Community Calendar

Artist Talk: April 25, 2-3 pm
Workshop: April 30, 6-8 pm

Through the Ether is a group of mixed media works deeply influenced by and connected to film editing. April collects and stores unrelated images from different modalities and mediums—3D modeling, photographs, paintings, advertisements. She removes the color, texture, and context from which they originate. These elements form a visual depository or footage bin, from which she uses the montage process to construct a new landscape independent of their source. This reconstruction process resembles building a scene in a film. However, it creates an emotional landscape unto itself, devoid of the requirements of narrative and story—nullifying the necessity of a beginning, a middle, and an end.

About April Simmons: April received her BFA from the Savannah College of Art and Design and her MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in film. She worked as an experimental non-narrative filmmaker and as a film editor for both nonfiction and fiction films. Her films have screened at the New York Film Festival at Lincoln Center (Views), Anthology Film Archives in New York, the Rotterdam Film Festival, the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, and the Museum of Contemporary Photography (MoCP) in Chicago, among others. April taught film production, theory, and history at the university level for nearly two decades. She began working in digital photo collage and mixed media in 2022. Her work has been shown at The Galleries at Cabarrus Arts Council (“Liminal”) and at The Mint Museum (“Coined in the South”) in Uptown Charlotte.

Dive into adventure with our NEW IMMOTION VR Experience: Shark Dive, launching May 22nd at CSC!

Get up close with the incredible sharks of Tiger Beach in this thrilling, immersive underwater experience. No wetsuit required.

Unleash your inner artist and engineer in Brick Masters Studio: Build with LEGO® Bricks Like a Pro, an immersive exhibition by world-renowned artist Sean Kenney.

Produced by Imagine with science content developed by Science North, Brick Masters Studio features over 100 sculptures built with over 2 million LEGO® pieces, inviting guests to explore the intersection of art, science and engineering. Hands-on build challenges, real-world engineering concepts and insights into the artistic process show how imagination and innovation come together to create something extraordinary.

The Center for Digital Equity (CDE) and ReConnex are partnering to help Mecklenburg County residents get their devices repaired for free. Advance registration required! You must receive an email/text confirmation from CDE before attending.

Devices ReConnex can repair:
• Android phones & tablets
• Windows & Apple laptops
• iPhones (Models 10–14)
• iPads
• Kindles

Details:

• Limit: One device per person
• After signing up, a Digital Navigator from CDE will contact you to confirm your device is eligible and the repair is possible.
• You must receive email or text confirmation from CDE before visiting ReConnex.
• Once confirmed, you’ll get a code and can drop off your device any time during the week of June 15—no appointment needed.

Sign up using the Device Repair Interest Form to request a device repair. Help us understand the community’s device repair needs and get your tech back in working order!

DINOSAUR! has made their way back to CSC! Get ready to come face-to-face with jaw-dropping fossils, thrilling prehistoric discoveries, and hands-on Jurassic fun for explorers of all ages.

The ROAR of prehistoric fun is her, don’t miss it!

Step back 66 million years and journey through the final chapter of the age of dinosaurs in Dinosaur Evolution—a thrilling immersive experience that brings the Cretaceous world to life. Witness feathered raptors on the hunt, armored giants defending their turf, and the mighty T. rex at the top of the food chain. But even these perfectly evolved creatures couldn’t escape Earth’s most devastating extinction event. Stunning visuals and cutting-edge science reveal how evolution shaped the dinosaurs—and how birds, their modern-day descendants, continue their legacy. It's a prehistoric adventure that will inspire the next generation of paleontologists and conservationists alike.

Join us for our free, family-friendly Roots in the Garden concert series celebrating live music and community in the heart of Boone!
MAMA (formerly Mama & The Ruckus) is an Asheville blues and soul band fronted by powerhouse vocalist Melissa McKinney. The group has earned a string of accolades over the past few years, winning the 2025 MerleFest Band Competition (after McKinney took home the same prize as a solo artist in 2024) and, most recently, placing 2nd at the 2026 International Blues Challenge in Memphis.
* Beer, wine, and food available for purchase. Picnics welcome
* Please note, no dogs or glass containers in the Gardens
* Guests are encouraged to bring chairs or blankets for seating
Presented by Barb Linnville, Premier Sotheby’s International Realty
The annual concert series also features visual artists, with their work auctioned off at the end of the evening, and will continue on Thursday evenings throughout the summer: July 16, July 30, and Aug. 20.
Admission is a $5 suggested donation. All proceeds will support the Gardens’ mission to promote the benefits of native plants and healthy ecosystems, and provide a community green space in the heart of the High Country.

Experience Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s celebrated musical from June 17 - 28 at Duke Family Performance Hall in Davidson, NC. Set in mid-century Argentina, Evita follows the unforgettable story of Eva Perón, Argentina’s remarkable First Lady, and her journey from poverty to fame. Audiences will be blown away by a powerhouse cast of local actors, dancers, and singers, along with dazzling visuals and choreography, and a Tony Award-winning musical score that features timeless classics like “Buenos Aires” and “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina.” This is one event you don’t want to miss this summer.

FlopHAUS Cabaret is a cabaret style social satire inspired by the famously provocative 'ThreePenny Opera' and the legendary Kurt Weill, Lotte Lenya, and Bertolt Brecht. Defiantly as sharp as Mack the Knife's blade, this raw dark comedy includes nineteen original and contemporary adaptations of Weill's works, such as 'Pimp Ballad’, 'Moon of Alabama', 'Je ne t'aime pas', and ‘Pirate Jenny’. In the tradition of the witty yet politically dissonant 'ThreePenny Opera', FlopHAUS Cabaret not only entertains but cunningly challenges hypocrisy, corruption and moral ambiguity in society with a sharp sense of humor. Expressed through theater, dance, jazz, and opera, this multi-media production is performed by over 35 national, regional and Charlotte-based actors, dancers, musicians, and singers. The show is intended for mature audiences.

“Oh, the thinks you can think!” Step into the whimsical world of Dr. Seuss as Horton the Elephant, the Cat in the Hat, and a host of colorful characters spring to life. In this joyful, one-hour Penguin Project production, young artists with special needs and their peer mentors share the stage in a heartwarming celebration of inclusion and creativity. Featuring a playful, high-energy score, this lively musical adventure follows Horton as he protects the tiny Whos—and reminds us all of the power of loyalty and embracing what makes each of us unique.