The Strange Carolinas Best Of NC 2019 Winners

For two weeks, readers of Strange Carolinas were invited to nominate their favorites for each of the categories below. From February 25th to March 15th, readers were invited to vote for their favorites from the ten entries that received the most votes for each category during the nomination period.

Here are the winners of the 2019 Strange Carolinas Best Of NC Awards:

MUSIC
BEST VENUE FOR LIVE MUSIC
WINNER: The Orange Peel (Asheville)
2ND PLACE: The Fillmore Charlotte (Charlotte)
3RD PLACE: Cat's Cradle (Carrboro)

BEST RADIO STATION
WINNER: Rock 92
2ND PLACE: 95.7 The Ride
3RD PLACE: 88.1 WKNC

BEST MUSIC FESTIVAL
WINNER: Merlefest (Wilkesboro)
2ND PLACE: Heavy Rebel Weekender (Winston-Salem)
3RD PLACE: Carolina Rebellion/Epicenter Festival (Rockingham)

ART
BEST MURALIST
WINNER: Kathryn Crawford
2ND PLACE: Gus Cutty
3RD PLACE: Alex DeLarge

BEST CITY FOR MURALS
WINNER: Asheville
2ND PLACE: Charlotte
3RD PLACE: Greensboro

FOOD
BEST BBQ
WINNER: Lexington Barbecue (Lexington)
2ND PLACE: Stamey's Barbecue (Greensboro)
3RD PLACE: Clyde Cooper's BBQ (Raleigh)

BEST BURGER
WINNER: Carolina Burger (Lenoir)
2ND PLACE: The Loaded Goat (Mount Airy)
3RD PLACE: Hops Burger Bar (Multiple cities)

BEST CUPCAKE
WINNER: Maxie B's Bakery & Dessert Cafe (Greensboro)
2ND PLACE: Cornerstone Bakery (Hickory)
3RD PLACE: Short Street Cakes (Asheville)

BEST DONUT
WINNER: Britt's Donut Shop (Carolina Beach)
2ND PLACE: Duck Donuts (Multiple cities)
3RD PLACE: Wake N Bake Donuts (Carolina Beach/Wilmington)

BEST FOOD TRUCK
WINNER: El Tacorriendo
2ND PLACE: The Ice Queen
3RD PLACE: Urban Street Grill Korean BBQ Truck

SHOPPING
BEST BOOK STORE
WINNER: Scuppernong Books (Greensboro)
2ND PLACE: Malaprop's Bookstore/Cafe (Asheville)
3RD PLACE: Bookmarks (Winston-Salem)

BEST COMIC BOOK STORE
WINNER: Acme Comics (Greensboro)
2ND PLACE: Dragon's Lair Comic Book Store (Fayetteville)
3RD PLACE: Comic Envy (Asheville)

BEST RECORD STORE
WINNER: Schoolkids Records (Chapel Hill/Durham/Raleigh)
2ND PLACE: Gravity Records (Wilmington)
3RD PLACE: Dead Wax Records (Lenoir)

BEST THRIFT/CONSIGNMENT SHOP
WINNER: The Groovy Goose (Mount Airy)
2ND PLACE: Vintage To Vogue Boutique (Greensboro)
3RD PLACE: The Wonder Shop (Wilmington)

STRANGE NORTH CAROLINA
BEST ROADSIDE ATTRACTION
WINNER: The Berry Patch/World's Largest Strawberry (Ellerbe)
2ND PLACE: Wally's Service Station/Mayberry Courthouse (Mount Airy)
3RD PLACE: House Of Mugs (Collettesville)

BEST GHOST STORY
WINNER: USS North Carolina (Wilmington)
2ND PLACE: Pink Lady Of Grove Park Inn (Asheville)
3RD PLACE: Lydia's Bridge (Jamestown)

BEST URBAN LEGEND
WINNER: Brown Mountain Lights (Brown Mountain)
2ND PLACE: Devil's Tramping Ground (Bennett)
3RD PLACE: Beast Of Bladenboro (Bladenboro)