What to expect at Charlotte International Arts Festival 2024
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
"Gaia" has previously been on view in Founders Hall, as shown here. Now it will be on view at Blume Studios in the former Charlotte Pipe and Foundry warehouse. Photo: Ashley Mahoney/Axios
Charlotte International Arts Festival (CIAF) returns Sept. 13–29.
Why it matters: Charlotte is enjoying a booming festival year, from familiar favorites like Charlotte SHOUT! and CIAF to new events like Lovin' Life Music Festival.
What to expect: Live performances, art installations, celebrations of different cultures, fitness classes, food trucks and a biergarten. The festival will take place in Uptown and Ballantyne's Backyard.
- CIAF dining experiences also include Le Dîner en Blanc; Charlotte Brunch Festival; international cuisine at the Festival of India and Latin American Festival and a comedy dining event called Faulty Towers.
- Plus Festival in the Park, the UNC Charlotte International Festival, the Lowcountry Cultural Festival, and the Southern Guitar Festival and Competition will also be part of CIAF.
Zoom in: UK artist Luke Jerram will bring back the popular installation "Gaia."
- The giant globe has previously been on view in Founders Hall but this year it'll be inside Blume Studios, the previously announced immersive space journey, "Space Explorers: The Infinite" at the former Charlotte Pipe and Foundry warehouse.
- "Gaia" will be on view Sept. 20–Nov. 10.
Here are a couple of notable things you'll see at CIAF:
- "Birdmen," massive roaming bird puppets, from the Netherlands will pop up at different locations throughout the festival.
- "Of Earth and Sky," by Jerram will be on view throughout the festival. The poetry trail was in Charlotte in 2021. Expect to see poems by local writers transform into public art throughout the city.
- Find the full festival lineup here.
Tickets: The festival includes more than 200 events, many of which are free. Ticketed events start at $5.
My thought bubble: CIAF is a great way to spend the day if you have people visiting from out of town. Show them what Charlotte's got.