Cape Fear Blues Festival
Location: Various Venues in Wilmington
Three days of the blues! The perfect weekend for blues fans to satisfy their soulful cravings! This year’s impressive lineup includes touring blues artists, noted regional performers, and talented local blues musicians performing in a variety of genres. Wilmington music venues – Downtown Sundown on the river, Finkelstein Music, the Rusty Nail Saloon and Ted’s Fun on the River will host the 2016 Cape Fear Blues Festival.
Port City Rib Fest
August 5-7, 2016
Corner of Cowan Street & Nutt Street – Downtown Wilmington
Location: North Waterfront Park
Hosting 17,000+ guests, the Port City Rib Festival is held along the Wilmington waterfront and serves a brilliant combination of great BBQ and music. National (and many famously televised) BBQ teams from across the country compete against each other for bragging rights. There is something for every pork lover: ribs, beef brisket, chopped and sliced pork, chicken, sausages and a plethora of side items, desserts and drinks prepared in all different styles. Anyone else hungry?
Riverfest
Location: Water Street from Cape Fear Community College to Chandlers Wharf
2016 marks the 37th Annual Riverfest! This festival includes a street fair downtown, over 30 food vendors, and continuous live entertainment with this year’s theme is “Celebrate Art on the River.
See Related: Things You Don’t Want To Miss at This Years Wilmington Riverfest
Voracious Rare Beer Festival
Lighthouse Beer & Wine Festival
One of the most popular festivals in the area, the Lighthouse Beer & Wine Festival features over 100 craft breweries and wineries and takes place the day after the Voracious Rare Beer Festival on the Battleship.
Cucalorus Film Festival
NC Jazz Festival: 37th Annual
February 2-4, 2017
301 Water Street – Wilmington Downtown
Location: Hilton Riverside Hotel
One of the largest traditional jazz festivals in the Southeast and a STS Top 20 Event, this musical jazz weekend will feature Kevin Bales, Rossano Sportiello, Nate Najar, Chuck Redd, Jim Fryer, Dion Tucker, Herman Burney, Randy Reinhart, Jonathan Russell with Music Director Adrian Cunningham.
North Carolina Azalea Festival
The largest area Festival by a long shot, the NC Azalea Feststival is a celebration of Wilmington’s exceptional artwork, gardens, rich history and culture during its five days of entertainment that includes a parade, a 5k/10k fun walk, street fair, concerts, pageantry and all that is Southern.
Whether you are downtown for a Festival, shopping, or dining, our riverboats are available for hourly narrated sightseeing cruises on the Cape Fear River.
