SUMMER GUIDE 2021

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Back to business

Around this time last year, Charlotte’s food, art and music scenes were in line to take a huge hit. Some found ways to pivot their events into a virtual experience while others weren’t so lucky, as Charlotte began to come to terms with “the new normal.” As of mid-May, music venues, sporting events, restaurants and bars were able to function at full capacity and the mask mandate was no longer a requirement, but a suggestion for the people who haven’t been vaccinated yet.

Though everything is not entirely back to normal, with more folks getting vaccinated, we’re getting pretty close. It’ll probably take some time to get used to being elbow-to-elbow with strangers at a bar or concert, but as long as we stay cautious and look out for each other, Charlotte’s got a great summer to look forward to. Cue the packed patios, crushing beers at the pool and, nally, the return of live music after a year of virtual shows and livestreams.

This past year without live music had us nostalgic for the most mundane and troubling aspects of being in a music venue — like waiting in line to use a bathroom with no toilet paper and a barely working sink or paying $6 for a PBR. What was once the subject of complaints is the familiarity many Charlotte musicians and concert-goers are yearning for. Live music is nally back. Virtual shows were ne for a time but we’re ready to get back out there, and performers are too.

Neighborhood Theatre

511 E. 36th St.; neighborhoodtheatre.com; 704-942-7997 June 30: Emily Sage July 10: Greyson Chance July 19: Jimbo Mathus and the Dial Back Sound August 5: Boys of Summer Tour - Summer Edition August 13: New Potato Caboose September 12: Reckless Kelly with Will Hoge September 21: Jon McLaughlin w/ Striking Matches

The Evening Muse

3227 N. Davidson St.; eveningmuse.com; 704-376-3737 June 25: Brit Drozda June 25: Three Star Revival and Deaf Andrews June 26: Colleen Orender July 8: George Banda July 10: Mike Farris July 17: Kevin Daniel & The Bottom Line July 21: Justin Wells with Adam Lee July 22: Nathan Angelo July 23: Temple Underground July 24: The Cancellations and Thirsty Curses July 29: JoDavi Album Release July 30: Sam Lewis August 5: Grizzly Goat August 6: Steel Blossoms August 12: The Lucky Losers August 13: Clem Snide August 14: Carolina Story August 31: Jake Blount September 10: Lyn Avenue

Visulite Theatre

1615 Elizabeth Ave.; visulite.com; 704-358-9200 June 4: Cosmic Charlie July 9: Unspoken Tradition & Aaron Burdett June 12: Abbey Road Live! - Beatles Tribute June 26: Flamingo Review presents Rising July 16: Freebird - Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute July 23: Siamese Dream & Glide July 24: HEY JOHNNY PARK (Foo Fighters Tribute) August 14: Josh Daniel August 28: Harvest Moon - Neil Young Tribute September 9: Town Mountain September 23: Son Volt September 10: The Black Crowes September 13: Judas Priest September 17: Maroon 5 September 18: Dierks Bentley September 19: Willie Nelson presents Outlaw Music Festival featuring Chris Stapleton, Sturgill Simpson, The Avett Brothers, Nathaniel Rateli & the Night Sweats, Margo Price and more.

The Fillmore

820 Hamilton Street; llmorenc.com July 16: Rumors - Fleetwood Mac Tribute July 18: Pooh Shiesty September 9: Theory of a Deadman

The Underground

820 Hamilton Street; llmorenc.com June 18: ATLiens July 2: Ja Rule July 21: Palaye Royale: The Bastards Tour July 24: Lucii August 12: The Steel Woods September 9: George Watsky

PNC Music Pavilion

707 Pavilion Boulevard; livenation.com DAVE MATTHEWS BAND PLAYS PNC ON JULY 24. June 19: Halsey June 29: Chicago July 17: Megadeth and Lamb of God July 24: Dave Matthews Band August 10: Kings of Leon August 12: Chris Stapleton August 20: Jason Aldean August 21: Alanis Morissette w/ Garbage and Liz Phair

Charlotte Metro Credit Union Amphitheatre

1000 NC Music Factory Boulevard; livenation.com July 17: Jamey Johnson July 20: Nathaniel Rateli & The Night Sweats August 4: Rise Against August 5: Louis the Child August 15: Blackberry Smoke August 26: Brothers Osborne August 27: My Morning Jacket September 4: Glass Animals 130 N. Tryon St., blumenthalarts.org July 31: Aoife O’Donovan September 1: Meshell Ndegeocello

Stage Door Theater

155 N. College St., blumenthalarts.org July 23: Mike Ramsey & The 5 Ensemble

Bojangles Coliseum Knight Theater

430 S. Tryon St., blumenthalarts.org July 16: Boney James August 27: The Righteous Brothers

2700 E. Independence Blvd.; boplex.com August 21: Three 6 Ma a, No Limit Soldiers, and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony August 27: Fonseca & Cepeda

U.S. National Whitewater Center

5000 Whitewater Center Pkwy.; whitewater.org The U.S. Whitewater Center’s River Jam takes place in an outdoor stage every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night at 6:30 p.m. running from May to September. Other activities include yoga, open-water swims on Thursday, and rafting down the rapids. Food and drinks at various USNWC locations are also available, and admission is free.

Bank of America Stadium

800 S. Mint St.; panthers.com/stadium June 28: Def Leppard, Motley Crue, Poison, and Joan Jett & the Blackhearts

McGlohon Theater

130 N. Tryon St., blumenthalarts.org July 23: Keiko Matsui August 14: The Spongetones 40th Anniversary Reboot August 19: Colin Hay September 4: Todd Snider

Belk Theater

130 N. Tryon St., blumenthalarts.org July 9: The Fab Four - Beatles Tribute July 10: Tosco Music Beatles Tribute August 20: Village People

WICKED ARRIVES AT OVENS AUDITORIUM ON

PHOTO COURTESY OF BLUMENTHAL ARTS

Knight Theater

430 S. Tryon St., blumenthalarts.org

July 17: Leanne Morgan

Bringing southern charm and a scathing wit, Leanne Morgan’s Big Pan Party Comedy Tour is stopping by Charlotte this July. More: $32 and up; July 17, 7 p.m.

September 7: Colin Mochrie’s Hyprov

From the minds of improv comedy legend Colin Mochrie and master hypnotist Asad Mecci comes a mind-blowing, jaw-dropping, side-splitting show. More: $24.50 and up; Sept. 7, 7:30 p.m.

September 11: Nikki Glaser

One of the top comedians in the country visits the Queen City for a night of laughs. More: $24.50 and up; Sept. 11, 7 p.m.

McGlohon Theater

345 N. College St., blumenthalarts.org

September 9: Bob the Drag Queen

The Ru Paul’s Drag Race winner and comedy queen is coming to Charlotte, and bringing her talents with her. More: $24.50 and up; Sept. 9, 7:30 p.m.

September 11-12: The Chris and Paul Show

Comedy duo Chris and Paul are bringing the laughs to Charlotte on what will be a dark 20th anniversary otherwise. More: $20 and up; September 11-12, Time TBD

Belk Theater

130 N. Tryon St., blumenthalarts.org

September 16 - 19: Opera Carolina’s I Dream

Opera Carolina starts its 2021-2022 season with I Dream, a story of how two men changed the Civil Rights Movement. More: $22 and up; September 16-19, times vary

Ovens Auditorium Booth Playhouse

130 N. Tyron St., blumenthalarts.org

August 19-September 12: Charlotte Squawks 16: Going Viral!

The SNL-meets-Broadway cast of Charlotte performers is back and ready to tackle politics, sports, and pop culture in the Queen City. More: $24.50 and up; Aug. 19-Sept. 12, dates and times vary

Stage Door Theater

155 N. College St., blumenthalarts.org

July 10: House Full of Secrets

From William Alexander, a new play about a family confronting earth-shattering secrets. More: $20; July 10, 7 p.m.

Duke Energy Theater

345 N. College St., blumenthalarts.org

July 3: The Awakening

A gospel, rap and prophesy concert. More: $10; July 3, 8:00; Duke Energy Theater

Knight Gallery at Spirit Square

345 N. College St., blumenthalarts.org

June 18/August 20: SlamCharlotte Poetry Slam

Charlotte’s monthly Poetry Slam event is hosted by SlamCharlotte, whose goal is to build a stronger community between poets and the community though spoken word. More: Free; June 18 & Aug. 20, 8 p.m. 2700 E. Independence Blvd., boplex.com

September 8: Wicked

The iconic Broadway musical is coming back to Charlotte, and brings back the story of Oz before Dorthy payed a visit. Price TBD; Sept. 8-Oct. 3, times vary

August 11-22: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

The riveting story of music and race, August Wilson’s play is not one to be missed. More: $28; Aug. 11-22, dates and times vary

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May-July: Sistine Chapel Exhibit

Instead of going to Rome to see the ceiling’s frescoes 44 feet away from the Sistine Chapel oor below, patrons can see them up close. The paintings cemented Michelangelo’s reputation, but the sculptor never wanted the job in the rst place, and insisted he was wrong for the task. In the 1560s Pope Pius IV had the genitals of the artist’s nudes gures painted over, but modern restorers stripped away the g leaves. More: $13-$19.50; ongoing through July 31; Savona Mill, 401 S. Gardner Ave., chapelsistine.com

June 5: Carolina Thread Trails National Trails Day

Celebrated every year on the rst Saturday of June, the Carolina Thread Trails celebrate National Trails Day with vendors and a series of outdoor activities. A great way to kick o the summer, the nationwide events are used to promote and celebrate the importance of trails to communities. More: Free; June 5; Catawba Riverfront Greenway and Tuckaseege Park, 165 Broome St., Mount Holly; carolinathreadtrail.org/ntd

June 7-12: African American Heritage Festival

Combining virtual and in-person events, the Charlotte Museum of History explores dance, visual art, and the history of African-American people that have lived in Charlotte throughout all of its existence. Tickets are limited to uphold social existence. Tickets are limited to uphold social distancing and must be held in advance. More: Free; June 7-12; Charlotte Museum of Free; June 7-12; Charlotte Museum of History, 3500 Shamrock Drive; charlottemuseum.org

June 16-20: Charlotte Black Film Festival

Celebrating African-American voices in lm as well as independent lmmakers, the Charlotte Black Film Festival is going on its 11th year of uplifting those voices. Going virtual this year, the lm festival boasts student lms, feature-length lms, short lms, and documentaries in its line-up. More: Sold out; June 16 -20, times vary; online; charlotteblack lmfestival.com

June 17-September 25: Van Gogh Immersive

The art of the impressionist master Van Gogh is coming to Camp North End June 17th. With more than 5,000 feet of projections animating the art of Van Gogh, visitors are invited to fully immerse themselves in the paintings. More: $25-$40; June 17-September 25; Ford Building, Camp North End, 400 Camp Road; immersivevangogh.com

June 17-20: Juneteenth of the Carolinas

The Juneteenth of the Carolina’s celebration was started to celebrate the ending of slavery in the US and share the history of that time while providing a connection between history and the future. Juneteenth of the Carolinas is entering its 24th year of celebration, including a peaceful march for Black lives at Marshall park on June 19th. More: Free; June 17-20; Plaza Midwood; juneteenthofthecarolinas.com

June 19: Belmont Juneteenth Celebration

The neighborhood of Belmont is celebrating Juneteenth with a parade, vendors, and a virtual 2k walk. With the mission to cultivate cultural awareness, acceptance, and preservation through artistic and cultural events, the Belmont Juneteenth Celebration is celebrating its 5th year of serving the community. More: Free; June 19; Downtown Belmont; tinyurl.com/BelmontJuneteenth

June 19: Durag Fest

Deconstructing the misconceptions and biases about the iconic item that is the durag, The Durag Fest will bring together the community with live music, food trucks, screen printing, and more during this Juneteenth celebration. With locations at the Nascar Hall of Fame, Camp North End, and Victoria Yards, the event is city-wide. More: Free; June 19; locations vary; duragfestival.com

June 27/July 25/August 29: Party in the Park

Spend the last Sunday of each month in the park at the Mint Museum Randolph and enjoy the food and art Charlotte has to o er. Free admission to the museum, food trucks, and a cash bar are all available for the outdoor event. More: Free; June 27, July 25, and Aug. 29; Mint Museum-Randolph, 2730 Randolph Road; mintmuseum.org

September 3-6: Matthews Alive

The annual Labor Day festival returns with rides, shag dancing, live music, lots of eats and more. More: Attendance free, some rides and games require tickets; Sept 3-6, times vary; matthewsalive.org

September 5-8: Yiasou Greek Festival

The Yiasou Greek Festival is back after it’s cancellation in 2020, featuring authentic Greek food, music, art and dancing. It is the time of year that anyone can be Greek. More: $3; Sept. 5 - 8; Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral ; 600 East Blvd.; Sept. 5-8, times vary; yiasoufestival.org

September 17: SHOUT! Festival

Featuring large-scale installations throughout Uptown, SHOUT! festival highlights the diversity of art in Charlotte, and brings together all the city has to o er in one festival. From food, to dance, to music, to art, SHOUT! weaves the talents of the city into one event. More: Free; Sept. 17th-Oct. 3; Center City Charlotte; cltshout.com

June 5: Seltzer World Festival

We’re pretty sure this might be the only time in history where one can nd themselves surrounded by 75 di erent kinds of hard seltzers. The festival features seltzers made around the country along with Charlotte’s own Brizo from NoDa Brewing, D9’s seltzer, Bubs from Sycamore Brewery and more. Enjoy live music, food and games while crushing refreshing seltzers. More: $35-$50; noon; Summit Seltzer, 2215 Thrift Road, Suite B; tinyurl.com/SeltzerFest

June 11-13: Taste of Charlotte Festival

Hundreds of Charlotte restaurants serving a variety of di erent cuisines will line up along Tryon Street between Stonewall and 5th streets selling samples of food, wine and beer. More: Free; Friday 4 p.m., Saturday & Sunday, 11 a.m.; Tryon Street between Stonewall to 5th Street; tasteofcharlotte.com

June 20: MAKRS Fest

The MAKRS Society hosts a monthly pop-up featuring a rotating selection of 25+ local makers. More: Free; 1 p.m.; Lenny Boy Brewing Co., 3000 S. Tryon St.; discoverlennyboy.com

June 26: Ballantyne Wine Festival

If the closest vineyard seems like an unlikely destination, keep it in the neighborhood with samples of wine from local, regional and national vineyards. More: $30-45; 2 p.m.; Black nn Ameripub, 14825 Ballantyne Village Way #100; tinyurl.com/BallantyneWine

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Monthly: Nebels Alley Night Market

This monthly event features more than 30 handmade arts, crafts, and food vendors, live music, free caricatures, and lantern-lit walkways, in addition to a few surprises. More: Free; 4 p.m.; June 19, July 17, Aug. 21, Sept. 18, 3-9 p.m.; The Design Center, 101 W. Worthington Ave.; tinyurl.com/NebelsAlley

Monthly: Front Porch Sundays

From the same team behind the Nebels Alley market, another monthly chance for open-air shopping, tasting and entertainment in South End. More: Free; June 6, July 4, August 1, September 5, 11 a.m.; Sycamore Brewing. 2161 Hawkins St.; tinyurl.com/FrontPorchSundays

July 24: Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival

Variety is the spice of life, especially when that means a range of beer, bourbon, barbecue, biscuits, bluegrass, and “smoked beasts.” Experience over 60 beers, 40 bourbons and enough barbecue to feed all of Charlotte. More: $29-$75; July 24, 2 p.m.; Bank of America Stadium, 800 S. Mint St; beerandbourbon.com

August 5-7: Joedance Film Festival

This 12-year-old ndraising bene t for Levine Children’s Hospital will remain virtual as a safety precaution, so you can check out some good icks while supporting from your couch. More: $30; Aug. 5-7, times vary; online; joedance.org June 15-20 vs. Jacksonville June 29-July 6 vs. Norfolk July 13-18 vs. Gwinnett July 27-August 1 vs. Jacksonville August 17-22 vs. Norfolk August 24-29 vs. Durham September 14-19 vs. Durham the team comes home to the Queen City. Sportsplex at Matthews 2425 Sports Parkway, Matthews; charlotteindepence.com *all games start at 7 p.m. June 5: Tampa Bay Rowdies

Brewery Openings

Restaurant Openings

Babe & Butcher

Camp North End When Babe & Butcher opens in Camp North End this summer, expect build-yourown charcuterie boards of as much meat, cheese, fruits and jams as your hearts desire.

BOCADO Bar + Diner

South End, Atheron Mill This Atlanta-based sushi joint will be moving into the Atherton Mill space that now holds Big Ben British Restaurant & Pub.

Emmy Squared Pizza

Plaza Midwood It’s in the name. Flu y in the center and crisp edges, Emmy’s square NY-style pizza –– the kicker? This pizza joint actually originated in New York.

Broken Promises

South End Unlike its sister concept Lost & Found, Broken Promise will be more of an intimate cocktail bar. The owners described it as the place you go to before the party.

Ace No. 3

Myers Park The Belmont burger joint is opening its second and third locations, one in the Myers Park area and the other in Concord.

Burial Beer Co.

Plaza Midwood Asheville-based Burial Beer Co. makes its Charlotte debut this summer. The latest spot is set to take over Boris & Natasha’s former location in Plaza Midwood. Expect a 2,600-square-foot taproom and bottle shop along with a rooftop patio and outdoor space for a beer garden.

CHARLOTTE KNIGHTS

Truist Field, 324 S. Mint St.; milb.com/charlotte-knights Be sure to check out the website for promotional nights ranging from Bark in the Park to playing catch on the game before the game. Per usual, Friday nights at home are always wrapped up with a rework display.

TRUIST FIELD IS BACK AT FULL CAPACITY.

PHOTO BY LAURA WOLFF

Carolina Panthers

Bank of America Stadium, 800 S. Mint St.; panthers.com Preseason August 21: vs. Baltimore Ravens August 27: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Regular season September 12: vs. New York Jets September 19: vs. New Orleans Saints

Also at Bank of America Stadium

September 2: Duke’s Mayo Classic; Appalachian State vs. East Carolina September 4: Duke’s Mayo Classic; Clemson vs. Georgia

CHARLOTTE INDEPENDENCE

After three games in Matthews, where the Independence have been playing while Memorial Stadium has been undergoing a complete rebuild, June 13: Hartford Athletic June 23: Charleston Battery Independence Moves to American Legion Memorial Stadium 310 N. Kings Drive July 7: New York Red Bulls II July 10: Phoenix Rising FC July 31: Tampa Bay Rowdies August 14: Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC August 21: Colorado Springs Switchbacks September 4: Miami FC September 11: Hartford Athletic September 18: Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC September 22: The Miami FC

Charlotte Motor Speedway

5555 Concord Pkwy. S, charlottemotorspeedway.com June 6: Xtreme World Wrestling Presents MegaMayhem Live Xtream Warfare; $15 and up July 17-18: Carolina Sizzler; $15 and up August 14: Circle K Monster Truck Bash September 17-19: NHRA CAROLINA NATIONALS