Ready to spark your curiosity? UNC Charlotte, sponsor of SHOUT!’s Ideas track, has curated a series of FREE interactive experiences designed to make you think, explore, and discover.
Over the final two weekends of the festival, head to the Dubois Center and First Ward Park for hands-on science, robotics demos, art-making, storytelling, documentary screenings, performances, and nature exploration for all ages.
From bats and rockets to circus arts and sustainability prototypes, this is your chance to experience innovation and creativity in action. These events take place in First Ward Park, one of SHOUT!’s most vibrant hubs, and Dubois Center.
SHOUTs with UNC Charlotte Schedule
BITE – UNC Charlotte Bats
Saturday, April 11, 2026
12 to 2:30 p.m.
First Ward Park
301 E 7th Street, Charlotte, NC
Free
Meet the fascinating bats of North Carolina and learn how these nighttime creatures help our ecosystem thrive. Enjoy a fun, family-friendly event with hands-on activities: Origami bats and coloring sheets, fun bat facts, Interactive science discussions. Perfect for all ages and backgrounds, this event combines science, creativity, and nature in a way that’s both fun and educational.
The SkyRoCKeT Study
Saturday, April 11, 2026
12 to 5 p.m
First Ward Park
301 E 7th Street, Charlotte, NC
Free
Dive into hands-on exploration and research demonstrations that bring science concepts to life in unexpected ways.
LIMO Robot Demonstration
Saturday, April 18, 2026
12 to 1 p.m.
Dubois Center
320 E 9th Street, Charlotte, NC
Free
See robotics in action as UNC Charlotte showcases cutting-edge autonomous technology. In this activity, we will use LIMO robots to collect (sense) WiFi RSSI signal strength across the space and perform adaptive online prediction to generate and update a WiFi signal heatmap in real time. The goal is to enable the robots to continuously refine the estimated WiFi field as they move and gather new measurements.
“Eco Dome” Prototype
Saturday, April 18, 2026
12 to 1:30 p.m.
First Ward Park
301 E 7th Street, Charlotte, NC
Free
Explore sustainable design and environmental innovation through this interactive prototype experience. Visitors will be able to touch and explore a massive, custom-fabricated ceramic planter box featuring raised Adinkra iconography, filled with soil and a live growing plant. The physical prototype demonstrates how computational design and high-fire ceramics can merge to create enduring, culturally significant infrastructure for local food systems.
Nuevas Raíces (Oral Histories)
Saturday, April 18, 2026
12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
Dubois Center
320 E 9th Street, Charlotte, NC
Free
As part of the 2026 Southeastern Immigrant Studies Association (SEISA) Conference—hosted in Charlotte for the first time—Dr. Hannah Gill (UNC–Chapel Hill) will share highlights from Nuevas Raíces, a bilingual oral history archive documenting Latin American and Caribbean migration and community leadership in North Carolina.
Learn About Your Neighborhood: Quality of Life Explorer Demos
Saturday, April 18, 2026
12 to 3 p.m.
Dubois Center
320 E 9th Street, Charlotte, NC
Free
Drop in, enter your address, and explore interactive data that reveals the social, housing, economic, environmental, and safety conditions shaping the place you call home—offering fresh insights into your community and the stories behind the numbers.
CHArts Mobile Studio
Saturday, April 18, 2026
12 to 5 p .m.
First Ward Park (at 8th Street)
301 E 7th Street, Charlotte, NC
Free
Step inside a traveling creative studio and experiment with art-making activities for all ages. UNC Charlotte’s Center for Community, Heritage and the Arts (CHArts) mobile studio visits CharlotteSHOUT! to share information about current projects and engage community members in envisioning the further development of the mobile studio. The Mobile Studio will be parked on 8th Street adjacent to the Dubois Center at First Ward Park.
The Untold Story of Black Librarians (Documentary)
Saturday, April 18, 2026
1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Dubois Center
320 E 9th Street, Charlotte, NC
Free
Discover an important and often overlooked chapter of history through this compelling documentary screening. Featured on Good Morning America, the documentary film “Are You a Librarian? The Untold Story of Black Librarians” aims to illuminate the profound impact of Black librarians. It was created by a team of dedicated librarians and library workers, each with a unique and compelling story.
The documentary traces the rich history of Black librarianship across the country, highlighting the experiences and challenges faced by Black librarians in the past and present. The film sheds light on the history of Black librarianship and celebrates their accomplishments and innovative approaches to the profession. It provides a fresh perspective on the role Black librarians play in transforming the field of librarianship.
Nouveau Sud Circus Project Performance
Saturday, April 18, 2026
3 to 4 p.m.
First Ward Park
301 E 7th Street, Charlotte, NC
Free
The Nouveau Sud Circus Project is a contemporary social circus initiative rooted in the “underground” dance/acrobatic/physical theatre scenes present in the vast array of cultures in the urban regions of Charlotte. Through physical language — dance, movement, and circus — these communities tell stories of their struggles, histories, traditions, transformations, and iconography, as we examine the idea of what it is to be a citizen of the ‘New’ South.
Marble Leather Printing
Sunday, April 19, 2026
2 to 3:30 p.m.
First Ward Park
301 E 7th Street, Charlotte, NC
Free
Try a unique artistic process combining texture, color, and printmaking techniques. Get ready to mix, swirl, and discover with UNC Charlotte artists! In this hands-on activity, kids will explore cool science ideas while creating colorful works of art. Watch colors blend together, see how liquids move and flow, and discover how fun patterns magically appear. Young creators will even learn how images can transfer from one surface to another—just like real printing! It’s a playful mix of art and science that sparks curiosity, creativity, and plenty of “wow!” moments along the way.
Health & Fitness Assessments for Youth
Sunday, April 19, 2026
3 to 4:30 p.m.
First Ward Park
301 E 7th Street, Charlotte, NC
Free
UNC Charlotte students will demonstrate and administer health and fitness tests to K-12 students. Areas will include a variety of health domains such as power (e.g., vertical jump), blood pressure, and grip strength. Students can sign up on-site as long as there are spots available.
Discover Uptown’s Birds
Sunday, April 19, 2026
3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
First Ward Park
301 E 7th Street, Charlotte, NC
Free
A family-friendly bird walk guided by Dr. Sara Gagné, urban ecologist and author of Nature at Your Door: Connecting with the Wild and Green in the Urban and Suburban Landscape.
Discover the surprising diversity of bird life that calls Uptown Charlotte home! An easy half-hour walk filled with interesting facts about our incredible avian neighbors. a guided exploration to learn about the birds that call Uptown Charlotte home.
Double-Check Before You Head Out!
We make every effort to make sure that everything on Charlotte on the Cheap is 100% accurate.
However, sometimes things change without notice, and we are not always notified. It’s also possible that we can make a mistake.
Please verify all deals and events with the venue or organizer before you go.
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More Events for Kids
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