By Shawn D. Allison, II
What’s happenin’ Queen City? The skies are blue, the weather is cool and the vibe of the city is true. There’s tons of stuff going on this weekend with something for everyone to enjoy! Check out my special “Hot List” below!
- Thursday—Cufflinks & Cocktails at The Gantt Center
- Friday/Saturday—Soul Junction at JCSU
- Saturday—The Big Heist at Heist Brewery
- Sunday—Explore History! at The Duke Mansion
- Monday—Mo’ Betta at The Tavern
——-THURSDAY 9/15——-
Everyone head out to The Harvey B. Gantt Center for a social soiree full of flyness, elegance and culture—“Cufflinks & Cocktails: Fall Kolors Edition!” Join hosts Herb & Felicia Gray, Harold Cogdell, Jr., The Charlotte Kappa Alumni and Posh Events in this evening of fellowship, vendors, art and all sorts of goodness! Music will be provided by jazz band 5th & York and DJ Hot Rod will set the speakers on fire with some Hip Hop and R&B! Admission is FREE to attend but please be sure to RSVP here: http://FallKolors.eventbrite.com. The event begins at 6 p.m. The Gantt Center is located at 551 S. Tryon St. in Uptown.
Join the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Black Chamber of Commerce (CMBCC) at Imani’s Fusion Cafe as they host their monthly professional networking event, “CMBCC Business Connect After Hours.” Come early, bring a friend and plenty of business cards. Please be sure to register here: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/cmbcc-connect-0915-business-after-hours-event-registration-27375635262. The event begins at 6 p.m. Imani’s Fusion Cafe is located at 3535 Randolph Rd.
Gather at Hygge Coworking for a very special segment of “Speaker Series: #WeLoveCLT” this evening. Join my beautiful and longtime friend Davida Jackson and Mr. Matt Olin as they host an honest space with real stories that people can relate to. Come in, grab a brew and meet someone new! Admission is FREE but please be sure to RSVP here: http://weloveclt.com/rsvp/. Event begins at 6 p.m. Hygge Coworking is located at 809 W. Hill St. on the outskirts of Uptown.
All you cool cats slide down to The Stage Door Theater as Jazz Arts Initiative (JAI) presents a special performance of “The Jazz Room” this evening! Gear your ears to the stage and witness homegrown talent Adrian Crutchfield blow a “saxy” homage to the late, great Grover Washington, Jr. ickets can be purchased here: http://www.carolinatix.org/events/detail/jazz-room-the-stage-door-theater-3. There will be two shows: 6 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. The Stage Door Theater is located on the corner of E. 5th St. and N. College St. in Uptown. #JAI
Are you looking for a way to meet new people and make a difference in the Queen City? Head down to BB&T Ballpark for the September edition of CLTtalks. Inform, engage and impact is the motto of CLTtalks and this month the focus is on human trafficking. There will be 5-7 local nonprofits that will focus on the needs of these two elements that are looking forward to helping us make an impact in the city. Admission is $5 and can be purchased here: https://www.universe.com/events/clttalks-evening-on-human-trafficking-tickets-29G6Z5. The discussion begins at 6:30 p.m. BB&T Ballpark is located at 324 S. Mint St. in Uptown.
Join Tamu Curtis of Liberate Your Palate CLT as she hosts “#ShakeStirSipSocialize: Cocktail Class” at NOCA Uptown this evening! Come out for a truly unique cocktail class as Cocktail Crafter Extraordinaire, Emily Bowditch, will be educating and teaching you how to master essential cocktail making techniques. There will be intimate professional instruction, take-home recipes and syrups, food samples, free cocktails and more! Tickets can be purchased at: http://www.liberateyourpalate.com/passbook/shakestirsipsocialize-cocktail. The event begins at 7:30 p.m. NoCA is located at 505 E. 6th St. in Uptown.
Come to Petra’s for “The Roast of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton!” Join around the table and hear from a group of local actors portraying Presidential roasters from Barack Obama to Abraham Lincoln and a special roast performance from one of Thomas Jefferson’s kids! Admission is $5. Doors open at 8 p.m. and the roasting begins at 9 p.m. Petra’s is located at 1919 Commonwealth Ave. in the Plaza-Midwood District.
The McColl Center for Art + Innovation is ready to get your weekend started with another culture-filled edition of their “New Frequencies @ McColl Center” series. Tonight’s session centers around literature and reading featuring acclaimed authors Robert Lopez and Samuel Ligon. Tickets can be purchased here: https://53393.blackbaudhosting.com/53393/NEW-FREQUENCIES-at-McCOLL-CENTER-READING–Robert-Lopez–Samuel-Ligon. The event begins at 8 p.m. The McColl Center is located at 721 N. Tryon St. in Uptown.
——FRIDAY 9/16——-
Everyone head down to the campus of JCSU for “Soul Junction: The Historic West End Music Festival!” Featuring live and diverse performances from our city’s most talented creatives including Ida Divine, The Mighty DJ DR, Machine Gun Preacher, Bluz, Rudy Currence, The Queen’s Guard, DJ Justice and more! This two-day jamboree is FREE but please be sure to RSVP here: http://souljunctionclt.com/. The train leaves the station today at 3 p.m. JCSU is located at 100 Beatties Ford Rd. near the outskirts of Uptown.
Gather your friends and come out to The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art for another fun edition of “Bechtler By Night!” Hailed as a leisure haven for art enthusiasts in the Charlotte region, this event for this evening will be themed as “Painting with Bob Ross.” Hors d’oeuvres and margarita cocktails will be available. Admission is FREE and it begins at 5 p.m. The Bechtler is located at 420 S. Tryon St. in Uptown.
The Jazz Arts Initiative returns with another jazzed-up edition of The Jazz Room to spice your Friday evening! For this performance, this is JAI’s Season 7 wrap-up performance entitled, “Piano Night.” Come hear a few of JAI’s most heralded ivory ticklers pay tribute to come of the great jazz pianists like Oscar Peterson, Thelonious Monk, Ahmad Jamal and more! Tickets can be purchased here: http://www.carolinatix.org/events/detail/jazz-room-the-stage-door-theater-2. Two performances: 6 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. They will both be held at The Stage Door Theater which is at the corner of E. 5th St. & N. College St. in Uptown. #JAI
Enjoy some more beautiful art at UNCC Center City this evening and come out for a brand new showcase entitled, “Heightened Perspectives.” Through experimental film and painting the two-part exhibition Heightened Perspectives offers the idiosyncratic heightened perspectives of two-lens based artists, Phil Solomon and Ethan Jackson and mural creator Sharon Dowell. Admission is FREE and the event begins at 6 p.m. UNCC Center City is located at 320 E. 9th St. in Uptown.
Come out to Advent Coworking for “Sound Sleuths.” There will be art-related games and prizes to keep people interested. Also, there will be a “hidden object” game where attendees are encouraged to find hidden objects hidden in the paintings. Admission is FREE to attend and the searching starts at 6 p.m. Advent Coworking is located at 933 Louise Ave. in the Plaza-Midwood District.
Can you find the missing pieces to solve a mystery? This month, Science on the Rocks is taking you behind the caution tape at The Discovery Place for CSI: Charlotte. Hone your powers of observation and critical thinking skills as you study crime scene evidence. Explore the science of fingerprinting, chromatography, DNA extraction, blood spatter analysis and more libation-filled fun during this unforgettable adults-only night at the museum. Tickets can be purchased here: http://www.discoveryplace.org/events/event/464/Science-on-the-Rocks-CSI. The crime solving begins at 5 p.m. The Discovery Place is located at 301 N. Tryon St. in Uptown.
The UNC Charlotte Department of Dance will present two back-to-back evenings of diverse performance showcasing faculty choreography on Friday 9/16, and Saturday, 9/17. The Faculty Dance Concert features guest and faculty dancers in works by professors E.E. Balcos, Rachel Barker, Kim Jones, and Tamara Williams. Also on the program are musical selections created and performed by Shamou, the new music director in the Department of Dance. Tickets can be purchased here: http://unccboxoffice.universitytickets.com/user_pages/event_listings.asp. Both performances will be held at The Belk Theater in Robinson Hall. UNCC is located at 9201 University City Blvd.
Gather up your comrades, co-workers and older cousins and head down to The Tavern for “Charlotte Adult Game Night!” Hosted by Timothy and Diamond Nurse, bring your skills to the floor and compete in Uno, Twister, Beer Pong, Taboo, Jenga, Corn Hole and of course—Spades! Admission is FREE to attend but please RSVP here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/-eat-drink-play-adult-game-night-7pm-after-party-10p-morehead-tavern-friday-sept-16-tickets-27318145308. The fun starts at 7 p.m. The Tavern is located at 300 E. Morehead St. in Uptown.
At BluNotes tonight, get ready for a double dose of superb entertainment! First up at 7 p.m., cool out with some jazz from The Brian Burton Trio featuring special guest hornblower, Mr. Phillip Whack on sax. For your evening finale starting at 10 p.m., get ready for the ultra soulful and jazzy sounds of Ms. Ida Divine! Admission for both shows is $4. a BluNotes is located at 3425 David Cox Rd. in the University Area.
Join Dawn Nicole as she hosts the GrowGetter Girls Night Out & Movie Release! Gather your crew and come out for a night of fellowshipping, cocktails and a group viewing of the newly-released film, “When the Bough Breaks.” Tickets can be purchased at: http://www.dawnnicole360.com/growgetter-girls-nightout/. The event begins at 7 p.m. and will be held at Studio Movie Grill at The Epicentre. The address is 210 E. Trade St. in Uptown.
If your ears have a desire to be engorged with some lucid, liquid and lush lyricism this evening, come out to The McGlohon Theatre at Spirit Square for the SlamCharlotte Poetry Slam. Whether you are a connoisseur, creative or just curious come out to hear from and mingle with some truly talented individuals. The slam will be held at 8 p.m. and admission is $10. The McGlohon Theatre is located at 345 N. College St. in Uptown.
Head to The Station this evening for “Audio Dope: End of Summer Session.” This is an evening guaranteed to hit all of your senses with that pure, raw and uncut music goodness that’ll leave your spirits in the clouds for sure. There will be an open mic cypher for aspiring MCs, B-Boys & B-Girls getting down on the good foot, House heads drifting off into space and more. All this fun is only going to cost you $FREE.99 for people aged 21+ and $3 for people under 21. Start time is at 10 p.m. The Station is located at 2131 Central Ave. in the Plaza-Midwood area.
——-SATURDAY 9/17——-
Hope Haven needs your help! KaBOOM! and MetLife Foundation have teamed up to donate a brand new state-of-the-art playground for them to be located on the Villages at Hope Haven campus! Build day for the playground is happening Saturday starting at 7:30 a.m. and they are in need of 100 volunteers to participate from start to finish! Build day volunteers MUST be 14 years old and older. There will be music, games, food, entertainment and plenty of work to go around. Please be sure to register here: http://www.hopehaveninc.org/events/kaboom-playground-build/. The address of the site is 3815 N. Tryon St.
Join the West End neighbors for a 5- mile bike ride through some of their historic neighborhoods in The West End Spin. The ride will start at Seversville Park, move through the streets of Biddleville-Smallwood, a riding tour of JCSU, Frazier Park, and Wesley Heights Greenway. You can ride your own bicycle, or one can be provided by B-Cycle for FREE. There are bicycles available for children. Please be sure to RSVP at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/west-end-spin-tickets-27668834228. The ride will begin at 9 a.m. at 530 S. Bruns Ave. in the Seversville Community.
Parents, bring your kids to Discovery Place this morning for a total hands-on, interactive field day of experimentation, exploration and anti-extermination at Arthropod Dissection Day. Join experts who will guide you through an internal journey inside the world of Earth’s most populous group of organisms in a day full of creepy, crawly fun! The event starts at 9:30 a.m. Discovery Place is located at 301 N. Tryon St. in Uptown.
For more scientific fun with Earth’s creatures, bring the kids out to The Charlotte Nature Museum for a morning with “Outrageous Reptiles & Amazing Amphibians!” Tumbling turtles, leaping lizards and slithering snakes! Get up close and personal with some of the museum’s reptile and amphibian friends. Activities also include arts & crafts, story time and live animal encounters. The event is included with museum admission and it begins at 10 a.m. The Charlotte Nature Museum is located at 1658 Sterling Rd. near the Dilworth Neighborhood.
Calling all ballers! Join BTEP (Bringing Together Extraordinary People) this morning as they host their “3 on 3 Tournament!” Enjoy a full day or basketball action, giveaways, health screenings, kids’ games, fitness workshops and more! Also on Sunday, 9/18 come out for the Celebrity Basketball Tournament at JCSU. Tickets purchases and additional info can be found at: http://btepinc.com/.
Are you still renting your residence? Do you want to own a home? If so join Blackberry Realty Group as they host their “Home Sweet Home Seminar” geared to help you in the direction towards home ownership. Interest rates are at an all-time low and if qualified, there are funds available to assist with down payment and closing costs. Come spend a couple of hours learning how to move forward and put your rent money to good use. Admission to this seminar is FREE but RSVP here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/home-sweet-home-homeownership-seminar-tickets-27127169093. The event begins at 10 a.m. and will be held at Great Aunt Stella Center. 926 Elizabeth Ave. Suite #302.
Local women’s empowerment t-shirt line, Pink Social, hosts it’s “Girl Tribe Pop-Up: Back to School Edition” late this morning. Ladies and gentlemen, come out and support over 70 local female-owned small businesses, do some networking and fellowshipping and enjoy some great food and drinks! Tickets are $5 and can be purchased here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/girl-tribe-pop-up-fall-2016-pop-up-shop-tickets-26900363712. The event begins at 11 a.m. and will be held at the Sugar Creek Brewing Company which is located at 215 Southside Dr. #GirlTribePopUp
Everyone come out for the Grape Stomping Harvest Festival! Bring your lawn chairs, appetites, friends, family and clean feet and get ready for a stomping good time! There will be live music, vendors, wine tastings and tours and raffle contests. Admission is $6 and the festivities begin at 11 a.m. Treehouse Vineyards is located at 301 Bay St. in Monroe.
Join LaCa Projects and the Latin American Chamber of Commerce of Charlotte to celebrate the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month. This FREE, all ages event will feature music, a community mural, studio artist and gallery tours, face painting and a bouncy house! Authentic Latin American food for sale and cash bar will be available. The fun begins at 11:30 a.m. LaCa Projects is located at 1429 Bryant St. which is on the outskirts of Uptown.
Young adults, come out to The Mint Museum this afternoon for “Myx & Mingle 2016!” Hosted and presented by Eventually Yourz CLT, enjoy an afternoon full of food, music, networking and over thirty local vendors! Come fellowship and support business-minded individuals that want to promote not only themselves, but their brand. Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/myx-mingle-2016-presented-by-eventfully-yourz-clt-a-vendor-networking-event-tickets-21466381525. The event will begin at 12 noon. The Mint Museum is located at 2730 Randolph Rd.
Everyone, you are all invited to gather at The International House this afternoon for the 3rd Annual Southeast Asian Street Food Festival! Games, contests, traditional performances, auctions, fellowship and of course—food! All benefits of this festival will benefit the SEAC Youth Program servicing immigrants and refugees in Charlotte. Admission is FREE and all ages are welcome. The fun starts at 12 noon. The International House is located at 1817 Central Ave. in the Plaza-Midwood District.
The Queen City Entrepreneur Expo is the number one resource for small and start up business owners and would be entrepreneurs. If you are looking to start a business or you already have one and need to fill some holes in it this is the place for you. The expo will offer podcasting classes (learn equipment, recording, editing, distribution), business workshops, and business exhibitions. Come gain some valuable information. Admission is FREE and the event begins at 1 p.m. The expo will be held at Advent Coworking. 933 Louise Ave. in the Plaza-Midwood District.
Ladies, come out to Abundant Life Creative Expressions this afternoon for Eye 2 Eye Woman’s Combat Training. Learn some basic self-defense moves from trusted and experienced master martial arts teacher Bro. Stephen Muhammad and learn some mind-centering techniques from Asha Sims. Class starts at 1 p.m. Abundant Life Creative Expressions is located at 2424 N. Davidson St. in the NoDa District.
Do you ever get tired of hearing the same ol’ songs over and over? Do you want to experience a new vibe? Head down to Snug Harbor this afternoon for the FUNKSHUN Day Party! What is FUNKSHUN you ask? It’s a space for the true underground, anti-radio, music with soul and a message–built for and by the underground. Admission to attend is $FREE.99! The party starts at 2 p.m. Snug Harbor is located at 1228 Gordon St. in the Plaza-Midwood District.
The Restoration Place hosts its annual Neighborhood Block Party this afternoon at Waddell Language Academy. Bring the family out for games, prizes, food, music, grocery and kids’ shoes giveaways! Admission is FREE to attend and the event begins at 5 p.m. Waddell Language Academy is located at 7030 Nations Ford Rd.
Come out to The Neighborhood Theatre this evening for a very special performance! Hear the multitalented, multi-award winning, beautiful Corinne Bailey Rae! She’s worked with a broad range of artists and has totally chartered her own lane in contemporary jazz, electronic, experimental and more genres. Tickets can be purchased here: http://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1216125?utm_source=fbTfly&utm_medium=ampOfficialEvent. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show begins at 8 p.m. The Neighborhood Theatre is located at 511 E. 36th St. in the NoDa District.
Get ready to be wowed at The McGlohon Theatre at Spirit Square this evening and give a warm welcome to the young, talented Damien Escobar to the Queen City! This America’s Got Talent finalist, Emmy Award-winning has classically traveled the world through sound and now on tour promoting his debut album entitled, “Boundless.” Tickets can be purchased here: http://www.carolinatix.org/events/detail/damien-escobar-the-boundless-tour. The show will be at 8 p.m. The McGlohon Theatre is located at 345 N. College St. in Uptown.
Head to Heist Brewery and get an earful of fly sounds at “The Big Heist: The Ol’ Skool Retreat!” Your sound engineers DJ Chance and DJ Lunchbeats will be rockin’ all the best of Golden Era Hip Hop, R&B, Soul, Funk, House and then some! Admission is FREE to attend and the event begins at 9 p.m. Heist Brewery is located at 2909 N. Davidson St. in the NoDa District.
This Saturday at Crystals On the Plaza, add some ultraviolet radiance with some dope Reggae music and come out for the 1st Annual Proper Ent. Glow Party! Get live and in living color on the dance floor as DJ Inferno spins the best of Reggae and Dancehall grooves under a funky black light backdrop! Be sure to wear neon colors and there will be creative body painting available. Doors open at 9 p.m. Crystals is located at 3018 The Plaza Rd. in the Plaza-Midwood District.
——-SUNDAY 9/18——-
Summer is nearing an end and it’s last breezes are blowing Autumn our way. However you can glide with the wind this Sunday with the Queen City Steppers at Lynn’s Dance Club as they host their “Step Into Fall Brunch!” Represent like the leaves and fall into those earthy colors, enjoy a delicious brunch menu, drink specials and dance into the afternoon with tunes provided by DJ Trapp. Admission is $10 and the event starts at 12 noon. Lynn’s Dance Club is located at 4819 S. Tryon St.
Attention all gamers, come out to one of my new favorite hangout joints, Abari Game Bar as they host a Pinball Tournament. Test your skills and try not to tilt on a variety of pinball machines against other wizards while everyone cheers you on! Registration begins at 12 noon and the tournament begins at 1 p.m. Abari Game Bar is located at 1721 N. Davidson St. in the NoDa District.
Take a trip down history lane this afternoon with Dr. Tom Hanchett of The Levine Museum as he hosts a session of the ongoing Explore History! series, sponsored by Levine Museum and the Duke Mansion. Today, you will explore the yesteryear and contemporary history of Central Ave. Admission is FREE to attend but please be sure to RSVP here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/explore-neighborhood-history-central-avenue-the-most-interesting-street-in-charlotte-tickets-22703062471. The discussion will begin at 3 p.m. and will be held at The Duke Mansion. 400 Hermitage Rd. in the Cherry Neighborhood.
Dancers! Come out for an amazing opportunity to learn about the roots of Samba with Janete Silva from Silva Dance Company. Janete is a master dancer in Afro-Brazilian Dance, contemporary and all of the different styles of Samba. All dance levels are welcome. Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/samba-and-afro-brazilian-dance-workshop-with-janete-silva-tickets-26867996902. The event will begins at 4 p.m. and the address of the venue is 2609 Central Ave. in the Plaza-Midwood District.
Ladies, join Davita Galloway at Dupp & Swat this evening for a sexy and spiced up segment of Girl Gang entitled, “Cater To You Edition.” Come ready to learn a sensual dance routine taught by Ember Gabriell. Bring your ‘sexy’ and a pair of heels, if you choose! Tickets can be purchased here: http://www.sincerelyswat.com/tickets/girl-gang-cater-to-you-edition. The event begins at 5 p.m. Dupp & Swat is located at 2424 N. Davidson St. in the NoDa District.
Pint Central is ordering you to take law and order into your hands this evening for another rousing and relaxing installment of “Movies On the Patio.” Get your uniforms pressed and ready because it’s time for the comedy classic, “Police Academy!” Enjoy free popcorn, food and drink specials as you relive this classic film. The film starts at 9 p.m. Pint Central is located at 1226 Central Ave. in the Plaza-Midwood District.
——-MONDAY 9/19——
On Q Productions is back again to put some funk in your Monday with another fly edition of Mo’ Betta! Join host Quentin Talley and On Q musical director Tim Scott, Jr. for an evening full of great music, spoken word, film, comedy, dance and more visual art! Your featured acts for the evening are J. Vito, poet Jay Ward and HerShe the Entertainer. Tickets can be purchased at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/onq-presents-mo-betta-tickets-27147529993. Event begins at 6 p.m. and will be held at The Tavern. The address is 300 E. Morehead St. in Uptown. #OnQ
Everyone come out to The Levine Museum of the New South for another informative edition of “Screen @ Levine.” Today’s feature is entitled, “This Is My Home Now.” This 30 minute film documents the lives of four Montagnard youths whose families have come to North Carolina in the past decade from Asia. Following the film will be a discussion featuring constituents from the Southeast Asian Coalition. Admission is FREE but please be sure to RSVP here: https://38686.blackbaudhosting.com/38686/tickets?tab=2&txobjid=2b531265-6ce5-459f-9ba7-321efa68b7ff. The film starts at 6:30 p.m. The Levine Museum is located at 200 E. 7th St. in Uptown.
Everyone have a fantastic weekend and keep the arts alive!
“All you need in the world is love and laughter. That’s all anybody needs. To have love in one hand and laughter in the other.” -August Wilson
Live. Laugh. Love. Learn. Listen. Give.
#WeekendWarrior #TheBlackFerrisBueller