SPARKcon will fill downtown Raleigh with the arts this weekend. Here’s what you need to know.
After a period of on-again-off-again uncertainty, SPARKcon 2018 is on again this weekend, bringing art, fashion, dance, comedy, street painting and more creativity to downtown Raleigh.
But the multi-day festival, which last year attracted thousands of people, has encountered a few challenges along the way.
The first challenge was financial with a $22,500 shortfall in sponsorship money that left the free festival’s future survival in doubt. But after organizers were able to crowd-fund enough money to rescue the festival, it was back on.
Except Hurricane Florence had other plans. The storm brought heavy rains and catastrophic flooding to North Carolina, and SPARKcon’s original Sept. 13-16 weekend was canceled along with numerous other outdoor events.
But it has been rescheduled to this weekend, and the big “SPARKcon XIII Do-Over” will get underway Thursday night. Here’s what you should know.
1. The basics
SPARKcon features dozens of activities and events at venues throughout downtown under the umbrella of 14 different “Sparks.” Think artSPARK, circusSPARK, fashionSPARK, filmSPARK and more. The family friendly event encourages creativity and self-discovery. “Find your tribe, find your spark,” is peppered throughout the event website.
The 2018 edition of SPARKcon kicks off Thursday, Oct. 18, at 7:30 p.m. with comedy, burlesque and erotic poetry at the Kings/Neptunes Parlour complex. Opening night is scheduled to run until until midnight.
Friday and Saturday events last from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., and then Sunday is 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Programming highlights include music, fashion, yoga, street-painting, visual art, vendors, CircusSPARK and a “pun-off.”
Brandon Cordrey, head of SPARKcon producer Visual Art Exchange, says to be on the lookout for dinosaurs and unicorns.
“There is a concentration of circus people with T. Rex and unicorn outfits,” said Cordrey. “So a bunch of people will be running around City Plaza in costume, including yours truly. I own an 8-foot-tall inflatable unicorn costume, because I would not be right for this job if I didn’t.”
That should peak during the CircusSPARK Fire Spinners Show Saturday at 9:30 p.m. at City Plaza. For further lineup details, check the overall schedule at sparkcon.com/events.
2. How the new date changed things
A number of people, places and things on this year’s SPARKcon schedule wound up being shuffled due to the postponement.
“A few artists couldn’t do the new dates, and now some who couldn’t do the original dates can do these,” said Cordrey. “There were some venues that changed around a little bit, too.”
Chief among them is the new Union Station Plaza, which was not previously available. But it is now, and will be the venue for the Runway Fashion Show. The show is Friday at 8:30 p.m. at 510 W. Martin St.
“I’ll be interested to see how the plaza will be transformed for a fashion show,” said Cordrey. “Especially since it’s off the main grid a bit.”
3. Brave new time zone.
Last year’s SPARKcon drew a reported 84,000 people, according to festival management. With a favorable weather forecast, that figure should be within reach for 2018.
Except this new later time slot puts SPARKcon in direct competition with the NC State Fair’s final weekend.
“Overall, I think the city is about to get another great SPARKcon,” said Cordrey. “Just a little chillier. Bring a sweater.”
4. It may or may not be scooter-free.
As with last month’s Wide Open Bluegrass festival in downtown Raleigh, the city has asked scooter companies Bird and Lime to program a restricted “geo-fence” around the SPARKcon grid to discourage their use on crowded streets.
It was not, however, 100-percent effective. Judging by how many scooters were parked on Fayetteville Street sidewalks during the free bluegrass street festival, the geo-fence didn’t seem to keep anyone out of the festival zone.
That may or may not be a problem.
“I’m scooter-ambivalent,” said Cordrey. “I’ve not ridden one, but I don’t hate them, either.”
5. The festival is helping with hurricane relief
Organizers are asking visitors to bring non-perishable foods and household goods, which will be donated to the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina. Bring goods to the information tent, which is at the intersection of Martin and Fayetteville streets.
Details
When: Thursday, Oct. 18: 7:30 p.m. to midnight; Friday, Oct. 19 and Saturday, Oct. 20: 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday, Oct. 21, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Info: sparkcon.com
Street closings: Fayetteville Street and the first block east and west of all side streets — Hargett, Martin and Davie.
This story was originally published October 16, 2018 at 11:06 AM.