Eastland Park hopes to become a popular outdoor hub for east Charlotte. | Rendering via Mecklenburg County
Spring can’t come soon enough. One of Charlotte’s most anticipated development projects for 2025 is the upcoming construction of Eastland Park, revitalizing the site of Eastland Mall that closed in 2010. Ground breaking for this new green oasis is slated to begin this spring.
Visitors can look forward to a plethora of outdoor features, including walking trails, covered picnic spaces, and performance areas. Families will also enjoy a playground, sprayground, basketball court, skate park, and dog park.
The park’s layout is all thanks to public input collected in 2023. The new green space will be located next to the “The Complex” — an upcoming 29-acre sports and entertainment center at Eastland Yards.
After the groundbreaking, Mecklenburg County projects Eastland Park will be completed by late 2026.
While we’re waiting, lace up your shoes and check out many other outdoor parks the Queen City has to offer.
Light the Knights | 2-10 p.m. | Truist Field | $14+ | Enjoy the final night of ice skating, snow tubing, and thousands of decorative holiday lights in the heart of Uptown.
Music Under the Stars: Pink Floyd | 5:30-7:30 p.m. | Schiele Museum of Natural History | $30 | Marvel under the planetarium dome for a live concert featuring the band’s classic albums “Animals” and “Wish You Were Here.”
Jazz at the Bechtler: Post-Holiday Blues | 6-7:30 p.m. + 8:15-9:45 p.m. | Bechtler Museum of Modern Art | $25+ | Shake off the post-holiday blues and welcome the new year with an evening of soulful jazz.
Saturday, Dec. 4
Twelfth Night | 6-9 p.m. | The Charlotte Museum of History | $30+ | Spend an evening celebrating North Carolina’s rich legacy of whiskey and moonshine distilling.
Candlelight: A Tribute to Taylor Swift | 7:30 p.m. | Great Aunt Stella Center | $56+ | Fill that “Blank Space” in your weekend calendar and see the pop star’s top songs performed under candlelight.
Sunday, Dec. 5
Mint Hill Car Show | 1-3 p.m. | Chick-fil-A, Mint Hill | Free | Bring the family and browse an impressive collection of hot rods.
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News Notes
News Notes
Traffic
Charlotte Douglas International Airport resumed construction on the South End Around Taxiway project. This will cause a section of West Boulevard from Piney Top Drive to Steele Creek Road to permanently close. Traffic detours are in place, with construction expected to last four months.
Drink
Cheers. A new cocktail bar is coming to NoDa. Chief’s Modern Cocktail Parlor welcomes guests starting tomorrow, Jan. 4. Guests will be served craft drinks inside a 121-year-old mill home at 3024 N. Davidson St., next to The Goodyear House.
Eat
Tacos 4 Life Grill will open its new Dilworth location on Tuesday, Jan. 7. Customers can enjoy dine-in and take-out tacos at 1716 Kenilworth Ave. Partial proceeds from every meal benefit “Feed My Starving Children,” a nonprofit combating child hunger.
Shop
Shopping therapy, anyone? J.Crew announced its upcoming location at Phillips Place in SouthPark. The New York-based fashion brand will fill the space formerly occupied by Orvis. A target opening is set for early June. (Charlotte Business Journal)
Biz
“Every day it seems to get busier.” Business owners at Latta Arcade spoke to WCNC’s Michelle Boudin about a noticeable uptick in customers at one of Uptown’s oldest buildings. The revitalized space comes as office vacancy rates in Uptown are at 22%. (WCNC)
State
North Carolina drivers will have the option of having mobile drivers licenses starting July 1. Digital licenses will be the “legal equivalent” of traditional, hard-card licenses. Details on how to request a mobile license remain TBA. (WBTV)
Watch
Hang in there, Auggie. A beaver rescued from a Charlotte pond by the Carolina Wildlife Rescue Center is showing signs of improvement. The beaver, named “Auggie,” nearly drowned after Sunday’s storms. Wildlife experts continue to monitor Auggie’s progress. (WCNC)
Sports
Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball leads the Eastern Conference votes for “best guard” for the upcoming 2025 NBA All-Star Game in San Francisco. All-Star Game starters will be revealed on Thursday, Jan. 23. Go beyond the court for the biggest stories on the Charlotte Hornetswith Locked On’s daily, team-focused podcasts.
Listen
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Category
Sports
🏈 Pour me another
The winning team of the Duke’s Mayo Bowl gets their head coach bathed in mayonnaise. | Photo via Charlotte Sports Foundation
Happy bowl season, college football fans. A team will soon win a distinctive (and slightly disgusting) honor when the 23rd annual Duke’s Mayo Bowl returns to Uptown Charlotte.
The Virginia Tech Hokies will face the Minnesota Golden Gophers tonight at Bank of America Stadium. Kick off is at 7:30 p.m. There are plenty of tickets still available + the game will be broadcast on ESPN.
Per tradition, the winning team’s head coach will be ceremoniously showered by a massive tub of mayonnaise.
“We’ll be creating memorable experiences for the teams, devoted fans, and the city of Charlotte at the Duke’s Mayo Bowl, the only bowl with “Twang,” said Joe Tuza, president of Duke’s Mayo.
Before kickoff, FanFest will welcome football fans starting at 1 p.m outside Bank of America Stadium for live music, food, drinks, and a kids zone.
Hey, Charlotte! It’s great to be back. College bowl season certainly helps give me something to look forward to after the holiday season. Apologies to all my Georgia friends, but I’m rooting for Texas to bring home the national championship.
