happenings

May HAPPENINGS

Events + activities

Crave CLT

May 3-8 Enjoy culinary experiences across multiple Charlotte neighborhoods at this six-day food and wine festival. The main event, the Grand Culinary Celebration, will take place on May 7 at Romare Bearden Park and feature creations by some of Charlotte’s top chefs and mixologists. Ticket options vary. craveclt.org

North Carolina Brewers & Music Festival at Historic Rural Hill

May 6-7 Kick back for some fun on the farm with breweries, food and a music lineup that includes The Steeldrivers, Acoustic Syndicate, Jade Bird and more. Tickets start at $15 for adults and $8 for kids ages 5-15 (kids 4 and under are free). 4431 Neck Rd., Huntersville. ncbrewsmusic.com

Mother’s Day Celebration at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden

May 7-8 Moms get free admission all weekend (timed ticket reservations are recommended). Enjoy live music, food-truck fare and a special presentation from local chef and cookbook author Peter Reinhart. 6500 S. New Hope Rd., Belmont. dsbg.org

Pet Palooza Walk for the Animals at the new Humane Society of Charlotte Animal Resource Center

May 14 | 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Back in person for the first time after two years of virtual events, this year’s festival will feature live music, food trucks, pet-loving vendors and a 1-mile fun walk. Free to attend; $10 HSC donation to register for the walk. 1308 Parker Dr., humanesocietyofcharlotte.org

Charlotte Symphony Orchestra Presents Broadway’s Longest: Phantom, Chicago, Cats, & More at Knight Theater

May 13-14 Tracks from Broadway’s bestloved musicals come together in this dazzling arrangement of enduring hits. See how many classics you recognize and revel in the memories that may come flooding back. Tickets start at $29. blumenthalarts.org

Charlotte Garden Club Art in the Garden Tour

May 14-15 Tour six private gardens, from Ballantyne to Washington Heights. Sip wine and enjoy appetizers at the after-tour party at Mint Museum Randolph from 4-6 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets start at $20 for museum members and $30 for nonmembers. charlottegardenclub.com

Emmet Cohen Trio Plays Homage to Piano Greats at Stage Door Theater

May 20-21 The Harlem-based trio will perform selections from their latest album Future Stride, an homage to piano greats of yesterday with a modern twist. Tickets start at $25. blumenthalarts.org

Fourth Ward Secret Gardens Tour

May 21-22 | noon-4 p.m. The Friends of Fourth Ward invite you to revel in the flora and fauna of this picturesque Charlotte neighborhood. The walkable, self-guided tour also highlights public art, historic homes and special points of interest along the route. Tickets start at $30. fourthwardclt.org

Fourth Ward Secret Gardens Tour

The Cheerwine Festival in Downtown Salisbury

May 21 Enjoy ice cold Cheerwine in the town where it originated, along with Southern cuisine, family-friendly activities, local craft vendors, and live music from Blues Traveler and The Spin Doctors. Free to attend. cheerwinefest.com

Carolina BBQ Festival at Camp North End

May 22 | noon-4 p.m. See pitmasters from the Carolinas in action and taste your way through three regions of barbecue (East, West and South). Live music and a variety of vendors round out the festivities. General admission is $75 and includes barbecue, sides and beer pairings. carolinabbqfest.org

2022 ACC Baseball Championship at Truist Field

May 24-29 Truist Field, home to the Charlotte Knights, will host 12 teams in 15 tournament games to determine the league champion. The semifinals will take place on Saturday, followed by the championship on Sunday. Ticket options vary. milb.com/ charlotte-knights/events/accchampionship

Freestyle Love Supreme at Knight Theater

May 24-29 Performers take suggestions from the audience in this improvisational, hip-hop comedy creation. Instantaneous riffs and full-length musical numbers ensue as

Your Smile... is Our Passion!

Lanette’s natural looking smile by Dr. Steven Ghim

704-935-2700 drstevenghim.com

Donald Sultan at Jerald Melberg Gallery

each performance unfolds before your eyes. Tickets start at $20. blumenthalarts.org

The Alice: An Immersive Cocktail Experience

May 25-July 24 Climb down the rabbit hole for a topsy-turvy cocktail adventure. The 90-minute Wonderland tea party experience will be hosted at a “magical location” on Yancey Road and run multiple sessions over 12 weeks. Things are about to get curiouser and curiouser. Tickets are $45 per person and include two bespoke cocktails and cake. explorehidden.com/event/details/the-alice-an-immersive-cocktail-experience-charlotte-1553908

Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway

May 29 Rev up your Memorial Day weekend with the 63rd running of this fan-favorite race. Don’t miss the pre-race concert featuring Chris Janson and a military salute with demonstrations from Fort Bragg, plus performances by the 82nd Airborne Chorus. Ticket options vary. charlottemotorspeedway.com/events/coca-cola-600

Party in the Park at Mint Museum Randolph

May 29 | 1-5 p.m. Enjoy free admission to the museum, food trucks, live music and a cash bar on the front terrace. From 2-4 p.m., join in a calming, slow-looking exercise in the museum galleries and a mindfulness drawing activity in recognition of Mental Health Awareness month. Free to attend. mintmuseum.org

Summer Concert Series at Anne Springs Close Greenway

Thursdays, May-June | 6-9 p.m. Nothing beats summer evenings under the trees with friends, family and live music. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. Bring your own chair or blanket. Parking is $5 per car. Admission is free for members. Tickets for nonmembers are $6 for adults and $4 for kids ages 5-12. Children 4 and under are free. ascgreenway.org

Museums + galleries

Karine Laval Trembling Giant and Marjorie Norman Schwarz Mining a Glittering Stone at SOCO Gallery

Through June 8 French-born and Brooklyn-based Laval’s still and moving images challenge familiar perceptions we have of the world and can be seen as a bridge between the world we live in and a more dreamlike dimension. Schwarz’s meditative paintings appear as “infinite abysses, a place to get lost, to meditate, perhaps conjure a memory, and, if the viewer is lucky, ultimately discover.” It’s the Dallasbased artist’s first North Carolina show. 412 Providence Rd.; socogallery.com

Painter’s Refuge: A Way of Life - A Solo Exhibition of Recent Work by Reginald Sylvester II at Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture

Through June 10 Born in North Carolina and the son of a U.S. veteran, Sylvester’s use of military tents connects with the familial. For his first solo museum exhibition, his body of abstract paintings allude to shelter, protection and refuge. 551 S. Tryon St.; ganttcenter.org

Donald Sultan at Jerald Melberg Gallery

Through June 11 Paintings, conte crayon drawings and screen prints will be on display in the Asheville native’s first solo exhibition with the gallery. Sultan is known for large-scale, multimedia compositions of simple forms that are both representational and abstract. 625 S. Sharon Amity Rd.; jeraldmelberg.com

MyLoan Dinh: Mixed Blessings at Elder Gallery

Through June 18 Through her work as a multidisciplinary artist, MyLoan Dinh reflects on her experiences as a former refugee and as a woman of color. Her pieces address everyday manifestations of cultural identity, memory and displacement. 1520 S. Tryon St.; eldergalleryclt.com

Coined in the South: 2022 at Mint Museum Uptown

Through July 3 The second installment of this juried exhibition highlights 41 artists from across the Southeast. Coined in the South is presented by The Young Affiliates of the Mint in collaboration with The Mint Museum. 500 S. Tryon St.; mintmuseum.org SP — compiled by Amanda Lea

Scan the QR code on your mobile device to view our online events calendar — updated weekly — at southparkmagazine.com

FRESH OCEAN BREEZES

Your drive-to island vacation resort

Tranquil mornings, long beach walks, and evening cruises, all await you on the island of Wrightsville Beach and the historic Blockade Runner Beach Resort.

Our Beach and Breakfast Package is perfect for some fun in the sun; this two night package includes two beach chairs and an umbrella, as well as breakfast in bed each morning!