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Elizabeth City, NC, Arts: Museums, Theater, Festivals
Elizabeth City's revitalized waterfront has become a cultural destination where visitors and residents can experience arts, historical attractions, festivals and more.
Arts in Elizabeth City
In 2009, the old Lowry-Chesson Building — once an opera house and then a flagship department store — was once again brought to life. It is now known as the Arts of the Albemarle Center, commonly called the Center. Home to the Jaquelin Jenkins Gallery and the Maguire Theatre, the Center has... Read More »
Walking Tour Book Shows Off Elizabeth City's Historic District
History buffs will find lots of historic treasures to explore in Elizabeth City -- so many, in fact, that they might need a guidebook.
That's where the “Elizabeth City Historic Walking Tour” guide comes in.
Published by the Elizabeth City Historic Neighborhood Association, the booklet focuses on sites along the historic Main Street commercial district, listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
“The Main Street district has so many... Read More »
Encore Theatre Company Offers Live Theater in the Heart of Elizabeth City
Encore Theatre Company was used to staging productions in cramped quarters.
But those days are over with the troupe’s move to the second and third floors of the three-story Arts of the Albemarle Center – commonly known as The Center – in the heart of Elizabeth City.
In 2009, the 19-year-old troupe moved to the recently renovated 1897 red brick building on Main Street. The new location provides an ideal and perhaps fitting setting for the Encore Theatre, since the landmark structure once served... Read More »
Rose Buddies of Elizabeth City Inspire Hospitality in the Harbor
Learn a lesson in hospitality from the legendary Rose Buddies.
Fred Fearing and Joe Kramer, the original Rose Buddies, put together their first impromptu meeting in 1983. It was a wine and cheese party for 17 visiting boaters, and it started an ongoing tradition that's become something of legend around the Harbor of Hospitality.
What's in a name, you ask? The Rose Buddies got their title from Joe Kramer, an avid rose gardner, who clipped a rose from his garden for each of the... Read More »
Downtown Elizabeth City has Farmers Market and Festivals
Discover and delight in Elizabeth City's downtown district.
Surrounded by water and lined with eclectic shops, fun and delicious restaurants and the picturesque waterfront, Elizabeth City's downtown is hard to beat. The city's mix of business districts, entertainment options and cultural opportunities make the city a desirable spot to live, work, or visit.
Once a major seaport, the Harbor of Hospitality now offers 48-hours free dockage to travelers, and lives up to its nickname... Read More »
Arts of the Albermarle Revive Elizabeth City's Culture Scene
Elizabeth City has seen a recent revival of its art scene, thanks to the work of the Arts of the Albemarle organization. Formerly called the Pasquotank Arts Council and founded in 1969, the organization got a facelift in 2009 with the opening of its new headquarters at the converted Lowry-Chesson Building, an opera house turned art house. Commonly called the Center, it's home to the Jaquelin Jenkins Gallery and the Maguire Theatre. The Center allows the city to offer multiple art venues, and in... Read More »
Museum of the Albemarle Offers Insight Into American, Local History
Elizabeth City's Museum of the Albemarle provides a glimpse into not only northeast North Carolina's local history and culture but also that of America. Located on the city's waterfront, this regional museum traces the history of Native Americans, English colonists and the farmers and fishermen through the mid-20th century who made the Albemarle Region what it is today.
The Museum of the Albemarle focuses on the history and ecology of the 13-county Albemarle Region but has implications... Read More »
Arts of the Albemarle Center Showcases Art and Theater
The old Lowry-Chesson Building in downtown Elizabeth City had stood shuttered and vacant since 2001.
But in 2009, the three-story structure that once served as an opera house and then a flagship department store was once again brought to life – this time as the Arts of the Albemarle Center, commonly known as The Center.
A $3.2 million renovation of the historic 1897 structure culminated when The Center opened the 10,000-square-foot Jaquelin Jenkins art gallery on the first floor and the 230-... Read More »
North Carolina Potato Festival Brings Out All the Stops for the Spud
Each spring, the family-friendly fun-filled North Carolina Potato Festival takes root in downtown Elizabeth City. The event has been on Elizabeth City’s calendar since 2001, but the statewide potato celebration dates back to 1963.
That is when Fanny Leary of Camden peeled 8 pounds, 4 ounces of potatoes in 10 minutes at the National Potato Peeling Contest. The potato-peeling contest still occurs annually in Elizabeth City as part of the statewide celebration.
The Saturday festival... Read More »
