17 fun things to do in the Wilmington area for the first weekend of fall
Fall arrives at 2:49 a.m. on Saturday, so in a sense this weekend contains both the last weekend of summer and the first weekend of autumn.
Speaking of having it all, the Wilmington area is awash in events this weekend, with an assortment of festivals and a handful of musical performances that run the gamut from blues and indie rock to country and electronica. Plus, there are some notable film screenings and the return of an annual, multi-disciplinary performance to one of Wilmington's most storied stages.
Let's see what the weekend has in store. (If you're looking for Brunswick County events specifically, we do a seperate article for that.)
ALL WEEKEND
Cape Fear Arts in Motion
At Thalian Hall: Wilmington's Forward Motion Dance Co. presents its annual multimedia extravaganza blending movement, music, visual art, film and more. This year's performance is billed as "Fire, Film and Fusion." Featured are new and re-created dance pieces by choreographer Tracey Varga, Qaadir Hicks and others, along with film by Patrick Ogelvie, original music from Wilmington composer Barbara Gallagher and sets by Randy Davis. New works include "Echolocations - River" set to music by Andrew Bird and a piece from students in the DREAMS arts program. 7:30 p.m. Sept. 21, 910-632-2285. Friday's scheduled show has been canceld due to the storm.
Jay Larson
At Dead Crow Comedy: You might remember Jay Larson from appearances on Comedy Central or "Conan," or for his story "Wrong Number," about the time Larson pretended to know a caller from an unknown number and which was featured on NPR's "This American Life." Larson will be doing four shows this weekend at Wilmington's top comedy club. 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Sept. 22-23, tickets are $18 and $28.
'Passages'
At Thalian Hall (studio theater): The Cinematique film series presents the latest from director Ira Sachs ("Love is Strange," "Little Men"), who also happens to be the brother of Wilmington writer Dana Sachs. "Passages," about a married gay couple whose lives are thrown into chaos when one of the men begins an affair with a women, has been reviewed by most major publications covering film, and was called "a briskly-moving, turbulent, emphatically sexy, deliberately exasperating love triangle (set) in crazy times" on RogerEbert.com. 7 p.m. Sept. 20-21 and 4 p.m. Sept. 20, 910-632-2285. Friday's show has been canceled due to the storm.
ARTFALL
At the Community Arts Center/Hannah Block Historic USO: Eighth annual juried art show and sale features work by dozens of artists. The show features work in a variety of mediums, and the juror is Wilmington artist Benjamin Billingsley, who teaches art at CFCC and has been involved in the Port City's visual arts scene for more than 20 years. Opening reception is 6-8 p.m. Sept. 21, show hangs 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily through Sept. 30.
Carolina Beach Dragon Boat Regetta
At the Carolina Beach Yacht Basin: This one-of-a-kind event features costumed teams racing dragon-themed boats. Kickoff party is 6 p.m. Sept. 22 at the Seawitch Cafe and Tiki Bar, with races starting 8:30 a.m. Sept. 23 in the waters of the Carolina Beach Yacht Basin. Finals will start around 3 p.m. Saturday, followed by a ceremony recognizing the first-place teams in each division, along with the teams with the most spirit, best costumes and the best all-women team. Details at CarolinaBeachDreagonBoatRegatta.org.
THURSDAY
Raphael Namé
At Cameron Art Museum: As part of the CAM's Sunset Performance Series, this Brazilian-born, Wilmington-based musician will perform a concert of bossa nova, samba and other Brazilian-born sounds. The concert will be held outside by "Boundless," the sculpture dedicated to U.S. Colored Troops from the Civil War. 7 p.m, Sept. 21, free. Registration requested.
FRIDAY
Fourth Friday Gallery Night
Downtown Wilmington: Due to weather concerns, this week's event has been postponed to Sept. 29. Nearly two dozen downtown-area galleries and art spaces open their doors for this monthly art crawl. This month's highlights include "Sound Waves" at public radio WHQR's MC Erny Gallery, 254 N. Front St., an exhibit that features the sculptures of Renato Abbate and Anne McCombie, who blend copper, wood and other materials into musical images with a nautical theme. Across Front Street at New Elements Gallery, Nancy Tuttle May and Bob Rankin team up for a show called "Unfolding in Color." 6-9 p.m. Sept. 22, free. For a full listing of galleries go to ArtsWilmington.org.
'BURNED: Protecting the Protectors'
At Jengo's Playhouse: Friday's screening has been postponed due to the storm. Rescheduled date is TBA. The Cucalorus Film Festival resumes its series of Friday night screenings at its headquarters of Jengo's Playhouse with this documentary from director Elijah Yetter-Bowman about how firefighters are at risk due to the presence of PFAS in their protective gear. Post-screening Q&A with Yetter-Bowman, firefighter Laura Leigh Bransford and Cape Fear River Watch Executive Director Dana Sargent. 7:30 p.m. Sept. 22, tickets are $10.
The Queen's Giant
At Bourgie Nights: Wilmington band The Queen's Giant, which evokes shades of The White Stripes and The Black Keys, plays a dual-single release show with fellow rockers Blue Karma. The Queen's Giant new song "Back to My Heart" has a hypnotic, bluesy groove, while Blue Karma will be making its local debut. 9 p.m. doors, 10 p.m. show, Sept. 21, tickets are $10 in advance, $15 day of show.
SATURDAY
Castle Street Block Party
Castle Street: The folks behind the Castle Street Makers Market and the Curated on Castle Vintage Market up their games with this seven-block party celebrating all things Castle Street. Stretching from Third and Castle all the way up to On Thyme at 10th and Castle, you'll find vendors, tastings, art and much more. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sept. 23, free. Rain date is Sept. 24.
Local history: Take a ‘visit’ to 1973 on Wilmington's Castle Street: 50 years later, what's changed?
Sylvan Esso
At Greenfield Lake Amphitheater: Durham electronic duo returns to Wilmington for a sold-out show at Greenfield Lake. Opening act is another Durham electronic act, GRRL. 7 p.m. Sept. 23, "verified resale" tickets start at $75.
Summer Set
At Bourgie Nights: Longtime Wilmington indie rock act Summer Set, whose heyday was the early and mid-2000s, recently resurfaced with new singles from their upcoming, self-titled debut on locally based Fort Lowell Records. "Summer Set," due out Nov. 3, features classic tunes ("Center of Attention," "Favorite Places") as well as more recent, mostly unheard material from songwriter/guitarist/singer Brian Weeks and bassist/vocalist Robert Rogan. 9 p.m. doors, 10 p.m. show, Sept. 23. Tickets are $15, $20 in advance.
The summer of Summer Set Decades in the making, a celebrated Wilmington band to debut its first album
Wilmington Record Show
At Waterline Brewing: More than a dozen area purveyors of vinyl records will have their wares all in one spot for this bi-annual show, which also features a range of music-related items. With food trucks, DJ Rob Starr spinning records and live music from longtime Wilmington Hawaiian act Da Howlies at 3 p.m. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sept. 23, free.
Jack the Radio
At Greenfield Lake Yacht Club: Raleigh roots act brings its countrified, up-tempo rockers to town for a show at this gem of a venue on the edge of Sunset Park. Jack the Radio has opened for The Avett Brothers, Robert Randolph and the Family Band, George Thorogood, American Aquarium and others, and has had its songs featured in commercials and on various TV shows. 7-9 p.m. Sept. 23, free.
SUNDAY
CAM Community Day
At Cameron Art Museum: Free admission all day to the Cameron Art Museum, whose current slate of exhibits features "Place of Encounters/Lugar de Encuentros," a showcase for Latino artists from North Carolina. Community Day festivities include Kids @ CAM activities from 12:30-2 p.m., a performance at 3 p.m. by Aztec dance troupe Danza Guerreros Quetzalcoatl outdoors in the Sculpture Park, and a 3:30 p.m. gallery talk with artist and filmmaker Rodrigo Dorfman, who has work in "Place of Encounters." 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sept. 24, free admission all day.
LakeFest
At Greenfield Lake: Greenfield Lake is one of our area's gems, and it's a great place to take kids any time, but especially during LakeFest. Billed as a celebration of science, nature and wildlife, this environmental festival is organized by Cape Fear River Watch and the city of Wilmington's department of Parks & Rec. There will be educational games and activities, live animals on display, tours and paddle boat rides, and reps from many area environmental organizations. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sept. 24 at the Greenfield Lake Boathouse. (Postponed from Saturday due to the storm.) Details at CapeFearRiverwatch.org.
Artist demo with Jeri Greenberg
At Art in Bloom gallery: Artist Jeri Greenberg, who works in pastels, will demonstrate her technique for the public during this event. Greenberg's latest body of work, "Hearts and Souls," features portraits, still life and depictions of everyday scenes. 2-5 p.m. Sept. 24, free.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Things to do in Wilmington NC for the weekend of Sept. 21-24 2023
