BOOM Charlotte, the city’s artist-led fringe festival, is back at the Boardwalk at University City for its ninth year, running May 1–3. Over three packed days, the festival rolls out more than 100 performances across dance, music, theater, poetry, visual art and comedy, splitting the action between free outdoor BOOM Intersection events and ticketed indoor Fringe shows. Today’s programming runs from noon to 10 p.m., and tomorrow’s schedule winds down around 6 p.m.
Where It’s Happening
The festival unfolds at The Boardwalk at University City, also known as the Shoppes at University Place, with stages clustered around the lake and additional performances inside nearby venues. The festival’s official site lists maps, venues and the full weekend schedule, and organizers say they have built the event with accessibility and community engagement in mind, as listed on BOOM Charlotte.
Tickets And Hours
Most indoor Fringe performances require tickets, with local listings showing individual tickets at $15, a three-show pass for $35 and an all-access weekend pass for $100. Many outdoor Intersection events remain free. For details on buying passes and locking in specific showtimes, check local event pages that aggregate the schedule and ticket links, per Charlotte On The Cheap.
What To Expect
Organizers say BOOM will present more than 100 performances through Sunday, ranging from large-scale outdoor works to intimate experimental theater and spoken-word sets. Last year’s festival drew roughly 26,000 people, and local artisans and food trucks are set to line BOOM Market throughout the weekend, combining free family programming with ticketed Fringe shows, as reported by Axios Charlotte.
How It Grew
BOOM began in 2016 as a small artist collective and has since evolved into a weekend-long festival aimed at amplifying independent Charlotte artists across multiple disciplines. The organizer site also highlights volunteer sign-ups, vendor applications and accessibility resources for both attendees and performers, per BOOM Charlotte.
