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 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, March 5
Mamma Mia!
Wilson Center, 703 N. Third St. • Tickets: $68 and up
The popular musical highlighting the sounds of ABBA is coming to life at Wilson Center.
“Mamma Mia!” follows a 20-year-old bride-to-be Sophie, who never has known her biological father but dreams of him giving her away at the altar. In a cunning plan, she invites three men from her mother’s past to her wedding in hopes of finding her patriarch. While the search to find her father may not come to fruition, true love does for her mother, Donna, who becomes reconnected to someone from 20 years ago.
The jukebox musical was written by British playwright Catherine Johnson and includes songs like the title track, “Dancing Queen,” “The Winner Takes It All,” “Voulez-Vous,” and “SOS.” The show has toured worldwide for 70 million audience members to see and has grossed $4.5 billion in ticket sales since its 1999 debut. In 2025 it had a Broadway revival and has received a 2003 Touring Broadway Award, as well as a Laurence Olivier Award in 2000.
Tickets to the Wilson Center show start at $68 and there are two dates of performances: March 5 and 6.
OTHER THURSDAY EVENTS
Three Italian Tenors — A singing trio, Giovanni Maria Palmia, Ugo Tarquini, and Alessandro Fantoni, will bring the beauty of Italian arias, romantic ballads and crossover hits to the stage at Thalian Hall this weekend. Audiences can expect songs like “Nessun Dorma” and “O sole mio,” often accompanied by pianist Fabrizio Mocata. Three Italian Tenors are set to perform at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $43 here.
Jazz at CAM — The Cameron Art Museum is welcoming jazz night starting at 7 p.m. The Lynn Grissett Quarter will perform; Grissett is a trumpet virtuoso, who has played with Branford Marsalis and Terri Lyne Carrington. He blends jazz with funk and CAM tickets are $40 to $60; though student and educator tickets are $15. The art museum is located at 3201 S. 17th St.
Friday, March 6
Port City Taste Restaurant Week
Varied locations • Menus: $20, $35, $50
A showcase of local dining, Port City Taste Restaurant Week wraps Sunday, so diners still have time to enjoy specialized menus from two dozen restaurants in the region.
Diners will find multiple options for breakfast, lunch and dinner in a variety of cuisine styles and flavors. And the best news: There is a menu for every budget, priced at $20, $35 and $50.
Going local is the heartbeat of Port City Taste; supporting restaurants created and operated by those who live in the greater Wilmington area helps foster a thriving economy. The nonprofit Business Alliance for Local Living Economies breaks it down like this: For every $100 spent at a local business or restaurant, $68 stays in the community, as compared to $43 retained by a national chain’s footprint.
No coupons, special passwords, or tickets are needed to participate in Port City Taste. Check out all the participants and menus here.
OTHER FRIDAY EVENTS
Amy Miller — One of Comedy Central’s “Up Next” comics was a guest on CBS’s After Midnight and became the host of “The Basement Tapes Podcast” with The Osbourne Family. Californian Amy Miller was also a featured comic on Viceland’s “Flophouse” and on “Last Comic Standing.” Miller, who now lives in Portland, has material that is personal, political, and authentic, so much so she has won Portland’s Funniest in Helium Comedy Club’s annual contest, as well as being voted Portland’s Funniest Comedian two years in a row in the Willamette Week. She has released multiple comedy albums including “California King,” where she quips: “I have this straight-lady friend who always likes to date super tall dudes and is like: ‘I don’t know, I like to feel safe.’ I’m like: ‘Bitch, why are you always in danger? You talking to shit. … It’s always some mouthy little girl, who is like … ‘I hate accountability.’” Tickets are $27-$38.
Saturday, March 7
Coastal Comic Con
Wilmington Convention Center, 10 Convention Center Drive • Tickets: $5-$30
Taking place March 7 and 8 on the downtown Riverfront, Coastal Comic Con will be packed with 150 artists, vendors, guests and cosplayers reveling in pop-culture, anime, sci-fi and more. There will be games, VR experiences, comic books, cosplay contests for both children and adults, and more.
There also will be plenty of special guests, including actor Randy Quaid, who will host a 3:30 p.m. talk on Saturday. Quaid has become a cultural pop icon for his role as Cousin Eddie in National Lampoon’s “Vacation” movies, but also appeared in the Farrelly Brothers’ “Kingpin” in 1996 and as Russell Casse in the early aughts’ “Independence Day.”
Other actors to attend the event include Taylor Gray (“Star Wars Rebels”), John Schneider (“Dukes of Hazzard”), Chris Potter (“X-Men”), and more.
Tickets are $5 for kids 6-12 and escalate to $75 for VIP tickets; see the schedule here.
OTHER SATURDAY EVENTS
Ladies Rock the Lake — A fundraiser for the Domestic Violence Services and Shelter Inc. is slated to take place from noon to 4 p.m., celebrating women, empowerment and strength. Emily Burdette and Olivia Gillaspie will be performing on the Greenfield Lake Amphitheater stage and there will be female-owned vendors for locals to shop, plus games, raffles, food, a sip-and-paint class (sign up here), self defense lesson, and more. It’s free to attend but donations will be accepted with all funds to go to the local DV agency and to support survivors in the community.
NC Rice Festival — Celebrating Gullah Geechee Heritage and its impact harvesting local rice crops at area plantations in the 19th century, Brunswick County hosts the 2026 Rice Festival at Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson Historic Site this weekend. The free event takes place from March 4 -7, including the Gullah Geechee Heritage Summit on Thursday, a pre-festival party on Friday, and followed by Saturday’s all-day festival featuring speakers, performers and more. It kicks off with a Riverwalk procession at 9:45 a.m. from the ruins of St. Phillips Church at Brunswick Town to the Riverwalk in honor of Gullah Geechee ancestor legacies. The festival will then begin at 10 a.m. with dancing, storytelling, live music, spoken word, drumming, and more until 4 p.m. See the full schedule here.
Neon Bike Brigade — A fundraiser is being held in Carolina Beach in support of Ocean Cure, which gives surf lessons to people who face challenges or disabilities. The Neon Bike Brigade costs $20 and welcomes riders to gather at sunset for a cruise around Carolina Beach, lighting up the island with their glowing wheels. After the ride, everyone will meet at Kindred Weddings and Events to celebrate, with a food truck and cash bar open. The event check-in begins at 4 p.m. and Kindred with the brigade lineup at 6 p.m.
Circle the Wagens — An annual event celebrating all-things Volkswagen, Circle the Wagens brings an array of vintage Volkswagens under the bridge to Waterline Brewing Company, at 721 Surry St., under the foot of the Cape Fear Bridge. Not only are vehicles on display, but vendors are also set up. The car show is from noon to 4 p.m., with awards announced at 3:30 p.m. It’s free to attend. The day includes classic cars, cold beers, and community, with 100% of proceeds going to NourishNC, a local nonprofit fighting against youth food insecurity. Vehicle registration includes one ticket to win a raffle of items donated by vendors and sponsors and bring a donation for the NourishNC food drive to receive an extra ticket. The event is free for spectators.
River Cruise: ‘Outlander’ in the Cape Fear — Fans of the television and book series, “Outlander,” can join Wilmington Water Tours and the Burgwin-Wright House and cruise the Cape Fear River to learn about the Wilmington history featured in the story. “Outlander” follows the story of Claire Randall, a 1945 combat nurse who suddenly finds herself in the 1743 Scottish Highlands, where she meets and eventually marries Highland warrior, Jamie Fraser. In season four of the show, the two are seen traveling to Wilmington to meet Governor Tryon, where chaos ensues. Hunter Ingram will lead the tour and explain how the town played a role in the series. The cruise will last an hour and a half, and there are two reservation times available: 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. Tickets are $40 and can be purchased here.
Mutts Gone Nuts — Thalian Hall is going to the dogs — and in a good way. Wanna see quadruped friends do fun tricks? Mutts Gone Nuts features the world’s most talented four-legged performers providing endless entertainment dancing, prancing, flipping and more. The lineup includes a two-time World Champion Frisbee dog, a hilarious six-pound Pomeranian Pikachu mix, and a host of previously discarded dogs. Two shows take place at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. with tickets starting at $37.
Sunday, March 8
‘Miscast Cabaret’
Thalian Hall, 310 Chestnut St. • Tickets: $21-$37
A new addition to the Wilmington theater scene, PTPT Studio is putting on its first show and fundraiser this weekend only in Thalian Hall. It’s a “Miscast Cabaret,” where some of Wilmington’s most beloved performers and rising stars take on roles and songs they wouldn’t traditionally be cast in. One is Port City Daily’s own Brenna Flanagan.
Emceed by former Miss North Carolina and PTPT Executive Producer Carli Batson-Berry, and led by Executive Artistic Director Emilia Torello and Apprentice Coordinator Katie Mahn, this event celebrates PTPT’s mission to provide accessible, world-class training to the entire Wilmington arts community.
The evening will feature numbers from Broadway hits “Newsies,” “Les Misérables,” “Chicago,” “Fiddler on the Roof,” and more, plus an exclusive first look at songs from the studio’s upcoming inaugural season.
Performances are Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. along with a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m.
OTHER SUNDAY EVENTS
‘True Confessions of a Failed Debutante’ – A new one-woman show, written and performed by Beth Ann Bryant-Richards, will take viewers into Southern small-town life, providing a romp of a good time, imbuing humor with cultural anomalies and rituals found south of the Mason Dixon Line. Directed by Jen Ingulli, “True Confessions of a Failed Debutante” tackles the stories we tell ourselves and social expectations that come from them, as illuminated onstage via vignettes. The hour-long performance doesn’t have an intermission and takes place at the Ruth & Bucky Stein Studio Theatre at Thalian Hall through March 8, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. Audience members who arrive wearing pearls will receive a small gift.
Dumpling Class — Gringo Ninja will be at Leland Brewing Co. at 3 p.m. to teach attendees how to make the perfect dumpling. Participants will create fillings, learn how to roll the dumplings and create the sauces to dip them in like a pro. After making the creations, they’ll be able to eat them too and take home recipes. Tickets are available here and include one drink ticket.
Wynona Wang and Friends — Chamber Music Wilmington is welcoming pianist Wynona Wang, cellist Leland Ko and violinist Nathan Meltzer to the stage this weekend. The group will perform at Beckwirth Recital Hall at 4 p.m. and will take on classics like Franz Joseph Haydn Piano Trio No. 39 in G Major, Hob. XV/25, “Gypsy,” Gabriel Faure Piano Trio in D Minor, Op. 120, and Franz Schubert Piano Trio No. 2 in E-flat Major, Op. 100, D. 929. Tickets to the show are $19 to $39 here.
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 here or make a one-time contribution here.
We appreciate your ongoing support.
