Looking for some budget-friendly fun for your crew? Head out this Friday evening from 5 to 8:30 p.m. at Gateway Village (900 W. Trade St.) for Charlotte StrEATs Festival. It’s part of Charlotte SHOUT!, a multi-week celebration of the Queen City’s best in art, music, food and creativity.
Friday night of StrEATs is focused on the family with several kid-friendly eats and presenters on site to help young people form connections between Charlotte’s culinary scene, STEAM, and area farms. What a unique and FREE way to conclude CMS Spring Break! Rain or shine.
Here are just some of the highlights:
– Get kids interested in the kitchen with Tennill Johnson of Growing Thyme Cooking.
– Learn, even while on break, with educational booths by The Bulb, Rivendell Farms, and IDEA Lab Kids Ballantyne.
– Enjoy cooking demos by Kendal Carrick of Cakeable Charlotte, where “recipes create opportunities” for those differently-abled.
– Nosh on kid-approved food trucks and sweet treats.
– Get your groove on with music by DJ Jeremy.
– Snap a selfie with Chubby of the Charlotte Checkers and host Ramona Holloway of 107.9 the Link.
There will also be a full lineup to enjoy on Saturday, April 16 from 12 to 6 p.m. at the same location. You can choose from an exclusive VIP tasting ticket, general tasting ticket, or FREE general admission. Paid entry tasting tickets allow you to sample your way through Charlotte’s most iconic neighborhoods and the restaurants that represent them. View the full list of participating restaurants and food trucks here. There will even be chocolate-making and craft cocktail demos, as well as a cookoff where participating chefs compete in front of a live audience to prepare a dish that best represents their areas. Join the fun, and cheer on your CLT team:
– Battle 1: Uptown vs Suburbs
– Battle 2: Plaza Midwood vs West Charlotte
– Battle 3: South End vs Dilworth
There is no cost for general festival access, but registration is recommended to help organizers plan, so reserve your spots for Friday Family Night here and Saturday here. Food trucks, drink vendors, and live music will be available to enjoy for all, as well as a high energy entertainment lineup.
– Food Network Fan? Celebrity Chef Amanda Freitag will be on the main stage starting at 2:00 p.m.
– Gateway Village will transform into a scaled-down version of the city, with various restaurants representing Charlotte’s diverse neighborhoods.
– Several small businesses will be selling goods so that you can support local businesses. There will be specialty foods and home goods available.
Mom and Dad in need of a kid-free night out? Consider Dine SHOUT! From April 1 through April 16, there will be special tasting menus priced at $40 or less at certain South End and Uptown restaurants. View the full list of participants here.
Family night FREE tickets, VIP tasting tickets, general tasting tickets, and FREE general admission passes are all available online now. Visit cltstreatsfestival.com for tickets and schedule. Follow @cltstreatsfestival on Instagram for updates and news.
