This week’s edition of FanFare features a wide range of entertaining and edible offerings. You’ll find a jazz tribute to Billie Holiday, a few Beethoven performances, some Rodgers and Hammerstein, and the world premiere of a Margaret Bonds musical. There are also a few barbecue festivals happening across the region. I wouldn’t want to be a pig this weekend.
Honoring Lady Day
CoMMA* Performing Arts Center (401 S. College Street, Morganton) presents The Jazz Legacy Project – Billie Holiday: God Bless the Child, featuring Maria Howell,on Friday, April 17th at 7:30 p.m. More than a concert, this event will also explore the development of Holiday’s unique vocal style and how she blazed a trail for women and African Americans that would pave the way for future generations. April 17.
Midnight Marathon
The Arts & Science Council is hosting its Midnight Marathon, a performance art-based fundraiser, at the Carolina Theatre (230 N. Tryon Street, Charlotte) on Friday, April 17th from 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. The historic venue will be transformed into an immersive artistic showcase with nearly 30 local performers including dancers, poets, singers, storytellers, filmmakers, comedians, improv artists, musicians, and more. April 17.
Symphonic Celebration
Based in Raleigh, the North Carolina Symphony* is coming to our area to present Classical Favorites Celebrating America 250 at Porter Ridge High School (2839 Ridge Road, Indian Trail) on Saturday, April 17th at 7:30 p.m. The all-American program will include iconic works by Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copland, and John Williams. April 17.
RiverRun Returns
The annual RiverRun International Film Festival* returns April 17th through 25th and will feature screenings of 178 films representing 47 countries. They were selected from nearly 2,000 submissions. The screenings will take place at venues across Winston-Salem and Greensboro, including a/perture cinema; Hanesbrands, Mountcastle Forum, and Reynolds Place Theatres in the Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts; Kilpatrick; Marketplace Cinemas; and Main, Gold, and Babcock Theatres at the UNCSA Ace Theatre Complex in Winston-Salem; as well as the Carolina Theatre of Greensboro. April 17-25.
Musical Medicine
The Triad Medical Orchestra, an all-volunteer ensemble of healthcare professionals with a passion for music, presents Carnival of Courage at Wake Forest University’s Brendle Recital Hall (1775 Wake Forest Road, Winston-Salem) on Saturday, April 18th at 7 p.m. The concert will include Hector Berlioz’s Roman Carnival, Gala Flagello’s Bravado (2023), Beethoven’s Rondino in E-flat for eight winds, Johann Strauss, Jr.’s celebratory Voices of Spring, and back to Beethoven with the scherzo and finale of his “Heroic” Symphony No. 3. April 18.
Sounds of Stage & Screen
Soprano Haley Sicking joins the Western Piedmont Symphony* for the next Foothills Pops Series concert, From Broadway to Hollywood, at J.E. Broyhill Civic Center (1913 Hickory Boulevard, Lenoir) on Saturday, April 18th at 7:30 p.m. This lively concert will celebrate the music of stage and screen with beloved show tunes and timeless American standards by George Gershwin, Stephen Sondheim, Rodgers and Hammerstein, and more. April 18.
Showtime!
The music of Rodgers and Hammerstein is in the air this spring. Join the Davidson College* Choirs, Symphony Orchestra, and Opera Workshop for an evening of the legendary songwriting duo’s Broadway classics on Saturday, April 18th, 7:30 p.m. at the Duke Family Performance Hall in the Knoblauch Campus Center (200 Baker Drive, Davidson). April 18.
World Premiere
Queens University’s Art, Design & Music Department is presenting the world premiere of the musical Bitter Laurel by Margaret Bonds at the Gambrell Center* (2319 Wellesley Avenue, Charlotte) on April 18th and 19th. The American composer’s last major work, and unfinished at the time of Bonds’ death, Bitter Laurel tells the story of Elizabeth Keckley, the enslaved person who bought her freedom and became dressmaker to Mary Todd Lincoln. April 18-19.
Whisky & Haggis
The 2026 Loch Norman Highland Games and Scottish Festival are set for April 18th and 19th at Historic Rural Hill (4431 Neck Road, Huntersville). The 32nd edition includes traditional Scottish music and dance performances, athletic competitions, Scottish food trucks, Celtic vendors, historical reenactments, and presentations about Scottish history and culture. This year’s event also includes a Saturday afternoon whisky tasting with five samples and a souvenir glass. April 18-19.
Haydn & Shostakovich
Music at St. Alban’s* (301 Caldwell Lane, Davidson) welcomes New England-based chamber ensemble Trio Ondata on Sunday, April 19th at 3 p.m. Violinist Michael Ferri, cellist Miriam Liske-Doorandish, and guest pianist Bridget O’Leary will perform works by Elena Katz-Chemin, Joseph Haydn, Bridget O’Leary, and Dmitri Shostakovich. The concert will be preceded by a young artists performance at 2:20 p.m. All concerts are followed by a meet-the-artists reception. April 19.
Voices of Spring
Established in 1978, the 110-voice Hickory Choral Society* is performing its 2026 Spring Concert at First Baptist Church (339 2nd Avenue NW, Hickory) on Sunday, April 19th at 3 p.m. The program is highlighted by Leonard Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, along with works by William Grant Still, Randall Thompson, Howard Hanson, and Mack Wilberg. April 19.
Duets in Davidson
Davidson College* presents violinist Melissa White and pianist Miki Sawada at Tyler-Tallman Hall (323 Concord Road, Davison) on Tuesday, April 21st at 7:30 p.m. White is a founding member of the Grammy-winning Harlem Quartet, while Sawada is founder and director of Gather Hear. The duo’s program will feature works by Beethoven, Brahms, Amy Beach, Lili Boulanger, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, and William Grant Still. April 21.
Heartbreak & Hilarity
The A.J. Fletcher Opera Institute at UNCSA* is staging two French operas at the Agnes de Mille Theatre (1533 S. Main Street, Winston-Salem), April 22nd through 26th. Darius Milhaud’s dark and dramatic Médée tells the story of a woman scorned and her shocking plot for revenge. Then, Charles Gounod’s comedic La Colombe (The Dove) shows how far a lovesick nobleman would go to woo a wealthy countess. April 22-26.
A Conversation with Anthony Foxx
Williamson Lectures* is welcoming the former U.S. Secretary of Transportation and Mayor of Charlotte, Anthony Foxx, to St. Peter’s Episcopal Church (115 West 7th Street, Charlotte) on Thursday, April 23rd at 6:30 p.m. Mr. Foxx will be speaking on the subject of “connecting and re-connecting,” which many of us are striving to do in this time of increased disconnectedness. April 23.
Of The We Sing
North Mecklenburg Community Chorus is celebrating America 250 with free concerts at the Cain Center for the Arts (21348 Catawba Avenue, Cornelius) on Thursday, April 23rd and Huntersville Veterans Park (201 Huntersville-Concord Road, Huntersville) on Sunday, April 26th. “Of Thee We Sing” will feature plenty of patriotic music as well as all-American folk songs, blues, pop, and Broadway hits. Both performances start at 7 p.m. April 23 & 26.
MerleFest 2026
MerleFest returns to Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, NC, April 23rd through 26th. The four-day celebration of Americana music features 13 stages of entertainment, a kids’ area, and art & craft vendors. This year’s musical lineup includes Alison Krauss & Union Station, Old Crow Medicine Show, Blackberry Smoke, Molly Tuttle, Maggie Rose, Sam Bush, The Jerry Douglas Band, Steep Canyon Rangers, Jake Shimbukuro, Dom Flemons & The Traveling Wildfires, and many more. April 23-26.
Rescue Brew Returns
NoDa Brewing is once again creating a limited edition Rescue Brew to help save pets’ lives and get them placed in loving homes. Your dog or cat could even be featured on this year’s beer cans. Simply submit a photo of your pet and ask everyone you know to vote. Each $1 vote benefits the Humane Society of Charlotte. The dog and cat with the most votes will be crowned Top Dog and Queen City Kitty. Their photos will be transformed into custom portraits for the Rescue Brew cans. And all pets entered will be featured in the 2027 Rescue Brew Calendar. The deadline to submit your pet’s photo is June 15. Voting ends June 22.
Across the Carolinas
- 5th Annual Carolina BBQ Festival: Enjoy tasting from more than 30 pitmasters and chefs at Victoria Yards in Uptown Charlotte. April 17-18.
- Suds & Swine: Two days of music, food, and beer with a barbecue competition and a Farmer’s and Craft Market at McDuffie Square in downtown Laurinburg. April 17-18.
- Newberry Pork in the Park: This Southern BBQ Network sanctioned competition will feature mouthwatering barbecue from across the Southeast, plus kids’ activities and live music in Newberry, SC. April 17-18.
- Panda Fest: One of the biggest outdoor Asian food festivals in the U.S. with experiential activities, tastings, and market fairs that showcases many vibrant food, art, and cultural traditions at Route 29 Pavilion in Concord. April 17-19.
- 43rd Showcase of Woodcarvings:The Charlotte Woodcarvers Club hosts this free woodcarving show at CPCC with handcrafted pieces, live demos, carving tips, and a chance to learn about upcoming classes. April 17-19.
- Lowcountry Cajun Festival: Cajun and Creole food, barbecue, Zydeco music, and kids’ activities at James Island County Park in Charleston, SC. April 18.
- 31st Annual House of Mercy Walk for AIDS: 1- and 2-mile options through downtown Belmont. Proceeds support critical programs that promote stability, improve health outcomes, and combat stigma and discrimination surrounding HIV/AIDS. April 18.
- Plaza Midwood Library Book Sale: Find low-priced used books with a focus on History and Political Figures. April 18.
- Columbia International Festival: Two-day celebration of various cultures and countries with food, performances, demonstrations, and exhibits in Columbia, SC. April 18-19.
- Charleston Cocktail Week: Seven-day festival with participating venues featuring their signature concoctions in Charleston, SC. April 20-26.
- Myrtle Beach International Film Festival: Five-day event with animation, shorts, documentaries, music videos, and feature-length films. April 21-25.
And if that’s not enough, you can always check the WDAV Events Calendar for even more things to see, do, and eat. Enjoy!
FanFare is made possible in part by:
*Disclosure: CoMMA, North Carolina Symphony, RiverRun International Film Festival, Western Piedmont Symphony, Hickory Choral Society, Davidson College, Gambrell Center, Music at St. Alban’s, UNCSA, and Williamson Lectures are WDAV underwriters.