What is there to do in Charlotte this weekend? Here’s our experts’ picks on everything from entertainment – movies to music to theater – to food and wine, beer and restaurants. And shopping, of course...
Friday
Children’s Theatre of Charlotte opens its 2017-2018 season – its 70th – with a three-week run of the classic Disney musical “Mary Poppins.” Actress Janeta Jackson takes on the role of the original super nanny Oct. 6-29. Recommended for ages 6 and up. $12-$34 at ImaginOn.
The two-day Art of Cool Project showcases a mix of local and national soul, funk, R&B, jazz and hip-hop artists. It begins at Morehead Tavern, featuring Charlotte’s Hidden Gems Big Pooh, Harvey Cummings, and Queen’s Guard featuring Blanche J. and continues with a NoDa takeover Saturday, including Chantae Cann at the Evening Muse, DJs Fannie Mae and That Guy Smitty at the Blind Pig, Blame the Youth at Heist Brewery and the Robert Glasper Experiment at Neighborhood Theatre (and more). $12.50 Friday, $30 Saturday, VIP $50.
The Charlotte Symphony celebrates Latin music with a Rodrigo Guitar Concerto at Knight Theater, featuring “Concierto de Aranjuez” by 20th-century composer Joaquin Rodrigo, whose work seamlessly blends classical guitar with orchestra. Guitarist Pablo Sainz Villegas’ performance with the symphony will be followed by guest conductor Marcelo Lehninger and composer Gabriela Lena Frank’s “Three Latin American Dances.” $19-$99.
The Shoppies of Shopville get ready for a food/fashion fair in “Shopkins Live!” – a musical stage production that stars Bubbliesha, Peppa-Mint, and Rainbow Kate, plus hip-hop and pop-infused original music and dance at Ovens. $29.50-$44.45.
“Undateable” star Chris D’Elia returns for a standup stint at Comedy Zone. With his latest Netflix special “Man on Fire,” and roles in the horror sitcom “Little Evil” and an upcoming big screen teen drama (starring Jaden Smith and Cara Delevingne), D’Elia continues to branch out – and up. $27.50-$32.50.
Saturday
The annual Carolina Renaissance Festival & Artisan Marketplace is in full swing with jousting and jesters, falconry and feasting, Camelot and cosplay each weekend through Nov. 19. Knights in shining armor, fair maidens, wizards and wenches transport a portion of Huntersville to the medieval Fairhaven Village. Adults $24, children age 5-12 $14, children under 5 free.
Almost a month since he last stepped on a Charlotte stage, country superstar Brad Paisley is back to get NASCAR fans ready for Sunday’s Bank of America 500: He’s headliner of the JR Nation Apprecia88ion concert, which takes place the night before at ZMax Dragway. The concert is free for those with tickets to Sunday’s race. Tim Dugger opens the show.
Can you imagine a Hendrix-themed striptease? A purple fan dance set to Prince? It’s a scenario those late artists might approve of, and it’s the theme of Big Mamma’s House of Burlesque Presents: Dead Sexy, a tribute to gone-too-soon music icons that continue to inspire. $15-$18 at the Visulite.
The word “spirits: takes on double meanings on the Nightly Spirits’ Charlotte Ghost Tour, which combines an uptown pub crawl with a walking tour of haunted locales, including a cemetery. The 2 1/2-hour tour runs Saturdays year-round, starting at Alexander Michael’s in Fourth Ward, with intermittent stops at area bars for fright recovery. $25 (drinks not included).
Sunday
One hundred and forty years after it first premiered at Moscow’s Bolshoi Theater, the Russian Grand Ballet presents “Swan Lake” at CPCC’s Halton Theater. One of the most famous ballets of all time, this single performance features the r Waltz of the Black Swans. $45-$65.
Wednesday
Peppa Pig, brother George, Daddy Pig, Mummy Pig and the other domesticated animal characters from the animated Nick Jr. series bring life lessons and family fun to the stage for “Peppa Pig” Live! at Belk Theater. The characters are life-size puppets, in this stage version of the UK-made preschool favorite. $15-$49.50.
This story was originally published October 04, 2017 7:39 PM.