SPARKcon
to
Downtown Raleigh , Raleigh, North Carolina

SPARKcon, VAE Raleigh’s annual “open-source” pan-arts festival, almost went the way of so many other Triangle arts institutions last year—into oblivion. But it rebounded with a crowdfunding campaign that showed how much it means to the artists who participate in it and the community around them. This year it's back with a more streamlined footprint in the Warehouse District, but it’s still as seam-bursting as it always is. There is something on the schedule for virtually anyone, from visual art and dance to music and readings, all the way through circus arts and design workshops. You might want to just dive in and see what you discover, as the programming is all free and primed for sampling. Wandering through venues such as Legends, Cirque de Vol, VAE, CAM Raleigh, Crank Arm Brewing, and the streets themselves, you’ll discover music by the likes of Smoke from All the Friction and Yung Meme, zine-making and printmaking demonstrations, and much more. —Brian Howe