Downtown Boone

Old-Time Jam at the Jones House
2026-08-13 19:00 - 22:00, 2026-08-06 19:00 - 22:00, 2026-07-30 19:00 - 22:00, 2026-07-23 19:00 - 22:00, 2026-07-16 19:00 - 22:00 UTC
Every Thursday evening from 7-10 PM, join local and visiting musicians at the Jones House for an old-time jam session. Bring your banjo, fiddle, guitar, mandolin – or whatever old-time acoustic instrument you have – and spend a few hours playing along with fellow musicians of all skill levels and backgrounds. On warm evenings, circle up on the Jones House lawn and porch; on cooler evenings, move the things indoors to the parlor and galleries. Guests and visitors are welcome to observe and enjoy the music but are asked to be respectful of the musicians. After catching up and choosing a key the music will begin, with the last call for tunes coming around 9:45.
Jams are not held on holidays and may be canceled on days of inclement weather. Call the Jones House with any questions.

An Evening of Comedy and Magic with Lyndy Phillips
2026-08-07 19:00 - 20:30, 2026-07-31 19:00 - 20:30, 2026-07-24 19:00 - 20:30, 2026-07-17 19:00 - 20:30 | Mysterium Escape Adventure, 737 W. King Street, Boone, NC, 28607, United States
The Carolina Comedy Magic Parlor delivers an intimate and unforgettable evening of magic and laughter, with limited seating. Step into a cozy parlor-style theater where every seat is the best seat in the house. Featuring magician Lyndy Phillips, you’ll be amazed by his masterful sleight of hand and delighted by his witty, clean humor—creating an immersive experience that blends comedy and wonder.

First Friday Art Crawl
2026-08-07 17:00 - 20:00
https://www.watauga-arts.org/first-friday-art-crawls

The Art of Walking
2026-08-07 15:00 - 18:00 | The Turchin Center for the Visual Arts, 423 W. King Street, Boone, N, 28608, United States
The Art of Walking
Boone Greenway and Kennedy Trail
First Fridays, 3:00-4:30pm

A 3-mile loop with an art theme to complement the First Friday Art Crawl in Boone on the first Friday of each month. No experience with art or writing is needed although a love for walking in nature sure comes in handy. During the walks, we’ll find a place to sit for a few minutes to draw or write about what we’re experiencing so bring your favorite tools to capture the moments. Journaling is totally optional and there is no need to share with others. This is an incredibly beautiful greenway. The Kennedy Trail has a natural surface complete with roots, rocks and hills. After the hike, the group can reconvene at the Turchin Center for the Arts at 5:00pm to enjoy the First Fridays Art Crawl in downtown Boone. The walking event is free but registration is suggested so we know you’re coming. Contact Jae at BlueRidgeFriend@gmail.com

The Jayhawks
2026-08-01 19:30 - 22:00 | Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts
Over the course of four decades and countless memorable live shows, country roots-rock band The Jayhawks have soared to heights few ever achieve while winning the hearts and minds of numerous critics, fans, and peers in the process. Since 2014, The Jayhawks have enjoyed a career resurgence, touring constantly and releasing three memorable albums — including Paging Mr. Proust, a true classic co-produced by Peter Buck (REM) — while collaborating with the likes of Ray Davies and Wesley Stace. In early 2025, the band announced that work had begun on their 12th studio album, slated to come out in 2026, which will be the 40th anniversary of the release of their first album. 2026 has officially been designated as “The Year of the Hawk.”

Aaron Diehl
2026-07-31 19:30 - 22:00 | Rosen Concert Hall at Broyhill Music Center, 813 Rivers St, Boone, NC, 28607, United States
Pianist Aaron Diehl has quietly redefined the boundary between jazz and classical music, building an international career distinguished by stylistic fluency, intellectual rigor, and a deep sense of musical lineage. Praised for his “melodic precision, harmonic erudition, and elegant restraint” (The New York Times), Diehl is increasingly recognized as a singular voice whose work moves freely across genres while remaining grounded in historical awareness. He has worked extensively with figures such as Tyshawn Sorey, Timo Andres, Philip Glass, and Cécile McLorin Salvant, forging projects that span concerti, chamber music, orchestral works, and jazz performance. In 2023, Diehl was named as the Artistic Director of 92NY’s Jazz in July Festival, succeeding the legendary Bill Charlap.

Calidore String Quartet
2026-07-29 19:30 - 22:00 | Rosen Concert Hall at Broyhill Music Center, 813 Rivers St, Boone, NC, 28607, United States
The Calidore String Quartet has been recognized for achieving an extraordinary cohesion of individual artistry and collective expression — what The Washington Post described as “four more individual musicians are unimaginable, yet these speak, breathe, think and feel as one.” Their artistry reflects a profound engagement with both the classical canon and the evolving language of 21st-century chamber music.

ARTtalk: “Beethoven in the 21st Century,” Calidore String Quartet
2026-07-29 16:00 - 17:00 | The Turchin Center for the Visual Arts, 423 W. King Street, Boone, N, 28608, United States
Step behind the curtain for a series of intimate conversations with this season’s artists about the passions and processes that shape their work.
Join the Calidore String Quartet for an intimate conversation about their acclaimed Beethoven quartet cycles and the enduring relevance of the master composer today.

Global Film Series: Happy Birthday
2026-07-28 19:30 - 22:00 | Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts
Eight-year-old maid Toha goes to great lengths to ensure that her best friend Nelly, the daughter of her wealthy employer, has a successful birthday party in this poignant debut feature exploring classism, power, and belonging in modern-day Cairo.

The SpongeBob Muscial
2026-07-25 14:00 - 16:00 | Appalachian Theatre, 559 W. King Street, Boone, 28067, United States
BeanStalk presents The SpongeBob Musical! Don’t miss the fun as trouble bubbles up in Bikini Bottom when a looming volcano threatens to wipe out the whole undersea town. With panic rising and hope sinking fast, SpongeBob and his crew dive into action to save their home—armed with nothing but teamwork, imagination, and a whole lot of heart. Turns out, when the chips are down, optimism might just be the most powerful force in the ocean

The SpongeBob Musical
2026-07-24 19:00 - 21:00, 2026-07-23 19:00 - 21:00 | Appalachian Theatre, 559 W. King Street, Boone, 28067, United States

Rick Springfield
2026-07-23 19:30 - 22:00 | Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts
Over the past four decades, Rick Springfield has worn many hats as an entertainer and performer. The creator of some of the finest power-pop of the ’80s, a Grammy-winning singer-songwriter-musician who has sold 25 million albums and scored 17 U.S. Top 40 hits, including “Jessie’s Girl,” “Don’t Talk to Strangers,” “An Affair of the Heart,” “I’ve Done Everything for You,” “Love Somebody,” and “Human Touch.” He’s an accomplished actor who has starred opposite Meryl Streep in the feature film Ricki and the Flash, gave a chameleonic performance as the creepy Dr. Irving Pitlor in HBO’s prestige drama True Detective, earned great reviews for his portrayal of Lucifer on the CW hit Supernatural and most recently played the insane Pastor Charles on FX’s worldwide hit series American Horror Story. An author as well, both his candid 2010 memoir Late, Late at Night (which Rolling Stone named one of the 25 greatest rock memoirs of all time) and his 2014 comedic novel Magnificent Vibration earned rave reviews and spots on the New York Times Best Sellers’ list. In 2014, Springfield was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, located around the corner from the first apartment he lived in when he first arrived in the U.S. from Australia in 1971. Springfield’s Sirius-XM radio show, Working Class DJ, is a huge hit and airs weekly on ’80s on 8. His new album, Automatic, is his first album of all new original material in five years.

Global Film Series: Sirat
2026-07-21 19:30 - 22:00 | Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts
Searching for his missing daughter, a father (Sergi López) and his son travel to a remote rave in Morocco’s mountains where she disappeared months earlier. As they descend into a world of endless music and burning wilderness, the journey forces them to confront their own limits.

The Other Mozart
2026-07-19 14:00 - 17:00 | Valborg Theatre, 480 Howard St,, Boone, NC, 28608, United States
The Other Mozart is an award-winning, Drama Desk nominated play telling the true, forgotten story of Nannerl Mozart, the genius sister of Amadeus — a prodigy, keyboard virtuoso and composer, who performed throughout Europe with her brother to equal acclaim, but her work and her story faded away, lost to history.
Set in a stunning 18-foot dress, this production by playwright Sylvia Milo ushers you into a world of opulence and delight – obscured by restriction and prejudice. The music score brings Nannerl’s musical imagination to life using clavichords, music boxes, teacups, and fluttering fans. Inspired by the Mozart family’s hilarious and heartbreaking letters, this other Mozart at last tells her story.

Darren Criss
2026-07-18 19:30 - 22:00 | Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts
Since bursting onto the pop-culture landscape over a decade ago in Fox’s hit TV show Glee, Emmy and Golden Globe winner Darren Criss has embodied the kind of kaleidoscopic artistry that’s entirely uninhibited by form or genre. For this concert, Darren will be performing well-known songs featured throughout his wildly eclectic career as both a songwriter and performer, including those from Glee, Starkid and the Broadway shows he’s starred in.
Criss is currently starring in the Tony Award-winning Broadway hit Maybe Happy Ending, directed by Michael Arden. Now playing at the Belasco Theatre, the production opened to rave reviews and earned him the Tony Award for Best Leading Actor.

Complexions Contemporary Ballet
2026-07-16 19:30 - 22:00 | Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts
Complexions Contemporary Ballet explodes onto the stage with boundary-breaking artistry under visionaries Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson. Raw athleticism meets sleek precision, where 16 powerful dancers command the stage with fierce grace and technical brilliance that’ll leave you breathless. The first act features a mixed repertory that spans Complexions’ 31 years as a company, followed by act two, LOVE ROCKS — set to the electric, guitar-driven anthems of Grammy legend Lenny Kravitz. Feel the energy in a vibrant celebration of love, diversity, and everything that makes us human.

ARTtalk: “Innovation in Motion,” Jillian Davis, Co-Associate Artistic Director
2026-07-15 16:00 - 17:00 | The Turchin Center for the Visual Arts, 423 W. King Street, Boone, N, 28608, United States
Step behind the curtain for a series of intimate conversations with this season’s artists about the passions and processes that shape their work.
Go behind the scenes to discover how Complexions Contemporary Ballet has transformed ballet through creativity and fearless artistry.

Global Film Series: Sentimental Value
2026-07-14 19:30 - 22:00 | Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts
An intimate exploration of family, memories, and the reconciliatory power of art.
Sisters Nora (Renate Reinsve) and Agnes (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas) reunite with their estranged father, the charismatic Gustav (Stellan Skarsgård), a once-renowned director who offers stage actress Nora a role in what he hopes will be his comeback film. When Nora turns it down, she soon discovers he has given her part to an eager young Hollywood star (Elle Fanning). Suddenly, the two sisters must navigate their complicated relationship with their father — and deal with an American star dropped right into the middle of their complex family dynamics.

WindSync
2026-07-12 19:30 - 22:00 | Rosen Concert Hall at Broyhill Music Center, 813 Rivers St, Boone, NC, 28607, United States
Over nearly two decades of performing, WindSync has proven itself “a major force in the American chamber music landscape” (Arts and Culture Texas), leaping from prizewinning Concert Artists Guild and Fischoff performances to the stages of Carnegie Hall, the Library of Congress, Metropolitan Museum of Art and more. Breaking the “fourth wall” between performers and audience, WindSync’s dynamic performance style incorporates memorization and storytelling to showcase the expressive range of the flute, oboe, clarinet, French horn and bassoon.
The quintet brings Boone a summery set of classical music with an American accent, inflected with folk, jazz and minimalism. Also featured is Mozart’s Serenade in C minor, a dramatic masterpiece of classical music.

WindSync: Peter and the Wolf
2026-07-12 14:00 - 15:00 | Rosen Concert Hall at Broyhill Music Center, 813 Rivers St, Boone, NC, 28607, United States
WindSync performs a family-friendly show that brings classical music to life with an unforgettable cast of characters. Complete with costumes and choreography, this engaging performance introduces the five wind instruments of the orchestra and concludes with an exciting retelling of Peter and the Wolf by Sergei Prokofiev. Peter, the wolf, and their friends the duck, the cat, and the little bird will make a live appearance!
Young audience members are invited to come dressed as your favorite Peter and the Wolf character — a brave bird, a sneaky cat, a waddling duck, or even the mighty wolf — and help bring the story to life!

40th Annual Outdoor Rosen Sculpture Walk
2026-07-11 10:00 - 17:00 | Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts
Now in its 40th year at Appalachian State University, the Martin and Doris Rosen Outdoor Sculpture Competition and Exhibition celebrates An Appalachian Summer Festival tradition! The Rosen Sculpture Walk will kick off at 10am at the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts. After a brief welcome, juror Sam Spiczka will lead guests on a guided tour of the 10 sculptures installed along Rivers Street. The group will then return to the Schaefer Center for the announcement of this year’s award winners, a complimentary lunch, and time to chat with friends about your favorite pieces.
Guests are encouraged to wear comfortable clothing and shoes, as the walking and standing portion lasts approximately 45–60 minutes. Water stations will be available along the route.
If weather prevents an outdoor tour, the sculpture walk will be presented indoors at the Schaefer Center with a slide presentation.

Straight No Chaser Beach Bash
2026-07-10 19:30 - 22:00 | Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts
If the phrase “male a cappella group” conjures up an image of students in blue blazers, ties, and khakis singing traditional college songs on ivied campuses… think again. Straight No Chaser (SNC) are neither strait-laced nor straight-faced, but neither are they vaudeville-style kitsch. They have emerged as a phenomenon with a massive fanbase and a long list of accomplishments including 2 RIAA Gold Certified albums, over 1.5 million concert tickets sold, over 1 billion streams on Pandora, and over 2 million albums sold worldwide. Straight No Chaser is the real deal, the captivating sound of nine unadulterated human voices coming together to make extraordinary music that is moving people in a fundamental sense… and with a sense of humor.
