One Last Taste of Summer While To-Do Lists Wait

July 31, 2025

of Note Phil Vavra

Here comes August! Fortunately, there’s still a little bit of time before school starts and our routines shift. Let’s take advantage of these next couple of weeks and savor some sounds, sights, and bites across the Carolinas.

Big Finale in Brevard

The wonderful 2025 Brevard Music Center Summer Music Festival* is drawing to a close this weekend, but not without a few more powerhouse performances at the Whittington-Pfahl Auditorium (349 Andante Lane, Brevard). The Brevard Concert Orchestra (Keith Lockhart) and Brevard Symphonic Winds (Kraig Alan Williams) will be performing Beethoven’s iconic Symphony No. 5, as well as works by Benjamin Britten, Julie Giroux, and Zoltan Kodaly on Friday, August 1^st. Violinist Maria Ioudenitch joins the Brevard Sinfonia (Ken Lam) for a riveting evening including Henryk Wieniawski’s Violin Concerto No. 2, Edward Elgar’s Enigma Variations, and Aram Khachaturian’s Gayane: Three Pieces on Saturday, August 2^nd. The season finale will feature the Brevard Music Center Orchestra and Chorus (Keith Lockhart) with pianist Richard Goode in a program of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 25 in C major and Ralph Vaughan Williams’ A Sea Symphony. Click here to see the full schedule. August 1-3.

Black Charlotte

Cabarrus Arts Council is presenting Black Charlotte at the Davis Theatre (65 Union Street S., Concord) on Friday, August 1^st from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Through verse and music, fifteen poets will reflect on the Black history, neighborhoods, voices, and future of the Queen City during this evening of celebration and storytelling. August 1.

I Do My Little Turn on the Catwalk…

ArtPop is hosting its Upcycled Fashion Show Kickoff Celebration & Exhibit at Presson Gallery (115 S. Main Street, Monroe) on Friday, August 1^st from 5 to 8 p.m. The special event features local artworks and upcycled fashion, with a chance for you to meet the artists and learn more about ArtPop’s upcoming 5^th Annual Upcycled Fashion Show & Fundraiser on September 6^th at Blume Studios in Charlotte. Admission is free. August 1.

Different Kind of Catwalk

Football season is just about here, so it’s time to get a look at our team. Carolina Panthers Fan Fest returns to Bank of America Stadium (800 S. Mint Street, Charlotte) at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 2^nd. You can catch the squad in action with a live practice, performances by the Panthers Entertainment Teams, a fireworks finale, and more. Tickets are only $5, and all proceeds benefit Carolina Panthers Charities which serve communities across the Carolinas. August 2.

Founding Father of Contemporary Jazz

Contemporary jazzpianist David Benoit will be at Middle C Jazz (300 S. Brevard Street, Charlotte) on Saturday, August 2^nd. Rooted in the tradition of Dave Brubeck and Bill Evans, and with 41 solo recordings under his belt, the Grammy-nominated Benoit will be doing two performances at the Uptown venue, 6:15 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. Craft cocktails and small plates are served up to an hour before each show. August 2.

Boston Wasn’t the Only Tea Party

It’s history in a cup with Liberty Steeped at the Charlotte Museum of History (3500 Shamrock Drive, Charlotte) on Saturday, August 2^nd from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The event will explore the vital role of women in the American Revolution, with particular emphasis on the Edenton Tea Party of 1774, one of the earliest organized political actions by women in colonial America. The conversation will be accompanied by tea service and light fare. August 2.

Calling All Ringers

Charlotte Bronze Handbell Ensemble is looking for handbell ringers who can perform at a high level of technical and musical artistry. The CBHE is holding auditions for the fall of 2025 on Monday, August 4^th at Myers Park United Methodist Church (1501 Queens Rd, Charlotte). Auditions include sight reading various advanced bell assignments and an interview. Interested ringers should contact Artistic Director, Brian Childers for more information. August 4.

Postmodern Jukebox

What happens when you take present-day pop hits and perform them in the style of ragtime, swing, or doo-wop? You get the retro musical collective known as Postmodern Jukebox. The YouTube sensations are bringing their Magic & Moonlight Tour to Blumenthal Arts’* Knight Theater (430 S. Tryon Street, Charlotte) on Thursday, August 7^th. Music lovers of all generations rave about this show. You’re even encouraged to come dressed in your favorite vintage style. August 7.

Dressing Up for Pets

This isn’t happening until Saturday, October 18^th, but it sells out every year, so I’m letting you know now that tickets are on sale for the Humane Society of Charlotte’s signature fundraising event, the Ties & Tails Gala. The elegant evening at The Revelry North End (701 Keswick Avenue #110, Charlotte) will include a cocktail hour, seated dinner, and live and silent auctions, all to help support pets and the people who love them. October 18.

Events Elsewhere…

• 20^th Annual Brew at the Zoo: Enjoy an evening (7 to 9:30 p.m.) of local and craft beer, live music, and exotic wildlife at Riverbanks Zoo and Garden in Columbia, South Carolina. August 1.
• North Carolina Film Festival: The 7^th annual event at the New Bern Civic Center features a diverse selection of independent films, including documentaries and music videos. An All-Day Pass is only $30. August 2.
• Historic Flat Rock Home Tour: After a seven-year absence, the day-long event returns with guided tours of four 19^th century homes, plus the Church of St. John in the Wilderness (1833) in Flat Rock, North Carolina. August 2.
• South Carolina New Play Festival: Four days of plays, musicals, town halls, and variety acts, including the hilarious Piff the Magic Dragon, at multiple venues in Greenville, South Carolina. August 7-11.

Be sure to check back for even more fun stuff to see and do next week. And don’t forget that you can also stay up to date with the WDAV Events Calendar. *Disclosure: Blumenthal Arts and Brevard Music Center are WDAV underwriters.