending by Molly Kate Babos
Organizers have made sure there is something for everyone, including fantasy, comedy and drama. While current Artistic Director, Matt Lamb, says that it’s been all hands on deck, no one has worked harder to put this year’s festival together than Gilbert’s resident grant writer, officer manager, lighting director, and all things in between, MacKenzie Ulibarri. Because of her hard work and dedication, the Gilbert received a grant from the Arts Council of Fayetteville|Cumberland County to help with PlayFest.
PlayFest and the thousands of similar events around the country are gateways to future Broadway and Hollywood stars. They provide a space for playwrights to see their words come to life. For those who submitted their work and were not chosen, Lamb passes on words of wisdom, “...You have to accept the word ‘no.’ But that doesn’t mean forever. Even though this door closed, another will open. Keep submitting your work, keep being a part of the arts, don’t let it discourage you. There are thousands upon thousands of different festivals that you can submit your work to. And you never know what might happen. So continue to submit your stuff and keep working on it. And who knows, it might open up a door to something a little different. So your 10-minute play may become a 30-minute play or a screenplay. You never know. So always, always, always, keep working.”
Make sure to follow Gilbert Theater on social media and check out their upcoming summer lineup, including Gilbert Glee’s production of Annie Jr., June 13 and 14. For more information, visit https://www.gilberttheater.com/

More than a game: United Way Classic is bringing Fayetteville, Fort Bragg together one basket at a time

Details

Tuesday, 02 June 2026

Written by Jamie Bishop

There are easier ways to raise money than organizing a basketball game between soldiers, police officers and firefighters. Easier than coordinating military leadership, city officials, nonprofits, sponsors, mascots, halftime entertainment, security logistics and thousands of tickets. Easier than trying to transform the Crown Coliseum at 1960 Coliseum Dr. into what amounts to a citywide celebration of community connection.
But easy was never really the point.
On Friday, June 12, at 7:05 p.m., the United Way of Cumberland County will debut the first-ever United Way Classic, a charity basketball showdown featuring teams from Fort Bragg and Fayetteville’s police and fire departments. Tickets are $10, and according to organizers, every dollar raised will stay in Cumberland County to support local nonprofits and community programs.
The game itself may be new, but the idea behind it has been quietly building for years.
“Probably about this time last year, we were having conversations on post and with city leaders about how we better connect people on post with resources off post,” said Scott Embry, Executive Director of United Way of Cumberland County.
Like many who live in Fayetteville long enough, Embry understands the strange geography that exists between the city and the installation beside it. Fort Bragg and Fayetteville depend on one another in countless ways, yet daily life can still feel divided by gates, schedules and separate routines.
Once service members are on post, Embry said, awareness of what exists outside those gates can become surprisingly limited.
“It’s a little bit of an ecosystem,” he said. “Sometimes there’s not as much awareness of what’s happening off post.”
The conversations eventually evolved into something bigger than outreach brochures or another formal fundraiser. Basketball entered the discussion almost naturally.
“We are a young market,” Embry said with a laugh. “Basketball is king in North Carolina. I think it just came out of this desire to collaborate and build awareness and bring people together in a way we haven’t ever done before.”
The result is what may become one of the most unexpectedly ambitious nonprofit events Fayetteville has attempted in years. The United Way Classic is not simply a basketball game. It is being built as an experience, part sporting event, part family festival, part civic celebration. Doors open at 6 p.m., nearly an hour before tipoff, and organizers are promising a packed evening that stretches far beyond the game itself.
The USO and the Cumberland County Literacy Council will host a Family Fun Zone featuring mascots from across the county. A pregame story time tied to the Dolly Parton Imagination Library will give children ages 0 to 5 a free book to take home. Fayetteville Liberty basketball players will perform skill demonstrations and a dunk contest before the opening whistle. And according to Embry, there is still much he refuses to reveal.
“If I could advertise everything that’s going to happen that night, we probably would’ve sold all 10,000 tickets already,” he said. “There are things we just can’t announce yet.”
He grinned while saying it, though he hinted repeatedly throughout the conversation that attendees should expect surprises from the national anthem to halftime performances and in-game experiences.
“People are going to consistently say, ‘Oh, I wasn’t expecting that,’” Embry said.
But beneath the entertainment sits something far more serious. Last year alone, United Way of Cumberland County served more than 23,000 active-duty military members and their families through local support services and nonprofit partnerships.
“A lot of people think if you’re a soldier, you’re automatically taken care of,” Embry said. “But younger enlisted families face many of the same struggles that young families outside the gates face.”
Food insecurity, rising costs, unstable housing and financial strain do not stop at the installation boundary. Embry said that realization became one of the emotional drivers behind the event.
“The struggle is real,” he said quietly, referencing a sermon series from his pastor. “When you’re in a season of struggle, you need help. And you need to know where the resources are.”
For United Way, the Classic became an opportunity to create awareness without centering on crisis. Rather than asking people to attend another banquet or formal campaign luncheon, organizers wanted to create something energetic, communal, and memorable.
“Words matter. Pictures matter,” Embry said. “But experiences make a lasting impact.”
That philosophy has shaped nearly every decision surrounding the event. Instead of focusing solely on fundraising totals, organizers are emphasizing participation and visibility — creating an evening where residents can encounter nonprofits, community resources and civic organizations organically while cheering on their teams.
And Fayetteville, Embry believes, was uniquely built for this type of event.
“The relationship between the military and this community created a unique opportunity,” he said.
That relationship has also fueled an unusually broad coalition of support. More than 25 sponsors and partner organizations have contributed to making the event possible, led by presenting sponsor Cape Fear Valley Health. Because sponsorship costs are covering operations, 100 percent of every ticket sold will go directly back into Cumberland County nonprofits.
“If we sell 10,000 tickets, that’s $100,000 staying right here in this community,” Embry said.
The funds will support programs connected to the United Way network, which currently helps fund dozens of local nonprofit initiatives focused on youth development, food security, housing stability and family support.
“We do not send money outside Cumberland County,” Embry emphasized. “When people support this event, they’re supporting their neighbors.”
Even the merchandise was designed with community identity in mind. Limited-edition Team Fort Bragg and Team Fayetteville shirts and hats are available online, including military-inspired minimalist designs. Embry said soldiers specifically requested these so they could wear them during physical training.
“We’re not trying to make money off merch,” he said. “We just want people to pick a team, wear their shirt and have a good time.”
Embry hopes the first United Way Classic becomes an annual tradition, though he suspects future tickets may become harder to secure once people experience the inaugural event firsthand.
“I think once people come, they won’t miss another one,” he said.
Then he paused, sounding less like an executive director and more like someone genuinely excited to see his city come together.
“When people leave that night,” Embry said, “I want them to feel hopeful. Hopeful that when a community chooses to live united, we really can do something impactful together.”
For tickets and merchandise visit https://www.unitedway-cc.org/united-way-basketball-classic.html

(Images courtesy of the Crown Complex)