SOUTHEASTERN N.C. — Li’l Friday is a weekly roundup of events in art, music, theater, comedy, pop-up markets 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, Jan. 18
Come From Away
Wilson Center, 711 N. Third St.
A musical surrounding the aftermath of 9/11 is taking place on Wilson Center’s stage for one final production Thursday evening.
After debuting Wednesday night to a sold-out crowd, “Come From Away” takes place outside of America — in Newfoundland, Canada. Around 235 planes were diverted to Canadian airports when the U.S. closed its airspace after the 9/11 attacks. Almost 40 were grounded in the province of Gardner, Newfoundland, stranding 7,000 passengers, some of whom were refugees.
Canadians opened their homes to strangers, offering meals and a warm bed. “Come From Away” is based on these real-life stories, residents and travelers alike, showing the compassion of humanity during tragedy.
The book and score was created by Irene Sankoff and David Hein, and the musical first debuted in 2013 in Canada, before moving to Broadway in 2017. It won multiple Drama Desk and Laurence Olivier awards.
The Wilson Center show starts at 7:30 p.m., with tickets here.
OTHER THURSDAY EVENTS
Horse Soldier Bourbon Event — Though known for its beer, Front Street Brewery also has Wilmington’s largest bourbon selection. It’s holding a tasting event Thursday at 6 p.m. in honor of Horse Soldier Bourbon. There will be samples of the spirit, small bites prepared by FSB’s chef, and featured cocktails. Horse Soldier’s ambassador, Steve Kofron, is a retired member of Operation Detachment Alpha 595 Special Forces team first to land in Afghanistan in response to the 9/11 attacks and will be on hand to speak and sign bottles as well. Tickets are $15.
Postcards of Wilmington’s Past — The Burgwin-Wright Museum is hosting a lecture and talk regarding Wilmington’s past, particularly through postcards. Assistant museum director Hunter Ingram will speak to century-old postcards and speak about their prominence of preserving history. It’s free to attend and takes place at 6 p.m. at 224 Market St.; donations welcome to go toward the historic museum.
German Wine Dinner — The Brooklyn Arts District’s three10 is hosting a German wine dinner from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. It will be five courses paired with wines from Weingut Zähringer. Distributor Queen of Wines and Markus Zähringer will be on hand to discuss their organic production and portfolio. Served will be smoked oyster zwiebelkuchen (a savory onion pie)with Cabarnet blanc; pork belly and Brussels with sour cherry glaze, with a Pinot Noir rose. It will be followed by confit duck, kartoffelknödel (potato dumplings) and apple mostarda (a fruit condiment), and thereafter a wild boar and mushroom roast, with a Merlot reserve. The sweet finish consists of sauerkraut chocolate cake and a der Pinot Noir. It’s $75 and reservations are required: 910-399-5428.
Richard Smith — Live at Ted’s is featuring acoustic musician Richard Smith at 7 p.m. The virtuoso began playing at age 5 before becoming a career musician, traveling with his brothers, Rob and Sam, in the ‘90s. He relocated from England to Nashville in 2000 and a year later won the national fingerpicking championship. Since, he has become a solo artist, traveling and releasing numerous albums. Smith has recorded with other guitar greats, including Chet Atkins, Les Paul and Tommy Emmanuelet. Tickets to his show are $25 here.
Jewish Film Festival Winter Screening — The annual Jewish Film Festival is held in the spring at Thalian Hall, but as a precursor to 2024’s event, it’s hosting a one-night showing of “Four Winters,” also at Thalian. The film, released in 2020 by director Julia Mintz, is about Jewish partisans who hid in the forests of Eastern Europe to battle against Hitler’s Nazi regime. Roughly 25,000 blew up trains, burned electric stations and attacked armed enemies, against all odds. After the screening, there will be a discussion with Mintz, and a dessert reception will follow. Tickets are $10.
Friday, Jan. 19
TreeFest
Independence Mall, 3500 Oleander Drive • Free
TreeFest will be held all weekend long at Independence Mall in the JC Penney corridor, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. or as supplies last; items are available first-come, first-serve. Attendees can get up to five trees or grasses for free (though a $5 donation is suggested per household), which were grown by the North Carolina Forest Service Nursery in Goldsboro.
The species — available bare root and to be planted immediately — include longleaf pine, water tupelo, red maple, river birch, flowering dogwood, silky dogwood, sugarberry, yellow poplar, pignut hickory, eastern redbud, mulberry, crabapple, and swamp chestnut oak. Grasses include Indian, little bluestem, wiregrass and big bluestem, and there will be more than 5,000 individual plants available. Visitors are asked to bring a non-leaking bag or bucket to transport the seedlings and have a place selected, considered by assessing soil conditions, drainage and sun exposure, not to mention how close the trees will be planted to buildings, structures or utility lines.
The annual TreeFest began in 1997 after hurricanes Bertha and Fran affected tree canopy in the region. Since then, it has unloaded more than 100,000 seedlings to residents.
OTHER FRIDAY EVENTS
‘Finding Nemo Jr. the Musical’ — Disney’s famed Pixar movie will be brought to life in a musical adaptation at the Hannah Block USO/Community Arts Center this weekend. Youth performers are taking on “Finding Nemo Jr. the Musical” by award-winning songwriting team Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez (“Frozen”). The well-known story is about an anxious and over-protective clownfish, Marlin, who resides in the Great Barrier Reef with his child Nemo. Marlin wants to explore the aquatic world and gets to do so under unprecedented circumstances, as Nemo is captured and taken to Sydney, Australia. Along the way, meeting other colorful characters, the two overcome challenges to find each other and themselves. Produced by Thalian Association Community Theater, shows take place Friday, Jan. 19, through Sunday, Jan. 28, at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 3 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are available for $15.
Biniam Bizuneh — A writer for the show “Dave,” as well as “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and “Resident Alien,” Biniam Bizuneh will be headlining four shows this weekend at Dead Crow Comedy Room. He talks about his life being brought up by immigrant African parents. “Growing up in an African household, I felt like I was never exposed to Black culture,” he said during his standup bit on Comedy Central. “No one ever sat me down and was like this is Earth, Wind and Fire and you’re supposed to wear cocoa butter … because my parents didn’t know anything about that. They were too busy cooking Ethiopian food and making my clothes smell like onions.” Tickets to his show are $20 to $30, and he performs Jan. 19 and 20, at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.
Chamber Recital: Flower and Field — The UNCW Music Department presents a recital of music performed by soprano Andrea Edith Moore, cellist Grace Anderson and pianist David Heid. They will perform Lee Hoiby’s “Life of the Bee,” which centers on nature as observed through the industriousness and selflessness of bees with evocative poetry by Hillsborough, North Carolina poet, Jeffery Beam. “Through the Window” will also be performed, written for Moore by North Carolina composer Kenneth Frazelle in 2020. It was written in homage to his mother, who grew up on a farm in Richlands, North Carolina, and overcame adversity as a 30-something widow, rearing children and graduating from college. The concert takes place at 7:30 p.m. in the Beckwith Recital Hall; tickets are $14.
Saturday, Jan. 20
No Boundaries International Art Residency Exhibit
Wilma Daniels Gallery, 200 Hanover St. • Free
From 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., No Boundaries International Art Colony artists, who gathered on Bald Head Island over two weeks to create new works, will have their art on display. An opening reception will take place for viewers to interact with the artists and learn more about their process of creation.
Formed in the late ‘90s by Wilmington artists Pam Toll, Gayle Tustin and Dick Roberts, the annual residency welcomes a dozen or so artists from across the world to gather,learn from one another, make new art as inspired by their surroundings and enjoy camaraderie among fellow peers. It culminates in an exhibit at Wilma Daniels, this year featuring works by Martha Thorn, Renato and Anne Abate, Wafa Als, Rena Powell and others.
The exhibition will be held on the first floor gallery of the Hanover Parking Deck, next door to Wilson Center. It will be on display through Feb. 27, Monday through Friday, noon to 5 p.m.
OTHER SATURDAY EVENTS
Greenfield Lake Family Nature Walk — Hosted by the Cape Fear Bird Observatory, a family nature walk is taking place around Greenfield Lake from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Saturday. The walks are held monthly — next on Feb. 17 and Mar. 16 — to encourage families to interact together outdoors, meet new people and learn about nature and birds. Everyone is welcome to the free event, with no registration required. Binoculars will be available as well.
Simply Queen — A tribute to one of the most iconic English rock bands is coming to Odell Williamson Auditorium in Brunswick County this weekend. Simply Queen takes on the Queen live experience. The band — once consisting of Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor, and John Deacon — was popular worldwide, often filling stadiums with devoted fans singing along to hits like “We Will Rock You,” “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Another One Bites the Dust,” and “We Are the Champions.” Simply Queen — based out of Canada — features Rick Rock (vocal/piano/guitar), CC Lambrick (guitar/keyboards/vocal), Mitch Taylor (bass/vocal) and Phil Charrette (drum/vocals) recreating the band’s look, scope and rock opera sound. Tickets are available here.
Wrightsville Beach Brewery Anniversary — The brewery is celebrating seven years of serving crafted beers, fresh food and tunes to the public. It will celebrate Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. with live music from Mac & Juice Duo and Randy McQuay, as well as a limited edition anniversary beer release. It’s free and takes place at 6201 Oleander Drive.
The One Eighties — Bourgie Nights will turn its music venue into a cozy, dreamy soundscape Saturday with The One Eighties. Consisting of Autumn Brand and Daniel Cook, the band released its debut album, “Minefields,” in 2023, which blends ‘80s synth, “space country” with steel guitars and strings based in traditional roots music. Opening the show is Ahna Ell, a singer-songwriter whose talent is rooted in poetry. Ell released a self-recorded low-fi bedroom folk debut “Everybody’s Gonna Let You Down” and is preparing to publish her first literary memoir on music, travel and love.
Sunday, Jan. 21
NHC Library Winter Book Sale
Northeast Library Branch, 1241 Military Cutoff Road • Books priced $0.50 – $1
It’s the last day of the winter book sale from New Hanover County Library.
Taking place at the Northeast branch, hardbacks are $1 and softbacks are $0.50. There are books in all genres, fiction to nonfiction, cookbooks to self-help, educational to referential. There are also audiobooks and DVDs for sale, with proceeds benefiting the library system.
Friday and Saturday, Jan. 19-20, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m, and on Sunday, Jan. 21, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
OTHER SUNDAY EVENTS
Eagle’s Dare Chili Cookoff — Calling all chili masters of Wilmington. A host of homecooks and great chefs from local restaurants are welcome to participate in the chili cookoff hosted at Eagle’s Dare in a friendly competition. Just email events@theeaglesdare.com to be added to the list. Prepare your fave chili recipe — white, vegetarian, traditional — and bring enough to serve the crowd. The venue will provide bowls and cutlery, and the people will vote on their favorite. Winner will get bragging rights and a trophy.
Poetry Workshop — The Cape Fear Museum welcomes participants to join them for the last day of the photography exhibit, “Reflections in Black and White.” A lesson in Ekphrastic poetry — exploring the written word as inspired by visual art — will be hosted by local poets Martha Afetse’ and Joanne Durham. They will share poems by contemporary poets written from historic photographs and other art forms.The audience will then draft their own in response to photographs from the exhibit. It’s a free event, taking place at 2 p.m., but registration is required here.
Tips or comments? Email info@localdailymedia.com.
Want to read more from PCD? Subscribe now and then sign up for our morning newsletter, Wilmington Wire, and get the headlines delivered to your inbox every morning.
