Our seasonal Parents’ Gift Guide is in the works, and we want to feature your business’s product or service. Secure your spot just in time for Mother’s and Father’s Day celebrations.
✈️ Spring Break is about to take off
TSA Spokesperson Dan Velez shares tips for Spring Break travel. | Photo via CLTtoday
Charlotte Douglas International Airport is gearing up for another busy travel season, so if you have a trip planned, don’t wing it. The airport shared its tips for its 18-day Spring Break season to ensure travels are as smooth as possible and cover what to expect in the terminals — including updates to ongoing developments.
Spring Break by the numbers
Spring Break travel will last 18 days starting tomorrow, April 11 through Sunday, April 27. The busy period aligns with many school breaks, and traffic is expected to be higher than normal during this time. During Spring Break, CLT is expecting:
2.9 million arriving and departing passengers to pass through, down from 4.6% from 2024
26,800+ flights to depart or arrive
592,000 fliers to begin their voyage at CLT and go through TSA, a 3% annual decrease
While Spring Break is expected to see increased traffic, the busiest days are anticipated to be Friday, April 11, Sunday, April 13 + Sunday, April 27.
Laura Peek | 7 p.m. | The Comedy Zone | $26+ | The rising, Nashville-based comedian brings her humor to the Queen City venue.
The Millennium Tour | 8 p.m. | Spectrum Center | $96+ | Prepare for Omarion, Trey Songz, Bow Wow, and other post-Y2K artists to tear up the stage.
“Lease: A Drag Musical Parody” | 8:30-11 p.m. | Starlight on 22nd | $15 | Laugh, cry, and sing along with this parody musical that follows artists living in New York in the 1990s.
Friday, April 11
University City Food Truck Fridays | 5-9 p.m. | Armored Cow Brewing Co. | Free | The Friday night market is back for the season with plenty of food trucks, craft beer, live music, and artisan vendors.
Lakebed Fest | 6 p.m. | Petra’s | $10 | This mini festival showcases NC talent as seven acts take the stage.
Charlotte Independence vs. Forward Madison FC | 7 p.m. | American Legion Memorial Stadium | $13+ | Kick it with the local soccer team as they take on their opponents from Wisconsin.
Saturday, April 12
Pawty for a PAWpose 2025 | 12-5 p.m. | Monday Night Brewing Garden Co. | Free | Mingle with dogs and their owners as you browse vendors, grab drinks, and dance to a DJ while supporting the Greater Charlotte SPCA.
University City Wine Festival | 1-6 p.m. | The Shoppes at University Place | $35+ | Pop off with samples of 100+ wines from 25 local wineries as you stroll the boardwalk with live music, food, and more tastings.
Thurston Howell: Your Premier Yacht Rock Spectacular | 8 p.m. | Amos’ Southend | $20+ | Groove with the smooth sounds of 1970s + 1980s soft rock that’s perfect for relaxing on a yacht — except you’ll be in South End.
Sunday, April 13
Party in the Park | 1-5 p.m. | The Mint Museum Randolph | Free | Enjoy the day with food trucks, live music, and a cash bar on the front terrace, plus get free museum admission.
Asheville’s recovery by the numbers, six months after Helene
Presented by Explore Asheville
Plan a visit to be part of what’s next in Asheville. | Photos courtesy Reggie Tidwell (1), Fiasco Media (2,4), Jared Kay (3), Haley Plotkin (5)
Spring has arrived in Asheville, and the season of rebirth means a little more this year.The bustling downtown, lush green mountains, thriving arts scene, and abundance of upcoming events make it hard to tell WNC was rocked by Hurricane Helene just six months ago.
Asheville is ready and blooming, determined to keep moving forward and welcome visitors with the same open arms that held one another up not long ago.
Here’s what’s open and waiting for you:
340+ artists currently showing in parts of the River Arts District, one of the most flooded areas during the storm.
A new Turkish cafe is brewing in University City. Anatolia Cafe & Cuisine is set to make its debut with a soft opening starting Friday, April 18. The coffee shop will offer Turkish drinks like coffees, teas, and lattes, and Mediterranean pastries with seating for ~55 people. (Axios)
Announced
Prepare to dress to impress.Le Dîner en Blanc Charlotte, the Queen City’s biggest and most elegant dinner party, is officially returning Saturday, Sept. 20. All white attire is required and the party’s location remains a mystery until the last moment. Ready to party? Tickets go on sale in August.
Eat
Which grocery store is the most popular in Charlotte? Walmart has the titlein the bag — according to a report by the Chain Store Guide, the brand accounted for 23% of grocery spending in the Charlotte metro area. Kroger brands claimed second place + Food Lion was third most popular. (Charlotte Business Journal)
Arts
Novant Health will use art to brighten the lives of its Charlotte-area patients. The organization launched its “Art of Remarkable Care” program that will connect patients with members of their community to participate in creative projects. The initiative aims to build connections while encouraging healing. (The Charlotte Observer)
Theater
Cue “The Imperial March,” the Carolina Theatre will screen “Star Wars: A New Hope” on National Star Wars day — aka Sunday, May 4. The event will also feature photo opportunities and a costume contest, and ticket sales will begin this Friday at 10 a.m.
Ranked
1,415. That’s how many “build-to-rent” units were completed in Charlotte in 2024 — single-family dwellings in rental communities. This ranked Queen City as the No. 5 build-to-rent market in the nation, and construction reached a five-year high. (Point2Homes)
Watch
Local singer and instrumentalist Josh King is hoping “American Idol” will be his golden ticket to a music career. The 24-year-old earned a spot in the top 24, and soon, you’ll be able to help him advance. Viewer voting will begin following the episodes on Sunday, April 13 + Monday, April 14. (The Charlotte Observer)
Sports
Are the Panthers preparing to draft Taylor Moton’s replacement? Go beyond the field for the biggest stories on the Carolina Pantherswith Locked On’s daily, team-focused podcasts.
Dreaming of home ownership?Sycamore Trail in Matthews has new, well-equipped, two-bedroom townhomes priced from $1,850/month — with low rates and up to 100% financing. Take a peek.*
Pets
$3,500. That’s how much dough you might have to drop if your dog eats their chew toy. Yes, pets are expensive, but they’re worth it — and this pet insurance could reimburse 90% of those expenses.*
Read
1440’s daily newsletter is an unbiased, fact-centric digest of global events, culture, business, and beyond — and it only takes five minutes to read. Subscribe for free.*
Category
Shop
🎶 Put your records on
Get an exclusive Post Malone or Taylor Swift record to add to your collection on Record Store Day. | Photo by CLTtoday
Calling all Charlotte audiophiles — Record Store Day is Saturday, April 12. Here’s where you can find the special releases you’re itching to get your hands on (or just some cool LPs to add to your collection).
Hardy Boys Records | 701 Keswick Ave., Ste. 106 | Open Wednesday-Saturday | The shop at Camp North End offers a variety of records, record players, cassettes and players, and CDs. Plus, shop exclusive albums from artists like Post Malone and Taylor Swift.
Lunchbox Records | 825 Central Ave. | Open daily | Keep your eyes peeled for records with the Record Store Day label — an essential for your collection.
Noble Records | 11500 E. Independence Blvd., Ste. F, Matthews | Managed by a music and record lover, this store will have Record Store Day items + exclusive records purchased from the historic Voices of America radio station in Washington, DC.
Did we miss your favorite store?Let us know and we’ll add them to this list.
Charlotte has some rain in the forecast over the next couple of days, so I’ll use it as an excuse to stay in and order pizza. Apparently, “meat lovers” is the most popular type of pie in North Carolina, but I’d much rather try a unique creation found at one of Queen City’s local pizzerias.
The Buy
The shoe of the summer: sneaker mules (aka smules). Effortlessly stylish and easy to slip on, these can be paired with your go-to shorts, sundresses, linen jumpsuits, and more. These are five of our favorites:
👟 Under $150: Dolce Vita’s sporty-chic sneaker mules in a fun + flirty pink floral pattern.
👟 Under $80: This pair by Anne Klein that will go with practically everything in your closet.
👟 Under $60: Blowfish Malibu’s platform style with adjustable lacing and a unique patterned insole.
👟 Under $50: These Naturalizer white leather smules made with comfort technology for all-day walking.
👟 Under $30: These canvas kicks available in 15+ colors and constructed with a memory foam insole for maximum comfort.
