The ultimate guide to the NBA All-Star Weekend—from parties to street closures
It’s here, Charlotte. This week, everyone from Floyd Mayweather to LeBron James will be in Charlotte for the 2019 NBA All-Star Weekend, with events Friday through Sunday at Spectrum Center.
The NBA is expecting 150,000 people. Get ready for athlete sightings, parties and lots of traffic.
Here’s your guide to it all:
[Related: The NBA All-Star Game is the city’s biggest party of the year—and you can’t go]
NBA All-Star Events:
NBA All-Star Celebrity Game (SOLD OUT)
Date: Friday, Feb. 15 at 7 p.m.
Where: Bojangles’ Coliseum
Details: Former Carolina Panthers star Steve Smith, Migos rapper Quavo and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Ray Allen are just a few of the celebrities and athletes that will take to the court for the 2019 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game.
Coverage: ESPN
[Related: An ex-Panther, a rock star and a famous doctor to play in NBA All-Star Celebrity Game]
NBA MTN DEW ICE Rising Stars
Date: Friday, Feb. 15 at 9 p.m.
Where: Spectrum Center
Details: Fans will have the opportunity to watch the league’s top first and second-year players compete. Rising stars in the past have included Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid and Karl-Anthony Towns.
Buy tickets here.
NBA All-Star Practice (SOLD OUT)
Date: Saturday, Feb. 16 at 12 p.m.
Where: Bojangles Coliseum
NBA All-Star Slam Dunk and 3-Point Shootout
Date: Saturday, Feb. 16 at 8 p.m.
Where: Spectrum Center
Buy tickets here.
NBA All-Star Game
Date: Sunday, Feb. 17 at 8 p.m.
Where: Spectrum Center
Buy tickets here.
[Related: Celebrities, parties, traffic jams. Will it be worth going uptown on All-Star weekend?]
Fans will be able to get in more on the action at some of the Epicentre events happening throughout the weekend. Some of these events include:
- NBA Crossover: This intimate space will showcase the convergence of the NBA and pop culture through the art, fashion, music, technology and entertainment that surround the game.
- NBA players and talent appearances
- Immersive virtual reality demonstrations
- Art and memorabilia displays
- NBA Store: A Fanatics Experience
- Apparel customization
The events are free, but registration is a must.
Traffic:
Charlotte will have more than 150,000 visitors coming in for the event —which means everywhere from Uptown to Independence Boulevard will be packed.
“We do expect the scope and scale of this event to be quite large in comparison to other sporting events and we expect that to be felt across the city, not just the center city, but to SouthPark and south Charlotte,” Laura Hill White, communications director at the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, told The Charlotte Observer’s Bruce Henderson.
[Related: Celebrities, parties, traffic jams. Will it be worth going uptown on All-Star weekend?]
Street and transportation closures that weekend include:
- Streets around Spectrum will close Wednesday night.
- CATS’ Uptown Transportation Center will be relocated from Friday morning through Monday morning.
- The Lynx Blue Line will run through the weekend with extra security measures.
- The Gold Line streetcar service won’t run during the weekend.
Our top 5 All-Star parties:
Welcome to Charlotte Block Party
When: Thursday, Feb. 14
What: The Money Team and Floyd “Money” Mayweather will be hosting the Block Party consisting of 4 clubs in South End Station: Slate; Oak Room; American Pub; and Hot Taco. Stay tuned for the line up of celebrities stopping by and guest DJ’s.
Where: Oak Room | 200 East Bland St.
Price: $25-$8,000
Black Food Truck Friday
When: Friday, Feb. 15
What: The Black Business Owners of Charlotte will be hosting this free event to showcase some of Charlotte’s best ethnic cuisines. Enjoy interactive games, visual art and more.
Where: Recess | 832 Seigle Ave.
Price: Free
NBA All-Star Celebrity Basketball Game After Party
When: Saturday, Feb. 16
What: The event starts at 10 p.m. and goes on until 2 a.m. Expect to see celebrity guests like Brooklyn Nets Damarre Carroll and Houston Rockets Gary Clark.
Where: La Revolution | 900 North Carolina Music Factory Boulevard, #1
Price: $25-$2,000
NBA All-Star Day Dreaming Party
When: Saturday, Feb. 16
What: What’s a party without rapper Fabolous and NBA legend Allen Iverson? The event starts at 4 p.m.
Where: Ink n Ivy | 222 South Church Street
Price: $100-$150
All-Star Sneaker Summit
When: Sunday, Feb. 17
What: The 7th annual celebration of basketball and sneaker culture will start at 1 p.m. There will be opportunities to buy, sell, trade and discuss collectible footwear, clothing and accessories.
Where: Harvey B. Gantt Center | 551 S. Tryon Street Rooftop Pavilion
Price: $25
Correction: This article has been updated to clarify information about CATS Uptown Transportation Center.
This story was originally published February 10, 2019 at 9:03 PM with the headline "The ultimate guide to the NBA All-Star Weekend—from parties to street closures."