NC Arts Market in Durham, North Carolina – Day 2 Recap

Day Two of the NC Arts Market started on the exhibit floor after getting my booth set up for the day. I met several new presenters from North and South Carolina and Georgia — always one of my favorite parts of these conferences. Every conversation is a chance to learn what communities are looking for and imagine where The Colorful Hat might fit in the coming season. 🎪

The morning showcase at the Carolina Theatre featured Ball in the House, a fantastic acappella group I’ve seen showcase at other conferences, and magician Jason Huddy. Jason always brings high-energy comedy magic — and later in the day, he stopped by my booth for a great chat about his resident show in Pigeon Forge and the conference. 🎩✨

The expo hall continued to be a hub of activity, and I’m hopeful that several of the presenters I met will become new stops for The Colorful Hat Circus & Variety. 

In late afternoon, the Champagne, Charcuterie, and Conversations networking event at the Armory was a blast — a mix of presenters, choreographers, and performers sharing ideas and stories. 🍾🧀

Dinner for me was a quick Pad Thai and Thai iced coffee at Thai on Main, followed by a scoop of cookies & cream at The Parlour, a local ice cream shop. Trying local ice cream is becoming a bit of a conference tradition for me! 🍨

The evening showcases back at the Carolina Theatre were incredible. The highlight of the night (and arguably the entire conference) was Mike Wiley, performing an excerpt from his one-man play Breach of Peace, based on the stories of the 1961 Freedom Riders. It was beautifully staged, deeply moving, and a powerful reminder of the stories that live on through live performance. 🎭

The night also included Canadian singer-songwriter Julian Taylor, whose smooth voice and charm defined a perfect folk set, and comedian John Heffron, who closed the evening with plenty of laughs. 🎶😂

It was a full day — inspiring showcases, engaging conversations, and plenty of ideas to bring back to The Colorful Hat.