FanFare: Get Out and SHOUT!
April 3, 2025
Hi, it’s Phil Vavra, with your weekly look at entertaining events and enticing edible experiences around the Charlotte area and beyond. One of the Queen City’s biggest annual arts and culture events begins this week, so let’s dive right in!
Charlotte SHOUT! Takes Over Uptown
Charlotte SHOUT!* is back. The two-week convergence of creativity celebrates art, music, food, ideas, and diversity in Uptown Charlotte from April 4th to 20th. Each year, the festival brings together internationally and locally acclaimed artists, dancers, musicians, poets, storytellers, photographers, chefs, and thought leaders. Events take place all over the city and ticket prices vary, so check the official website for full details. Many events are free! April 4-20.
Puccini Goes to Paris
Opera Carolina* is staging Giacomo Puccini’s iconic work, La Boheme, at Belk Theater (130 North Tryon St.). If you’ve never seen it, the opera tells the story of four struggling bohemians living together in Paris amidst illness, poverty, and the harsh realities of life. Plus, there’s a romantic relationship that ends in tragedy. If you’re thinking, “That sounds a lot like Rent,” it’s because the Broadway musical is based on La Boheme. Tickets start at $30.90. April 9th is Student Night with discounted tickets for K-12 students and their families. The rest of the performances are on April 10, 12, and 13.
All About That Bass
Double bass virtuoso Edgar Meyer returns to the Queen City to perform two concertos with the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra*, including one composed by Meyer himself. Conductor Andre Raphel will take the podium at Belk Theater (130 North Tryon St) as the CSO performs in Jennifer Higdon’s blue cathedral, Edgar Meyer’s Double Bass Concerto No. 1, Giovanni Bottesini’s Concerto for Double Bass No. 2, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 8. April 4-5.
‘Tooning In
WDAV has something new for you on Friday afternoons. It’s called CarTunes, and the idea is this: many people heard classical music for the first time courtesy of a cartoon, either on the big screen or small. So, why not revisit some of those works that installed a lifelong love of the classical genre? That’s exactly what I’m doing every Friday afternoon around 5:30, so I hope you’ll “toon” in.
The Union Symphony Orchestra has turned that idea into a live performance. Art, Music & Film: From Overture to Animation, will be at the historic Dowd Center Theater (120 South Main St.) in Monroe, NC. The family-friendly event will feature the Union Symphony accompanying two iconic vintage cartoons—Koko the Clown and Felix the Cat—on the big screen. Tickets are $20-$35. Friday, April 5, 2 – 4 p.m.
Feelin’ Festive
Buccaneers and scallywags will descend upon downtown Greenville, NC for the 18th annual PirateFest on April 5th. Awarded 2024 Event of the Year by the North Carolina Association of Festival and Events, PirateFest is a full day of swashbuckling fun for all ages at the Greenville Town Common along the banks of the Tar River. Costumed pirates, street food vendors, fine arts and crafts for sale, and live music. Admission is free. Saturday, April 5, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
You might also find some buried treasure at the Tar Heel Antiques Festival in Efland, NC. The weekend-long event features antiques vendors, free antique appraisals, and on-site auctions. Single-day tickets are $5; weekend passes are $7. April 5-6.
Big things are happening in the tiny town of Star, NC (pop. 822) with Firefest. It’s a two-day celebration of glass, ceramic, and metal art at Starworks. The event includes demonstrations, hands on workshops, a special exhibition, talks with artists, tours, food trucks, and live music. General admission is $10 per day. Kids 12 and under get in free. April 4-5.
The history of ceramic arts runs deep in North Carolina. Even deeper than the clay in the soil. Clayworks in Charlotte (4506 Monroe Rd.) has the perfect opportunity for you to try throwing a pot. The non-profit art school, which offers pottery classes for all ages, is celebrating its 20th anniversary this weekend with free workshops, raku firings, kiln openings, the Clay Olympics, pottery sales, and more. April 4-5.
Runner’s High in the Low Country
Folks from all over the Southeast will be in Charleston, SC for the beloved Cooper River Bridge Run. The 48th annual race includes the 10K run/walk, wheelchair division, kids’ run, and finish festival. Everyone I know who’s done it says it’s an amazing experience. Saturday, April 5.
Movies x Music
How often do you get to enjoy classical music while munching on hot buttered popcorn? WDAV’s new Reel Music film series begins April 9th. Join us at Independent Picture House (4237 Raleigh St.) in Charlotte for a screening of the 2022 historical drama, Chevalier. It’s the true story of violinist-composer and fencer Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges. The son of an African slave and a French plantation owner, Bologne (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) rose to improbable heights in French society, including an ill-fated love affair and falling out with Marie Antoinette (Lucy Boynton). After the screening, members of the Charlotte Strings Collective will perform some of Bologne’s music. Tickets are $12.51. Wednesday, April 9, 7-9:30 p.m.
Vive le Bistro!
Speaking of the French, if you’re heading to an event uptown anytime soon, you might want to get a table at La Belle Helene (300 South Tryon St.) or Coquette (400 South Tryon St.). Both offer beautifully executed lunch, dinner, brunch, and dessert menus. They’re also both within walking distance of the Belk Theater, Booth Playhouse, Knight Theater, Mint Museum, and Bechtler Museum of Modern Art.
My personal favorite in the French bistro category is Café Monte French Bakery & Bistro (6700 Fairview Rd.) in SouthPark. The food and service are always outstanding, with a less formal vibe than you’ll find uptown. I’m a big fan of the Trout Amandine at Café Monte. It’s always perfectly prepared and, because it’s a lighter fish entrée, you still have room for one of their fantastic desserts. Priorities…
Check back next week for more things to see, do, and eat. And don’t forget that new things are always showing up on the WDAV Events Calendar.
*Disclosure: Charlotte SHOUT! (Center City Partners), Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, Opera Carolina are WDAV underwriters.
