Living Here

Fifty years ago, people regularly went to the movies to get out of the heat. Those of us without air conditioning would cough up a couple of bucks, almost regardless of what passed in front of our eyes, to relax for two hours with cool air moving over us.

The Ballantyne Breakfast Club’s evening get-together group, called Ballantyne After Dark, hosted the fifth annual Tommy Bahama Party & Fashion Show at Ballantyne Aloft hotel. Models – including Charlotte City Councilman Andy Dulin – along with volunteers walked the runway to show off the latest Tommy Bahama styles available at the SouthPark mall store.

Get a taste of racing action at Food Lion Speed Street, the prelude to Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 at the Speedway. The festival stretches along Tryon Street from Stonewall to Fourth streets, and on MLK Jr. Boulevard from Church Street to the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

“And the Bead Goes On”: This new exhibit features beaded women’s fashions from the Mint Museum Randolph’s fashion collection. Designers include Halston, Bob Mackie, Giorgio Armani, Oscar de la Renta and Alber Elbaz for Lanvin. It opens May 31 and runs through Feb. 17 at the Mint Museum Randolph, 2730 Randolph Road. $10; $8 for college students and ages 65 and older; $5 for ages 5-17. 704-337-2000; www.mintmuseum.org.