Carrboro, North Carolina: The ‘Paris of the Piedmont’

Enlarge Image Image Gallery Carrboro delivers an enviable selection of art, music and fresh food.  PHOTO: CHAPEL HILL/ORANGE COUNTY VISITORS BUREAU

Located just a few miles from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the city of Carrboro has earned its nickname as the “Paris of the Piedmont.” A strong commitment to the arts, music and locavore culture makes the town a capital of southern bohemia.

In 1995, Carrboro was the first municipality in North Carolina to elect an openly gay mayor, Mike Nelson, and also the first to extend legal rights to same-sex partners.

The same spirit infuses nearly every aspect of the town’s culture and politics, according to Kirby Zeman, a research associate at UNC who serves as a community affairs reporter at Carrboro’s independent, volunteer-run radio station, WCOM — which in itself is a primary point of pride for the community. “It’s kind of a nouveau Berkeley,” Zeman says.

Considering its size (fewer than 20,000 residents) and location, Carrboro has a reputation that draws surprising attention from far-flung locales. The primary music venue is the intimate and affordable Cat’s Cradle, which attracts notable bands and indie music fans from across the region. The town also hosts an annual music festival.

Carrboro has received national press for its commitment to the local-foods movement, a distinction made possible by the town’s year-round farmers market, a handful of high-quality restaurants that specialize in local fare, and a natural foods co-op — the Weaver Street Market — that’s as much a social meeting place for food lovers as it is a grocery store. The Market sponsors a variety of events, including wine tastings, jazz concerts and brunches. “It’s an ad-hoc town square,” Zeman says. “People bring blankets to sit on the lawn and listen to the music.”