Community Calendar

Join us for a reading by North Carolina writer Rebecca McClanahan from her new memoir. Reception with light snacks and books available for purchase.
The author of twelve books, McClanahan has published work in THE BEST AMERICAN POETRY, THE BEST AMERICAN ESSAYS, THE PUSHCART PRIZE series, KENYON REVIEW, GEORGIA REVIEW, GETTYSBURG REVIEW, BOULEVARD, THE SUN, and in anthologies by Beacon Press, Norton, Doubleday, St. Martin's, Putnam, Penguin, and numerous other publishers. Her memoir LIGHT FALLS ON EVERYTHING takes us inside the intimate rooms of long-term caregiving, where exhaustion, confusion, heartbreak, and grief can shadow the most ordinary days. Still, light flickers in even the darkest corners, revealing moments of tenderness, laughter, absurdity, surprise, and unrelenting love. Emotionally gripping and unstintingly honest, this memoir invites us to reflect on the timeless nature of love and loss and, with it, the unexpected lessons of caregiving: how to move forward into our own uncertain futures, accept grief as a longtime companion, and approach death with some measure of grace.

History Lecture
St. Eustatius & The First Salute
Presented by archaeologists Dr. Ruud Stelten & Alex Hinton
Saturday, September 26, 2026
Orringer Auditorium - 2:00 p.m. - FREE

Through archaeological discoveries and newly uncovered archival evidence, Stelten and Hinton will explore the crucial role the Caribbean island of St. Eustatius played during the American Revolution. Often called the “Golden Rock,” this tiny Dutch island served as a major hub for international trade, supplying desperately needed gunpowder, arms, and other goods to the American colonies. The presentation will examine how St. Eustatius connected to North Carolina ports, including New Bern, and how maritime archaeology is helping researchers reconstruct these forgotten connections. The lecture will also share the story of the famous “First Salute” of November 16, 1776, when the Dutch governor of St. Eustatius returned a cannon salute to the American brig Andrew Doria, an act widely regarded as the first formal foreign recognition of the United States.

This project is supported by Dutch Culture USA, a program of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the United States, to mark America 250.

Our author for Reading Between the Wines 2026 is Denise Kiernan! That's right, New York Times bestselling author of The Girls of Atomic City and The Last Castle.
This event features a wine tasting hosted by Healthabit Natural Food and Wines, paired with heavy hors d'oeuvres, and includes an AUTOGRAPHED COPY of of Denise Kiernan's latest book, Obstinate Daughters: The Rebels, Writers, and Renegade Women Who Ignited the American Revolution.
Support literacy in our community while indulging in a relaxing social evening perfect for book and wine enthusiasts alike.

North Carolina History Series
in partnership with Tryon Palace
NC History Center, Cullman Auditorium - 2:00 p.m.
Tickets: (3-Event Series Pass $25 OR Adults $10 / Students $5)

The North Carolina History lecture series continues with the goal to engage the broader community and expand the understanding of, and engagement in, the fascinating history of New Bern, Craven County and the state. We are pleased to welcome a very diverse group of four historians for this year’s series.

The series is presented by the Lifetime Learning Center and Tryon Palace, in partnership with the Richard Dobbs Spaight Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the New Bern Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution.

Sunday, February 7, 2027
The Life and Times of Hannah Crafts
Speaker: Dr. Gregg Hecimovich, author of the award-winning book The Life and Times of Hannah Crafts, will share the fascinating story of Hannah Crafts and her remarkable novel, The Bondwoman’s Narrative — generally regarded as the earliest known novel written by an African American woman who had herself been enslaved. Hecimovich’s research identifies Crafts as Hannah Bond, an enslaved woman held by John H. Wheeler and his wife, Ellen, in Murfreesboro, North Carolina. Discover the extraordinary life behind this literary mystery.

North Carolina History Series
in partnership with Tryon Palace
NC History Center, Cullman Auditorium - 2:00 p.m.
Tickets: (3-Event Series Pass $25 OR Adults $10 / Students $5)

The North Carolina History lecture series continues with the goal to engage the broader community and expand the understanding of, and engagement in, the fascinating history of New Bern, Craven County and the state. We are pleased to welcome a very diverse group of four historians for this year’s series.

The series is presented by the Lifetime Learning Center and Tryon Palace, in partnership with the Richard Dobbs Spaight Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the New Bern Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution.

Sunday, February 28, 2027
Documenting the World of Outlander
Speakers: Josh Hager and Alison Thurman of the State Archives of North Carolina will explore the history behind the novels and television series Outlander by highlighting the people, places, and events that Jamie and Claire Fraser would have encountered in colonial North Carolina. Drawing from the State Archives’ blogpost series, Documenting the World of Outlander, they will showcase land grants, court records, military records, and other documents from the archives that bring the world of Outlander to life.

North Carolina History Series
in partnership with Tryon Palace
NC History Center, Cullman Auditorium - 2:00 p.m.
Tickets: (3-Event Series Pass $25 OR Adults $10 / Students $5)

The North Carolina History lecture series continues with the goal to engage the broader community and expand the understanding of, and engagement in, the fascinating history of New Bern, Craven County and the state. We are pleased to welcome a very diverse group of four historians for this year’s series.

The series is presented by the Lifetime Learning Center and Tryon Palace, in partnership with the Richard Dobbs Spaight Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the New Bern Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution.

Sunday, March 14, 2027
Beyond the Recipe: Learning History from American Cookbooks
Speaker: Dr. Jamie R.C. Kirby, Research Historian at Tryon Palace, brings a unique perspective to this topic. A Virginia native who grew up in Salisbury, NC, Dr. Kirby has long been interested in Southern food and its place in American history. In this engaging lecture, they will look beyond the recipes to explore historic Southern cookbooks as windows into history, culture, identity, power, and place to discover what these everyday cookbooks can reveal about the America of their times.