Charlotte International Arts Festival cancels outdoor events as Hurricane Ian approaches
Blumenthal Performing Arts has canceled all outdoor events for the Charlotte International Arts Festival on Thursday and Friday as Hurricane Ian approaches the Carolinas.
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Originally, performers pivoted, planning to perform before the storm arrived in the area.
The Blue Lapis Light dancers had shifted its Friday debut to Thursday, since inclement weather will likely hit the Charlotte area for much of Friday.
However, the performance has now been put on pause and performers hope to resume on Saturday.
On Thursday morning, Channel 9 got a sneak peek during a rehearsal. Dancers scaled down the side of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center as they performed a routine on the side of the building to music. The wind was already intense as the dancers tried to brace themselves on the side of the building.
“We were like blowing all over the place,” said Amy Myers, an aerial dancer in the performance.
“It’s the windiest I’ve ever experienced,” added aerial dancer Anika Schoebaum.
They continued and finished the routine in front of nervous onlookers below.
However, by late afternoon, organizers decided to cancel the events until the weekend and after the storm blows through, putting the safety of performers and event workers first.
“We have a team that gathers twice a day. We look at the National Weather Service forecast, which comes out every six hours,” said Tom Gabbard, CEO of Blumenthal Performing Arts. “We always put safety first — whether it’s from COVID or a hurricane and, so, we also look at the facts.”
Other events at CIAF were moved indoors to SouthPark Mall.
To see the updated schedule of events, click here.
Other events impacted by the threat of Tropical Storm Ian include the Taste of Charlotte food festival, which was postponed from this weekend to next weekend at Truist Field.
SCarowinds will not open on Friday and the Carolina Renaissance Festival, which was scheduled to open this weekend will now be closed on Saturday. An update for Sunday will be posted on the festival’s social media pages.
The Breakaway Music Festival scheduled for this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway has been postponed to spring 2023 and the Moo & Brew Festival has been postponed as well.
The Charlotte Wine & Food Festival scheduled for Saturday at Symphony Park has been postponed to May 6, 2023.
The Amazing Maize Maze at Rural Hill will be closed this weekend, too.
(Watch below: What to do if sheltering in place during a hurricane)
