It’s that time again … time to SHOUT! TODAY, the 17-day art festival is taking over Uptown with ART, MUSIC, FOOD and IDEAS. (And, this organizers Charlotte Center City Partners are throwing in FASHION for good measure!)
With hundreds of free events, public art installations, concerts, performances, conversations, sensations and inspirations, SHOUT! is bigger than ever this year. Through Sunday, April 14, we’re all invited to explore Uptown as you never have before. Rediscover the streets of the Center City while meeting local artists and performers alongside international installations, guest lecturers and superstars. Rain or shine, there’s something at SHOUT! to delight everyone … especially young Charlotteans learning how incredible their hometown is.
To help you plan your visit to SHOUT! this weekend, below are a few faves taking place tonight, Saturday and Easter Sunday. Unless otherwise noted, all events shared below are free admission. FIND A FULL SHOUT! CALENDAR HERE.
Luminous Lane | CREDIT: Patrick Schneider
PILLAR ONE: ART sponsored by Lowe’s
- Public Art Installations
Every day. Everywhere. Every Zone.
Charge your phone and bring that camera. It’s nearly impossible to share all the art installations at Charlotte SHOUT! this year. From returning favorites like Easter Eggs on Parade (The Green) to international sensations like Sonic Runway (Levine Avenue of the Arts) and playful, traveling experiences like EyeLumination, public art is around every Uptown corner for the next 17 days. - Luminous Lane Art Market
100 East 4th St. | ZONE 2
Saturday, Mar. 30 | Opens at Noon
Last year at SHOUT!, more than 40 local artists brought new life to an old alley, painting an amazing collection of murals every day. This year, they’re back to add to Luminous Lane … and they’re bringing friends. This Saturday, you can watch them work and take some of that work home from a special pop-up art market featuring the artists behind the magic. - SHOUT! HUB in the Overstreet Mall
200 S. College St. Building | ZONE 3
Each year, SHOUT! brings excitement TO the streets. In 2024 it’s OVER the streets, too, as the festival moves into Uptown’s Overstreet Mall. Inside the 200 S. College St. building, you’ll find The Hub, a collection of pop-up shops from local art collectives, hands-on creative experiences and fashion installations from the Queen City’s hippest designers. Open rain or shine.
PIanodrome | CREDIT: Patrick Schneider
PILLAR TWO: MUSIC sponsored by Ally
- Nashville Songwriter’s Round
Pianodrome at Grace A.M.E. Zion Church | ZONE 6
Friday, March 29 at 8pm
Enjoy live music from Nashville songwriters, Kirsti Manna, Steve Dean and Bill DiLuigi, performing live inside America’s first amphitheater made entirely from upcycled pianos. - Saturday at SHOUT! featuring Tuba Skinny
Ally Main Stage | ZONE 1
Saturday, March 30 from 2 to 10pm
The Ally Main Stage in First Ward Park is bursting at the seams this Saturday with music, food trucks, interactive art installations. It’ll be a day filled with local artists performing live, leading up to an evening concert from world-class interpreters of traditional jazz and Americana music, Tuba Skinny. - Easter Praise Fest
Ally Main Stage | ZONE 1
Sunday, March 31 from 3 to 8pm
Celebrate Easter Sunday at the Ally Main Stage with an all-day celebration of gospel performances that will fill your heart. Featuring Isaiah Bell, the Williams Family, Gemeyal Brown, Steve Dalton Leviticus Charlotte and a closing performance from Karen Poole, Easter Praise Fest is a joyful way to spend the day.
CREDIT: Charlotte StrEATs Festival
PILLAR THREE: FOOD sponsored by Compass Group
- The Market at 7th Street
224 East 7th Street | ZONE 1
Open Friday and Saturday from 8am to 10pm
Open Sunday from 9am to 8pm
From hot coffee to cold craft beer, popcorn and pizza, food vendors here are open every day of the week. Located just across the street from Victoria Yards and First Ward Park, The Market at 7th Street is a perfect place to stop for a SHOUT! snack.
PRO TIP: Market customers get two hours free in the 7th Street Station parking deck. - SHOUT! Beer Garden
First Ward Park | ZONE 1
Opens at 5pm Friday and 3pm Saturday & Sunday
Nestled between the Ally Main Stage and Victoria Yards, this urban oasis offers a selection of craft beer and wine. Need we say more? - SHOP SHOUT!
Every day. Everywhere. Every Zone.
Need a quick break to refuel and rejuvenate? Swing by one of the restaurants offering exclusive SHOUT! menu items, drinks and deals as part of Shop SHOUT!
Courtesy of Charlotte Center City Partners
PILLAR FOUR: IDEAS sponsored by UNC Charlotte
- Daybreaker CLT Peace Tour
First Ward Park | ZONE 1
Saturday, March 30 at 9am
Start the first Saturday of SHOUT! (March 30) with a bang! Daybreaker offers an hour of all-levels yoga at 9am followed by a two-hour dance party at 10am. This event is free, but you need to register here. - David Pogue at the DuBois Center
UNC Charlotte Uptown | ZONE 1
4/3 at 6pm
Okay, technically this happens after this weekend, but we want you to make plans now to kick off the Charlotte Ideas Festival with CBS Sunday Morning’s own David Pogue. He will lead audiences through an exploration of the world that’s coming through AI at UNC Charlotte Uptown’s DuBois Center. Tickets are $50; reserve yours here.
Where to Start at SHOUT!
You can enter from just about anywhere Uptown, but SHOUT! recommends jumping into your journey at:
- ZONE 1: Victoria Yards/First Ward Park
- ZONE 3: SHOUT! Lounge and CMS Gallery
- ZONE 5: Levine Avenue of the Arts
CLICK HERE for a printable map of Charlotte SHOUT!
What are the ZONES all about? To help us navigate, the SHOUT! team has established 8 festival zones — clusters of activities, attendees can use to plan their visit. The SHOUT! web site offers guides to each zones, with recommended events, photo spots, installations and parking instructions. FIND THEM HERE.
How to Get to SHOUT!
- BY CAR – If you’re coming to SHOUT! in your car, there are lots of places to park. A limited supply of on-street parking is available, as well as a large array of surface lots and parking decks. FIND A MAP HERE.
- BY LIGHT RAIL – You can take the Blue Line light rail into Uptown from Pineville and University City. FIND STOPS AND SCHEDULES HERE.
- ON FOOT
And, if you really want to watch your carbon footprint, you can also walk (or pedal) into Uptown on the Rail Trail. HERE’S A MAP.
This email was sponsored by Charlotte SHOUT! and will help fund the work of a H.U.G. micro-grant for a Charlotte-based creative.