Did you know that the month of January, what I refer to as the month of empty pockets, is named for Janus…the God of the Doorway? (Who knew there were doorway gods?) So, let’s walk through the door to 2012 and 5 things every North Carolinian should try to do in January. (Sorry about the conflicting event dates…they didn’t check with me first.)

• This former DJ is intrigued by a musical coming to Ovens Auditorium in Charlotte January 3-8. “Memphis” is about the forbidden romance between a white radio DJ and a black club singer in the 1950s. It features music by Bon Jovi founding member David Bryan and choreography by Sergio Trujillo of “Jersey Boys” fame. It promises to be hot…something we need in January.

• Fans of NASCAR should head to Charlotte for NASCAR Acceleration Weekend January 20-22 for a preview of the 2012 NASCAR season. Meet the teams; see Richie Evans, Dale Inman, Darrell Waltrip, Glen Wood, and Cale Yarborough be inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame; and checkout the all important auto paint schemes for the year ahead.

• More of a cowboy fan than a NASCAR aficionado? Then Raleigh is your destination on January 21 for the World’s Toughest Rodeo, an amazing display of bronc riding, bareback riding, roping, bull riding, and all those dangerous activities that the toughest cowboys enjoy. Rodeo clown and barrelman Justin Rumford will be there, too, to distract you from the blood and broken bones.

• Assuming the weather and roadways cooperate, a visit to the Village of Blowing Rock for their 14th Annual Winterfest, January 26-29, may be in order. Nothing like a chili cook-off to encourage me to make a weekend road trip! I’ll probably pass on taking the annual icy plunge into Chetola Lake, however. Maybe you could work in some skiing.

• I’ve always been a sucker for model railroads. I even know the difference between all those “scales” that model railroaders like to talk about. (Without that knowledge you might think that N, HO, O, G, and O27 had something to do with the periodic table of elements.) If you want to meet the true hobbyists, plan on a trip to Wilmington on January 28-29 for the 15th Annual Cape Fear Model Railroad Show & Sale. Tom Staley from Tom’s Train Station in Cary, NC, will be on hand to offer some clinics on how to be a kid again.

• Then, just over the January doorway’s threshold into February, the largest traditional jazz festival in the Southeast is booked for Wilmington February 2-4. I mention the North Carolina Jazz Festival now because tickets go quickly. Master jazz guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli will be playing along with many other traditional jazz legends. Don’t miss Bria Skonberg, a talented young trumpeter, band leader, and vocalist.

Those are my five suggestions. What January events do you recommend?

By Tom Gongaware (General Sales Manager, Triangle Region)