Stadium Series Week Buzz: Here’s What I’m Looking Forward To

It is Stadium Series week here in the Capital City and I could not be more excited. There are tons of event planned that we will be covering here at Cardiac Canes. Here are a few that I am most looking forward to!

Carolina Hurricanes Fan Fest on Friday in downtown Raleigh from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. This is going to be a blast, if the weather holds off, for the whole family! Nothing like getting back to outdoor festivals and big time fun gatherings after years of missing them. This will be a great way to interact with the Stadium Series game if you can’t make it out the big game, but still want to get your Hurricanes fix in for the week.

I’m most excited about taking the little Caniac to get a pic with Stormy since there is a big rivalry between our hometown pig and Chicago Wolves mascot Skates as to who is coolest. Skates did send an autography some cool coloring pages and a free ticket to a Wolves game, but stuffed Stormy is in heavy rotation for sleeping bud. Will a pic with the big guy Friday do the trick and seal the deal?

We’ll hit the food trucks and take in all the sights. Fireworks might be too late for the junior Caniac but there will be plenty to see and do. I have been trying the bands playing and they are solid! And

Right now the weather outlook is iffy. As of this writing, NOAA is saying rain but a pleasant 64. It’s early, and we all know the weather here in Raleigh changes by the minute.

Hootie And The Blowfish Concert at PNC Friday Night. I am not going but I still think Hootie and the Blowfish are way under-rated. I wore out at least one “Cracked Rear View” tape as a early teen and have been a fan since. Still one of my top ten must see bands of all time, and easily top five favorites. You like what you like!

You have to give stick taps to bringing in a SOUTH Carolina band to play. Intentional? Maybe. But good on the Canes. After all, the Carolina Hurricanes. Anyway to bring in our friends from south of the border should be recognized and applauded.

Stadium Series Game Against the Washington Capitals Saturday. I did not jump on tickets fast enough and do not have the spare cash laying around for $300+ tickets at this point, but I am going to make my way around for the tailgating. There are a couple of podcast hosts I want to find and bring them a sixer of The Official Red Punch Of The Carolina Hurricanes. I’m sure I have had my name scratched from several invitee lists…if I ever made them to start with. But I’ll be wondering around the tailgate.

The weather looks perfect for a hockey game according to NOAA. Clear and 50’s. I’ll have my typical Canes gear on so if you see me wondering around with either a Whalers or one of a kind red Canes trucker hat, give me a shout. I’ll stop by and say hello. I promise I will not “trash” your tailgate.

While the tailgate is going to be great and meeting some folks who have hosted me on a podcast is really my top excitement of the day, I am also looking forward to the Stadium Series kit for the Hurricanes.

I am a sucker for anything Canes uniform related, and the Stadium Series uniforms are just going to be the coolest. The black base with the storm flags on the shorts are going to be so cool. Maybe most overlooked is going to be the numbers on the helmet. Something about that just screams “Hockey 2050” to me. Maybe one day in the future, outdoor hockey will be a regular thing, and everyone will have numbers on the helmet.

NC State vs. UNC “Frozen Finley” Monday Night. I am going to take the evening off and go to this since it is the most affordable option to see an outdoor game. Between the two, I have to be cheering for UNC. Still college hockey is growing here in Ye Olde North State so this will be a great building block for both teams. Maybe I use whoever wins as a cincher for my fandom.

This will be really interesting to see as far as the whole experience. I highly doubt there will be a packed house, BUT lots of folks will be out who cannot make the Canes game Saturday. Fan bases will be looking for bragging rights, and this will be yet another opportunity to gain a few points.

Stadium Series weekend in Raleigh is going to be a blast. Between the fan fest, concerts, tailgating, and the games it is bound to show the rest of the world just what a good time looks like. The Hurricanes will be seeing the Capitals for the second time this in a week, and will be needing a good win after a rather rusty game against the New York Rangers Saturday.