Charlotte
Shout!
September
is Charlotte's month to celebrate its arts,
heritage, and culinary experts during the 6th
Annual Charlotte Shout Celebration. Presented
this year September 5-29, Shout will focus on
every aspect of Charlotte's cultural community,
from the smallest troupes to the largest
institutions. With a number of additions to the
2007 lineup, the sixth annual celebration will
have you shouting louder than ever!
The 2007
festivities begin with the Charlotte Shout
Kickoff on September 5 at Trade and Tryon
Streets, presented by the Arts & Science Council
and CharlotteCultureGuide.com. The month-long
celebration begins in the heart of the city,
with art and vendors lining the streets and free
cultural performances all day.
On September 8,
take the free opportunity to visit Charlotte's
cultural and scientific offerings—the Cultural
Free For All event at this year's Shout will
incorporate many of your favorite cultural sites
around Charlotte, all at no charge! At SouthPark
Mall, visit interactive displays and
performances including the Charlotte Children's
Choir, The Light Factory, Charlotte Symphony,
Afro-American Cultural Center, Community School
of the Arts, and Opera Carolina. Various sites
in and around Charlotte are opening their doors
to present cultural experiences for every
visitor; participating venues include the Levine
Museum of the New South, Carolina Raptor Center,
Charlotte Museum of History, McColl Center for
Visual Art, and Historic Latta Plantation, among
others.
Celebrating the
art of dance, the Charlotte Dance Festival will
take place September 5-15 in Uptown Charlotte.
On September 6 at Booth Playhouse, “Dance
Charlotte!” will dazzle the audience with
innovative ballet and modern dance. The dance
festival continues on September 6-7 with
“Dancing in the Streets” on Tryon Street uptown
from noon-2pm. During this free event, dancers
will invade the plazas along Tryon Street, and
an ongoing dance parade with dance
improvisations will lead onlookers to each site
to view dance presentations in prominent center
city locations. The dancing continues at Ray's
Splash Planet on September 8 from 10am-5pm with
“Dance in the Open,” featuring professional
performers from across the nation as well as
superb youth talent from the area. The Charlotte
Dance Festival will also present the Alpha Omega
Theatrical Dance Company on September 7 & 8, the
Chuck Davis African American Dance Ensemble on
September 8, and the Aerial Dance Concert on
September 14 & 15.
The 2007 Charlotte
Film Festival will take place September 6-9 at
the Wachovia Playhouse. This second annual film
festival is dedicated to bringing the best of
independent cinema to the Charlotte community by
screening more than 30 narrative, documentary,
and international feature and short films from
all around the globe, many of them world
premieres.
On
September 11, Gospel Shout returns to the lineup
with a free evening event celebrating the unique
Southern African American church tradition of
gospel music. The event will be in partnership
with the Levine Museum of the New South and
Charlotte ArtsFest, Inc. and will begin at 6pm
at the United House of Prayer for All People.
The evening will feature a cappella singers The
Madison Golden Angels, The Madison String Band,
and local shout band The Madison Clouds Of
Heaven.
On September 14 &
15, the popular Blues, Brews & BBQ returns this
year as a stand-alone event on North Tryon
Street between 6th and 11th Streets. Visitors
can enjoy a brew school, midway, blues stage,
and cooking demonstrations. At the People's
Choice Tent, visitors will be able to sample the
best of the barbecue from the event's cook-off.
This year, the event will feature “Chili for
Charity,” where local nonprofit groups will
compete for the best chili recipe. For a small
donation, visitors will be asked to vote on the
best chili, and the first-place winner will
receive $1,000 in donations. Also witness the
Backyard Grillers Competition, where local
grilling fanatics will compete with their best
grilling techniques, the grand prize being
citywide bragging rights!
Charlotte Shout ends with a bang during its most
famous event, the Culinary Arts Experience,
which will be returning to the Gateway Village
Promenade September 28 & 29 with the help of
partners Compass Group North America, Johnson &
Wales University, Piedmont Natural Gas, and
Charlotte ArtsFest, Inc. Admission is free, and
tokens may be purchased to be used in exchange
for food and beverage samples. Three different
cooking schools will feature cooking
demonstrations, and celebrity chefs will be
present for book signings and autographs. Look
for the following chefs and culinary celebrities
to make an appearance: Juan Carlos Cruz, Chris
Ivens-Brown, Sam Talbot, Martin Yan, Michelle
Bernstein, and Sara Snow. On Friday night,
there’s an exclusive preview gala featuring live
entertainment, celebrity chefs, and Charlotte's
finest food and wine selections, all for just
$75.
For tickets and
more information for any of the Charlotte Shout
events listed, and for a complete schedule of
events, please visit www.charlotteshout.com, and
start preparing for an exciting September!
CHARLOTTE SHOUT 2007 SCHEDULE
September 5
CHARLOTTE SHOUT KICKOFF
Trade and Tryon Streets
Presented by the Arts & Science Council and
CharlotteCultureGuide.com
September 5-15
CHARLOTTE DANCE FESTIVAL
Uptown Charlotte
Celebrating the art of dance in various venues
throughout the center city
September 6
DANCE CHARLOTTE!
Booth Playhouse
Innovative ballet and modern dance presentations
from some of the most versatile emerging dance
artists in the U.S.
September 6-7
DANCING IN THE STREETS
Tryon Street in uptown Charlotte, noon-2pm
An ongoing dance parade weaving through
prominent center city locations
September 6-9
2007 CHARLOTTE FILM FESTIVAL
Wachovia Playhouse
Featuring screenings of more than 30 narrative,
documentary, and international features and
short films from all around the globe
September 7-8
ALPHA OMEGA THEATRICAL DANCE COMPANY
Booth Playhouse
A wide range of ballets, from urban life to that
of tribal influences, from the abstract to the
dramatic
September 8
CULTURAL FREE FOR ALL
SouthPark Mall
Interactive displays and performances featuring
the Charlotte Children's Choir, The Light
Factory, Charlotte Symphony, Afro-American
Cultural Center, Community School of the Arts,
and Opera Carolina
September 8
DANCE IN THE OPEN
Ray's Splash Planet, 10am-5pm
Featuring professional and youth talent from the
Charlotte area and across the nation
September 8
CHUCK DAVIS AFRICAN AMERICAN DANCE ENSEMBLE
Booth Playhouse
Dancers and musicians perform dramatic staging,
exciting rhythms, and masterful choreography
September 11
GOSPEL SHOUT
United House of Prayer for All People, 6pm
Celebrating the unique Southern African American
church tradition of gospel
September 14-15
AERIAL DANCE CONCERT
Booth Playhouse
Featuring aerial techniques along with classical
interpretive and modern dance movements
September 14-15
BLUES, BREWS & BBQ
North Tryon Street between 6th and 11th Streets
Featuring brew school, midway, blues stage,
cooking demonstrations, food samples, and
cook-offs
September 28-29
CULINARY ARTS EXPERIENCE
Gateway Village Promenade
Celebration of the culinary arts featuring
celebrity chefs and samples of Charlotte's best
food & wine
