Your top 10 options for July 4th weekend fun in Charlotte
You can find fireworks from Uptown to Lake Wylie this Independence Day, but for folks seeking a break from the boom, there are plenty of other ways to celebrate this holiday weekend.
Carowinds Military Days, Saturday through Monday. Park admission is free for any active, inactive or retired United States Service man or woman with a valid military ID. Fireworks July 3rd and 4th. 14523 Carowinds Blvd.
Pop-Up Ballantyne Beer Garden, Noon 7 p.m. Sunday. Enjoy live music from Wicked Powers and Pluto for Planet and local beer from Olde Mecklenburg Brewery and The Dreamchaser’s Brewery on the South Lawn. Free entry; beer pricing from $5. 10000 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy.
U.S. National Whitewater Center’s Festival, 1-10 p.m., Sunday and Monday. Two days of outdoor games, live music from Dr. Dog and The Wood Brothers and fireworks. Free entry; $30 for you and a partner to enter the cornhole tournament. 5000 Whitewater Center Pkwy.
Plaza Midwood 4th of July Pig Pickin’, 4 - 10pm Sunday. Brews and BBQ throughout the business district. Live performances by Dollar Signs and Em Young.
Charlotte Firecracker 5K, 7 p.m. Sunday. Compete or run for fun through the Old Providence neighborhood and finish with a pool party at Windyrush Country Club with music, food and drinks. Parking at Olde Providence Elementary School; childcare provided between 6 and 8pm. 5K tickets cost $30 and Family Fun Run tickets cost $15 up until race day, when the cost increases to $35 for the 5K and $20 for the Family Fun Run. Registration online. Olde Providence Elementary School Parking/Race/Start at 3800 Rea Road; Race/End/Pool Party at Windyrush Country Club, 6441 Windyrush Rd.
Red, White & Brew Bash, 7 p.m. Sunday. Raise your glass to America with drinks at Howl at the Moon, along with a nonstop live show, games and prizes. Wear red, white and blue for free admission. 210 E Trade Street.
Queen City Brass Band, 7:30 p.m. Sunday. Grab your lawn chair and blankets and head to the Mint Hill Town Hall for the band’s annual patriotic concert. Free. 4430 Mint Hill Village Ln.
Charlotte Museum of History Independence Day Celebration, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday - Learn about history with talks and tours of the Hezekiah Alexander homesite, along with crafts, cake and a ringing of the American Freedom Bell. Free for members; $5 for the public and $20 for families. Registration online.
WBT SkyShow Charlotte, 2-10 p.m. Monday. WBT’s street festival on Mint Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in front of BB&T Ballpark will boast live music, an interactive kids area, food and drinks, a ferris wheel and more. The Charlotte Knights will play starting at 6:05pm and tickets can be purchased here. After the game, those in and outside of the stadium can watch SkyShow’s fireworks display, which is the largest in the Southeast. Street festival and fireworks show are free. Knights game tickets start at $10. 324 S Mint St.
Kings Mountain Revolutionary 4th, 6 p.m. Monday. The home of the Revolutionary War’s turning point battle will celebrate with country and southern rock from The Chris Marks Band and a performance of a scene from the play “Liberty Mountain - The Revolutionary Drama.” The night ends with fireworks and food vendors will be available throughout. Free entry. Walking Track Park near the YMCA at 211 N Cleveland Ave.
This story was originally published June 30, 2016 at 11:59 AM with the headline "Your top 10 options for July 4th weekend fun in Charlotte."