News Digest for Town of Carrboro, NC 

(Jan. 6, 2026) 

Happy New Year, Carrboro! January is a time for reflection and celebration. January 5 was Elizabeth Cotten Day in Carrboro (and her birthday). Join us on Saturday, Jan. 17 for the Youth Led Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration. We look forward to all the wonderful things happening in Carrboro in 2026!

Carrboro Celebrates Elizabeth Cotten Day

Legendary North Carolina musician Elizabeth “Libba” Cotten was feted by her hometown with her very own day on her birthday anniversary. 

Mayor Barbara Foushee is officially proclaiming Sunday, Jan. 5, 2026, as “Elizabeth Cotten Day” in Carrboro. 

Read the full proclamation online.

The Town of Carrboro is pleased to announce that a special celebration of Ms. Cotten is planned for the opening concert of the Freight Train Blues Concert Series on May 15, 2026. The concert series is produced by the Music Maker Foundation with support from the Town of Carrboro. The free evening concerts honor Cotten’s legacy in the world of roots music by emphasizing the cultural diversity, complexity, and vitality of her music and the music of many other artists local to her community and all over the country. 

Learn more Elizabeth Cotten and Freight Train Blues.

Announcing the Poets Party!

The Town of Carrboro announces the Poets Party from 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 10. in the performance space at the Drakeford Library Complex, 203 S. Greensboro St. 

Join us for a farewell to the current Carrboro Poet Laureate, Liza Wolff-Francis, and to welcome our new Poet Laureate, Dr. Amanda Bennett. 

Read more about Dr. Bennett at https://www.carrboronc.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=3138&

The evening will include readings by many local poets along with the poet laureates. Enjoy refreshments and a wine bar throughout the event. Come and celebrate poetry!

Free and open to the public.

Poet Laureate Announced for Carrboro

 Dr. Amanda Bennett, a poet, cultural critic, and public humanities practitioner, has been selected to be the ninth Poet Laureate for the Town of Carrboro. Bennett will be the first Black woman to serve as Carrboro Poet Laureate.

About Carrboro Poet Laureate Dr. Amanda Bennett

Dr. Amanda Bennett (she/her) is a poet, cultural critic, and scholar of Black feminist thought whose work centers care, testimony, and collective imagination. She is the author of Working the Roots (Querencia Press, 2025). She currently serves as a Postdoctoral Fellow in Grant Operations Management and Creative Engagement with the Arts & Humanities Grant Studio at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Bennett’s work is grounded in public humanities, bringing scholarly insight into everyday community spaces through poetry, deep listening, and collaborative cultural practice. For over five years, she has hosted community poetry workshops and open mics across North Carolina centering care, healing, and collective imagination. She created and led the series Poetry as Pedagogy: Finding Healing and Community through Writing, featuring nationally recognized poets such as Crystal Simone Smith and Chet’la Sebree, and developed the Black Feminist Summer School through her education consulting collective, define&empower.

Her poetry and criticism appear in Obsidian: Literature & Arts in the African Diaspora, Frontiers: A Journal of Women Studies, Triangle Poetry Twenty Twenty One, Jellyfish Poetry, Murder Journal, and Feminist Making, Sensing, and Doing, among others. She has performed at venues including Charis Books & More in Atlanta and Epilogue Books and Attic 506 in Chapel Hill.

Bennett also writes Woo in the Real World, a Substack that explores the intersections of spirituality, scholarship, and everyday life, reflecting her belief that poetry is a living practice of care, communion, and transformation.

Learn more about the Poet Laureate for Carrboro.

Join the 2nd Friday Art Walk on Jan. 9

Join the 2nd Friday Art Walk around downtown Carrboro and Chapel Hill on Friday, Jan. 9.

Explore art galleries, artist studios, shops and restaurants. There will also be live music, performances, spoken word poetry and more. Venues are generally open late afternoon and evening hours. Exhibits at Carrboro Town Hall and the Drakeford Library Complex are open from 6 to 8 p.m. 

Check out the participating venues and their exhibitions.

Coffee with a Cop (and Tea)

Join the Carrboro Police Department at Oasis Botanical Lounge & Coffee Shop,  200 N Greensboro St, Ste A5, on Monday, Jan. 12 from 3 p.m. to5 p.m. for Coffee with a Cop (and Tea)!

Come by and enjoy a hot cup of coffee, or tea, on us. Ask questions, meet your local officers, and hang out. We hope to see you there!

Save the Date: Carrboro Event Honoring Martin Luther King Jr.

Join us on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, at 1 p.m. in Century Hall located at the Carrboro Century Center, 100 N. Greensboro St. Carrboro, NC 27510 to hear from speakers and friends of the community gather for the Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration. 

Activities include trivia, youth speakers, Performances by Sisters Voices Choir and SkyBlew, and more!

This youth led event strives to bring the community together to celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 

Dr. Martin Luther King Day Youth Poetry Exhibition

Celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by submitting a poem to be a part of our Dr. Martin Luther King Day Youth Poetry Exhibition. Elementary, Middle and High School students in Orange County, NC are invited to submit original poems emphasizing Dr. King's core values such as kindness, acceptance, compassion, social justice, unity, equality and civic responsibility. 

Selected submissions will be displayed at the poetry exhibition, and one participant will be awarded the opportunity to speak at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day event on Saturday, Jan. 17. 

Participation is free, and submissions are now being accepted online. For more information and to submit a poem, please review the online entry form.

Carrboro Announces Green Neighborhoods Grants: Apply Today!

The Town of Carrboro is officially inviting residents to help lead the charge against climate change. Applications are now open for the Green Neighborhoods Grant Program, offering up to $25,000 to fund community-driven projects that make Carrboro a greener, more resilient place to live. 

Empowering Local Action 

Rooted in the Carrboro Community Climate Action Plan adopted in 2017, the program is designed to move climate action from the Town Hall directly into neighborhoods. The grant prioritizes projects that benefit low-income communities and communities of color—groups often disproportionately affected by the impacts of climate change. 

“What makes this program truly unique is that instead of telling neighborhoods how to fight climate change, it empowers neighbors to work with neighbors to address the issues that they care about most in ways that they know will be successful,” said Chief Sustainability Officer Amy Armbruster.

What Can the Funds Be Used For? 

Neighborhoods are encouraged to dream big. The program seeks projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve ecosystem resiliency, or spark climate awareness. Successful past recipients have used funds to: 

• Launch neighborhood compost drop-off programs. 
• Construct rain gardens to mitigate local flooding. 
• Plant native trees and community gardens to cool neighborhoods and support pollinators. 
• Start education campaigns to empower neighbors to take action. 

How to Apply 

The Town is looking for projects that demonstrate strong neighborhood participation and a clear plan for environmental and social impact. 

• Maximum Award: $25,000 
• Deadline: Feb. 18, 2026, at 5 p.m. 
• Application & Details: Visit the Green Neighborhoods Grant Webpage

Support is Available 

The Town of Carrboro is committed to making this process accessible to everyone. If your neighborhood needs help with language translation, finding a fiscal agent, or one-on-one application support, the Sustainability Office is ready to assist. 

Contact Information: For questions or assistance, please contact Amy Armbruster at aarmbruster@carrboronc.gov or call (919) 918-7345. 

Mayor's Moment

As we welcome 2026, I am filled with gratitude and hope for our town and I want to thank all of you for the compassion, creativity, and civic spirit that make our community so special. Together, we have shown that progress is strongest when it is rooted in community, inclusion, and care for one another. Together, we’ve made Carrboro a place where we know one another, where civic engagement shapes our future, and where everyone’s voice matters. 

In 2025, our community won national recognition as an All-America City, a testament to your commitment to civic innovation, sustainability, and inclusivity. 

As your mayor, it is my honor to continue working with you to continue to strengthen community connections, advance environmental stewardship and build on a thriving and equitable future.

Let this new year be one in which we shine together, uplift one another, and build on the progress we’ve already made. May your days ahead be filled with good health, joy, and continued collaboration for the common good.

Together, let’s make 2026 a year of hope, action, and shared success.

--Mayor Barbara Foushee

Carrboro’s Kwanzaa Celebration

Carrboro’s Kwanzaa Celebration at the Drakeford Library Performance Space was a beautiful success! 

The Roots & Rhythm Vendor Market kicked off the day with more than 15 vendors offering handmade goods and books. African drumming, dance, and live music kept the energy high throughout the afternoon. Attendees enjoyed learning about the 7 Principles of Kwanzaa and celebrating culture, community and unity together.

Thanks to everyone who joined the celebration this year!

Master Your Meter and Save with Home Repair Lab and OWASA

Are your energy and water bills through the roof? Wondering if there are easy ways you can make a difference to save energy and water? We have a solution for you!  

Join Chris and Mindy Meyers from Home Repair Lab and Mary Tiger from OWASA for a special presentation on Tuesday, Jan. 27 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Drakeford Library Complex, 203 S. Greensboro St. 

This workshop will discuss easy ways you can save energy and water and how to get those bills under control.  Participants will leave this program with an understanding of how your home uses water and energy, low- to no-cost things you can do to save money on your utility bills, and helpful tips to get started on larger home projects. 

Relevant for homeowners, first-time home buyers, and renters. Presentations will be followed by interactive question and answer sessions. A giveaway bag with energy-saving supplies will be given to each registered participant! 

• Please RSVP with our online form.  
• Free interpretation services are available. Please contact Amy Armbruster at aarmbruster@carrboronc.gov or call (919) 918-7345 at least 48 hours in advance to ensure an interpreter is present.

Town of Carrboro accepting applications for human services nonprofit funding

On Friday, Dec. 12, the Town of Carrboro will begin accepting applications for human services nonprofit funding for Fiscal Year 2026-2027. Prospective applicants will have two opportunities to learn more about the application and the funding process.

Virtual Q&A Session 

Provides a forum for applicants to ask questions and receive clarification on any aspects of the application or the funding process.

Friday, Jan. 9, 2026
9-10 a.m.
Registration is required. Please register online here.

The funding application will be available online starting Dec. 12, 2025, through this portal: Form Application Center - Town of Chapel Hill, NC. 

Applicants should complete and submit their applications and supporting documents by 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. 

For more information, visit Human Services  | Carrboro, NC - Official Website  or contact Anne-Marie Vanaman at 919-918-7321 or email amvanaman@carrboronc.gov. 

Pedestrian Bridge Repaired

A new section of the pedestrian bridge over Bolin Creek adjacent to Homestead Road has been installed by the Town of Carrboro this December 2025. The contractor was Central Builders Inc of Mebane. 

The bridge is part of the multi-use path connecting neighborhoods to Chapel Hill High School. 

While later than planned due to coordination requirements with UNC-Chapel Hill for access to the site on the east side, the installation went smoothly. It took place during the school closure for the holidays and only took one day to complete. 

The bridge segment previously damaged in a storm had been in use with a temporary support structure.

Carrboro Film Fest coming soon

Join us Jan. 23-25, 2026 for the next Carrboro Film Festival! It’s our 20th year. We’re all grown up.  

The festival will be held at the new Drakeford Library Complex in downtown Carrboro, North Carolina. 

• See the lineup: https://www.carrborofilm.org/events 
• Tickets are currently on sale! https://filmfreeway.com/CarrboroFilmFest/tickets

📆 Mark your calendars! Below is our official schedule of events and screenings:

Friday, Jan. 23

• 7 p.m. | Opening Film: Leads (feature film)
• 9 p.m. | Opening Night Reception

Saturday, Jan. 24

• 11 a.m. | Funding Your Film With PBS NC and Southern Documentary Fund (workshop)
• 12:30 p.m. | Keystone Species (short films)
• 3 p.m. | Mile Markers (short films)
• 5:30 p.m. | Discoveries (student short films)
• 8:30 p.m. | Embrace the Echo (short films)

Sunday, Jan. 25

• 12 p.m. | The True Cost of Power (short films)
• 1:30 p.m. | Keep Holding (short films)
• 4 p.m. | Closing Film: Minnie Evans: Draw or Die (feature film)

More info about the films at https://www.carrborofilm.org/events 

Town Council Update

The Carrboro Town Council will meet next at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 6,  2026. 

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 www.YouTube.com/CarrboroNC  

• The agenda is available at  https://carrboro.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx
• Access the livestream direct link to view the meeting at https://www.youtube.com/live/0uFOpIAC63Y?si=_RSKk5XIQPr7Fz2u

Past Meeting Recap 

The Carrboro Town Council met on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, for an organizational meeting to take their oaths of office. 

Watch the meeting livestream at https://www.youtube.com/live/g2lavy4GI0U?si=YBgN0dCUsdZ9U7fy 

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

Seasonal Brochure

Registration for programs occurs during three different registration sessions throughout the calendar year. Each registration session is accompanied by a program brochure that becomes available to the public at least two weeks prior to the start of the registration session.

View a copy of the current program brochure here.