Charlotte International Arts Festival
Various locations
September 15 – October 1, See website for schedule
Summary: Blumenthal Performing Arts announced the lineup for the 2023 Charlotte International Arts Festival (CIAF), a Blumenthal Performing Arts Original, returning to Uptown Charlotte and Ballantyne September 15–October 1. The annual festival uniquely brings together Charlotte’s local and international communities with global artists in a cultural celebration filled with live performances, art installations, food from around the world, and more. A spree of creativity, innovation, and art, CIAF offers something for every taste, culture, expression, and budget, with more than 200 events across multiple genres, the majority which are free and open to the public, with ticketed events starting at $5.
Cabarrus County Fair
Cabarrus Events and Arena Center
4751 NC Highway 49, Concord, NC
September 8-16, See website for schedule
Summary: For 9 amazing days enjoy delicious food, thrilling rides, games, adorable animals, dazzling displays, entertainment and memories to last a lifetime. There is something for everyone!
Flow Fest
U.S. National Whitewater Center
5000 Whitewater Center Parkway, Charlotte, NC
September 16, Free admission, $6 parking
Summary: Flow Fest is an annual one-day festival centered around yoga and wellness. The festival is intended to build community through a variety of practices and programming to engage guests of all experience levels. Flow Fest offers more than 40 yoga practices, while also providing specialty workshops, local vendors, kombucha, and live music. The festival is one of many events offered by Whitewater to facilitate access to the outdoor lifestyle.
Pineville Rock’n & Reel’n
Pineville Lake Park
1000 Johnson Drive, Pineville, NC
Select weekends from June 7 – September 22, Dusk, Free
Summary: Music starts at 7pm and movies start at dusk. See website for complete schedule.
Live Under the Oaks Series
Birkdale Village, Birkdale Commons Pkwy & Sam Furr Rd
April 7-October 27, 6pm-8pm, Free
Summary: Start your weekends unwinding with live musical performances in the Plaza every Friday evening from April to October. Grab your friends and family and get ready to dance the night away!
North Carolina Transportation Museum
1 Samuel Spencer Dr., Spencer NC
See website for events and activities
Summary: The NC Transportation Museum is a historic site, once home to Southern Railway’s largest steam locomotive repair facility in the southeast, and a museum featuring all types of transportation history – railroading, automotive, aviation, and more.
Carowinds
14523 Carowinds Blvd, Charlotte, NC
Summary: Looking for things to do that the entire family will enjoy? Close the books and head to the park! From Camp Snoopy, featuring 14 attractions designed for kids to enjoy with their families, to Fury 325, one of 14 world-class roller coasters, Carowinds has thrills and activities for all ages.
Stonecrest Summer Concert Series
Stonecrest Shopping Plaza
April 21 – September 9, 7pm-10pm, Free
Summary: The concerts take place from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Fountain Stage.
In addition, every Saturday from June 3 to September 9, 2023, there will be a concert at the Plaza Corner from 6 to 8 p.m.
Blumenthal Performing Arts
We present the largest Broadway season in the Carolinas, hosting more than 18 weeks of Broadway shows annually, along with a large array of special attractions and festivals, from concerts to comedy to dance to the Charlotte Jazz Festival and much more.
We manage six theaters in the center city where the curtain goes up on more than 1,000 events annually, including performances by our 16 resident companies. More than 7.9 million people attended events in our theaters during our first 25 seasons.
We inspire kids. More than 150,000 students participate annually in our student-focused programs ranging from internships to specially priced show tickets to The Blumey Awards, which celebrates excellence in high school musical theater in our region.
Pay-to-Play at Superior Play Systems
11415 Granite St, Suite C, Charlotte, NC
See website for schedule and prices
Summary: Bring your children to a fun, creative indoor playground environment!
Discovery Place Science
301 N. Tryon Street, Charlotte, NC
See website for schedule, tickets must be purchased in advance online
Summary: Discovery Place Science is an innovative, hands-on Museum that encourages scientific exploration and creativity. Don’t forget to check out the new IMAX experience, IMAX® with Laser technology—a next-generation laser projection system and 12-channel sound system exclusive to IMAX theaters—is immersive by design. Developed from the ground up to deliver crystal clear, lifelike images and precision sound for a moviegoing experience unlike anything else.
Discovery Place Nature
1658 Sterling Road, Charlotte, NC
See website for schedule, tickets must be purchased in advance online
Summary: Discovery Place Nature offers visitors the chance to get close to wildlife and experience nature through hands-on programming, exhibits and classes.
Discovery Place Kids
105 Gilead Road, Huntersville, NC
See website for schedule, tickets must be purchased in advance online
Summary: Discovery Place Kids is a regional children’s museum featuring developmentally-appropriate experiences that encourage interactive learning through imagination and fun, with locations in Huntersville and Rockingham.
South End Gallery Crawl
Historic South End
Summary: South End is home to a vast array of art in all forms: fine art galleries offering everything from the realist to the experimental, colorful public murals, larger-than-life installations on the Rail Trail and dozens of studio spaces where artists and artisans dream and create.
Take in the local art scene on South End First Friday–an evening when galleries and shops offer extended hours, special receptions, live painting and music. Build in a visit to any of the neighborhood’s restaurants and breweries, and it’s a whole night out!
South End Market at Atherton Mill
2140 South Blvd, Charlotte, NC
Every Saturday, 8am-1pm, Free
Summary: You can find everything from local produce to fresh fish to handmade pasta, and so much more! With live music on one end and a string of local farmers and creatives along the trail, this hub boasts the vibrant energy that we all long for to kick off our weekend. Plus, you can make a day of it by exploring all that Atherton Mill has to offer! There is free parking for shoppers at the Atherton Mill garage, or take the light rail to East/West Blvd Station!
Kids Skate Free
Kate’s Skate – Indian Trial
14500 E. Independence Blvd, Indian Trail, NC
See website for schedule
Summary: Sign up your kids to skate during Kate’s Skating Rink Kids Skate Free, offered on select days/times during the week.
The Schiele Museum of Natural History
1500 East Garrison Blvd, Gastonia, NC
Summary: The Schiele Museum of Natural History is now open! The museum is committed to inspiring curiosity and understanding of science and the natural world through exceptional educational programs, exhibits, and research. To see a list of events and plan your visit, click here.
Mecklenburg County Library Virtual Events
Free Virtual Events
Summary: Join Charlotte Mecklenburg Library every week for a wide range of virtual programming for children, teens and adults. Daily appointments for Reading Buddies and Tutoring and Enrichment for school-age children can be accessed by clicking here.
