Your 5-minute guide to the best things to do in Charlotte | Aug. 3-9
Friday
▪ The 9th Annual Joedance Film Festival celebrates the life of the late Joe Restaino and raises funds for pediatric cancer research at Levine Children’s Hospital while showcasing films with Charlotte connections. Restaino died in 2010, four years after he was first diagnosed with osteosarcoma; he was 20. The event, which has sold out previous years, has doubled its capacity this year and features a mix of documentaries, music videos and short films. 8-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Charlotte Ballet Center For Dance. Single-night tickets are $25-$50, two-night tickets are $50-$100.
▪ As the host of Adult Swim’s post “Rick and Morty” wrap-up “Ricking Morty,” comedian Sam Jay provides a direct line to the creators and fans of the network’s hippest, hottest show. As a standup comedian and “Saturday Night Live” writer, she’s a fresh voice in topical humor, tackling hot-button issues like politics, race, gender inequality and LGBTQ issues. She continues her four-night run with shows at 7:30 and 9:45 p.m. Friday, 7 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday, and 7 p.m. Sunday. The Comedy Zone. $20.
▪ During her last trip to Charlotte, 52-year-old Janet Jackson proved that she’s one of a handful of veteran artists who can still deliver the songs, the vocals and the moves she made famous. Her “State of the World” Tour is a rocket ride through her catalog. Some earlier hits may be relegated to medleys (as Prince once did), but fans of her tougher, sexier, later work will revel in the setlist. 8 p.m. PNC Music Pavilion. $29.95-$149.95.
▪ Controversial comedian Kathy Griffin took advice from Jim Carrey and used the Trump photo that got her fired from CNN as inspiration for her current “Laugh Your Head Off” Tour, which blazes into Belk Theater after touring the globe. Not one to hold her tongue, no one is safe when the outspoken, self-described D-lister takes the stage. 8 p.m. $45-$125.
Saturday
▪ Mater Dames pairs four female Charlotte chefs — Alyssa Wilen, Julia Simon, Laney Jahkel-Parrish and Patty Greene — and North Carolina mixologist of the year Amanda Britton with five local farms to highlight the flavor and versatility of the tomato during a tasting event that will feature their original dishes and cocktails. 2:30-4:30 p.m. South End Market at Atherton Mill. $15-$30.
▪ The Charlotte Film Society presents “Wilmington on Fire,” a documentary recounting the Wilmington Massacre of 1898, when a mob of 2,000 conservative white Democrats staged the nation’s lone successful coup while burning black-owned businesses and murdering others. Director Christopher Everett will be on hand to speak about the film. 7 p.m. Wells Fargo Auditorium. Free.
▪ Covering everyone from classic artists like John Lennon and Leonard Cohen to contemporary pop stars like Bruno Mars and Rihanna, Grammy Award-winning a cappella group Pentatonix takes its vocal gymnastics and clever arrangements on the road. With sibling trio Echosmith and fellow reality TV competition winner Calum Scott. 8 p.m. PNC Music Pavilion. $25-$109.50.
Monday
▪ Actress Amber Tamblyn may be best known for roles in “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” and “Joan of Arcadia,” but the poet and writer may eclipse her acting fame with her headline-grabbing first novel, “Any Man.” She’ll sign copies of the book, which imagines the horrific acts of a female serial rapists and turns gender conventions on their head. 7 p.m. Park Road Books. Free.
▪ While his wife Tamblyn is appearing across town, Emmy-winning comedian/actor and “Arrested Development” star David Cross returns with the follow-up to 2016’s “Making America Great Again!” Tour. The “Oh Come On” Tour finds Cross jumping back on stage after building up the show with small audiences in Brooklyn earlier this year. 8 p.m. Knight Theater. $33.
Wednesday
▪ A dying clown reflects on his past as he hovers between heaven and earth in Cirque du Soliel’s Corteo, which the cast calls the most humanistic of Cirque’s fantastical productions. Formerly a big-top show, Corteo has been transformed for the arena with new acts — including a suspended pole and hoops along with jumping beds, floating chandeliers and teeter boards. 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, and 1 and 5 p.m. Sunday. Spectrum Center. $68.50-$143.50 for adults, $55.50-$115.50 for ages 2-12.