Hey there Smarties. Where is the summer going? Some days it is flying by but others, it can’t go fast enough. The goal is to have as much fun as we can with our kids and this weekend there are a ton of activities to help create that fun. Make sure to go by discovery Place on Sunday to check out their renovation – I hear it is awesome! There are many plays, movies, concerts and activities in our parks to keep you busy all weekend long. Get out and enjoy!
Discovery Place “Free Day” and Renovation Celebration
Discovery Place
June 27, Noon-5:00pm
Discovery Place will offer free public admission on Sunday, June 27, as part of a celebration that concludes the Museum’s $31.6 million renovation. The finale of the 18-month renovation brings all new interactive science and technology exhibits to Discovery Place, including World Alive, a diverse aquarium, rainforest, biodiversity exhibition and two new hands-on labs.
Storytime Live
Blumenthal Performing Arts Center
June 25-27, Fri., 7:00pm; Sat., 11:00am, 2:00pm and 5:00pm; Sun., 11:00am and 2:00pm
Come play along with your favorite preschool pals live on stage as Nickelodeon presents our newest, biggest, most exciting live show ever – STORYTIME LIVE! Leap into Fairytale Land with “Dora the Explorer,” journey through Purewood Forest with “The Backyardigans,” hop into Wonderland with “Wonder Pets!,” and monkey around on The Monkey King Adventure with “Ni Hao, Kai-lan.” Nickelodeon’s musical adventure, STORYTIME LIVE, features four of the top-rated preschool shows on television today and is sure to be the hit show you and your family have been waiting for! Cost is $16-$39.
Aladdin Jr.
Matthews Playhouse
June 24-26, Thurs-Fri, 11:00am; Sat, 2:00pm
Welcome to Agrabah, City of Enchantment, where every beggar has a story and every camel has a tail! All of your favorite characters are here in this stage adaptation of the Disney hit, including Aladdin, Jasmine, and of course, the Genie. Filled with magic, mayhem and flying carpet rides, audiences’ spirits will soar with excitement. Most of all, the tuneful, Academy Award-winning score with songs including “A Whole New World” and “Friend Like Me” will certainly make this musical a favorite for many years to come. Cost is $5.
The King and I
Matthews Playhouse
June 25, 8:00pm
Mrs. Anna Leonowens and her son Louis arrive in Bangkok, where she has contracted to teach English to the children of the royal household. She threatens to leave when the house she had been promised is not available, but falls in love with the children. A new slave, a gift of a vassal king, translates “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” into a Siamese ballet, expressing her unhappiness at being with the King. She attempts to escape with her lover. Anna and the King fall in love, but her British upbringing inhibits her from joining his harem. She is just about to leave Siam when she hears of the King’s imminent death, and returns to help his son, her favorite pupil, rule his people. Cost is $10.
Huntersville Movies in the Park
North Mecklenburg Park
June 25, 6:00pm, park opens; 9:00pm, movie
Bring your family, friends and neighbors for an outdoor movie on a 15-by-20-foot screen. Enjoy free popcorn, drinks and icy pops. Come early for some Frisbee, Baggo (Corn Hole) competitions, football or just running around.
Summer Pops Concert
Duke Energy Explorium
June 25, 7:00pm prelude, 8:15pm concert
Pack a picnic and enjoy the Symphony under the stars! Preludes at 7pm.; orchestra concert at 8:15pm. Albert-George Schram conducts orchestral favorites, from movie music to popular sing-alongs, dance tunes, and the best of Broadway.
Wet n’ Wild Party
McDowell Nature Center Pavilion
June 25, 11:00am-12:30pm
Stay cool while having some fun in the forest! Enjoy various water related activities and lunch with new friends. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Don’t forget to wear your sunscreen and to bring a towel and a sack lunch (special dessert provided)! For more information call McDowell Nature Center at 704.588.5224. For ages 2-5. Cost is $5.
Family Summer Camp Workshops
Bass Pro Shops
June 26, Noon-6:00pm
Free casting pond, shooting range and gallery, crafts, s’mores and photo. Test out your skills and test the equipment. Cost is free.
Pan for Gold
Historic Latta Plantation
June 26, 10:00am-4:00pm
Learn about Charlotte’s rich gold mining history and pan for gold at the miner’s cabin! Visitors can also tour the plantation house and grounds. Free with regular site admission. Enjoy live music on the cabin porch, local root beer and more. Cost is free, five and younger; $5 students; $6 adults.
Mammal Tales
Reedy Creek Nature Preserve
June 27, 1:30pm-2:30pm
Discover the mammals that roam Mecklenburg County. Coyotes, bobcats and fox, oh my!
Ages 3 and older with adult. Cost is $2.
Live Raptor Presentation
Carolina Raptor Center
June 26-27, Sat.; 11:00am, 1;00pm, 3:00pm; Sun.,1:00pm and 3:00pm
Meet some of the residents at the Carolina Raptor Center – including hawks, owls and vultures. Join us every weekend for a raptor presentation focusing on a new topic every month! Check in the Visitor’s Center for the location.
Charlotte Symphony Summer Pops 2010
Symphony Park, South Park
June 27, Prelude at 7pm; Orchestra at 8:15pm
Pack a picnic and enjoy the Symphony under the stars! Albert-George Schram conducts orchestral favorites, from movie music to popular sing-alongs, dance tunes, and the best of Broadway. Cost is free but donations accepted.
