Get ready for an expansive and interactive art experience, with the 2nd annual Charlotte International Arts Festival. This festival will take place September 15 to October 1, 2023, in locations in Uptown Charlotte and Ballantyne.
The festival will feature 170 free events, 150 art installations, 120 musical acts, and more. There will be performances of all kinds, and large-scale interactive art installations.

Charlotte International Arts Festival is presented by Blumenthal Performing Arts.
Some of the events are ticketed shows at Blumenthal Performing Arts venues, and some are indoor or outdoor installations or performances that you can enjoy for free.

The events will be in various locations in Uptown Charlotte and Ballantyne.
Two popular festivals — Festival of India and the Latin American Festival — will be part of CIAF.
Please reading for a list of venues, and some of what you’ll find at each one during CIAF. We are only listing the free, non-ticketed events, for the most part, but you can see all the events and attractions, and the most recent information, on the CIAF website.
Fall is looking great around Charlotte, whether you’re looking for something spooky or totally kid-friendly! Check out our HUGE list of fall festivals, a big list of Halloween parties, Trick or Treat events, and our list of pumpkin patches, haunted trails and corn mazes!
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)
Saturday, September 30
- 12:15 p.m.: Ballet Inc
- 2 p.m.: House of Dreams
- 3 p.m.: Latin Heritage Dance Company
- 4:20 p.m.: The Tap Rebels
- 5:15 p.m.: MJ Lip Sync Battle Finale
- 7:45 p.m.: The Tap Rebels
- 8:45 p.m.: TwinNation and House of Crane
Sunday, October 1
- 12:30 p.m.: Epiphany A Cappella
- 2 p.m.: Hamiltunes
- 5 p.m.: Carolinas Latin Dance
- 5:45 p.m.: Chakora Arts (Indian Dance)
- 7:15 p.m.: Reinaldo Brahn
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
Stage schedule subject to change. Check here for the latest info.
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)
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.
More Festivals
Check out this list of the biggest fall festivals and Halloween events in Charlotte (or just keep reading for a list of upcoming festivals.)
Saturday, September 30, 2023
Sunday, October 1, 2023
Tuesday, October 3, 2023
Friday, October 6, 2023
Saturday, October 7, 2023
Sunday, October 8, 2023
Friday, October 13, 2023
Saturday, October 14, 2023
Sunday, October 15, 2023
Thursday, October 19, 2023
Friday, October 20, 2023
Saturday, October 21, 2023
Sunday, October 22, 2023
Thursday, October 26, 2023
Friday, October 27, 2023
Saturday, October 28, 2023
Sunday, October 29, 2023
Saturday, November 4, 2023
Sunday, November 5, 2023
Saturday, November 11, 2023
Sunday, November 12, 2023
Saturday, November 18, 2023
Sunday, November 19, 2023
Various locations
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