NC State home opener, Hopscotch Music Festival, expected to draw big crowds to Raleigh

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Following a close win against East Carolina last Saturday, NC State returns to Carter-Finley Stadium for its home opener Saturday against Charleston Southern.

"Gameday's going to be absolutely crazy. We're going to open up early tomorrow, and there will be a line out the door before and after the game. But it's going to be a great environment. A lot of Wolfpack red, everybody's rooting for the Pack," said Joe Lumbrazo, co-owner of Backyard Bistro.

The restaurant and bar, located right across from Carter-Finley Stadium, is doubling up its staffing this weekend for the NC State game and first NFL Sunday.

"We tripled our order of chicken wings. We'll probably go through 600 pounds of chicken wings on Sunday," said Lumbrazo.

Still, they're looking to add more staffers, a common feeling amongst restauranteurs.

"It's going to be crazy. It's going to be good, the good kind of crazy. It's what we want, it's what we live for," Lumbrazo said.

Elsewhere in Raleigh, more than 450 bands will be performing in Raleigh between Thursday and Sunday as part of the Hopscotch Music Festival, which has main stages set up at Moore Square and Fayetteville Street.

"It's great. It's fun. Raleigh's a great scene, the music, the beer, everything. My crew and I have all lived in this area for a long time so it's awesome to see," said Scott Mizera, who was watching his friend Ryan Thompson play a set at Boxcar Bar + Arcade on West Davie Street early Friday afternoon.

"It is good to have the excitement, energy, to be with people, and enjoy the music together," Jill Grifenhagen added.

We connected with Grifenhagen outside Slim's Downtown on South Wilmington Street, one of fourteen bars participating in the Day Party Series Friday afternoon.

"We want the venues to survive. So, bringing people out is important, but also people who like music. It's just good to bring people together and be able to enjoy that. Definitely nothing like live music," Grifenhagen said.

Mizerak works as a Regional Sales Manager with Foothills Brewing, which is sponsoring some of the performances this weekend.

"If you're in this town, they get our product, and then they go back to Wilmington, or they go back to (the) Triad, or Charlotte, they're more apt to pick it up," Mizerak said.