College Basketball: North Carolina lost 76-58 to Indiana in an exhibition, undone by a 53-31 rebounding gap and 20 Hoosiers offensive boards. Tar Heel Rivalry: UNC rallied past Duke 24-20 to reclaim the Victory Bell, while its swimmers swept both sides of the rivalry meet in Chapel Hill. HBCU Homecoming: North Carolina A&T marks its 100th homecoming with performances by Gunna and Kirk Franklin, bringing music and a major celebration to Greensboro. Arts & Heritage: The N.C. State Fair is welcoming families with new food offerings, while local artisans keep traditional crafts in the spotlight.
AGP Executive Report
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HBCU Homecoming: North Carolina A&T’s 100th GHOE brings Gunna and Kirk Franklin to Greensboro, pairing a major music lineup with a spotlight on the city. Traditional Music: Banner Elk luthier David Finck is carrying on a family woodworking legacy; in Ashe County, guitar legend Wayne Henderson and friends will play a free courthouse concert Friday, Oct. 23. College Football: UNC reclaimed the Victory Bell with a 24–20 win over Duke in Durham, sealed by Jaylen McGill’s late touchdown. Onstage and at the Fair: Greensboro musician explores the legacies of two local jazz greats in a new residency, while Temple Theatre features local artists and Thomasville artisans bring traditional crafts to the State Fair. Wilmington on Screen: Renewed interest in One Tree Hill is building ahead of its Netflix sequel, with fans revisiting the series and its Wilmington roots.
Rivalry Football: North Carolina rallied late to beat Duke 24-20 in Durham, with Jaylen McGill’s 24-yard touchdown reclaiming the Victory Bell with less than two minutes left. State Fair Arts: The N.C. State Fair is bringing families together with rides and food, while Thomasville artisans keep traditional crafts alive and local ham champions take the spotlight. Arts & Entertainment: Local artists are featured at Temple Theatre, and the North Carolina Youth Orchestra is set to perform at Cain Center. UNC Asheville will screen locally filmed Gunfighter Paradise, while an NC A&T alumnus is featured in Netflix’s A Different World reboot. Music & Media: Destiny Stone-King has released a new album. Charlotte radio pioneer Hattie Leeper, known as “Chatty Hatty,” has died at 98.
Theater & Visual Arts: Sanford artists Kristi Traynor and Barbara Berman are showcasing their work at Temple Theatre alongside its production of Little Women, running through Nov. 1. Berman’s colorful fabric-and-canvas pieces are on display in the theater’s stairway gallery. State Fair Traditions: Thomasville artisans Jeffrey Jobe and Curtis Cecil are demonstrating handcrafted jewelry and glasswork at the N.C. State Fair’s Village of Yesteryear, where more than 75 craftspeople keep traditional skills alive. The fair also brings a new 229-foot America 250 wheel and more than 80 new foods. Music & Performance: The ECU marching band has been selected to perform in next year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, while the North Carolina Youth Orchestra is set to play at the Cain Center. On Screen: UNC Asheville will screen locally filmed Gunfighter Paradise, and the Horror Movie Freaks Film Festival returns to Walnut Cove.
Student Innovation: T.W. Andrews students in High Point made North Carolina history with the state’s first student-led drone show, revealing their homecoming king and queen at halftime. State Fair Traditions: The N.C. Country Ham Competition returned after 27 years, with Boone’s Goodnight Brothers taking home multiple awards. Arts & Music: Franklin’s Mountains & Main Plein Air Festival brings outdoor painting to town Oct. 22–24, ending with a public exhibition and sale; Greensboro musician Wednesday’s new residency will explore the legacies of two local jazz greats. Coming Attractions: The North Carolina Youth Orchestra is set to perform at the Cain Center, while Durham’s DBAP will host two nights of Banana Ball in 2027, with a ticket lottery now open. On the Big Stage: ECU’s marching band has been selected to perform in next year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
State Fair: The North Carolina State Fair opened with a new food hall and vendor changes, bringing fresh options to a major fall gathering. Marching Band: East Carolina University’s marching band will take its sound to next year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Music & Theater: A Greensboro musician is planning a residency on two local jazz legends, while Thalian Hall in Wilmington presents the world premiere of Alluvial River, a musical paired with a restored 19th-century panorama. Wilmington will also welcome the Count Basie Orchestra to UNCW’s Kenan Auditorium. Local Culture: Flor de Hidalgo is bringing Mexican dance traditions to the Cape Fear Latino Festival, and North Carolina A&T students are celebrating a century of GHOE style. Film Industry: More financial assistance is on the way to support North Carolina’s film industry.
Music & Community: A Greensboro musician is launching a residency exploring the legacies of two local jazz greats, while a benefit concert will raise funds for music therapy. Traditions on Stage: A Wilmington dance group is passing Mexican traditions to a new generation through music, dance and colorful costumes; its next performance will celebrate Día de los Muertos. Marching Milestone: East Carolina University’s Marching Pirates will make their first appearance in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2027, after being selected from about 100 bands nationwide. Racing Heritage: North Wilkesboro Speedway hosts its Moonshiners & Racers Reunion on Saturday, bringing together more than 100 racing figures and honoring the sport’s deep roots in North Carolina. State Fair: The N.C. State Fair opens with a new food hall and vendor changes, adding fresh options for visitors.
AI Music Fraud: North Carolina resident Michael Smith was sentenced to 18 months in prison for using bots to stream AI-generated songs, earning millions; he must forfeit more than $8 million. Wilmington Concerts: The Grammy-winning Count Basie Orchestra will perform at UNCW’s Kenan Auditorium on Nov. 13. Western NC Arts: The Mountain Stage radio show is bringing a live taping to Boone’s Schaefer Center, while UNC Asheville will screen the locally filmed “Gunfighter Paradise.” Charlotte Media: Hattie “Chatty Hatty” Leeper, a pioneering Black radio broadcaster, has died at 98. State Fair: The N.C. State Fair is showcasing new food and rides alongside $60 million in upgrades.
Radio Legacy: Charlotte broadcasting pioneer Hattie “Chatty Hatty” Leeper has died at 98. She began at WGIV-AM at 14, promoted artists including Aretha Franklin and Tina Turner, and was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame last year. Music Education: The Coastal Carolina Blues Society will give Surf City Middle School students harmonicas and a hands-on lesson Oct. 23, ahead of its “Sounds of Freedom” festival in Hampstead the next day. Live Music: Elizabeth City’s The Voice 2 returns Nov. 6 for four nights of competition, with $1,750 in prizes for local singers. Moog’s Legacy: Asheville’s Bob Moog Foundation is marking its 20th anniversary with a campaign seeking 1,000 gifts of $20 to support its music education, museum and archives. On Stage: The West Virginia-based Mountain Stage radio show is bringing a live taping to Boone’s Schaefer Center.
Film: UNC Asheville will screen “Gunfighter Paradise,” a dark comedy filmed around Asheville, Swannanoa and the Blue Ridge, followed by a Q&A with director Jethro Waters on Oct. 23. Live Music: Blue Ridge musician Jeff Little and his trio bring Appalachian, Americana and traditional sounds to the Ashe Civic Center on Oct. 16; the Schaefer Center will also host a live taping of West Virginia’s Mountain Stage radio show. Homecoming: NC A&T marks the 100th anniversary of its Greatest Homecoming on Earth Oct. 25–Nov. 1. Greensboro officials are preparing for the crowds and highlight the celebration’s more than $50 million annual regional economic impact. At the Fair: The NC State Fair opens Oct. 15 with a new Ferris wheel and $60 million in upgrades; inspectors are checking all 94 rides. North Carolina voices: Hattie Leeper, a pioneering Charlotte radio broadcaster known as “Chatty Hatty,” has died at 98. A North Carolina A&T alumnus is also featured in Netflix’s “A Different World” reboot.
Broadcast Legacy: Charlotte radio pioneer Hattie “Chatty Hatty” Leeper, North Carolina’s first Black woman radio announcer, died Oct. 13 at 98. At WGIV, she helped bring R&B to Black audiences and promoted stars including Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin and James Brown. State Fair: The fair opens Thursday with 84 new food and drink offerings, including Biscoff banana pudding and pork belly burnt ends. Inspectors are checking all 94 rides before opening. Live & Local: Fayetteville’s Ladies Laugh Lounge brings women comedians to the Cameo Art House Theatre on Oct. 16; Beardtoberfest follows Oct. 17 at Dirtbag Ales, raising money for families facing cancer. Arts & Outdoors: Cape Fear Studios’ free “6 by” exhibit runs through Nov. 24, while Carvers Creek State Park’s first haunted trail is set for Oct. 24. On Tour: Pigeons Playing Ping Pong will kick off its winter 2027 tour in Wilmington on Feb. 18, then play Charlotte on Feb. 19. Film Industry: New funding is set to support North Carolina’s film industry as Cape Fear Community College trains the next generation.
Carowinds: Fury 325 and Thunder Striker are temporarily closed after a fatal coaster incident at Six Flags Over Georgia; Six Flags has not said when they’ll reopen. Music Industry: A North Carolina man was sentenced to 18 months in prison for using AI-generated tracks and bots to fraudulently collect $8 million in streaming royalties. Onstage: Charlotte’s Bechtler Ensemble is set to perform Oct. 18. Film: Hickory’s annual Footcandle Film Festival and Walnut Cove’s Horror Movie Freaks Film Festival are both returning. Live Music: The Mood Kings bring their “50,000 Watts of Summer Tour” to West Jefferson for its final show of 2026. Arts History: A new account explores how Langston Hughes encouraged Nina Simone, first hearing her play piano at an Asheville high school when she was 16.
Live Music: The Mood Kings bring their “50,000 Watts of Summer” tour to West Jefferson on Oct. 17, closing out the band’s 2026 season with a set inspired by small-town radio. Classical Arts: The Bechtler Ensemble performs at Lincolnton’s Lincoln Cultural Center on Oct. 18, blending classical works, folk songs and Beatles compositions. Film: Hickory’s Footcandle Film Festival featured 43 films selected from more than 400 submissions, continuing the local society’s support for independent cinema. State Fair: The N.C. State Fair opens Oct. 15 with a new Ferris wheel and a lineup of adventurous fair foods. Crafts & Outdoors: Moore County’s pottery pinecone hunt returns Oct. 17, with 30 handmade, America 250-themed “Crystal Cones” hidden along local trails. Film Industry: More financial assistance is on the way for North Carolina’s film industry, following efforts to strengthen support for productions in the state.
State Fair: North Carolina’s State Fair opens Oct. 15 with a new Ferris wheel, adding a major attraction to the annual celebration. Film & Festivals: More financial assistance is on the way for the state’s film industry, while the Horror Movie Freaks Film Festival returns to Walnut Cove. Cherokee Arts: The 2026–27 EBCI royalty has been crowned at the Cherokee Indian Fair. Music Industry: Cornelius resident Michael Smith was sentenced to 18 months in prison for using bots to generate billions of fake streams of AI-made songs and collect more than $8 million in royalties.
Live Events: Blue Ridge Pro Rodeo brings two nights of competition and family entertainment to Ferguson Oct. 23–24; Horne Creek Farm’s Cornshucking Frolic is set for Oct. 17. State Fair: The N.C. State Fair opens Oct. 15 with a new Ferris wheel. Film & Digital: New financial assistance is coming to North Carolina’s film industry, while MrBeast’s latest video turns a struggling Raleigh mall into a viral playground. Arts Funding: More than $3 million in grants is being deployed across North Carolina for music and arts education. Asheville Landmark: The historic basilica has reopened after renovations.
State Fair: The N.C. State Fair opens Oct. 15 with its biggest-ever Ferris wheel and more than 80 new foods. Live Music: Pitt County songwriter Scott Pearce is among the performers at Fountain Fest in downtown Fountain. Film Industry: New financial support aims to boost North Carolina productions, while Cape Fear Community College trains the next generation of film workers; a separate $3 million-plus grant effort will back music and arts education statewide. Local Attractions: Asheville’s historic basilica has reopened after renovations, and MumFest drew crowds to downtown New Bern. Digital Entertainment: MrBeast turned a struggling Raleigh mall into a viral playground in a recent video. College Sports: UNC football scored a major upset, beating No. 25 Pitt 21-17 for Bill Belichick’s first win over a ranked opponent at the school.
Film Industry: North Carolina lawmakers have pledged another $31 million in tax rebates for film projects, offering crews a boost after months of uncertainty. Arts & Heritage: Asheville’s 117-year-old St. Lawrence Basilica has reopened after a $7.7 million restoration repaired its roof and storm damage; more work is planned. College Football: UNC upset No. 25 Pitt 21-17, giving coach Bill Belichick his first win over a ranked team with the Tar Heels. Local Craft: Edenton’s new Coastal Stitch shop brings the online needlepoint business into a downtown storefront, drawing customers from across the region. Music Education: A coalition is bringing more than $3 million in grants to North Carolina music and arts education programs. Community Festivals: Rain didn’t stop crowds at New Bern’s MumFest or NC Central’s homecoming parade, while Edenton’s Peanut Festival paired downtown markets and porch concerts with its annual parade.
Storm Disruptions: Isaias is forcing cancellations and delays at weekend events across the Carolinas, while North Carolina officials prepare for heavy rain and possible flooding. Viral NC: MrBeast turned Raleigh’s Triangle Town Center into an action-filled playground for a video that has topped 5 million views. Live Music: Pitt County songwriter Scott Pearce is among the featured performers at Saturday’s inaugural Fountain Fest. Literary North Carolina: A new Asheville feature revisits F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald’s connections to Thomas Wolfe and his mother’s boardinghouse. Arts & Crafts: Seagrove potter Crystal King has made 30 collectible pottery pinecones for an Oct. 17 scavenger hunt on Moore County trails.
Live Music: Mount Airy vocal group VOCE brings spirituals and sacred music to Grace Moravian Church on Monday at 7 p.m. The fall concert is free. North Carolina Design: Raleigh native Lindy Stark has grown her whimsical home-goods brand from a 2022 launch to about 250 stores, with products made using natural and recycled materials. Streaming Fraud: Cornelius musician Michael Smith was sentenced to 18 months in prison for using bots to inflate streams of AI-generated songs and collect more than $8 million in royalties. Arts Education: The Music Impact Coalition is bringing more than $3 million in grants to music and arts education initiatives, starting in North Carolina. Crafts & Community: Valle Country Fair returns Oct. 17 with about 144 exhibitors, including three Ashe County artists. The free-admission fair has raised more than $1.4 million for High Country aid groups and emergency relief.
Music: Chapel Hill-based saxophonist Rahsaan Barber released Eternal on Oct. 9. The album pairs eight originals with a Marvin Gaye classic and channels personal grief into new work. Durham is also marking a peak month for live music, with its classical concert series returning. Festivals: Swansboro’s Mullet Festival returns with more than 160 vendors, a parade and free admission. Arts & Attractions: The North Carolina Arboretum’s Thomas Dambo troll installation set an attendance record, while Boone’s cult-classic performance continues to keep the town weird. Arts Funding: The Music Impact Coalition plans to start its $3 million arts-program grant effort in North Carolina.
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