FabFest Archives
FabFest Archives
Take a deep dive through the years
2019-2020
In June 2019, the inaugural FabFest-Charlotte's Beatles Festival began as a 3-day festival with special guests Peter Asher, The Cyrkle and The Fab Four.
FabFest Daytime took place at Fairfield Inn & Suites Charlotte Uptown and included Beatles author presentations by Vivek Tiwary and Anthony Robustelli. Both evening concerts were at Knight Theater. Print Program PDF
Sadly, FabFest's second year was scheduled for June 2020 and had to be deferred due to the pandemic's closures and event cancellations. Tosco Music quickly shifted and presented virtual Tosco Music Parties instead.
2021
FabFest 2021 luckily landed in July, when a brief break in COVID numbers made gathering in person possible again for several months. FabFest Daytime took place at Spirit Square and added Beatles Open Mic outdoors and a Cover Song Contest. The Beatles Art Contest unexpectedly became an art sale when attendees wanted to take art home!
Both evening concerts were held at the larger Belk Theater for the first time, allowing the audience to sit socially distanced as many returned to theaters for the first time. The Fab Four came again from Los Angeles, and The Nowhere Boys who travelled all the way from Bogota, Columbia!
Families and music fans were delighted to come together in person for some long-overdue community through music, with more than 400 people participating during the day, and more than 800 buying tickets for each evening concert!
Special guest Joey Molland of Badfinger performed a concert in McGlohon Theater (its last before renovations began) and at Tosco Music Beatles Tribute, even joining the hosue band and all the night's performers on stage for the closing singalong.
2022
FabFest 2022 turned to its 3rd daytime venue in 3 festivals!
After being the final event in Spirit Square before it closed in 2021 for renovations, FabFest Daytime became the first major event at the newly-opened Parr Center at Central Piedmont Community College, and FabFest special guest Mickey Dolenz was among its theater's first performers.
Featured authors included Bruce Spizer, Candy Leonard, and Sean Gaillard.
Both evening concerts were held at Knight Theater, with The Cyrkle returning for a second year for Tosco Music Beatles Tribute. The Fab Four closing out FabFest for the third year in a row.
2023
FabFest 2023 brought special guest Gregg Bissonette, Ringo's drummer, for both performances and a drumming workshop.
The WannaBeatles also returned, along with several other tribute bands. The Black Ties made the trip from the NYC area , and Brit Beat was featured for the second evening concert at Knight Theater.
Jay Bergen , Charles Rosenay and Jude Southerland Kessler were the featured Beatles authors and presenters.FabFest Daytime returned to Parr Center for the second year and added Beatles Yoga to the outdoor activities for the first time.
2024
FabFest 2024 moved from summer to fall for the first time, intending to beat the heat.
Tosco Music Beatles Tribute turned 20 and for the first time, moved to Friday night to open the festival and make it possible for TMBT performers to participate at FabFest Daytime. FabFest reached 5-year milestone!
Special guest Gregg Bissonette returned for his second festival, and performed a memorable set at FabFest Daytime with Gary Burr, John Tosco and other TMBT musicians.
FabFest Daytime at Parr Center moved the community Play-Along/Sing-Along to the outdoor stage to accommodate more people, and volume! The Beatles Art Contest took its art sale online for the first time, with more artwork sold than any previous year.
Tony Kishman brought his Broadway musical Live and Let Die: The Music of Paul McCartney to Knight Theater for the second evening concert.
FIVE YEARS!
Despite facing a global health crisis and multiple venue transitions, challenges that could sink a festival in its startup years, FabFest made it to year five with pride!
Festival participation ranged between 2,500 and 3,500 each year across two evening concerts and FabFest Daytime, even during the pandemic. Some attendees and performers travelled considerable distance to join the fun, some for years in a row. Performers of all ages showed up to listen and learn and perform themselves.
Engagement in the community participation portions of the festival grew. The Beatles Art Contest grew from just 9 artists in 2019 to nearly 60 in 2024, with incredible submissions by artists of all ages.
Many are suprised to learn how many youth are involved. Of four Cover Song Contest winners, three are youth and the fourth was only newly a young adult when she won. Winners all later performed at Knight Theater!
We can't wait to see what comes next!
