Hickory – Western Piedmont Symphony (WPS), the professional orchestra of the western foothills of North Carolina, presents SIDE/SHOW in downtown Hickory on Thursday, September 17, 2026. SIDE/SHOW features WPS chamber ensembles and guest musicians performing a variety of music at locations throughout downtown. The performances are free and open to the public and are presented as part of the Hickory Downtown Development Association’s Fall Art Crawl. SIDE/SHOW is presented with generous support from the City of Hickory.
Throughout the evening, visitors can explore the Art Crawl, discover local art, visit downtown businesses, grab a bite or a drink, and enjoy live music along the way.
SCHEDULE, PERFORMERS, LOCATIONS
SIDE/SHOW
Thursday, September 17, 2026
5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Various locations in downtown Hickory
FREE
SIDE/SHOW Performances will occur from 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
HICKORY WINE SHOPPE (238 Union Square NW – indoor venue)
WPS Maestro’s Quartet – The professional string quartet of the Western Piedmont Symphony, the Maestro’s Quartet features members of the Orchestra and Music Director Matthew Troy. They perform a diverse repertoire spanning classical, folk, pop, and rock, bringing energy and artistry to every performance.
COMMSCOPE STAGE (CommScope Stage, Union Square – outdoor venue)
Bob Sinclair and the Big Deals – original, upbeat, gypsy-jazz and Americana music, blending Southern storytelling, chamber music, and jazz-influenced melodies.
BARLEY MARKET (109 Government Ave. SW – indoor venue)
Harp Duo – Grace Wepner Lutdke and Frank Volz perform jazz standards and classical hits featuring the distinctive sounds of the harp.
CRESCENT MOON CAFÉ (256 1st Ave NW – indoor venue)
WPS Brass Quintet – A WPS and Friends chamber ensemble bringing the bold and dynamic sound of brass to downtown Hickory.
Up next, WESTERN PIEDMONT SYMPHONY continues its 62nd season with MASTERWORKS: MYSTIC HORIZONS on Saturday, October 24, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. at P.E. Monroe Auditorium in Hickory. The program features internationally acclaimed tabla virtuoso Sandeep Das and music by Max Richter, Behzad Ranjbaran, Dinuk Wijeratne, and Rimsky-Korsakov, including Wijeratne’s Tabla Concerto and Rimsky-Korsakov’s mesmerizing Scheherazade. For more information about Western Piedmont Symphony concerts and events this season, visit wpsymphony.org.
