Music and Sports Venues

Ovens Auditorium

2900 East Independence Boulevard, Charlotte, NC 28205

Ovens Auditorium is located right next to Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte. The two venues opened at the same time in 1955 and have hosted countless events since that time. Bojangles Coliseum was simply known as the Charlotte Coliseum when it opened and it seated 10,000 to 14,000 people depending on the event. Ovens Auditorium is much smaller having a seating capacity of just over 2400. This provides the perfect atmosphere for smaller, more intimate concerts. The auditorium was named in honor of David Ovens. He was the vice president and general manager of the J. B. Ivey department store. David played a major role in turning Ivey’s (which once was a small shop) into a major department store chain. He was also a lover of the arts and he led the auditorium-coliseum citizen planning committee to get public backing for Ovens Auditorium in the early 1950’s.

The first event to take place at Ovens was a Charlotte Symphony Orchestra concert and the venue has gone on to host hundreds of symphony events since that concert. Nearly 10 million people have attended thousands of events over the years. Anyone who has attended a concert or any other event at Ovens knows how special this auditorium is. The long history alone (over 60 years) tells the story of this iconic venue in Charlotte.

Charlotte has developed into a major city over the years and Ovens Auditorium has played an important role in that growth. Many people have traveled to Charlotte to attend events at the venue. If you have an opportunity to attend an event at Ovens Auditorium you won’t be disappointed. The building is older now but still has a special feel about it that makes you want to come back. There is plenty of parking because it shares parking lots with Bojangles Coliseum. The venue is located on Independence Blvd which is a main thoroughfare in Charlotte. Access is easy, however, traffic gets very heavy on this road so you should allow plenty of time to get in and out.

In 2017 the Charlotte City Council approved funding of an $18.5 million project to link Bojangles Coliseum and Ovens Auditorium. Currently, there is a parking lot separating the venues but the new facility will join the two buildings. It will be a two story 40,000 square foot building that will feature a shared lobby, additional restrooms, office space and meeting rooms. This latest renovation shows Charlotte’s commitment to keep these historical venues operating for years to come.

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