By Cameron Lee
September 15, 2026
Photo: David Landinez
As the 2026 midterm elections quickly approach, one of Charlotte’s biggest recurring parties, FOMO, is getting civically engaged, using its platform to encourage voter registration through an event called “Get In The Booth.” The event builds on FOMO’s vibrant parties, which have traditionally encouraged attendees to explore the city’s museums and cultural institutions in Uptown.
With nonpartisan issues including the cost of living, health care and Medicaid, public safety, immigration, education, housing, and data center development all part of the broader political conversation in North Carolina, FOMO organizers are encouraging their largely young, creative, and predominantly Black and Brown audience to become more engaged in the civic process.
“If our audience is willing to rock with us for a bottle, or a section at the club, and are also willing to pull up to the museums to support our creative institutions, then we should all be willing to support and show up to the polls,” said Makayla Binter, co-founder of FOMO. “That also impacts our ability as arts organizations and creatives to survive and thrive.”
That idea is at the center of FOMO’s upcoming “Get In The Booth” event, which will take over Truist Center Plaza this Thursday as part of Uptown Live. The free event will bring together local businesses, artists, cultural organizations and civic groups for an evening that combines FOMO’s usual mix of music and nightlife with opportunities for attendees to learn more about issues affecting their communities. They also launched a campaign with local influencers and content creators called “Hot People Vote,” with a photo shoot that took place at Archive CLT.
Manolo’s Bakery and Indigo Tea & Coffee will offer pastries and coffee; Salas Art Agency and La Casa de la Cultura will bring percussion performances and dance lessons; Red Rice Books will sell local history books and pocket-sized constitutions; Upcycle Arts will host a hands-on sign-making station; and Kicks & Fros will bring its sneaker Charm Bar. Local nonprofits ourBridge for Kids, My Brother’s Keeper, the ACLU of North Carolina, and the League of Women Voters will also host activations at the event.
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Binter said the participating organizations were intentionally selected to address community issues in ways that feel accessible and interactive. Many have a direct connection to, or are affected by, local, state and federal policies, giving attendees an opportunity to learn more about issues that impact their communities while connecting with organizations already doing the work. By bringing those groups into a setting centered around music, art, and nightlife, FOMO hopes to make conversations about civic participation feel more natural and relevant to issues that affect us all.
But FOMO is still a block party.
Neighboring bars and restaurants including Gallery House, Ri Ra and The Local will host themed activations, while DJs Tonto Vicious, Meech!e, Bria, Des Dollars and FOMO co-founder Dammit Wesley will provide the soundtrack throughout the evening.
There will also be a wheatpaste mural installation by Charlotte artists Sir Will and Queen Loany incorporating the history of grassroots community organizing in Charlotte, along with animated “I Am Registered to Vote” stickers custom-designed by Binter and distributed at the event.
While the event is free and open to the public, and no one is obligated to register, attendees will have the opportunity to learn more about the voting process. For Binter, the goal is to connect civic engagement with the same culture, creativity and community that have helped FOMO build its audience.
“We all have our own ability and audiences who will, you know, show up,” Binter said. “What are we actually using that influence for?”
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FOMO Get In The Booth takes place Thursday, September 17 from 5 to 9 p.m. at Truist Center Plaza, 214 N. Tryon St., with additional parties and activations continuing at venues along Tryon Street and in the Fifth Street District.
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