I mentioned iconic Wilmington art studio, gallery complex and local institution Acme Art in last week's newsletter. But there's more news to report so here they are again.
As part of this week's Fourth Friday Gallery Night — the monthly crawl of downtown Wilmington galleries and art spaces organized by the Arts Council of Wilmington and New Hanover County — Acme Art at 711 N. Fifth Ave. will host a huge 35th anniversary show from 6-9 p.m. Oct. 23 featuring work by Acme artists past and present.
The Acme complex is currently for sale, with some of its longtime artists having already moved out.
"It's a celebration of where it all started and what it has become," said Acme gallery manager and artist Todd Carignan. "It's also a kind of goodbye for
Acme. Many of us are leaving, since the uncertainty of when Acme will sell is an emotional weight we don't wish to bear any longer.
"Come join the celebration," Carignan added. "There will be plenty of stories to hear. The early days were pretty wild, and the amount of talent that came through those doors has been tremendous. So come out and have a glass of wine."
See you at Acme on Friday. Now let's see what else is going down in Wilmington this weekend.
Weekend weather outlook
After a few rainy weekends, it looks like we're finally getting the glorious fall weekend we've been waiting for. Sunny with highs in the low 70s all weekend, with low temps around 50.
Go | See | Do
The spooky season events are starting to kick into high gear, and we've also got the return of the area's biggest county fair. Plus we've got a couple of comedy tours, film screenings, concerts big and small, a beer festival and even a theatrical celebration of the Day of the Dead. Deets below.
The Dish with Port City Foodies
Two Wilmington restaurants are honored at the prestigious Michelin Guide Awards. Plus, Southport says goodbye to a long-time dining destination, and a popular Wilmington pizza spot gets new owners.
Getting to know the Community Arts Center
The heavily used Hannah Block Historic USO, also known as the Community Arts Center, turns 85 in 2026. We take a look at how it almost didn't survive.
News you can use
A long-vacant historic house downtown plans a big renovation, while the future remains uncertain for another historic structure. Plus, we review a diverting production of the comedic "Chemical Imbalance: A Jekyll and Hyde Play" at Thalian Hall, and look ahead to some Wilmington and North Carolina features that will screen at the Cucalorus Film Festival in November.
The socials
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John Staton is the arts and culture reporter at the StarNews. You can reach him at jstaton@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Iconic Wilmington art complex says 'goodbye' at 35th anniversary show
