SOUTHEASTERN N.C. — Li’l Friday features plenty of ways for people to enjoy the weekend via theater, music, art, culinary happenings and more.
All events featured were scheduled as of Thursday; however, it’s wise to check in ahead of attending any one. Inclement weather, changes in schedules and unforeseen circumstances may shift for organizers at the last minute.
Thursday, Sept. 4
Jazz at CAM: The Rahsaan Barber Quartet
Cameron Art Museum, 3201 S. 17th St. • Tickets: $15 and up
Trombonist Roland Barber will perform at Cameron Art Museum as part of its Thursday night jazz series with the Rahsaan Barber Quartet. The group is fronted by Barber’s twin, saxophonist Rahsaan Barber — with the dynamic duo creating a tight brotherly interplay with soulful improvisation.
The group will perform Rahsaan’s original compositions. Tickets are $40 for CAM members, $60 for nonmembers and $15 for students and educators — tickets here.
OTHER THURSDAY EVENTS
2025 CFCC Alumni Art Exhibition — Now open in the Wilma Daniels Gallery on the bottom floor of the Hanover Parking Deck beside the Wilson Center, the 2025 CFCC Alumni Art Exhibition is on display through Oct. 17. The exhibit features more than 20 artists and over 60 works — from sculpture to photography to paintings and more. The gallery is open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. There also will be a special Fourth Friday Reception on Sept. 26, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. to meet some of the artists.
‘The Runarounds’ Watch Party — Wilmington’s newest young adult series is streaming now on Amazon but locals can catch some of its episodes at one of its filming locations this weekend. One of the locations, Eagle’s Dare, shows up in “The Runarounds,” as a venue in Chapel Hill and the club — located at Third and Red Cross streets — will stream the last two episodes Thursday at 7 p.m. “The Runarounds” follows the story of a group of high-schoolers — William Lipton, Axel Ellis, Zende Murdock, Jesse Golliher, and Jeremy Yun — who decide after graduation they want to give music stardom a go by creating “love songs that change the world” — a refrain that envelops the trailer’s story arc. “Outer Banks” creators Jonas and Joshua Pate and Shannon Burke created the series after the band appears in season 3 of the popular “OBX” on Netflix (it’s wrapping its final season currently in Charleston). The Runarounds was filmed in Wilmington last year and its eight episodes launched Sept. 1 on Amazon Prime. The band has a tour set, with a Sept. 14 Greenfield Lake Amphitheater performance, and a self-titled album to drop. It’s free to catch the last two episodes at Eagle’s Dare on Thursday.
Friday, Sept. 5
For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuf
Thalian Hall, 310 Chestnut St. • Tickets: $37-$42
Dubbed a “choreopoem,” Techmoja Theatre and Dance Company is presenting a performance piece that hones in on stories of love and joy, tribulations and triumphs but more importantly resilience and empowerment.
Spoken word, music, and movement is at the forefront of “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuf.” By Ntozake Shange, the 1976 play encompasses monologues choreographed to dance and music, and covers themes of racist and sexist oppression, with situations of rape, domestic violence and abortion included.
The cast consists of seven unnamed Black women — only referred to in the play as lady in purple or lady in red, for example, to represent the colors of the rainbow.
Kevin Lee-y Green, the founder of Techmoja and director, told Rhonda Bellamy of the arts council and who hosts “Around Town” on WHQR, that the play still resonates.
“The show itself, the themes and the idea of womanhood and sisterhood still speak to our current situation,” he said, adding it’s not just a trauma bomb, but more about overcoming life’s hardships and finding hope and transformation.
Tickets start at $37.
OTHER FRIDAY EVENTS
Tyrone Burston — Blending storytelling with self-deprecation, standup Tyron Burston is heading to Dead Crow Comedy Room this weekend. Burston has appeared on Showtime at the Apollo and shared stages with Arsenio Hall and Damon Wayans Jr. He also has been crowned twice in Charlotte, North Carolina, the Queen City Comedian (2016 and 2021). Last month, he quipped: “You can tell by this make up of the lineup at this festival, man, the Raleigh Comedy Festival is trying its new diversity program. And, by the looks of it, it is not f**king working. I see you sis — thank you for being here. I appreciate you. Man, you can’t get Black people to do nothing. They’re like, ‘Comedy festival? Never, tell me when it’s the Taste of Raleigh.’” Burston will perform at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday at Dead Crow Comedy Room, with tickets costing $19 to $30.
‘It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley’ — The newest documentary about prodigal guitarist and singer-songwriter Jeff Buckley will screen at Thalian Hall this weekend. From Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Amy Berg, the documentary — 30 years in the making — includes interviews with Buckley’s mother, former partners and bandmates, as well as musicians like Ben Harper and Aimee Mann. It dissects Buckley’s life but also marks his impact as a musician who was on the rise in the ‘90s before his untimely death in 1997. Tickets to the screening are $10-$12, with showtimes on Friday including 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. It also screens Thursday at the same time, in addition to a 7 p.m. showing.
Saturday, Sept. 6
Surf Dog Experience
Carolina Beach Pier, 1800 Carolina Beach Ave. N. • Free to watch, registration $45 for participants
It may be the end of summer, but it’s heating up for the pooches! Surf Dog Experience returns this weekend to Carolina Beach. From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., dogs are welcome to ride the waves.
Life jackets and soft-top surfboards are provided by Ocean Events USA LLC. Participants can surf with the dog-surfing team provided, with their owners or on their own.
Registration is $45, open here, and all funds are donated to Freedom Bridge Animal Rescue NC. Since starting the event in 2019, almost $10,000 has been raised for the nonprofit.
Spectators can head to High Tide Lounge and the Tiki Bar at the Carolina Beach Pier to watch. There is free parking in the Publix lot with a free shuttle offered to the pier, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The pier will have a special dog menu, too, for the pups to scarf down after riding the waves.
OTHER SATURDAY EVENTS
Pooch Plunge — If letting the pups take a dip in the pool rather than the ocean is more your style, then City of Wilmington and YMCA have you covered. The annual Pooch Plunge is returning Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 6-7, noon to 5 p.m., at Legion Stadium Pool, 2131 Carolina Beach Road. The event is hosted every end-of-summer season and costs $5 cash per pup. Humans aren’t allowed in the water, as even a toe-dip is against health department regulations. Dogs must be well-behaved — no aggression allowed — and up-to-date on vaccinations, with their human counterparts supervising. Reservations are accepted here.
The Broken Hearts: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Tribute — One of the greatest American rock bands is paid homage in this tribute act, set to take the stage at Bowstring Brewyard on Saturday. From Gainesville, The Broken Hearts started in 2017 and perform all Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers tunes, as well as solo Petty tracks, plus tunes from the Traveling Wilburys and Mudcrutch. Consisting of Shawn Scheller (vocals, guitar), Dave Walker (bass), Aidan Cain (keys), Mateo Olivo (lead guitar), Chris McDonald (drums) and Scott Lockhart (percussion, electric guitar), tickets to the show are $20 here.
Vintage Fashion Show — It’s time to see the latest repurposed runway looks at a fashion show hosted at downtown’s microbrewery, Flytrap. The event showcases styles from area vintage curators and will have vendors including Sun & Shine Vintage, Crybaby Vintage, Four Winds, Tempted Tiger and Last Stop. DJ Maggie will be spinning as the looks are on display, plus a food truck will be on site. The fashion show is from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., with the pop-up market following from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Fly’N Phil’e Food Truck will be parked from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Flytrap Brewing is located at 315 Walnut St.
Oktoberfest — It’s here … well, almost! Fall means lots of Oktoberfests kicking off across the region. While the official season change isn’t until Sept. 21, Flying Machine Brewing is getting into the celebratory spirit of cooler temps and earthly flavors this weekend. Starting at 11 a.m., it will release its Marzen Style Lager at the Randall Parkway brewery. There will be games, including a keg-holding contest and paper airplane contest, live music with Beth Manning and food galore from Crofton’s Pretzels and Port City Dawgs. Come dressed in your best lederhosen and dirndl for the Oktoberfest costume contest. The event takes place all day, with food trucks on site from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Farewell to Summer Fest — In Scotts Hill, Freya’s Haus is bidding adieu to summer from noon to 6 p.m. with a variety of family-friendly events. Farewell to Summer Fest will have a petting zoo, pony rides, food trucks, local vendors, a foam cannon and more. It’s free to attend and Freya’s, a bottle shop and event space, is located next door to Poplar Grove at 55 Scotts Hill Loop.
Sounds of Freedom Benefit Concert — A benefit for ACCESS of Wilmington will take place this weekend: Sounds of Freedom concert. The lineup of musicians include Velvet Rodeo, Belles, Ruby Leigh and Scott Walker. Tickets are $53 here and proceeds benefit ACCESS’s Project SOAR — Sports, Outreach, Adapted Recreation. SOAR helps veterans and first responders, many of whom live with disabilities, improve health, wellbeing and social connections. The show takes place from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Greenfield Lake Amphitheater, and veterans and first-responders can receive a discount by using PATRIOT in the promo code; kids 5 and under are admitted free.
Cars in the Park — Belville Riverwalk Park may look like a car lot on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., but that’s only because Sun Coast Cruisers will be on hand showcasing their vintage rides and hot rods. There will be vendors and food trucks, plus door prizes. It’s free to attend and there will be a 50/50 raffle drawing. Awards for the best cars are presented at 2 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 7
Boogie in the Park Oceanfront Series: Brown Dirt Cowboys
Kure Beach Oceanfront Park and Pavilion, 105 Atlantic Ave. • Free
A local band will be performing as part of the free Sunday concert series in Kure Beach this weekend. Brown Dirt Cowboys is a six-piece pop-rock jam band, consisting of Joel Lamb (keys), Bobby Lloyd (guitar), Riley Kearns (bass), Andy Stanfill (horns), Alex Lanier (guitar) and Zak Lanier (drums). Their release, “Golden in the Moonlight,” features original songs, creative covers, and layered vocal harmonies.
Lawn chairs and blankets are welcome, as are picnics. The show takes place from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
OTHER SUNDAY EVENTS
Full Moon Party: Country Rodeo Edition — Plan to howl at the moon on Sunday, beachfront, as Carolina Beach Pier is hosting its monthly full moon party and leaning into the country-western theme. There will be free line dancing lessons in the sand with Beaches and Boots beginning at 5 p.m. Afterward, live country music will be performed, plus there will be a mechanical bull ready for you to mount and test your skills. CBP is located at 1800 Carolina Beach Ave. N.
Wilmington Home Show — Looking to remodel your digs? Build anew? The Wilmington Home Show has every vendor you could possibly need in one spot this weekend. The event takes place Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Wilmington Convention Center, 515 Nutt St. There will be around 100 area home businesses on hand to showcase the latest trends and styles, and connect visitors to professionals, local contractors and more. Admission is $10.
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