Summer To Do List : Pops in the Park May 15, 2017

Somehow, we are halfway through the month of May, and inching closer to summer with each passing day. Time truly flies when you’re having fun in Charlotte!

We thought today would be a great day to tell you all about one of our favorite early summer events here in town – Summer Pops in the Park!

image via Charlotte Symphony

Every Sunday in the month of June, as well as Saturday, July 1^st, the Charlotte Symphony hosts their annual summer series, and it is not to be missed! Located at the Symphony Park at Southpark, this family friendly event is the perfect end to your summer weekends.

What makes these events so fun is the fact that you, alongside your family and friends, are able to pack up a picnic basket, a blanket and some low-sitting lawn chairs, to bring with you! Enjoy your packed dinner, or a nosh from the variety of food truck vendors, and feel free to BYOB (but, please drink responsibly and do NOT drink and drive). What’s more fun than a picnic and live music?!

image via Charlotte Observer

Tickets are available for sale at each show until 9pm, but it is recommended that you purchase them in advance online. Tickets can be purchased either in a package, or for individual shows. Each show has a different theme, so if you can make all five, we more than encourage you to attend them all! The July 1^st concert is a Salute to America in honor of the Fourth of July, and will end with a bang (literally!) with an incredible fireworks finale!

image via Charlotte Symphony

Do not miss out on this wonderful opportunity to sit alongside your fellow Charlotte friends and neighbors to enjoy an enriching night made possible by talented artists from our very own community. Each Sunday is special and oh so enjoyable, and it is truly a summer bucket list item not to be missed here in the Queen City!

Enjoy!

The Luck of the Irish in Charlotte! March 7, 2017

While traditionally when you think of Saint Patrick’s Day Celebrations, you may think of Chicago or Savannah, don’t look past the festivities right here in the Queen City! Charlotte boasts a robust calendar of Saint Patrick’s Day activities fit for the whole clan (get it?!), starting this weekend!

The Green River Revival Festival at the U.S. National Whitewater Center is a free day of family fun this Saturday, March 11^th (aside from a charge for parking). From Yoga at 9:30 am, to the Color Me Green 5K Trail Run, to a Cornhole Tournament at 2:00pm, there’s plenty of physical activity to get everyone moving and grooving. To top it off, there will be live music starting at 12:00pm, and the river itself will be dyed green at 1:00pm! While there, enjoy the many outdoor activities offered at the USNWC – from rafting to ziplining – this place has it all!

For the party enthusiasts, there’s Charlotte’s 17^th Annual Rich & Bennett’s St. Patrick’s Day Pub Crawl. It may surprise you that this event is the world’s largest pub crawl – so it’s your chance to be a part of something quite monumental! By purchasing your $20 Rich & Bennett’s Pub Crawl t-shirt you’ll be eligible for free cover and drink specials at participating bars. The event kicks off at The Pub Crawl Party Lot (219 E 7^th Street) on Saturday, March 11^th at 12:00pm with food trucks and a DJ, and is sure to be a wild time with over 20,000 participants! Come adorned in your most festive attire!

On Saturday, March 11^th and Sunday, March 12^th, the Latta Plantation is hosting its Latta Celtic Festival. The festival features live music, food and beer vendors, arts and crafts vendors and historic Celtic Demonstrations. There’s story time and visits with farm animals for the kids, as well as a Saturday night music fundraiser for those with later bedtimes. Celebrate Celtic culture in a historic and beautiful setting!

The festivities end with the big shebang – the 21^st Annual Charlotte St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Charlotte Goes Green Festival on Saturday, March 18^th. The parade, which begins at 11:00am, runs through uptown, starting at N. Tryon Street and 9^th Street (see parade map here). The parade is filled with Irish bagpipes and Irish dancers, as well as a multitude of floats from families and businesses across the region. You’ll see cheerleaders and drill teams, police and firemen and everything in between! In addition to the Parade, the adjoining family festival, which is located at S. Tryon Street between 3^rd Street and Stonewall Street, runs from 10:00am to 6:00pm. Not only does it feature performances by dancers and musicians, but it includes games and rides for children, a plethora of food and drink vendors (hello, green beer!) and many, many hand-crafted goods for purchase. Take the whole family and enjoy a day of fun!

Regardless of how you choose to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day, remember that you don’t have to be green with envy at your friends traveling far and wide to revel in the fun because Charlotte has your holiday covered!