SOUTHEASTERN N.C. — 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 16
Dierks Bentley
Live Oak Bank Pavilion, 10 Cowan St. • Tickets start at $63
Multi-platinum country musician Dierks Bentley is bringing his “Off the Map” tour to Live Oak Bank Pavilion at Riverfront Park. Performing will be bluegrass legend Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder, along with special guest Cole Goodwin.
The tour follows Bentley’s stadium run with Luke Combs this spring. Known for his “anthemic energy” the Grand Ole Opry member has spent over 20 years at the forefront of the genre, amassing 22 No. 1 songs and more than 9.5 billion global streams. His hits include “What Was I Thinkin’,” “Drunk on a Plane,” “Somewhere on a Beach,” and “Burning Man.”
The Wilmington stop is one of the few Southeast dates on the summer itinerary, which also includes a performance at Credit One Stadium in Charleston, South Carolina, on July 17.
Tickets can be purchased here.
OTHER THURSDAY EVENTS
Dinosaur Jr. and Band of Horses —Band of Horses and Dinosaur Jr. will tour through Wilmington this summer Band of Horses will perform its 2006 album “Everything All the Time” and Dinosaur Jr. will showcase its 1993 album “Where You Been.” Originally formed in Seattle, Band of Horses is an alternative/indie rock band with six studio albums and 14 singles. It formed in 2004 and has been led by singer-songwriter and front man Ben Bridwell. “Everything All the Time” is Band of Horses’ first studio album with Sub Pop Records, known for songs like “The Funeral” and “The Great Salt Lake.” Dinosaur Jr. was formed out of Massachusetts in 1984 and hailed as one of the formative influences on American alternative and grunge rock. The band explores a hybrid of music styles throughout the years, between noise rock and hardcore punk to grunge and slacker rock. The album “Where You Been” reached the U.K. top 10 and the U.S. top 50. Tickets, if available, are here.
‘Come From Away’ — At Thalian Hall Historic Main Stage, 310 Chestnut St., Opera House Theater Company is producing “Come From Away” — a phrase used to describe a newcomer or foreigner in areas like Newfoundland and Canada. “Come From Away” is a musical that takes place in Gander, Newfoundland, on 9/11, based on a true story of that fateful day in American history when 7,000 airline passengers were forced to land as airspace was closing in the U.S. due to the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. The passengers were stranded in Gander and the local islanders welcomed them. The show, which takes a microcosmic look at compassion and generosity, was written by Irene Sankoff and David Hein, and has been widely acclaimed, with numerous Tony Award nominations and a win, as well as two Drama Desk awards and two Laurence Olivier awards. The music combines classic theatre style with Newfoundland orchestrations and will be directed by Ron Chisholm, with music direction by Stephen Field and stage-managed by Riley Oates. It will be performed Thursday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday at 2:30 p.m., and tickets are $30.
Friday, July 17
Jessica Michelle Singleton
Dead Crow Comedy Room, 511 N. Third St. • Tickets: $24-$36
Comedian Jessica Michelle Singleton is coming to downtown Wilmington’s Dead Crow Comedy Room this weekend. Singleton’s known for her high energy, honesty, and silly performances.
Coming off her special “Hi Y’all,” released in April 2025 and filmed in New Orleans, Singleton tackles her life in her standup — such as dishing on her youth in Mississippi.
“I was born in Germany and then when I was 3 my parents moved us to southern Mississippi — I think they were like: ‘We don’t mind racist neighbors, we just wish they had a friendlier accent,’” she quips.
Tickets to her shows on July 17 and 18, 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., are $24 to $36.
OTHER FRIDAY EVENTS
Free Concert Friday: Pearl Jam Tribute — Eagle’s Dare hosts a free Friday concert series with cover bands throughout the summer. This week Deep 6 is taking the stage, bringing to life the grunge rock sounds of Eddie Vedder and the gang at the height of their ‘90’s popularity. The group is from Raleigh and consists of Patrick O’Leary, Dan Glasgow, Henry Wisniewski, Steve Standord, and Paul Richter. Their lineup includes songs like “Alive,” “Black,” “Even Flow,” “Immortality” and more. The show starts at 6 p.m. and Eagle’s Dare is located at the corner of Third and Red Cross streets.
Summer Jazz Workshop: Jon Hill Trio — Free and open to the public, a free jazz concert will be taking place at UNCW’s Beckwith Recital Hall. Jon Hill Trio will perform at 7:30 p.m., featuring drummer Jon Hill, pianist Brandon Shamar and bassist Butler Knowles. The event is being held as part of UNCW’s Summer Jazz Workshop series.
‘They Stole the City’ — New Yorker author and local native Lauren Collins has released a new book about four families and their descendants, affected by Wilmington’s 1898 Coup and Massacre. “They Stole a City: Wilmington’s White Supremacist Coup and the Families Who Live with Its Legacy” was released earlier this week, as reported on by Port City Daily on Wednesday in an interview with Collins. A conversation about her book will take place and is being mediated by LeRhonda Manigault-Bryant, director of the Sonja Haynes Stone Center for Research in Black Culture and History at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The event happens at Brooklyn Arts Center. at 7 p.m. on Friday and is free and open to the public.
Saturday, July 18
The Wilmington Margarita Festival
ChowTown 1101 N. Fourth St. • Tickets: $8
Who has the best margarita in town? You be the judge!
This weekend ChowTown — the food truck park in the Brooklyn Arts District — is having a festival that will have salt shakers working over time. A group of restaurants will be competing for the best sipper and $1,000 is on the line, plus bragging rights.
Here is how it works: Tickets are roughly $8 and include 10 margarita samples from bars and restaurants across the city, served in 3.5-ounce cups. Expect the traditional to the unique — that means tangy lime to sweet strawberry to spicy jalapeno and beyond.
Plus, there will be various food vendors, a DJ, beer garden and the chance to win a trip to Mexico. It lasts from noon to 6 p.m. and tickets are here.
OTHER SATURDAY EVENTS
Moonlight Cruise — Island Cruises in Carolina Beach has a perfect way to spend a summer evening along the Intracoastal Waterway and Cape Fear River with its Moonlight Cruise. It’s an hour-and-a-half, featuring live music, a dance floor, great views, and a cash bar; the cruise is for ages 21 and up only. Tickets start at $39 here.
‘The Shark is Broken’ — Shark Week takes place July 26 through Aug. 1 this year, but Big Dawg Theater Company is bringing in the fanfare a little early with its latest produced comedy. The 2019 show “The Shark is Broken” goes behind the scenes of a summer classic: the filming of “Jaws.” It was the 1975 movie that launched Stephen Spielberg’s career and also the first summer blockbuster movie — despite no one on set realizing its cult-classic potential. Instead, the cast and crew were dealing with feuding costars, unpredictable weather, and a shark prop constantly on the fritz. The production, written by British playwrights Ian Shaw and Joseph Nixon, is a perfect foray into summer, particularly for cinephiles and “Jaws” fans alike. It takes a deep dive into the often shaky and murky waters of the making of a major motion picture, featuring the movie’s stars Robert Shaw (father of co-writer Ian), Richard Dreyfuss, and Roy Scheider bonding, arguing, drinking, gambling, and praying for the film’s final wrap to come. “The Shark is Broken” will be staged through July 19, 7:30 p.m. on Thursday through Saturday, and 3 p.m. on Sunday. It stars local actors Woody Stefl, Bradley Coxe and Jamie Lane, with $35 tickets available here.
‘Jurassic Park’ in Concert — Another Spielberg classic is on the docket this week, only this time it’s a Wilmington Symphony Orchestra event. “Jurassic Park in Concert” is coming to the Wilson Center at Cape Fear Community College, with WSO bringing the 1993 classic “Jurassic Park” in concert to the Wilson Center. Spielberg’s action-packed adventure, “Jurassic Park,” pits man against prehistoric predators in the ultimate battle for survival. “Jurassic Park in Concert” combines an HD screening of this blockbuster with a full symphony orchestra performing John Williams’ original score live to picture. The timing of the performance is even more apropos, as one of its original actors Sam Neill passed away earlier this week from pneumonia. Tickets start at $38 here.
Sunday, July 19
‘Peter Pan’
Thalian Hall, 310 Chestnut St. • Tickets: Free
In homage to Margaret Kerry, the actress and dancer who served as the live-action model and physical inspiration for Tinker Bell in the 1953 Disney classic “Peter Pan,” Thalian Hall is screening the classic move at Thalian Hall at 7 p.m.
Kerry lived in Wilmington and passed away on June 11, 2026, at age 97. Tickets are free but required for admission to the 7 p.m. screening.
Tickets are available here.
OTHER SUNDAY EVENTS
Free Movies at Carolina Beach Lake — Another free screening taking place this weekend is happening at Carolina Beach Lake. “The Wild Robot” will be shown on the big screen at dusk, with concessions available for purchase. Chairs, blankets and picnics are welcome too. The film follows the story of an intelligent service robot that crash-lands on an uninhabited island. Though the robot was made to help humans, she struggles to adapt in the wild until she makes friends with a baby goose.
At Port City Daily, we aim to keep locals informed on top-of-mind news facing the tri-county region. To support our work and help us reach more people in 2026, please, consider helping one of two ways: Subscribe hereor make a one-time contribution here.
We appreciate your ongoing support.
