Panthers legend Greg Olsen will welcome professional athletes and friends to The HEARTest Yard’s Ungala. | Photo by Taylor Christie Photography
Mark your calendars.The HEARTest Yard, in partnership with Steak 48, is hosting the fourth annual HEARTest Yard Ungala on Monday, Feb. 24. The event brings a celebrity-studded guest list to SouthPark for a red (but really, green) carpet, cocktail reception, three-course meal + fine wine and silent auction with 100% of proceeds going to The HEARTest Yard and Levine Children’s Hospital.
CLTtoday spoke with Panthers legend Greg Olsen ahead of next month’s event, which hits close to home.
The majority of funds raised during the Ungala can change the lives of thousands of families.
Photo by Taylor Christie Photography
“People’s lives are being changed because of nights like this,” said Olsen. “There’s new programs that we’re able to fund to bring a higher level of care and great doctors and more great teammates to the healthcare program as a result of nights like this.”
Individual tickets are $1,200 + table reservations are being accepted. Want to help but can’t attend? Participation in the virtual silent auction is an option. Plus, The HEARTest Yard hosts a number of fundraising events year-round.
Bring Your Own Vinyl night | 5-9 p.m. | Divine Barrel Brewing | Cost of purchase | Listen and share stories about your favorite records over craft brews.
Candlelight: A Tribute to ABBA | 8:45-10 p.m. | Great Aunt Stella Center | $46+ | It’s not “Waterloo,” you won’t want to escape this candlelight concert, even if you wanted to.
Wednesday, Jan. 29
Charlotte Hornets vs. Brooklyn Nets | 7 p.m. | Spectrum Center | $17+ | Cheer on Buzz City as they look to send the Nets back to the Big Apple with an L.
Book Trivia: A Court of Thorns and Roses | 7-9 p.m. | Room Service | $5 registration fee + cost of purchase | Put your Sarah J. Maas knowledge to the test in this trivia night spanning all five books in the ACOTAR series.
This Valentine’s Day, lean into the ooey gooey loving feelings with a luxe, side-by-side couples massage plus salt room or infrared sauna session at Woodhouse Spa.
It’s the perfect combination of relaxing, intimate, and stress-melting — and with Woodhouse’s Valentine’s specials, buying a gift card at the spa means getting some fun freebies to enjoy at home:
$250 Gift Card | Complimentary bath bomb duo and dry brush
$500 Gift Card | Complimentary spa robe and tote
Holiday weekend spots are going fast, so snag ‘em while you can.
Renovations start this month on Concourse D at Charlotte Douglas International Airport. The upgrades include renovated bathrooms, new seating, and moving the First in Flight Mobile and expected to wrap in 2026.
Open
Time to sit back and relax. There’s a new sauna and bathhouse open in Wesley Heights. Sauna House boasts 5,000 sqft of space for its saunas, cold plunges, and lounge area. Walk-ins are welcome but reservations are recommended.
Opening
Specialty beer and wine store Cork & Cap is opening at Camp North End on Thursday, Jan. 30. The store will feature a curated selection of beer, wine, grab-n-go bites + a tasting bar and lounge. Cork & Cap plans to be open Wednesday through Sunday.
Coming Soon
Work is going on now to revive Queens Landing in Lake Norman. SC-based Arnold Companies plans to renovate the two-story restaurant, event space, docks, and parking lot at the site on River Highway. The waterfront site was most notably known for its 149-passenger Catawba Queen — a paddle wheel boat offering dinner cruises. (The Charlotte Observer)
Biz
Computer, engineering, and management jobs are in high demand in the Queen City. According to a report by Brookings Institution, these jobs have increased nearly 79% from 2010 to 2023 in Charlotte, drawing an average annual wage of $126,000. (Charlotte Business Journal)
Community
Charlotte Fire shared construction progress on the all-electric Firehouse 30 near Charlotte Douglas International Airport. The state-of-the-art firehouse will include upgraded infrastructure, a spacious three-bay layout + modern living quarters for first responders. It’s expected to be completed by December of this year.
Civic
Oh, deer. Tega Cay City Council approved $35,000 to cull 80 more deer to combat overpopulation concerns. The decision has drawn mixed reactions from wildlife experts. The city has spent ~$294,000 in 2024 on deer culling. (WCNC)
Try This
Lowe’s is accepting nominations for “Lowe’s Hometowns,” its five-year, $100 million commitment to community revitalization. The Mooresville-based company will award $10 million in grants to fund 100 renovations + complete an additional 1,700 projects selected by its associates this year. Nominations for the large-scale projects are accepted through Feb. 18.
Theater
And the Oscar goes to... Watch Hollywood’s biggest night honoring filmmaking when The Independent Picture House hosts its annual Oscars Viewing Party and Fundraiser. Tickets are now available for both general and VIP access for the cinematic celebration happening Sunday, March 2.
Sports
Can Bryce Young become a top five quarterback in the NFC by 2025? Go beyond the playbook for the biggest stories on the Carolina Pantherswith Locked On’s daily, team-focused podcasts.
Category
Sports
👑 Queen City representation
Four Charlotte-area natives are heading to Super Bowl 59 in New Orleans, LA. | Photos via Wikimedia Commons and WCNC
All eyes will be on New Orleans when the Philadelphia Eagles battle the defending champs, the Kansas City Chiefs, on the gridiron to win the Super Bowl. While the Chiefs don’t have any Charlotte representation, the Eagles’ roster has quite a few Carolina ties, including one making his first Super Bowl appearance as a rookie.
Jordan Davis - Defensive tackle
Eagles’ defensive tackle Jordan Davis graduated from Mallard Creek High School and was chosen in Round 1 of the 2022 NFL Draft. This will be his second Super Bowl appearance.
Fun fact: Davis’ first job was at Carowinds.
Will Shipley - Running back
Eagles’ running back Will Shipley graduated from nearby Weddington High School in Union County. Shipley left Clemson early to enter the 2024 NFL draft and was drafted by the “Birds” in the fourth round. He’s played for 82 yards in his rookie season.
While the Carolina Panthers may not have made the Super Bowl this year, that doesn’t mean the Carolinas can’t cheer on their local athletes.
It was so special to chat with Greg Olsen about the Ungala. This event tends to sell out and I’m eagerly waiting to see how much money will be raised for The HEARTest Yard. We also asked about the upcoming Super Bowl — stay tuned for his response on the matchup.
