FanFare: What Happens When Classical Music Meets Lasers?

August 14, 2025

of Note Phil Vavra

Summer may be slipping away, but FanFare is as full as ever! Just look at all these events happening across our region over the next week.

Pride Goes Pop

The Gay Men’s Chorus of Charlotte is presenting ICONS: Pride Goes Pop on Friday, August 15^th at First United Methodist Church (501 N. Tryon Street, Charlotte). This musical event is the perfect lead-in for Charlotte Pride weekend (see below) and will feature songs by Sara Bareilles, Cyndi Lauper, Kacey Musgraves, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Cher, George Michael, ABBA, and more. Tickets are $12-$37. August 15.

Go Cats!

We love our Davidson College Wildcats and the fall sports season is almost here. You can get into the spirit at the annual Davidson Fall Fan Fest on Friday, August 15^th from 6 to 8 p.m. at Davidson College Stadium (109 Patterson Court Circle, Davidson). It promises to be a fun night of autographs with your favorite Wildcats, backyard games, food trucks, craft beer, and more. Admission is free. August 15.

A Quarter Century of Charlotte Pride

Charlotte Pride* is celebrating 25 years of LGBTQ arts and culture by taking the annual Charlotte Pride Festival and Parade to its new location at First Ward Park (301 E. 7^th Street, Charlotte), August 16th and 17th. The weekend will feature diverse arts and entertainment including Flourish, the festival’s indoor celebration of local artists and performers, as well as the Neighborhood Market, Health Fair, and Youth & Family Zone. August 16-17.

Palmetto Voices

The Rock Hill Music Club presents the Palmetto Voices Spiritual Ensemble on Saturday, August 16th at 6:30 p.m. at Oakland Avenue Presbyterian Church (421 Oakland Avenue, Rock Hill, SC.) The program will feature African music, spirituals, and gospel selections. Tickets ($25) are available online or at the door, and proceeds will benefit York County High School Seniors entering music education or performance programs, as well as Winthrop University Music Scholarships. August 16.

CM4A Turns 10

The Charlotte-based ensemble, Chamber Music for All (CM4A), is kicking off its 10^th season at Steinway Piano Gallery (7030 Smith Corners Boulevard, Charlotte) on Saturday, August 16^th. Led by married violinists Calin Lupanu and Monica Boboc, and featuring guest pianist Cristina Popescu-Stanesti (National University of Music-Bucharest), the group will perform works by Enescu, Scarlatti, Rachmaninoff, Ligeti, Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich, Bartok, and more. Tickets are $30 for general admission, $20 for seniors. August 16.

Yoga in Unusual Places

Get your feline flow on as the Humane Society of Charlotte (1348 Parker Drive, Charlotte) offers another day of Cat Yoga. Spend an hour stretching, bending, and twisting your body alongside adoptable kitties. There will be two sessions, 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., on Saturday, August 16^th. You can even save 50% off the ticket price with code YOGA50 (one time use per registration). Space is limited so don’t wait to register. August 16.

The two Mint Museum* locations also offer yoga classes. Every Tuesday from 5:15 to 6:15 p.m., you can do Yoga at the Mint Museum Uptown (500 S. Tryon Street, Charlotte). On Saturdays from 10 to 11 a.m., check out Yoga on the Lawn at the Mint Museum Randolph (2730 Randolph Road, Charlotte). Both classes are free for Mint members and $10 for nonmembers. Ongoing.

Laser Cello

I saw “Laser Zeppelin” at a planetarium years ago, but I’ve never experienced that concept with classical music. Chromatic Strings combines classical music performance with lasers, and it’s coming to The Long Room (1111 Central Avenue, Suite 230, Charlotte) on Sunday, August 17^th from 2 to 5 p.m. Created by cellist Kelvin Chang and Jason Salt from Salty Robot Productions, the three-hour event will feature a wide range of genres from Baroque to dubstep with live laser abstracts to visually enhance the music. Admission is free but you must RSVP. August 17.

Face to Face

Tickets are now on sale for Season Five of Wake Forest University’s Face to Face Speaker Forum. The events will be held at LJVM Coliseum (2825 University Parkway, Winston-Salem) and Wait Chapel (1834 Wake Forest Road, Winston-Salem). This season’s speaker lineup features:

• Basketball legend and businessman Earvin “Magic” Johnson – September 16, 2025
• Retired politician Mitt Romney – November 6, 2025
• Former National Security Advisor Lt. Gen. H. R. McMaster – February 26, 2026
• Actor Cynthia Erivo (Wicked) – April 15, 2026

Mid-August in the Mountains

• Doc Watson Day 2025: It’s actually a two-day event honoring the music and memory of North Carolina’s beloved Doc Watson. On Friday, August 15^th, Hayley King, Tim Stafford & Thomm Jutz, and the Asheville Mountain Boys will perform a free concert at the Jones House (604 W. King Street, Boone) beginning at 5 p.m. The Appalachian Theatre (559 W. King Street, Boone) will host a ticketed show with the Dan Tyminski Band on Saturday, August 16^th at 7:30 p.m. August 15-16.
• The Blue Ridge Brutal: Choose from 25-, 50-, 70-, or 100-mile bike rides through the beautiful Blue Ridge mountains. All proceeds benefit the Ashe Advantage Project, 501c3, to provide scholarships to graduating high school seniors. The free post-ride Brutal Fest includes live music, food vendors, and kids’ activities in front of the 1904 Courthouse on Main Street in downtown Jefferson, NC. August 16.

You can bet I’ll have more for you to explore next week. Don’t forget to see what’s coming up on the WDAV Events Calendar, too!

*Disclosure: Charlotte Pride and Mint Museum are WDAV underwriters.