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Wilson This Week -- Aug. 25, 2026
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Warbirds wrapping 1st season in Wilson this weekend
The Wilson Warbirds' season started, at least unofficially, way back on Saturday, March 30, at the grand opening of Wilson Ballpark. Believe it or not, most people were wearing coats as they entered the gates and checked out the views from different parts of the park. Season ticketholders were able to plop down for the first time in their seats.
There's been a lot of baseball since then. As of this morning, the Warbirds are 63-54 in their first season in Wilson, but 38-20 at home, one of the best home records in the Single-A Carolina League. The Warbirds have scored 676 runs so far this year, including 102 home runs, most of those also at home.
This week the Warbirds are ending the season with a homestand starting with two games starting at 4 p.m. Tuesday and then games every day through Sunday. Concessions and Warbirds gear are discounted for this last stretch of games. Fireworks will follow the games Thursday-Saturday nights.
Back in April, we worried about many things -- would people know where to park? Would people be able to get and out of the ballpark easily? Would the games interfere with other businesses downtown? Mostly, would it all be fun?
As it turned out, the ballpark and everything surrounding it got rave reviews from locals and visitors alike. The Milwaukee Brewers, the Warbirds' parent club in Major League Baseball, are reportedly happy with ticket sales and attendance, averaging more than 2,000 fans per game. And the ballpark is lifting local businesses.
It's a shame it has to end. Sigh. It does. But the Warbirds will hit the field for the 2027 season on Friday, April 2.
Downtown Wilson prepared for fun fall
Of course, there's going to be tons to do downtown even after the Warbirds have ended their season.
Wilson Farmers & Artisan Market is shifting to its fall schedule when it will be open Tuesday evenings every other week. Mark your calendar for Sept. 8 & 22, Oct. 6 & 20, and Nov. 3 & 17, 5-8 p.m. each evening at Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park.
The Caroline Keller Band is set to perform at Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park on Thursday, Sept. 17, 6-9 p.m. This free concert is part of Gig in the Park and was delayed from an earlier date by hazardous weather.
ArtSpin, a downtown art experience, will celebrate all things fall on Saturday, Sept. 26.
Upcoming events include the Wilson Jazz Festival on Oct. 9 & 10, N.C. Whirligig Festival on Nov. 7 & 8, the annual Veterans Day service on Nov. 11, and the Wilson Christmas Parade on Saturday, Dec. 5.
Nearly every week there are trivia contests, bands performing, food trucks, game nights and many other activities. Always see what's going on at this link.
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Breakfast Council Meeting - Sept. 3
Wilson City Council will hold a morning meeting on Thursday, Sept. 3, beginning at 8:30 a.m. at Wilson City Hall, 112 Goldsboro St. E. The public is welcome to attend, but we will also be streaming the meeting live online (see link below).
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35 Years of Financial Excellence
The City of Wilson Finance department has earned the Government Finance Officers Association’s Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the 35th consecutive year.
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Apply for help with urgent home repairs
The City of Wilson is seeking to assist approximately 10 Wilson County homeowners with their home repairs.
Applications are now being accepted through Sept. 30 for the 2026 Urgent Repair Program, which received $165,000 from the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency.
The Urgent Repair Program is intended to assist low-income or very low-income households with housing problems that threaten residents’ health or safety. A few examples are flooring issues, leaky roof, plumbing issues, accessibility repairs, heating and air conditioning trouble.
Each project can support up to $15,000 in repair costs, but the program cannot pay for cosmetic or non-safety related items.
The staff contact is Aixa Gonzalez, Community Development Planner, at agonzalez@wilsonnc.org or by phone at 252-399-2260.
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'Cut the cord' workshops set monthly through 2026
 Greenlight is offering monthly classes for anyone who would like to know more about eliminating cable television service and accessing streaming services, news, weather, sports or even network TV content online.
GL Ed. is set for three Wednesdays -- Aug. 26; Sept. 30 and Oct. 28. The discussions all start at 10 a.m. at Gig East Exchange, 127 Goldsboro St. S., and are free to attend. Greenlight will have experts ready and able to answer your questions. You do not need to pre-register to attend.
City closed Monday, Sept. 7, for Labor Day
City offices and recreation centers will be closed Monday, Sept. 7, for Labor Day.
As usual, a holiday on Monday means that day's trash and recyclable pickups will be delayed until Tuesday and Tuesday routes then collected Wednesday. We won't have special pickups that week.
Our first responders will be on their usual schedules, our utilities will be ready to an emergency, Wilson RIDE will operate, and then everyone will be back to work Tuesday.
So enjoy your long weekend if you are lucky enough to have one and maybe enjoy one last summer cookout. The splash pad at Gillette Sports Complex will be open every day this weekend before it closes for the season Monday evening.
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Ready, set, clean up!
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Registration for the fall Waters of Wilson cleanup opens September 1.
Join us on September 26 as teams head out to clean up seven locations across Wilson. As we recognize Water Quality Month, it's the perfect reminder that stopping litter on land helps keep it out of our creeks and waterways.
Grab your friends, family, coworkers or neighbors and help make a difference, one piece of litter at a time.
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N.C. 42 bridge will close for maintenance
This week the N.C. Department of Transportation plans to close the N.C. 42 (Herring Avenue) bridge over U.S. 301 for approximately 120 days to begin an extensive rehabilitation of the 64-year-old structure. The closure was expected to begin Tuesday, but may be postponed for a few days. Message boards in the area will provide updated information.
The closure is necessary so contract crews can safely repair the bridge deck and supports and upgrade key components that have deteriorated over time and require more maintenance. These improvements will enhance the bridge’s long-term safety and extend its service life. As part of this work, the bridge's clearance over the highway will be elevated by about nine inches to help avoid future strikes from passing trucks. In addition, grooves will be added to the surface to increase traction for safety and help water drain off the bridge.
These two detours, depending on the direction of travel, will be utilized:
- For westbound travelers, signs will direct drivers onto Varnell Road, then Weaver Road, and onto U.S. 301 to return to N.C. 42 past the bridge.
- For eastbound traffic, drivers will take Ward Boulevard to U.S. 301 at Lipscomb Road, then follow 301 up to the N.C. 42 bridge and exit to continue eastbound.
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