This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Pride parade and festival.
Photo by Grant Baldwin via Charlotte Pride
This weekend, 200,000+ are expected to attend Uptown’s biggest festival and parade. The Charlotte Pride Festival kicks off this Saturday, Aug. 16, at First Ward Park, bringing dozens of vendors and organizations to Center City. Then on Sunday, Aug. 17, 10,000+ people are set to march in the parade.
Expect portions of Brevard, 8th, 9th, and Tryon streets to close for the festival and parade. Pro tip: CATS is offering a two-day, all-access pass for $10.
6th Annual Diversity in Baseball HBCU Showcase | 8 a.m.-4 p.m. | Richard “Stick” Williams Dream Fields & Education Center | Free | Cheer for the 70+ high school athletes taking part in this showcase in front of more than 20 collegiate coaches.
Thrift Pony After Dark | 6-9 p.m. | Thrift Pony | Cost of purchase | Explore a curated mix of vintage clothing and accessories to make your wardrobe pop.
Live Glassblowing | 6-9 p.m. | Hot Glass Alley | Free | Visit the gallery for free glassblowing demonstrations + drinks are provided.
Serving Pride Drag Dinner | 6:30-10 p.m. | The Long Room | $15+ | Bring in Pride weekend with a night of live entertainment + dinner and drinks.
Saturday, Aug. 16
Yoga on the Lawn | 10-11 a.m. | The Mint Museum Randolph | Free+ | Spend an hour outdoors with a guided class, stretching your mind and muscles.
The Improper Pig will open this fall in Plaza Midwood. The new restaurant’s flagship will be designed like a lively backyard barbecue, serving smoked meats, Asian-inspired specialties, and more. We’ll let you know when its doors will open.
Announced
Mint Hill’s Coco Mexican Restaurant will open a second location at The Fountains along Ardrey Kell Road. The restaurant serves tacos, enchiladas, fajitas, and more. An exact opening date remains TBA.
Development
Peebles Corp. will still complete phase one of the long-delayed Brooklyn Village project in Uptown. Recently, Mecklenburg County decided to stop negotiations with the New York-based company over proposed changes to the $700 million project. (Charlotte Business Journal)
Real Estate
A $14 million Davidson mansion is back on the market. The home was previously listed in June 2024, and boasts a private vineyard, putting green, resort-style saltwater pool, five bedrooms, and six garage spaces. (Charlotte Business Journal)
Traffic
No, it’s not just you — rain makes highway lines harder to see. When it rains, water droplets cover the lines and glass beads within the paint, making it more difficult for headlights to bounce off the glass. That’s why NCDOT continues to refresh the paint. (WCNC)
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Time is running out for students to register for the Levine Museum’s CataLysT Fellowship Program. The initiative is designed to inspire and support college students as they grow their leadership skills. Levine Museum of the New South will select two students from participating colleges and universities to join the yearlong fellowship, starting next month.
Community
Progress is being made on the Charlotte Museum of Nature. The new museum near Freedom Park will feature an otter den, tree canopy walk, and nature labs + is expected to open in 2026.
Try This
Museum of Illusions Charlotte will have a free “Pop-Up Reverse Room” outside of its location in Uptown to celebrate Pride. The upside-down activation runs from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. this Saturday, Aug. 16 + Sunday, Aug. 17.
Trending
Swifties, how we doing? Taylor Swift just announced her newest album, “The Life of a Showgirl” + will appear on the Kelce brothers’ podcast “New Heights” tonight at 7 p.m. Looking to celebrate? There will be an Eras After Dark: Taylor Swift Night at Blinders this Friday, Aug. 25. (WCNC)
Plan Ahead
Carowinds unveiled its latest interactive experience for SCarowinds: “The Conjuring: Beyond Fear.” The attraction takes visitors through scenes from the horror movie franchise. There will also be new mazes, scare zones, and live entertainment starting Friday, Sept. 12, to Sunday, Nov. 2. (WSOC)
Sports
Austin Corbett has been named the starting center for the Panthers. How will that translate in the team’s second preseason game? Go beyond the scoreboard for the biggest stories on the Carolina Pantherswith Locked On’s daily, team-focused podcasts.
Feel Good
Have you seen these sunflowers in Plaza Midwood? Five-year-old Quinn Miller planted the towering plants in her family’s yard this spring — now they’re over 10 ft tall. Miller said she planted them because they help bees. (WBTV)
Read
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🚗 College traffic
Move-in day is an exciting time for college students in Charlotte. | Photo by Kat Lawrence via UNC Charlotte
School’s nearly back in session for the Queen City’s thousands of students, and move-in weekend is fast approaching. Even if you’re not dropping off a student, college move-in processes will impact traffic during peak commuting hours. Here’s when + where.
University of North Carolina at Charlotte | Move in: Wednesday, Aug. 13-Saturday, Aug. 16 | First day of classes: Monday, Aug. 18 | ~31,000 students | Traffic: University City Boulevard and Mallard Creek Church Road
Johnson & Wales University | Move in: Thursday, Aug. 21-Saturday, Aug. 23 | First day of classes: Monday, Aug. 25 | ~10,000 students | Traffic: West Trade and West 4th streets
Johnson C. Smith University | Move in: Thursday, Aug. 14-Sunday, Aug. 17 | First day of classes: Wednesday, Aug. 20 | ~1,300 students | Traffic: Beatties Ford Road and West Trade Street
This summer, make every weekend count with Groupon. Score up to 70% off chef-curated experiences, wine tastings, riveting tours + attractions, spa days that melt the dress away, and more.
The fun doesn’t have to end here. After reading the newsletter, head over to our games page. Games refresh with new challenges every day at 6 a.m. from crossword puzzle to Sudoku to themed word search.
When I attended the University of Dayton, I always moved in early because I had work and organization orientations to attend. I loved rearranging and personalizing my housing for the year. So if you’re looking for last-minute back-to-school gifts, be sure to take a look at this list of essentials.
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