Numerous festivals are held annually in North Carolina in honour of favourite foods, including apples, watermelons, seafood, turkey, pickles and collard greens.

Regional specialities:
• Sweet potato pie.
• Barbecue (pork barbecue with salty, vinegar sauce).

Student bars dominate the university towns of Chapel Hill, Durham and Raleigh; top rock bands appear at the Cat's Cradle Club in Carroboro. Charlotte offers a wide range of entertainment, including nightclubs and bars around the Uptown Entertainment District.

Browse for treasures in North Carolina's many antique stores. Explore the historic New Castle Street Arts and Antique District in downtown Wilmington. Brevard is popular for its many craft centres and shops. The world's largest furniture market is located in High Point near Winston-Salem, and the state is known as the ‘Furniture Capital of the World'.
Concord Mills, just north of Charlotte, has over 200 outlet and speciality shops, restaurants and a 24-screen cinema, while the Plaza-Midwood neighbourhood in Charlotte has dozens of eclectic and funky vintage stores.

Many farmers' markets, featuring home-grown and organic produce, can be found across the state (website: www.agr.state.nc.us/markets). Coastal towns and museums have numerous stores offering nautical gifts.