Lucky you. You just found CLTtoday’s Plan Ahead, a list of some of the biggest events to plan for that are taking place throughout the Queen City each month.
Take out your calendar, grab your day planner, or text all your friends — these are the top events we recommend heading to this month. Psst: Don’t forget to bookmark this page and come back; we update our guide monthly.
(Don’t see anything you like? Check out our full events calendar.)
Now buckle up for some of the biggest events happening this February.
Southern Oyster, Wine & Beer Festival | Saturday, Feb. 1 | 12-5 p.m. | Ballantyne’s Backyard | $69+ | Get a taste of the coast slurping oysters and shellfish + sip an impressive collection of wine, beer, and liquor.
Mid-Atlantic Boat Show | Thursday, Feb. 6-Sunday, Feb. 9 | Charlotte Convention Center | $9+ | Peruse the newest and sexiest aquatic rides hitting the market before summer arrives in one of the largest boat exhibitions in North America.
Rail Trail Lights | Monday, Feb 7-Sunday, Feb. 23 | South End Rail Trail | Free | Your evening walks will be illuminated with never-before-seen interactive light installations celebrating local artists.
Queen City Brewers Festival | Saturday, Feb. 8 | 1-4 p.m. | Innovation Barn | $75 | Join the celebration bringing the Charlotte region’s craft beer producers together.
14th annual Chocolate Festival | Saturday, Feb. 8 | 11 a.m.-3 p.m. | Epiphany Lutheran Church, Rock Hill, SC | Cost of purchase | Spend a sweet afternoon tasting chocolate with proceeds benefiting Family Promise of York County and Dorothy Day Soup Kitchen of Rock Hill.
Dog Days of Winter | Saturday, Feb. 15 | US Whitewater Center | Cost of admission | Celebrate your four-legged best friend in this day-long party featuring a 5K trail race, adoption events, ice rink access, and doggy vendors.
Fairy House Festival 2025 | Saturday, Feb. 22 | 10 a.m.-3 p.m. | Latta Nature Preserve, Huntersville | $7 | Honor nature by crafting fairy houses to spark creativity and community.
African American Heritage Festival 2025 | Saturday, Feb. 22 | 11 a.m.-5 p.m. | Charlotte Museum of History | Free | Celebrate Charlotte’s Black history learning the stories of trailblazers in Mecklenburg County.
The HEARTest Yard Ungala | Monday, Feb. 24 | Steak 48 | $1,200 | Support local children living with congenital heart failure and their families in this annual gala hosted by Carolina Panthers legend Greg Olsen.
Have an event of your own you want to share with us? Follow these easy steps to add your events to our calendar:
- Go to our Events page.
- Click “Add Event” in the top right-hand corner.
- Make sure to include a link and fill out important information like the date, time, location, and price of your event.
- Click “Submit,” and you’ve just added an event to our website calendar.