Your 5-minute guide to the best things to do in Charlotte | Jan. 20-26
Friday, Jan 20
Dine at a discount at Dresslers, The Waterman Lake Norman, Figo36 or dozens of other area restaurants during Queen’s Feast: Charlotte Restaurant Week. The annual event taking place at participating restaurants throughout the Charlotte metro area lasts through Sunday, Jan. 29. bit.ly/3ipdKqe
Book an early Valentine’s Day dinner at North Corner Haven with fireside cocktails, live music and more on Saturday, Feb. 11. The four-course meal will include Southern crab cakes and Winter’s Endive while you sip your drinks in the courtyard. Guests will then be seated in the Cedar Barn for a meal by executive chef Joy Turner that includes Quail Egg with creme fraiche and caviar, Hearty Onion Soup, Ribeye Au Poivre and Joy’s Chocolate Cake. (A vegetarian meal is available upon request.) Early bird pricing of $395 per couple ends today. 3454 Activity Road, Lancaster, SC. bit.ly/3Whoqp0
Saturday, Jan. 21
Go for a run, enter a raffle and more at the Around the Crown 10K 2023 Launch Party. The free family-friendly event offers 1-mile, 3-mile and 5-mile group runs, plus $30 discounted 2023 race registration (beginning at 7:04 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 22), Brooks shoe testing and fitting, and food and drink. Noon-2 p.m., NoDa Brewing’s OG Taproom, 2229 N. Davidson St. bit.ly/3ZJykCq
Showcase your cooking skills and prove you can make a killer mac & cheese at Hoptown Brewing’s inaugural Mac & Cheese Throwdown. Bring your entry in a crock pot or in a pan already baked, then staff and patrons will vote on which entry deserves the label of best mac & cheese in Mooresville. RSVP to enter the free contest. 12:30-3 p.m. 107 Plantation Ridge Drive, Mooresville. bit.ly/3iDaxUo
Celebrate the Year of the Rabbit at Devil’s Logic’s Lunar New Year party. You can browse the brewhouse market featuring local vendors from 1-5 p.m., while eating Asian-inspired bites. Queen City Lion Dance will perform at 4 p.m., and fireworks are included in the festivities. Free admission. 1426 E. 4th St. bit.ly/3w66QJU
Attend a nonalcoholic drinks festival hosted by the Counterculture Club from 3-8 p.m. at Camp North End. Early bird tickets for the Counterculture Festival are on sale now, starting at $30, plus $3.46 in fees, or $88 plus $6.99 in fees for VIP tickets that include early admission, a deluxe gift bag and personal tarot reading. 300 Camp Road. bit.ly/3QNQXBf
Take a trip down memory lane with legendary crooner Barry Manilow, who is coming to Spectrum Center as part of a seven-show “Hits 2023” tour through the Southeast this month. The man behind ’70s pop standards like “Copacabana (At the Copa)” and “I Write the Songs” (who also this year will celebrate the 50th anniversary of his self-titled debut album) is — believe it or not — turning 80 in June. Tickets start at $19.50. 7 p.m. 333 E. Trade St. bit.ly/3ZNH2jp
Act fast if you hope to still get into the mostly sold-out Monster Truck Wars events at Cabarrus Arena & Events Center. Tickets to the 1 p.m. are no longer available, while the 7 p.m. only has VIP passes left ($35 plus fees online, or $40 at the door; includes a “pit party pass”). This is touted as “America’s wildest monster truck show” and features speedy, high-flying vehicles like Outlaw, El Oso Loco, Sheriff and Equalizer. 4751 State Hwy. 49 in Concord. bit.ly/3Hffs7p
Sunday, Jan. 22
Warm up at Divine Barrel Brewing’s More Soup For You event from 1-4 p.m. — or get in the kitchen to create a wining entry. The soup and chili cook-off competition is open to anyone interested in entering their best recipe for a chance to win prizes. Admission is free, but canned food and cash donations for Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina are welcome. 3701 N. Davidson St., Suite #203. bit.ly/3FX4Bgz
See a performance of George and Ira Gershwin classic “Porgy & Bess,” at Opera Carolina as it opens at 2 p.m. Showings continue at 7 p.m. Jan. 24, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 26 and 8 p.m. Jan. 28. Tickets start at $38.59 and range up to $240.62. Belk Theater, 130 N. Tryon St. bit.ly/3Fs6bGQ
Enjoy a six-course dinner with some of the classic dishes from the Prickly Pear during the Prickly Pear Dinner at Havana 33. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. at the Miami-style Cubvan restaurant, and the last seating is at 8:30 p.m. The event continues through Wednesday, Jan. 25. 637 Williamson Road, Suite 100, Mooresville. bit.ly/3XyHL5W
Monday, Jan. 23
Order a round of jalapeno shrimp poppers or pimento cheese pretzel knots and play BuzzTime Trivia at Village TapHouse Mooresville. The game is free, so. you just need to grab a playmaker board and join in. While you’re there, you can enjoy the drink specials of $2.50 domestic pints and $4 house wines all day. 128 Argus Lane, # D, Mooresville. bit.ly/3QxbES4
Tuesday, Jan. 24
Meet fellow career-minded professionals at Network After Work at the Trolley Barn. First timers to the group that exchanges ideas and aims to grow together are free, but register to RSVP. 6-8 p.m. 2104 South Blvd. bit.ly/3XBFDKN
Delve into archaeology, ethnography and more with the lecture “The Fight for Maya Sacred Places in the Past and Present,” by Brent Woodfill, associate professor of anthropology at Winthrop University. His talk will explore the battle for access to and control of the most important places in central Guatemala. Free. 7:30-9:30 p.m. Visual Arts Center, VAC-117 Semans Lecture Hall, Davidson College, 405 N. Main St., Davidson. bit.ly/3GF1V7y
Wednesday, Jan. 25
Let your creativity loose during the Ceramics Open Studio at Cain Center for the Arts. Doors open at 4 p.m. Register in advance to get a ticket. $30. 21348 Catawba Ave., Cornelius. bit.ly/3Xj2wD4
Take a casual, family friendly sunset stroll along the Eastway Regional Recreation Center property. Participants may walk up to a mile on uneven terrain, so dress for the weather and come prepared to spend up to an hour outside. Adult participation required if someone in your party is under 18. Free. 5-6 p.m. 3150 Eastway Park Drive. bit.ly/3QJRJzc
Thursday, Jan. 26
Delve into women’s health and learn about uterine fibroids while drinking complimentary cocktails and munching on appetizers. Women will share their stories while speaking to physicians in the Charlotte area, supporting each other and enjoying a night out. RSVP to reserve a spot. 6:30-8:30 p.m. The Daily Tavern, 214 N. Church St. bit.ly/3iKa9TT
Bite into brisket with a six-blend rub along with housemade mac and cheese, and street corn off the cob with a spicy Cajun seasoning and Parmesan at Tex-A-Lina Barbecue in Denver. The family owned restaurant opened recently in the former Daddy K’s BBQ Catering Co. space. 6109 NC-16 Business, Denver. bit.ly/3iRk0qW
Mark your calendar
Order your tickets to see Mina Starsiak Hawk of HGTV’s “Good Bones” on Feb. 25 at the Charlotte Home + Remodeling Show, which returns to The Park Expo and Conference Center from Feb. 24-26. Show hours will be from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. -5 p.m. on Sunday. Adult. tickets are $12 at the door and $10 online; children 12 and under are free. All seniors (60+) will receive free admission on Friday, Feb. 24; and Sunday, Feb. 26 is free for all active and retired military, fire, police and EMT personnel with valid ID. On-site parking is $10; cash and credit card will be accepted. 2500 E. Independence Blvd. bit.ly/3Bvvx5B
Check out Men of Change: Power. Triumph. Truth., which profiles Black male icons in America, at the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts+Culture and Levine Museum of the New South. The exhibit highlights revolutionary men including Muhammad Ali, James Baldwin, Ta-Nehisi Coates, W.E.B. DuBois and Kendrick Lamar, whose journeys have altered the history and culture of the country. The traveling work from the Smithsonian will remain on display through March 12. Free. Gantt at 551 S. Tryon St., and Levine Museum at 401 South Tryon St. https://bit.ly/3fNnyZm and https://bit.ly/3fMUUId
Buy tickets for the R.O.A.R. female leadership symposium. The day-long event Friday, March 31 at the Statesville Country Club features dynamic female leaders that will encourage women to Resound, Outshine, Actualize and Revolutionize their lives, featuring guest speaker Jane Jenkins Herlong. Tickets are $85 per person for chamber members and $110 for non-chamber members. 116 N. Center St., Statesville. bit.ly/3gnfhMJ
Celebrate Cheerwine at the 2023 Cheerwine Festival in Salisbury on May 20. Groove out to local and national bands while you enjoy Cheerwine-inspired food and drinks, then browse arts and crafts vendors and kids’ activities. Free. Noon-10 p.m. Downtown Salisbury. bit.ly/3wbqRyR
Theoden Janes contributed to this article.
This story was originally published January 19, 2023 at 6:00 AM.
