Final Weekend: Charlotte International Arts Festival 2023 –17 days, 170 free events, 150 art installations…

Ballantyne’s Backyard

11611 North Community House Road, Charlotte, NC

• Nouveau Sud — dance/acrobatic performance (various times; free)
• Rollin’ CLT Skate Park (various times; tickets are $5 to $20)
• Aqueous by Jen Lewin — series of interactive pathways that swirl with light when you walk over them (Sep 15 – Oct 1; free)
• Fantastic Planet by Amanda Parer — large-scale glowing, inflatable sculptures (Sep 15 – Oct 1; free)
• Lotty by Moradavaga — large-scale interactive squid sculpture (Sep 15 – Oct 1; free)
• Mentalgassi — combination of photography, sculpture, image manipulation (Sep 15 – Oct 1; free)
• Birdmen — larger than life bird puppets (Various times Sep 15 to Oct 1; free)
• 100 Tiny Things — tiny pieces of art to discover (Sep 15 to Oct 2; free)
• Waterbombs — performances (various times Sep 22 – Oct 1; free)

Ballantyne Backyard Stage Lineup

Friday, September 22:

• 2 p.m.: Waterbombs
• 2:30 p.m.: Cafe Amaretto (latin/jazz)
• 3:30 p.m.: Filip Yushchenko (jazz saxophone)
• 4:30 p.m.: Nouveau Sud (circus)
• 5 p.m.: Waterbombs
• 5:30 p.m.: Kizomba Alegria Dance Company
• 6:15 p.m.: Flutepraise
• 8:15 p.m.: Birdmen

Saturday, September 23:

• 11 a.m.: Amberley Bergmann (folk/pop)
• 12:30 p.m.: Javier Sanchez
• 1:30 p.m.: Nouveau Sud (circus)
• 2 p.m.: Waterbombs
• 2:30 p.m.: Nate Brown’s Rhythms of Soul (reggae, calypso, R&B, Afro-Latin jazz)
• 3:30 p.m.: Javier Sanchez
• 4:30 p.m.: Nouveau Sud (circus)
• 5 p.m.: Waterbombs
• 6:15 p.m.: Bloco Afro Ayedun and Moving Spirits, Inc. (African-Brazilian Dance)
• 6:45 p.m.: Pacific Fire (South Pacific and Polynesian Dancing)
• 7:15 p.m.: Space Ballet (Synthwave / Trip-Hop)
• 8:15 p.m.: Birdmen

Sunday, September 24:

• 12 p.m: Josh King (piani/singer/songwriter)
• 1:30 p.m.: Nouveau Sud (circus)
• 2 p.m.: Waterbombs
• 2:30 p.m.: Bloco Afro Ayédùn and Moving Spirits Inc. (African-Brazilian Dance)
• 3 p.m.: GottaSwing Charlotte (Swing Dance)
• 3:30 p.m.: Javier Sanchez
• 4:30 p.m.: Nouveau Sud (circus)
• 5 p.m.: Waterbombs
• 5:30 p.m.: Pacific Fire (South Pacific and Polynesian Dancing)
• 5:30 p.m.: Javier Sanchez with Jonatan Baez & Kayla Broom
• 7:15 p.m.: NC Brazilian Arts Project

Friday, September 29:

• 2 p.m.: Waterbombs
• 5 p.m.: Waterbombs
• 5:30 p.m.: Kizomba Alegria Dance Compan (Afro-Carribean Dance – Belarus / Dominican Republic / Haiti)
• 6:15 p.m.: Flutepraise

Saturday, September 30:

• 12 p.m.: Josh King (piano / singer/ songwriter)
• 1:30 p.m.: Kizomba Alegria Dance Compan (Afro-Carribean Dance – Belarus / Dominican Republic / Haiti)
• 2 p.m.: Waterbombs
• 2:30 p.m.: Nate Brown’s Rhythms of Soul (Reggae, Calypso, R&B, Afro-Latin Jazz – USA)
• 3:30 p.m.: GottaSwing Charlotte (Swing Dance)
• 4:30 p.m.: Pacific Fire (South Pacific & Polynesian Dancing – Hawaii, Samoa, USA (Charlotte))
• 5 p.m.: Waterbombs
• 5:30 p.m.: Birdmen
• 6:15 p.m.: Broadway Karaoke
• 8:15 p.m.: Birdmen

October 1, 2023:

• 12 p.m.: Cafe Amaretto (Latin/Jazz)
• 1 p.m.: Nate Brown’s Rhythms of Soul (Reggae, Calypso, R&B, Afro-Latin Jazz – USA)
• 2 p.m.: Waterbombs
• 2:30 p.m.: Robert Morrison (indie rock)
• 4 p.m: Javier Sanchez with Jonatan Baez & Kayla Broom
• 5 p.m.: Waterbombs
• 5:30 p.m.: Birdmen
• 6:15 p.m.: Javier Sanchez with Jonatan Baez & Kayla Broom
• 7:15 p.m.: NC Brazilian Arts Project (Samba and Capoeira)
• 8:15 p.m.: Birdmen

The Amp Ballantyne

11115 Upper Avenue, Charlotte, NC

• Latin American Festival — music, dance, marketplace, cuisine (Sep 23, 2023, 12 to 8 p.m.; free)

Wells Fargo Plaza

301 S Tryon Street, Charlotte, NC

Stage schedule subject to change. Check here for the latest info.

Friday, September 22

• 5 p.m.: The Travis Williams Group (Arabac Maqam Fusion)
• 6:30 p.m.: GottaSwing Charlotte (Swing Dance)

Saturday, September 23

• 12 p.m.: Mystic Vibrations (Reggae)
• 1:30 p.m.: Jasmine & The Kashmir Kings (India)
• 3 p.m: Tablao Flamenco (Spain)
• 4:15 p.m.: Jazz Arts Youth Ensemble
• 5:45 p.m.: Project Full Out (Hip Hop Dance)
• 6 p.m.: MJ Lip Sync Battle Round 2
• 8 pm.: KPOP Night w/ DJ Fannie Mae

Sunday, September 24

• 12 p.m.: Michela Musolino (Sicilian Folk & Roots)
• 1:30 p.m.: Borinquen Sublime
• 3 p.m.: Tablao Flamenco
• 4:15 p.m.: MufukaWorks Dance Co. (Zimbabwe)
• 5:45 p.m.: Vadim Kolpakov & Co. (Gypsy Music — Around the World)
• 7:15 p.m.: Tablao Flamenco

Friday, September 29

• 5 p.m.: Vadim Kolpakov & Co. (Gypsy Music — Around the World)
• 6:30 p.m.: Jason Plus the MLC (R&B Pop)
• 8 p.m.: Vadim Kolpakov & Co. (Gypsy Music — Around the World)

Levine Avenue

420 South Tryon Street, Charlotte, NC

• Festival Biergarten (Sep 15 – Oct 1)
• Sky of Bubbles — large-scale bubble art installation (Sep 15 – Oct 1; free)
• Musical acts (see below)
• Fitness classes TBA

Thursday, September 21

• 5 p.m.: Phoenix Down RPG (Video Game Music LIVE)
• 6 p.m.: Vadim Kolpakov (Gypsy 7-string Guitar, International Music)
• 7 p.m.: Nate Brown (Reggae, Calypso, R&B, Afro-Latin Jazz)
• 8 p.m.: Sal Contrino (Classical Guitar)

Friday, September 22

• 5 p.m.: Javier Sanchez (Bandoneon – Argentina)
• 6 p.m.: Café Amaretto (Latin / Jazz)
• 7 p.m.: Best of Open Mic

Saturday, September 23

• 12 p.m.: CLT Chess Center Pop-Up & :”Play the Mater” Blitz
• 5 p.m.: Sal Contrino (Classical Guitar)
• 6 p.m.: Josh King (piano/singer/songwriter)
• 8 p.m.: Amberley Bergmann (folk/pop South Africa)
• 9 p.m.: Filip Yushchenko (jazz saxophone)

Sunday, September 24

• 12 p.m.: Café Amaretto (Latin / Jazz)
• 1:30 p.m.: Amberley Bergmann (folk/pop South Africa)
• 2:30 p.m.: Voices of the Blumeys
• 4:30 p.m.: Broadway Trivia
• 5:30 p.m.: Josh King (piano/singer/songwriter)
• 7:30 p.m.: Café Amaretto (Latin / Jazz)

Thursday, September 28

• 5 p.m.: Mimi V (Singer)
• 6 p.m.: Filip Yushchenko (jazz saxophone)
• 7 p.m.: Nate Brown (Reggae, Calypso, R&B, Afro-Latin Jazz)
• 8 p.m.: Sal Contrino (Classical Guitar)

Friday, September 29

• 6 p.m.: Nate Brown (Reggae, Calypso, R&B, Afro-Latin Jazz)
• 7 p.m.: Broadway Karaoke
• 9 p.m.: Broadway Trivia

Saturday, September 30

• 1 p.m.: Val Merz (Singer/Songwriter)
• 3 p.m.: Sal Contrino (Classical Guitar)
• 4 p.m.: Javier Sanchez (Bandoneon – Argentina)
• 5 p.m.: G& That Jazz (Latin Guitar)
• 6 p.m.: Robert Morrison (Indie rock)
• 8 p.m.: Acoustic Autumn (Acoustic Covers)
• 9 p.m.: Mimi V (singer)

Sunday, October 1

• 12 p.m.: Josh Daniel (singer/songwriter)
• 2 p.m.: Mimi V (singer)
• 3 p.m.: Reinaldo Brahn
• 4 p.m.: Val Merz
• 5 p.m.: Café Amaretto (Latin / Jazz)
• 6 p.m.: Josh King (piano/singer/songwriter)

Founders Hall

100 N Tryon Street, Charlotte, NC

• Gaia — large earth sculpture (Sep 15 – Oct 1; free)
• Tango Milonga (Oct 1, 12 p.m.)
• International Bazaar — 75 merchants and vendors representing local cultural groups and nonprofits (Sep 29-30; free)

Belk Theater

130 N Tryon Street, Charlotte, NC

• Festival of India (Sep 23, 12 to 8 p.m.; outside activities are free, inside is $6, free for kids under 10)