Happenings: Calendar of events
March 7, 2024
Here’s our calendar of events and art exhibits around Charlotte. Our SouthPark neighborhood guide covers where to eat and shop. Our Spring Arts Preview has more ideas on things to do.
EVENTS + ACTIVITIES
Greater Charlotte Book Crawl
Through April 30
Who knew there were 19 independent bookstores just in the greater Charlotte area? Find your next great read at the Greater Charlotte Book Crawl, hosted by independent bookstores across the Carolinas. It’s a great chance to explore new neighborhoods, win prizes and support Promising Pages through a book drive, with donation bins at each location.
Gardeners’ Garden Tour
April 26-28
The 30th annual garden tour begins Friday evening with a wine tasting and live music at Wing Haven Garden & Bird Sanctuary. The tour on Saturday and Sunday includes access to four private gardens and Wing Haven. Sip and see tickets are $95; tour tickets are $30. Children under 10 are free. winghavengardens.org
Kenny Chesney
April 27
The country artist brings his Sun Goes Down tour to Bank of America Stadium, along with the Zac Brown Band. Ticket prices vary. ticketmaster.com
Festival of India
April 27 | noon – 6 p.m.
This 3rd annual family-friendly event includes Indian dance, art and music, along with a food court and shopping bazaar at Stumptown Park in Matthews. Free to attend. facebook.com/festindiaCLT
Hope Floats Duck Race
April 28 | 2 – 5:30 p.m.
The 20th annual rubber duck race supporting KinderMourn takes place at the Whitewater Center. The nonprofit supports families impacted by the death of a child. Spectators can attend for free. Parking is $12. duckrace.com/charlotte
Lovin’ Life Music Fest
May 3-5
This inaugural fest comes to uptown’s First Ward with major headliners performing across three stages. The Avett Brothers, Post Malone, Stevie Nicks, Noah Kahan, DaBaby, Maggie Rogers, Dashboard Confessional, The Chainsmokers and The Fray lead the lineup of 40+ artists. Three-day general admission tickets are $319, with VIP packages available. lovinlifemusicfest.com
Swan Lake
May 3-12
For the first time, Charlotte Ballet presents this famous classical ballet with Tchaikovsky’s hauntingly beautiful score brought to life by the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra. Tickets start at $30. charlotteballet.org
Kings Drive Art Walk
May 4-5
Stroll among art, crafts and music at this free annual spring event along Little Sugar Creek Greenway between East Morehead Street and the Pearl Park Way bridge. festivalinthepark.com
Art in the Garden
May 4-5
Wander through seven private gardens in Eastover, Sedgefield, Kingswood, Ballantyne and Huntcliffe during the Charlotte Garden Club’s annual tour. Artwork by plein-air artists and potters will also be available to purchase. Advance tickets are $40, day of tickets are $45 and children under the age of 17 are free. charlottegardenclub.com
Wells Fargo Championship Tee-Off Concerts
May 4 & 11 | 6 p.m.
Yacht Rock Schooner and September in the Park take the stage at Symphony Park as part of the SouthPark After 5 series presented by SouthPark Community Partners. General admission tickets start at $20, with a two-day package starting at $39. southparkafter5.com
N.C. Sports Hall of Fame Induction Celebration
May 5
The Class of 2024 has quite a roster. Bob McKillop, retired head coach of the Davidson men’s basketball team; Charlotte native and CBS sports broadcaster Jim Nantz; and former Carolina Panthers star wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. are among the 11 inductees. Tickets for the dinner and program at the Charlotte Convention Center start at $175. ncshof.org
Wells Fargo Championship
May 6-12
Rory McIlroy, Max Homa, Rickie Fowler and other top players will compete for a $20 million purse as the tournament returns to Quail Hollow Club. Ticket prices vary. wellsfargochampionship.com
Hadestown
May 7-12The Tony Award-winning musical is the modern retelling of two mythic love stories (Orpheus and Eurydice, King Hades and wife Persephone) which takes the audience on a hell-raising journey to the underworld and back. Tickets start at $30. blumenthalarts.org
ONGOING EVENTS
SouthPark After 5
Thursdays, April 18-May 23 | 5 – 9 p.m.
The weekly happy hour series at Symphony Park returns this spring with live music, food trucks, drinks and hands-on art
activities. The family concerts are free to attend and dog-friendly. Bring a picnic blanket or chairs. 4400 Sharon Rd. southparkafter5.com
Party in the Park
Dates vary I 1-5 p.m.
The party returns to the lawn at Mint Museum Randolph one Sunday a month through fall. Enjoy free museum admission, food trucks and live music on the terrace. There’s also a cash bar. Dates are as follows: May 19, June 30, Sept. 29, Oct. 29. mintmuseum.org
Wednesday Night Live
Wednesdays from 5-9 p.m.
The Mint Museum, The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, The Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture and the Knight Theater are partnering in this weekly event series featuring free admission and live entertainment. Visit mintmuseum.org for the programming schedule and updates.
First Friday South End Gallery Crawl
Galleries and shops offer extended hours, special receptions, live painting and music along the Rail Trail on the first Friday of each month. southendclt.org
Carolina Fine Art Sip & Shop
The Cotswold Village gallery hosts a sip & shop every first Friday of the month in partnership with Butler’s Pantry. carolinafineart.com
MUSEUMS + GALLERIES
Dogs! A Science Tail
Through May 5
Explore the bond between humans and dogs with exhibits that invite guests of all ages to see, hear, think and smell like a dog. Discovery Place Science, uptown. discoveryplace.org
Charlotte: Moving Forward, Looking Back
Now open
This wide-ranging exhibition at Levine Museum of the New South highlights key industries, struggles for equality, the impact of immigration and Charlotte’s identity as part of the New South. Admission is free. 401 S. Tryon St., museumofthenewsouth.org
Artist Caroline Boykin
Le Pointe by Caroline Boykin
The Raleigh artist’s newest body of work is on view at Anne Neilson Fine Art. In Le Pointe, square and rectangular forms “represent the boxes we put ourselves in; the boxes that we as a society place each other in” and allow viewers to interpret the works through the artist’s use of color interaction, texture and mark-making. 721 Governor Morrison St., Ste. 180. anneneilsonfineart.com
Craft Across Continents at Mint Museum Uptown
through May 5
More than 50 contemporary objects by artists from around the world are on view, including glass, ceramics, textiles and more. From the private collection of Lorne Lassiter and Gary Ferraro. mintmuseum.org
Click here to read more about this exhibition in “Eye for Excellence,“ from our December issue.
A New Moon Rises
Now open
This new permanent exhibition reveals the grandeur and wonder of our closest celestial neighbor through stunning, large-scale photographs captured by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) between 2009 and 2015. Entrance is included with Discovery Place Science general admission, 301 N. Tryon St. discoveryplace.org
The Hive @ 35
through May
Celebrate 35 years of the Hornets at Charlotte Museum of History, with a tour of classic memorabilia, interactive installations and plenty of nostalgia for the NBA team that put the Queen City on the map. The exhibit is included with regular museum admission, $10 for adults. 3500 Shamrock Drive. charlottemuseum.org
A Superlative Palette: Contemporary Black Women Artists
through Aug. 25
This exhibition curated by Dexter Wimberly brings together the work of twelve generation-defining, contemporary Black women artists from around the world. Their work has redefined artistic expression while advocating for social justice, equality, and empowerment. ganttcenter.org
Don’t forget to check out our SouthPark neighborhood guide and Spring Arts Preview.
— compiled by SouthPark magazine staff
