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, May 14
Port City Taste Burger Week
27 various restaurants • Varied pricing
The celebration of America’s favorite handheld has welcomed more than 25 restaurants across the Cape Fear region as part of Port City Taste Burger Week. The eateries have created some of the most scrumptious sandwiches in varied flavors and styles.
Smothered in pimento cheese? Check.
Chopped like a cheese steak? Yep.
Topped with candied bacon? Absolutely.
Hosted by news source Port City Daily, Burger Week is a collaboration with media companies, Penguin 98.3 and The Dude 93.7. Diners don’t need coupons, special passwords, or tickets to participate. Just head to one of the listed businesses, ask for the special menu and indulge.
Plus, a friendly competition is taking place among restaurants during Burger Week. Every menu has a number and keyword listed. Diners can text in to choose their favorite burger of the week.
OTHER THURSDAY EVENTS
CAM After Dark: Talk With Niki Hildebrand — A painter, stained glass artist and sculptor, artist Niki Hildebrand splits her time between Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, Bellingham, Washington, and her home of London, England. A graduate from the Chelsea College of Art in England and the Rhode Island School of Design, Hildebrand is associated with the Coastal Designer Glass Studios. She will give a lecture as part of CAM After Dark titled “Magic, Light and Sacred Geometry: Glassworks by Frederick G. Kahl.” Kahl’s works are on display at the Cameron Art Museum, featuring glass works, drawings and more, and Hildebrand will speak to them, touching on the mystery and transformative power of light. The lecture is free with admission; registration is open here.
The Sidecar Show — A free night of improv with Daredevil Comedy is on deck at Waterline Brewery. The show kicks off with a pre-show improv jam, open to anyone — seasoned or newbie alike. The jam is at 7:30 p.m. with the official show kicking off at 8 p.m. It’s free to laugh and play in the space of live comedy. The brewery is located at the foot of the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge at 721 Surry St.
‘Men on Boats’ — Big Dawg Productions has a new production in the Ruth and Bucky Stein Theater of Thalian Hall. A play by Jaclyn Backhaus, the show reimagines an historic journey from 1898 with 10 explorers on expedition down the Colorado River, facing uncharted waters and treacherous terrain. Courage, grit, and resolve will be challenged in a bold tale with an all-female cast bringing energy, humor, and heart to the stage. Tickets are $35 here.
Joel Lamb: Songwriter Series — The frontman from the The Brown Dirt Cowboys will deliver a solo showcase centered on songwriting, and storytelling. Lamb takes on varied genres that blend Americana, country and roots. His solo set takes a closer look at songs and the stories behind them and takes place at Avenue B, 723 N. 4th St.
‘The Wild Party’ — Opera House Theater Company will be hosting Andrew Lippa’s “The Wild Party” at Thalian Hall, 310 Chestnut St. Taking place in the roaring 1920s, the score includes jazz and is based on Joseph Moncure March’s 1928 narrative poem about a decadent, booze-soaked party in 1920s Manhattan. The story centers on a vaudeville dancer, Queenie, putting together an over-the-top party with the goal to publicly humiliate her volatile clown husband, Burrs. The show stars Tracy Byrd, Sydney Smith Martin, Alexander McConkie-May and others, and is directed by Kendra Goehring, with choreography by Cassandra McAlister, music by Brian Whitted and stage managed by Mike Thompson. The show runs in Thalian’s Red Box Theater, May 14-24, from Thursday through Saturday, 7:30 p.m., and on Sunday, 2 p.m. Tickets are available here.
Friday, May 15
Battleship Splash: DockDogs
Battleship Park, 191-199 USS North Carolina Road • Free for spectators, registration varies
A canine aquatics club is bringing some fun to the Battleship for the second year in a row.
Carolina Dockdogs hosts various dock-diving competitions for pooches as part of Battleship Splash, taking place Thursday through Sunday.
There will be a pool and dock set up to host various waves of competitors throughout the weekend. Each day features dogs participating in categories of speed retrieve, big air and extreme vertical. Some of the animals can jump more than 25 feet in the air.
It’s free to attend as a spectator, and the event gets underway on Thursday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., and continues on Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., with finals at 4 p.m.
Competitors are welcome to register here. Onsite registration opens Thursday at 3 p.m., Friday at 9 a.m., Saturday at 8 a.m. and Sunday at 8 a.m. Entry fees also vary for competitors.
OTHER FRIDAY EVENTS
‘Hello, Dolly’ — A classic Broadway musical will be staged this weekend on Thalian Hall’s main stage from Thalian Association, with shows running Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. from May 15 through 24. “Hello, Dolly” is a musical adaptation of Thornton Wilder’s hit play “The Matchmaker.” It has humor, romance and song and dance numbers that have become iconic on Broadway. A turn-of-the-century matchmaker, Dolly Gallagher Levi, meddles in the lives of others, trying to connect relationships, including one of her own. With book by Michael Steward, and music and lyrics by Jerry Herman, the show includes songs such as “Put on Your Sunday Clothes” and “Hello, Dolly!” Since the 1960s, the musical has won numerous awards, including Drama Desk, Tony and Laurence Olivier. Tickets are $34 to $42 here.
Wilmington Greek Festival — Opa! It’s one of the most fun and highly anticipated springtime weekends in Wilmington. The annual Greek Festival kicks off at the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church across from UNCW. The event takes place on both Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., celebrating the culture, rituals and food of Greece. Families are welcome — no pets — to enjoy authentic, homemade food prepared by the congregation from family recipes. Gyros, platters, moussaka, pastitsio, spanakopita, dolmathes, and pastries galore are sold. Prices are $5 to $16 and admission is $5, with kids 12 and under admitted free. There is also a drive-through for folks who wish to only pick up food; the menu can be accessed here. No pre-order or registration is necessary. There will be music from a live Greek band, dancing, a marketplace and cooking demonstrations to partake in as well. Free parking is offered in the UNCW Auxiliary Parking Lot behind Taco Bell and there is runover parking in Saint Matthew Lutheran Church, with donations requested.
Saturday, May 16
Future Islands
Greenfield Lake Amphitheater, 1941 Amphitheater Dr. • Tickets: $52
Celebrating the release of a new album, “From a Hole in the Floor to a Fountain of Youth: Celebrating 20 Years w/ 20 Tracks — Rarities, B-Sides & Fan Favorites,” coming later this month, the North Carolina-born-and-bred Future Islands has a double bill this weekend. The synth-pop band met while attending ECU in Greenville, North Carolina, and has since released seven albums.
Now Baltimore-based, the group consists of Gerrit Welmers, William Cashion, Samuel T. Herring and Michael Lowry. They’re known for their high energy and have performed with artists, such as Morrissey and Grace Jones, and toured the festival circuit from Coachella to Bonnaroo, Glastonbury to SXSW.
Taken from a lyric in their 2009 song “Pinnochio,” “From a Hole in the Floor to a Fountain of Youth” drops May 22 and centers on deep cuts and previously unreleased tracks.
The band will perform from their catalog of music on both May 15 and 16, with tickets starting at $52 here.
OTHER SATURDAY EVENTS
BAD Margarita Crawl — The Brooklyn Arts District will host a Margarita Crawl, noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday. Participants include The Eagle’s Dare, Flytrap Brewery, Commodore Public House & Kitchen, The Kitchen Sink, Brooklyn Cafe, Goat & Compass, and others. Each location is offering various takes on the popular tequila drink, some showcasing marg-inspired brews, others upgrading the cocktail. It’s also a social district day, many those who purchase drinks from participating social district bars and restaurants are allowed to carry their marked cups into the public rights-of-way in 10 blocks as they engage in live music, art vendors and more offered on Saturday.
Judy Collins and Wilmington Symphony Orchestra — Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Judy Collins will perform live, accompanied by the Wilmington Symphony Orchestra, at 7:30 p.m. at the Wilson Center. With her 2026 tour, Collins is taking a moment to look back on her landmark 1967 album, “Wildflowers,” performing an exclusive series of shows and bringing to full bloom her chamber-folk masterwork. In her sixth decade as an artist, Collins released her 55th album earlier this year. In the 1960s, she released her debut, “A Maid of Constant Sorrow,” and became a tastemaker within the thriving Greenwich Village folk community, bringing other singer-songwriters to a wider audience, including Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, and Randy Newman.The meditative ten-song “Wildflowers” remains Collins’ highest-charting album. Gold-certified and landing No. 5 on the Billboard Pop Albums charts, it is one of the first orchestral pop albums of the 1960s. Tickets start at $43.
In Bloom Festival — The Town of Leland’s Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources Department will host an event in this weekend in the newly renovated Founders Park, celebrating the arts, plants, and more. In Bloom will have vendors, native plant educators, environmental stewards, performing artists, live music, dance lessons, and food options. It’s partially funded by the Grassroots Grant from the Brunswick Arts Council, North Carolina Arts Council, and the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. Free, it takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Carolina Beach MuralFest — Carolina Beach MuralFest welcomes 46 artists who will live-paint to the theme of “Live in Carolina Beach this weekend. Taking place at Carolina Beach Lake, the mural panels will be installed on the Stingray Stage at the Lake and be displayed throughout the summer. The festival takes place May 16 and 17 and will have artist and vendor booths, food trucks, live music and other festivities. It takes place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a Pleasure Island Children’s Market Business market from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Musical Salute — The Battleship is hosting music to honor the armed focus with Festive Brass of Myrtle Beach. “A Musical Salute to America’s Armed Forces” takes place on Saturday, May 16, aboard the Battleship’s fantail overlooking the Cape Fear River. The performance will begin at 7 p.m., with proceeds benefitting the ongoing efforts to support restoration, preservation, and educational initiatives aboard the Battleship North Carolina. Tickets are free for Friends of the Battleship, up to two per household, and $10 otherwise. Festive Brass is a British-style brass band that honors veterans and members of the armed forces with patriotic and military music. Tickets may be reserved here, with attendees encouraged to bring lawn chairs, food, and beverages, with doors at 6 p.m.
Family Farm Day — The Children’s Museum of Wilmington (116 Orange St.) hosts a special day for families to understand the importance of farming. As part of Family Farm Day, 9 a.m. to noon, there will be farm animals on hand from McNally’s Farm, including goats, ducks and more. Tickets are $5 for members and $15 for nonmembers.
Sunday, May 17
Surf Dog Experience
Carolina Beach Pier, 1800 Carolina Beach Ave N. • Registration: $45/free for spectators
It’s time for the Atlantic Ocean to go to the dogs!
The Surf Dog Experience is returning to Carolina Beach. Life jackets and soft-top surfboards are provided by Ocean Events USA LLC. Participating pooches 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 seven years ago, $10,000 has been raised for the nonprofit. The event takes place at the Carolina Beach Pier, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with free shuttle pickup in the Publix parking lot.
OTHER SUNDAY EVENTS
Earth, Wind and Fire — Earth, Wind & Fire can’t help but fill its shows with the songs that got the group into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, earned a Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award and praise from the likes of the late Miles Davis, Quincy Jones and Alicia Keys and influenced generations of artists, from Beyonce and Justin Timberlake to Lion Babe’s Jillian Hervey. The band will be stopping over at Live Oak Bank Pavilion in downtown Wilmington on May 17. Founded by Maurice White, the group became one of the most popular bands in the world by the mid-1970s. They had a string of hits — from 1975’s No. 1 smash “Shining Star” through “Sing a Song,” “Got to Get You into My Life,” “Boogie Wonderland” and “Let’s Groove.” White passed away in 2016 at 74 after a battle with Parkinson’s disease. His brother, Verdine, carries on the legacy and plays bass, with two other core members, Ralph Johnson and Phillip Bailey, on drums and vocals respectively. Read a full interview with Verdine from Port City Daily here. Tickets start at $35.
An Evening with Dark Star Orchestra — The seven-piece jam band tours extensively annually, recreating the Dead experiences, but never replicating a setlist. For 25 years, they have played 3,100 shows, culling songs from popular Dead tours to create unique sets. Their shows at Greenfield Lake Amphitheater always bring out die-hard Deadheads who want to relive the magic. Gates are at 5 p.m. and tickets start at $52.
Kidstock 2026 — Wrightsville Beach Brewery is hosting Kidstock for free on Sunday from noon to 3 p.m. There will be facepaint, fairy hair, Hawaiian ice, food, live music by Futureshine, and Fresh Start Reptile Rescue. It takes place at the brewery located at 6201 Oleander Dr.
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