WILMINGTON — Li’l Friday features dozens of ways for people to enjoy the weekend via theater, music, art, culinary happenings and more.
All events below 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, July 30
O.A.R, Gavin Degraw, Lisa Loeb
Live Oak Bank Pavilion, 10 Cowan St. • Tickets: $40.50
Three decades of music is coming to Live Oak Bank Pavilion for one night, featuring O.A.R., Gavin Degraw and Lisa Loeb.
The three bands are participating in the Three Decades Tour, all having gotten their starts in the 1990s.
O.A.R. has released 10 studio albums to date but didn’t reach commercial success until 2005 with “Stories of a Stranger” debuting at No. 40 on the Billboard 200.
Loeb is a Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter best known for her hit single “Stay (I Missed You),” while Gavin Degraw’s blend of pop, soul, country, folk, and funk is best recognized — at least locally — for the “One Tree Hill” theme song, “I Don’t Want to Be.”
Tickets to the show are $40.50.
OTHER THURSDAY EVENTS
Haunted Thalian Hall Tour — Thalian Hall is more than 150 years old and has welcomed many speakers and performers through its doors. Throughout this time, there have been many unexplainable and eerie encounters, perhaps from playful spirits, and other unexplained phenomena that actors, staff and historians have attested to. From ghostly stagehands to spectral audience members, learn about the Hall’s ‘spirited’ past in a special tour, recommended for ages 13 and up. Call the box office for tickets — 910-632-2285, Monday through Friday, noon to 5 p.m.
Friday, July 31
‘Mean Girls’
Thalian Hall, 310 Chestnut St. • Tickets: $29
Based on the 2004 film of the same name — penned by “SNL” veteran Tina Fey (“30 Rock”) — the musical version of “Mean Girls” opens this weekend at N. Front Street Theater.
With music by Jeff Richmond (“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”) and lyrics from Nell Benjamin (“Legally Blonde”), the show follows a new student, Cady, who is welcomed into the popular girls’ circle, The Plastics, only to learn how shallow and vengeful the clique is.
The youth show is being put on by Opera House Theatre Academy and runs July 31 through Aug. 2, with shows on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m.
Tickets are $29.
OTHER FRIDAY EVENTS
Summer Slam Poetry Competition — Barzarre is hosting a Summer Poetry Slam, with the competition open to all poets in the Cape Fear. Throw down the words and give the audience something to snap about. Though free to attend, all competing poets will pay $10. First place will be rewarded with $150, with second and third places also receiving cash prizes and other gear from Memory Lane Comics.
Emo Night Karaoke — Live band karaoke returns to The Eagles Dare as part of its weekly Free Concert Fridays. Emo Night Karaoke is a collective of band members who have played Warped Tour, When We Were Young and toured worldwide. Every stop, they invite the public to perform with them on stage, including full production and visuals. Folks will be able to sign up to sing lead vocals for classic 2000s pop-punk and emo anthems. Doors and signups are at 6 p.m. Free Concert Fridays also raise money for multiple local and veteran-based nonprofits; this July last show of the year will raise money for the Cape Fear Literacy Council. Food trucks are also onsite.
Saturday, Aug. 1
Graham Nash
Wilson Center, 703 N. Third St. • Tickets: $60
As a founding member of both the Hollies and Crosby, Stills, and Nash, Graham Nash has seen rock history unfold from the launch of the British Invasion to the birth of the Laurel Canyon movement and beyond, continuing his legacy as a solo artist.
An extraordinary Grammy Award-winning renaissance artist — and self-described “simple man” — Nash was inducted twice into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, for both his work with Crosby, Stills and Nash and his work as a solo artist. He also has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in 1997 for Crosby, Stills and Nash, and as a member of the Hollies in 2010.
He’s released seven solo albums to date, including his most recent, “Now,” in 2023.
On the Graham Nash – Live on Tour 2026 run, audiences can expect a career-spanning lineup of Nash’s best songs, with Nash joined by Todd Caldwell (keyboards), Adam Minkoff (bass, drums, guitar, and vocals), and Zack Djanikian (guitar, bass, drums, and vocals).
He will perform at Wilson Center, with tickets starting at $60.
OTHER SATURDAY EVENTS
‘Echoes of Place: Artists’ Reflections of New Hanover County’ — The Island Arts Council is opening a new exhibition at Fort Fisher Historic Site for the first two weeks in August. “Echoes of Place” showcases historical places across New Hanover County and features dozens of varied artists, including Renee Whitley who will showcase a painting of the Cape Fear River, as inspired by its use in the Civil War to carry supplies to the Confederate soldiers. Dennis Schaefer, Robin Fleming, Tracy Price, Alisa Harris, Rhonda Lee, Susan Barnard and others are showcasing everything from photography to watercolors, sculpture to mixed media pieces. The works were chosen by juror Gayle Tustin, with historian Jan Davidson offering historical context and connecting the works to the vast heritage of Cape Fear. The exhibition is open Aug. 1 through Aug. 15, with an artists reception taking place 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday.
Port City Rock Jam — It’s returning after rocking the roof off Bowstring Brewyard in 2025. Port City Rock Jam returns to Bowstring from 11 a.m. to midnight on Saturday, featuring 12 bands, including Dr. Bacon, Dubtown Cosmonauts, The Keith Allen Circus, Domicile, The Queen’s Giant and others, including RuKus, who hosts the event. The all-day concert celebrates the local music scene and brings together a day of jams in a family-friendly environment. Vendors will be set up throughout the day and live painting takes place. The annual jam also benefits a nonprofit, with this year’s partial proceeds going to Play It Forward Wilmington and Eden Village. Tickets are $20 here.
Sunday, Aug. 2
Rock the River
Waterline Brewing Company, 721 Surry St. • Tickets: $15
A benefit for the Cape Fear River, which holds area events and advocates to clean up the river and Cape Fear waterways, is taking place at Waterline Brewing on Sunday. There will be six local bands to celebrate.
Goldielux, Sea Graves, Kicking Bird, Tercel, Masonboro Sound, and American Chestnut will be on deck to perform. Also, art and vintage vendors will be selling wares, including Atrox Design, Samoht Creates Things, PrintedBelle, Andaluna Studio and Rachael Kinsey Designs.
Food truck Smash N Dash will be onsite.
The event takes place from noon to 8 p.m. Tickets are only $15 and on sale now: tr.ee/rocktheriver.
OTHER SUNDAY EVENTS
Sip and Swing Ladies Golf Clinic — Taking place Saturday, Aug. 1, 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., local group The Back Nine offers a way for ladies to socialize, meet new friends and learn a new skill at a cost effective price. They have a sip and swing at Coastal Golf Academy in Mayfaire Sunday, and they also host range nights on Aug. 7 and 21. To learn more about the club and their events, click here.
Summer Movies at the Lake — You can continue soaking up outdoor summer vibes with free movies around Carolina Beach Lake through Labor Day weekend. This week, at dusk, “Hoppers” is screening, an animated sci-fi Pixar movie following college student Mabel Tanaka, who puts her mind into a robotic beaver to talk to animals and save their home. Chairs, blankets and picnics are welcome, though concessions — popcorn, cotton candy, sodas — are also sold during the screenings. The film screenings are movie dependent, so be sure to check the weather before heading to Carolina Beach Lake.
Scoop Fest — LBC Bottle Shop + Brew Yard in Hampstead is celebrating frozen treats from noon to 4 p.m. There will be vendors of all sorts selling locally made wares and boutique finds. Plus, a petting zoo will be set up, as will jewelry and charm bars. Craft beverages for sale at LBC and WilmyWoodie Pizza food truck will be on site. LBC is at 15670 US-17.
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