Dining · Old Town
Cool Fish
Seafood, sushi and American plates on Catawba Avenue east of the Old Town core.
Places / Arts / Old Town
Cain Park
A green space with a performance pad and picnic area in the center of Old Town.
Why choose it
As the open-air heart of an Old Town afternoon or a free outdoor event.
What to expect
Lawn, a performance pad and picnic space; open dawn to dusk.
Practical notes
- Event use varies; the Town publishes programming.
Arts and culture in Cornelius
Old Town Cornelius is organized around the arts. The Cain Center for the Arts brings performances, exhibitions and classes to Catawba Avenue, and the adjoining town green gives the district an outdoor gathering place for concerts and community events.
Programs change through the year. Tickets, class registration and gallery hours come only from the venue itself, so check its calendar before planning a visit around a specific show or exhibition.
Before you go
- Buy performance tickets only through the venue’s official box office.
- Arrive early to walk Catawba Avenue before a show.
- Galleries and outdoor spaces make a good rainy-day or off-peak plan.
About the Old Town area
Old Town is the historic center of Cornelius along Catawba Avenue near Main Street, organized around the Cain Center for the Arts, Cain Park and a few walkable blocks of coffee, dining and independent shops. It is the one part of town where parking once and walking works well.
In these itineraries
Nearby: Old Town
Coffee & Bakeries · Old Town
The Coffeeshop
A family-owned specialty coffee shop in Old Town with locally baked treats.
Drinks · Old Town
Old Town Public House
A laid-back Old Town bar for craft beer, wine and coffee, with food trucks and live music nights.
More arts in Cornelius
Arts · Old Town
Cain Center for the Arts
Cornelius’s performing arts center, with a main theater, galleries, classes and community programming in Old Town.