Charlotte SHOUT! is back in Uptown through April 16.

You can check it out from 11am-11pm daily.

Details: The festival is a celebration of art, food, ideas and music with the return of art installations like the giant light-up seesaws by Creos.

• The festival will include performances by more than 80 local musicians and bands.
• It’ll have outdoor events like yoga.
• Much of the festival is free, but some events do require tickets, like the StrEATs Festival within Charlotte SHOUT!
• Find a map of the festival here.

Catch up quick: Inspired by citywide festivals like Austin City Limits and Vivid Sydney, leaders in Charlotte set out to create a signature event for the city, Axios’ Ted Williams wrote in 2019 — the year of the giant inflatable bunnies. 

• The festival was canceled in 2020 and 2021 because of the pandemic but came back in full force in 2022.

Go deeper: 5 takeaways from Charlotte SHOUT! 2022

I went during opening weekend. Here are five things you can’t miss: 

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(1) “Roaming Gnomes”

There are 12 giant inflatable gnomes scattered throughout the city. Each has its own personality.

Pro tip: Participate in the Roaming Gnomes scavenger hunt by picking up a booklet in the SHOUT! Lounge at the Wells Fargo Plaza. Find all 12 gnomes, stamp your booklet and turn it into the Lounge for a prize.

Location: Various Locations

(2) “Pianodrome” and more live music

The Pianodrome is an amphitheater made out of deconstructed pianos and it’s the first one of its kind in the U.S.

• Stop by to watch a live performance or play a tune in between acts.
• Enjoy lunchtime concerts at the Pianodrome every day. And be sure to check the schedule so you can enjoy a performance while you’re there.
• Location: Grace A.M.E. Zion Church at 219 S. Brevard St.

For more live music, bring a lawn chair to Wells Fargo Plaza, where local and international musicians will be playing from Thursday through Sunday.

• You can also listen to live music and surround yourself with art at Victoria Yards. Check out the schedule here.
• There’ll also be lunchtime concerts every day at Cafe 400, located at 400 South Tryon St. 

(3) “Impulse”

These giant seesaws are fun for the whole family — they make sounds as you teeter down and light up as you swing back up.

Pro tip: If your goal is to tire your kids out, this is the place to do it. First, have them scream into a box for five minutes straight to trigger the giant jack-in-the-box installations called “POP!” then, take them over to the see-saws and ride them ’til they’re tuckered out.

Location: Levine Avenue of the Arts, in front of Fin & Fino. 

My thought bubble: These should be permanent installations.

(4) “Luminous lane”

Local and international artists are combining their talents to transform this alley during Charlotte SHOUT!.

Pro tip: Join artist Sydney Duarte and ArtWalks CLT for a guided walking tour of Charlotte SHOUT! on Saturday, April 8 at 11am.

Location: 500 S. Tryon St.

(5) “Urban Phosphorescence”

This highly-Instagrammable alleyway has been transformed into an underwater-themed art piece by Studio Cultivate, a woman-led design and fabrication company.

Pro tip: Don’t be shy — ask a stranger to take a photo of you.

Location: 200 S. Tryon Alleyway