CSP’s Smarty Scoop on Weekend Activities is your weekend family event planning headquarters! This weekend marks the official opening of all neighborhood pools – yippeee! There is nothing that screams “summer” more than the Memorial Day BBQ at your pool and the hustle and bustle of swim team.
One of our favorite new finds is Food Truck Friday – we are junkies for food trucks and this representation will not disappoint! See below for details. Also, don’t forget to buy your discounted Carowinds passes. Carowinds’ Boomerang Bay opens this weekend – this is their awesome water park. The discounted offer on season passes ends May 27th, click here for deets.
Get out and enjoy and Happy early Memorial Day!
FRIDAY MAY 24
Kids Bowl Free
10 Park Lanes
1700 Montford Drive, Charlotte, NC (704) 523-7633
May 27, 9:00am-5:00pm, Ages k-8th grade, Free, Registration required
Summary: Register for kids bowl free and enjoy 2 free games of bowling every day all summer long!
Kids Bowl Free
StrikeCity
210 E Trade St., Charlotte, NC (704) 716-9300
May 24, 11:00am – 5:00pm, Ages 13 and under, $5 per person food and drink minimum
Summary: Are you a mom, dad or nanny looking for something to do this summer? Look no further because we are free bowling for kids all summer long. Come in, cool off and enjoy some family bowling. Kids 13 and under are welcome to come into StrikeCity anytime between 11am until 5pm, Monday through Friday.
Food Lion Speed Street 600 Festival
Uptown Charlotte
May 24, Noon – 11:00pm, All ages, Free
Summary: Celebrating its 19th year, Food Lion Speed Street presented by Coca-Cola transforms the streets of Uptown Charlotte into one of the largest consumer events in the Southeast. With non-stop live musical entertainment, appearances by top Sprint Cup Drivers and celebrities, dynamic exhibits for all ages and an amazing assembly of NASCAR show cars and simulators, Food Lion Speed Street presented by Coca-Cola is an event attended by over 400,000 attendees annually…and it’s FREE!
Food Truck Friday
Southend
1613 Camden Rd., Charlotte, NC
May 24, 5:00pm – 9:00pm, All ages, Free admission
Summary: A gathering of some of Charlotte’s best food trucks. Offering different styles of cuisine. Trucks will change from week to week depending on availability. Alcohol available from The Common Market and may be consumed on the lot but not taken off property.
Biergarten Grand Opening
Pavilion at EpiCentre
210 East Trade St., Charlotte, NC (704) 971-1249
May 24, 5:00pm-?, Ages 21+
Summary: Enjoy import, specialty and craft beers in an open-air setting with breathtaking skyline views. Ping pong, corn hole, bar pong and much more.
Friday Summer Concert Series
Fountain Plaza at the NC Music Factory
1000 NC Music Factory Blvd., Charlotte, NC
May 24, 6:00pm – 11:00pm, $7.75 – $47.00
Summary: This is week #4 of the Bud Light Friday Summer Concert Series at NC Music Factory. Friday LIVE! at the Factory is Charlotte’s largest weekend kickoff party! Tickets include admission to The Saloon, OSSO, Wet Willies, Small Bar, Label, Saddle Up Saloon, VGBG Beer Hall and Garden and Matties Diner. A portion of the proceeds from Friday Live! will benefit Amped for a Cure.
Circle K NOS Energy Outlaw Showdown
Charlotte Motor Speedway
5555 Concord Parkway South, Concord, NC (800) 455-3267
May 24, 6:16pm, All ages, Adults $25, Kids 13 and under $10
Summary: The dirt will fly when the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series takes on The Dirt Track at Charlotte on May 24 for the Outlaw Showdown. The winged, 850-horsepower open-wheel, sprint cars take to the four-tenths-mile clay oval to compete for the prize money and prestige of winning at The Dirt Track!
Ghost Walk of Davidson
In Front of Soda Shop
103 S. Main St., Davidson, NC (704) 928-5452
May 24, 7:00pm-9:00pm, All ages, $10 – Adults, $5 children 8-12, under 7 free
Summary: Historical ghostly walking tour of the beautiful town of Davidson. Hear the stories of the history of the town along with the mystery of the town. Fun for the entire family. Cheaper than a trip to the movies and much more entertaining. The walk last 2 hours so put on your walking shoes and join us for a evening of spooktacular fun. Please call for reservations, there is a minimum of 4 people to do a walk. Cash only.
Concerts in the Round
Piedmont Town Center
4725 Piedmont Row Dr., Charlotte, NC
May 24, 7:00pm – 11:00pm, 21+,
Summary: This Spring and Summer series brings Piedmont Town Center to life with live music and great drink specials.
SATURDAY MAY 25
“Ask a Master Gardener” Days: Native Plants in Your Landscape
Charlotte Farmers Market
1801 Yorkmont Rd., Charlotte, NC (704) 357-1269
May 25, 7:30am, Ages 18+, Free
Summary: Learn about using native perennials, trees, & shrubs to create an eco-friendly, functional, and attractive landscape; plant lists available on request. Come any time between 7:30 & 12:30. EMGs offer expertise on a wide variety of horticultural topics:organic gardening, vegetable gardening, composting, native plants, plant selection, and disease control. Find EMGs at the Charlotte Regional Farmers Market in the Greenery Shed in the first stall on the left as you enter through the front entrance.
Dad ‘n’ Me Storytime
Barnes and Noble – Arboretum
3327 Pineville-Matthews Road, Charlotte, NC 28226, 704-341-9365
May 25, 11:00 AM
Summary: Mom, do you need a little break? Send Dad and the little guys to Dad ‘n’ Me Storytime! Join us for a fun journey through great stories and songs!
Live Bird Presentation
Carolina Raptor Center
6000 Sample Road, Huntersville, NC (704) 875-6521
May 25, 11:00-11:30, All ages, free with museum admission
Summary: Watch, learn and get up-close and personal with many raptors!
Vulture Feeding
Carolina Raptor Center
6000 Sample Road, Huntersville, NC (704) 875-6521
May 25, 12:30-1:00, All ages, free with museum admission
Summary: Watch as the staff feeds the vultures!
Food Lion Speed Street 600 Festival
Uptown Charlotte
May 25, Noon – 11:00pm, All ages, Free
Summary: Celebrating its 19th year, Food Lion Speed Street presented by Coca-Cola transforms the streets of Uptown Charlotte into one of the largest consumer events in the Southeast. With non-stop live musical entertainment, appearances by top Sprint Cup Drivers and celebrities, dynamic exhibits for all ages and an amazing assembly of NASCAR show cars and simulators, Food Lion Speed Street presented by Coca-Cola is an event attended by over 400,000 attendees annually…and it’s FREE!
Talons: Birds of the World Flight Show
Carolina Raptor Center
6000 Sample Road, Huntersville, NC (704) 875-6521
May 25, 1:00-1:30, All ages, $5.00
Summary: Watch for your opportunity to see these amazing birds in flight!
Biergarten Grand Opening
Pavilion at EpiCentre
210 East Trade St., Charlotte, NC (704) 971-1249
May 25, 1:00pm-?, Ages 21+
Summary: Enjoy import, specialty and craft beers in an open-air setting with breathtaking skyline views. Ping pong, corn hole, bar pong and much more.
History 300
Charlotte Motor Speedway
5555 Concord Parkway South, Concord, NC (704) 455-3239
May 25, 2:45pm, All ages, $25 and children 13 and under are FREE!
Summary: NASCAR Nationwide Series regulars will battle against various NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers in this 300-mile showdown.
Annual Memorial Weekend Bar Crawl 2013
300 N. College St., Charlotte, NC (980) 322-9859
May 25, 6:00pm, Ages 21+,
Summary:
Phoenix 6:00pm – 8pm, Cosmos 8:00pm -10:00pm, RE:PUBLIC 10:00pm – 2:00am. Featuring DJ Ngenius • DJ 360 • DJ Paradime
Michael Chapdelaine & Trevor Gordon Hall Live in Concert
Evening Muse
3227 North Davidson St., Charlotte, NC (704) 376-3737
May 25, Doors open at 7:00pm, concert starts at 8:00pm, Ages 21+, $12 – $15
Summary: Michael Chapdelaine is the only guitarist ever to win First Prize in the world’s top competitions in both the Classical and Fingerstyle genres.
Summer Concert Series
Stumptown Park
120 S. Trade St., Matthews, NC (704) 847-4411
May 25, 7:00pm, All ages, free
Summary: Rough Draft (Party/Variety/Dance). Join us for The Matthews Summer Concert & Movie Series. The movies and concerts are free and held in Stumptown Park. The series includes a variety of concerts which begin at 7 p.m. and movies which begin at dusk or 8:30 p.m. Rain or shine.
Movie and concert-goers are invited to bring lawn chairs and blankets and vendors will sell food and drinks. NO PETS PLEASE
SUNDAY MAY 26
Memorial Day Trail Race
U.S. National Whitewater Center
5000 Whitewater Center Pkwy, Charlotte, NC (704) 391-3900
May 26, 8:00am – 11:00am, $27 – $37
Summary: Kick off Memorial Day weekend with a challenging 5 or 8-mile race through the USNWC trail system. The races will be followed by a Memorial Day celebration that includes entertainment, food, drink, fireworks and live music.
Memorial Day Celebration
U.S. National Whitewater Center
5000 Whitewater Center Pkwy, Charlotte, NC (704) 391-3900
May 26, 9:00am – Dusk
Summary: Join us in celebrating the Memorial Day weekend with a daylong festival on Sunday, May 26th. The festival kicks off with a 5-mile and 8-mile trail races in the morning, food and beverage options throughout the facility, live music all day and finishes the evening with a stunning fireworks display over the world’s largest man-made whitewater river.
Coca-Cola 600
Charlotte Motor Speedway
555 Concord Parkway S., Concord, NC 800-455-3267
May 26, 6:00pm, All ages
Summary: Charlotte Motor Speedway welcomes the biggest Memorial Day weekend party in the country with the Coca-Cola 600. The stars of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series do battle in stock car racing’s true endurance test.
Chat with a Naturalist
Charlotte Nature Museum
1658 Sterling Rd., Charlotte, NC (704) 372-6261
May 26, 3:00pm, All ages, Included in admission
Summary: Have a close encounter with one of the Museum’s Ambassador Species, go for a walk and discover the plants and animals that make Paw Paw Nature Trail home or just meander through Butterfly Pavilion for a guided tour and learn the story of our free-flying butterfly collection.
MONDAY MAY 27
Charlotte Knights vs. Toledo Mud Hens
Knights Stadium
2280 Deerfield Dr., Fort Mill, SC (704) 357-8071
Marvelous Monday Storytime
Barnes & Noble Carolina Place Mall
11025 Carolina Place, Pineville, NC (704) 544-9985
May 27, 10:00am, Free
Summary: Join the group as you read Walking Dragons, by Jane Yolen. The Young Knight has a big task to wake up two dragons. A fun activity will follow the story.
Mammal Safari: Journey of Discovery
Schiele Museum
1500 East Garrison Blvd, Gastonia, NC (704) 866-6900
May 27, 9:00pm – 5:00pm, All ages, Free with museum admission
Summary: Meet live animals from around the world, see awesome mounted specimens from Africa, Asia, North and South America, and enjoy cool hands-on interactive exhibits designed to bring out the explorer in all of us.
Kids Bowl Free
StrikeCity
210 E Trade St., Charlotte, NC (704) 716-9300
May 27, 11:00am – 5:00pm, Ages 13 and under, $5 per person food and drink minimum
Summary: Are you a mom, dad or nanny looking for something to do this summer? Look no further because we are free bowling for kids all summer long. Come in, cool off and enjoy some family bowling. Kids 13 and under are welcome to come into StrikeCity anytime between 11am until 5pm, Monday through Friday.
Kids Bowl Free
10 Park Lanes
1700 Montford Drive, Charlotte, NC (704) 523-7633
May 27, 9:00am-5:00pm, Ages k-8th grade, Free, Registration required
Summary: Register for kids bowl free and enjoy 2 free games of bowling every day all summer long!
1 comment
An excellent round-up of activities.