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Zone 1 Fun

Charlotte_Shout_2023_403-large.jpgZONE 1: Victoria Yards/First Ward Park 

Click here for a full map of SHOUT! 

Zone 1 is the perfect place to start your SHOUT! experience.  

From the music at the art-filled Victoria Yards and on the Ally Main Stage to larger-than-life art installations to a variety of food vendors, this six-block area is the heartbeat of Charlotte SHOUT! Plus, it’s easy to get here, with two light rail stops, a protected bike lane, and plenty of parking in the deck The Market at 7th Street. 

CAN’T MISS ACTIVITIES 


Zone 1 is home to so many “must see” activities that we’re pretty sure you’ll start planning your return trip as soon as you arrive.  

Here are a few of our favorites. Find a full schedule of SHOUT! events here. [PRO TIP: Use the Categories and Venues dropdown to narrow your search.] 

  • Ally Main Stage in First Ward Park 

Featuring headliners like Tuba Skinny, Sonic Butterfly, Gino Vanelli, Brittney Spencer, and Robert Randoph Band to Charlotte stalwarts Of Good Nature and Doubting Thomas, the Ally Main stage in First Ward Park is THE music destination for SHOUT! (PRO TOP: Don’t miss Silent Disco, brought to you by Ally, April 5 and 6.) 
Full music schedule here. 

  • Victoria Yards 

When SHOUT! is happening, Victoria Yards is hoppin’ – every day for 17 days with musical performances, community gatherings, movies, bingo and more. It all takes place inside a giant work of art created by international superstar Morag Myerscough. BONUS! Indulge in the world of Carolina BBQ April 5 and 6. Full event schedule here. 

  • The Market at 7th Street 

While exploring everything SHOUT! has to offer, you are going to get hungry. The Market at 7th Street, a two-minute walk from both Victoria Yards and First Ward Park is the best place Uptown to grab a local bite, a local beer, cool local gear, and maybe even a secret specialty SHOUT! menu item (make sure to ask for it!).  
 

Start the first Saturday of SHOUT! (March 30) with a bang! Daybreaker offers an hour of all-levels yoga at 9am followed by a two-hour dance party! 

 

Nestled between the Ally Main Stage and Victoria Yards, this urban oasis offers a selection of craft beer and wine. Need we say more? 

 

Kicking off the Charlotte Ideas Festival at SHOUT!, CBS Sunday Morning’s own David Pogue will lead audiences through an exploration of the world that’s coming through AI at UNC Charlotte Uptown’s DuBois Center. This is a ticketed event. 

 

PICTURE PERFECT PHOTO SPOTS 

With an incredible collection of art installations you’ll want to pose just above everywhere in Zone One. Here are a few faves: 

 

SHOUT! Swag 

You NEED a souvenir! Charlotte mainstay MacFly Fresh will be on site at WFAE, adjacent to the park, with a mobile screenprinting station. Choose your design, press the ink, and walk away with your very own t-shirt! 

 

IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD 

Here are some places in Zone 1 you can enjoy during SHOUT! … and anytime you’re Uptown. 

 

  • ImaginOn - A unique collaboration between the public library and the Children’s Theatre of Charlotte, this is a colorful place for families to take a break, find a new favorite book or settle in for a show. 

  • VAPA Center - Anchoring Zone 7 just a 5-minute walk from First Ward Park, the VAPA Center is home to hundreds of local artists. And, during SHOUT!, VAPA will be the site for many hands on and participatory art activities. 

  • Equity Mural - On the walk to VAPA, make sure to stop and snap a photo at this amazing Nick Napoletano mural on East 9th Street.  
     

  • DuBois Center - Inside art galleries await you at the DuBois Center, UNC Charlotte’s Uptown Campus on the backside of First Ward Park. 

  

HOW TO GET HERE 

 

Zone 1 is very easy to get in and out of, whether you’re taking your car or light rail. 

 

  • For parking, we recommend the 7th Street Station Parking deck. The first 2 hours are free for anyone who makes a purchase at 7th Street Market. More info here. 
     

  • Or take the light rail into Uptown from the north or south. Exit at either the 7th Street or 9th Street stops. And, you can use it to visit other parts of SHOUT! LYNX schedule here.  
     

  • April is beautiful weather for biking! A protected bike lane enters Uptown on Sixth Street and takes you all the way to 7th Street Station, just steps away from Zone One.