If you are looking for something to do the next few days look no further than downtown Raleigh. SPARKcon, the Triangle’s annual creative explosion, September 12–15th, will assemble 2,000+ artists, performers and other creative folks for 200+ shows and exhibits on Fayetteville Street, City Plaza and beyond.
Festival Hours
Friday 5:30pm – 11pm
Saturday 11am – 11pm
Sunday 12pm – 4pm
Festival Location:
Downtown Raleigh, Fayetteville St area and 17+ local venues
Photo by Makeda Sanford
Kick Off: ideaSPARK Pecha Kucha Night (Idea Slam) Raleigh Volume 15
(pre-registration required)
Thursday, September 12, 2013 at Contemporary Art Museum (CAM ) in Raleigh’s Warehouse District.
Time: 6:40 to 8:40p (doors open at 5:40)
Friday Showcase: circusSPARK showcase: Under the Sea
Friday, September 13, 2013 at City Plaza in Downtown Raleigh
Time: 8-9p
Saturday Showcase: fashionSPARK runway show!
Saturday, September 14 at City Plaza in Downtown Raleigh
Time: 8-9:30 p
Saturday Highlights: A Main Stage line-up of music, dance and theater, street painting on Fayetteville Street and an art bazaar in City Plaza. Fashion show and film to screen in the evening. Galleries featuring design, art and new media/digital work in multiple venues.
Sunday Highlights: The bazaar continues, the music stage will present a full day’s lineup and the circus will take over a block of Fayetteville Street. View the finished Street Paintings.
A full schedule is on SPARKcon.com & available on an iPhone app.
photo by Mary Kay Kennedy
artSPARK: 700 streetpainters on Fayetteville Street, art galleries in downtown venues including Visual Art Exchange (VAE), installations featuring three local artists in the Fish Market Gallery and a mural at the Contemporary Art Museum (CAM Raleigh) entitled What are Your Roots? All weekend.
bazaarSPARK: On-the-street bazaar of 50 local crafters and designers selling their latest handmade wares. Saturday and Sunday.
circusSPARK: Acrobats, aerialists, face-painters, fire dancers, jugglers and more perform, parade and host interactive workshops. All weekend. Showcase Friday at 8pm on City Plaza.
comedySPARK: A book release party, Clean Stand UP, Stand Up showcase and a swearing competition. All weekend.
geekSPARK: A showcase for the creative use of new and interactive media and technology featuring a showcases of digital motion, a games, open source as well as interactive events including robots, a city model, Godzilla and more on Fayetteville Street and CAM Raleigh. All weekend.
danceSPARK: Dance performances and workshops showcasing a wide variety of local dancers and styles. All weekend.
designSPARK: An interactive map project Our City, Your Design on Fayetteville Street, a green fuel showcase, studio tours, architecture walking tours. All weekend.
fashionSPARK: Runway show, featuring 10 local fashion, accessory and green designers in the largest annual fashion show in the Triangle. Saturday at 8p, on City Plaza. A jewelry Trunk show on Friday @ VAE.
filmSPARK: Local filmmakers present their work through shorts screenings, a 48-Hour film challenge and a panel discussion on local resources. Saturday and Sunday.
ideaSPARK: Community-oriented presentations from a variety of community leaders, artists, and entrepreneurs in a fast-paced format. Showcase Saturday night at CAM. Smaller idea sharing events all weekend.
musicSPARK: Over 55 acts performing throughout the weekend on four outdoor stages. musicSPARK mainEVENT: Friday, September 13th, 9p at Kings Barcade
poetrySPARK: Local poets, professional and amateur, featured in readings, workshops and panel discussions. All weekend.
tastySPARK: A food truck rodeo on E. Martin. All weekend.
theatreSPARK: A full day of theatre performances by local theatre groups, including NC Theatre and Burning Coal Theatre on Saturday in City Plaza Pop-up theatre all weekend.
About VAE and SPARKcon
Visual Art Exchange produces SPARKcon to celebrate and highlight diverse creative efforts in the Triangle and is a part of the VAE mission to support and provide opportunities for artists and connect the community to the arts. This festival gives an unusual opportunity for the community to be directly involved with a public art / performance art project in downtown Raleigh. SPARKcon is unique because it is an event fully developed by artists and the creative community, who are encouraged to use their creative talent and insight to produce their own engaging and inspiring programs. SPARKcon was founded in 2006 by Aly and Beth Khalifa.
The Triangle Explorer 