CATCH A SPOOKY MOVIE UNDER THE STARS Head to Stowe Park in downtown Belmont for a family movie night on October 4 and 25. Belmont Movies in the Park will feature outdoor showings of The Addams Family (Oct. 4) and…
Lori Shaw and Jennifer Dolan met eight years ago, when their kids were in preschool. Both had lived and worked in New York; now, they lived five minutes apart in south Charlotte. “We came from the northeast, where fall is,…
All eyes are on this weekend's home opener. Here's what to know: It’s a new force in women’s sports. Carolina Ascent FC kicked off its inaugural season in August 2024, and their home opener marked the return of women's professional…
CHECK OUT THE YIASOU THE GREEK FESTIVAL The Yiasou Greek Festival returns to the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral September 5-7. Enjoy cultural exhibits, folk dancing, live music, and authentic Greek cuisine. The Kids Playland has rides, children’s activities, and…
CELEBRATE YOUR LITTLE READERS The Little Learners Literacy Fest, co-hosted by Arnie the Armadillo and Moving Little Minds, returns for its second year at Northeastern University Charlotte on Saturday, August 16. Enjoy free hearing screenings, interactive story times, expert-led workshops…
For Charlotte families wanting a beach weekend that doesn’t involve airport security or hours of “are we there yet?,” Hilton Head is an ideal summer getaway. The 12-mile-long island is about 20 miles northeast of Savannah and inhabited by an…
Since 2021, Harper & Skyler’s Toys & Sweets has been Charlotte’s go-to for treats, candy boards, toys, and personalized accessories. If you’re a frequent customer, you might recognize 11-year-old Harper Weiss, who often helps out behind the counter. Her dad,…
Anna Stallmann is a public relations ace and owner of Anna Stallmann Communications, a women-led firm that serves a diverse group of local and national businesses and nonprofits. She’s also a mom of two daughters, Savannah, 6, and Madeleine, 4.…
HEAD TO KID’S NIGHT AT MAC’S SPEED SHOP Take the family to any one of Mac’s Speed Shop’s nine Charlotte locations on Tuesday nights from 5 p.m. to close and enjoy $2.50 kids meals with the purchase of an adult…
“I’m not a regular general contractor,” says Mark Aymer, owner of Aymer Luxury Building and Design. “I don't just seek out kitchens and bathrooms. I’m a unique builder.” It’s why his clients hired him to build a 34-foot-long pirate ship…
CELEBRATE JUNETEENTH Head to Plaza Midwood between June 12 and 15 for Juneteenth Festival of the Carolinas. Activities include a youth culture camp, a drum circle, a gospel fest, craft workshops, music, performances, food, a marketplace, and more. Events are…
As travelers gear up for Memorial Day weekend, these three scenic, drivable destinations blend beach relaxation, mountain air, and plenty of small-town charm. CRYSTAL COAST, NORTH CAROLINA The Crystal Coast is an 85-mile stretch of beaches that encompasses Beaufort, Atlantic…
BUILD A BOUQUET FOR MOM Join Sadie’s Flowers at Keepsake Brewery on Saturday, May 10, for a Mother’s Day pop-up from noon to 4 p.m. Buy pre-bundled bouquets or build your own at the flower bar. Pre-orders are also available…
It’s a familiar struggle for working parents with young children: How do you balance career and family and find your proverbial village? Wouldn’t it be great if a place could prioritize parents’ physical, mental, and emotional health under one roof?…
A guide to the kid-friendly sites to explore in Charlotte
VISIT CHARLOTTE SHOUT! This multi-week festival returns to uptown April 4-20. See more than 200 installations, performances, events, and activations. Nearly all the events are outdoors, free, and open to the public. charlotteshout.com EAT BARBECUE FOR A GOOD CAUSE Head…
CELEBRATE ST. PATRICK’S DAY IN UPTOWN The Charlotte St. Patrick’s Day and Festival returns to uptown on Saturday, March 15. The festival takes place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and extends down Tryon Street from 3rd Street to Levine…
IMPRINT YOUR FAMILY STORY Come to The Gantt Center on Saturday, February 1 for a Family First workshop. Learn about African symbols, including Adinkra and Kente patterns, with artist Ori Jai (aka The Syringa Fairy), then create personalized symbols for…
KICK OFF NEW YEARS DAY WITH A 5K Celebrate the start of 2025 at the Charlotte New Year's Day 5K on January 1 in University City. This family-friendly 5K begins at 10 a.m. and follows along Mallard, Barton, and Toby…
Melissa Lee’s clients’ two-story Matthews home was built in 1972, and the homeowners had changed a few paint colors and light fixtures since moving in five years prior, but now they were ready to modernize the choppy layout and make…
SIP HOT COCOA WITH SANTA Stop by Optimist Hall on Saturday, December 7, and see the event space transformed into a Winter Wonderland. From 10 am to noon, Santa Claus will be stationed for photo ops against a backdrop of…
It’s time to start tackling those holiday wishlists, so we caught up with our resident toy expert Dan Weiss, owner of Harper & Skyler’s Toys & Sweets, to find out which items he can’t keep on the shelves this season.…
Is there anything better than cozying up in a mountain retreat at the height of the holiday season? At just under three hours from Charlotte, Cataloochee Ranch sits on a picturesque mountaintop along the southeastern border of the Great Smoky…
Sarah Andrews had a special connection to her clients’ Foxcroft home. When the client is a longtime friend and your kids have grown up together, the project feels a bit more personal. During COVID, their families even formed a “pod…
CELEBRATE DIWALI AT OPTIMIST HALL Come to Botiwalla on Friday, November 1 and celebrate Diwali, a festival of lights that marks India’s biggest and most important holiday of the year. The family-friendly evening includes food specials like a pani puri…
Danielle Steiner’s clients loved their two-story colonial in historic Dilworth, but with two young children and frequent guests, they were running out of space. “They have a lot of family from outside the U.S. come to visit and stay for…
TREAT YOURSELF TO A FALL PIG PICKIN’ Take the family to Sweet Lew's BBQ on Sunday, October 6, and experience the Carolina BBQ Festival’s inaugural Fall Pig Pickin'. Tickets are $35 and include a whole hog barbecue buffet prepared by…
Gray Walker’s clients had a 2-year-old and a newborn when they hired the designer to modernize their dated, two-story Myers Park home. “They purchased this home shortly after their wedding and started a massive renovation,” Walker says. “The goal was…
At 17, Darby Camp seems far too young to appreciate a good 1980s movie reference. But her beloved shih tzu, Marty McFly, is a nod to her favorite movie, Back to the Future. Darby’s natural ease in a room full…
CELEBRATE LABOR DAY AT THE U.S. WHITEWATER CENTER Celebrate Labor Day at U.S. National Whitewater Center Saturday, August 31 and Sunday, September 1. The weekend lineup includes trail races, yoga, live music, and the Whitewater Center’s newest feature, Wildwoods, an…
Jacy Painter Kelly’s client was a single mother of two when she hired the designer to decorate and furnish her new home in Fort Mill. “She was in Indian Land and wanted to build something more permanent and get into…
CELEBRATE BUZZ CITY KIDS CLUB DAY Head to Camp Greene Park on Saturday, August 3 for a fun-filled day of activities, games, and skills and drills. Activities cater to ages 7 to 14, and Buzz City Kids Club members can…
The best inventions are often born from necessity, and this was certainly true for Stacy and Michael Baker, co-owners of Grow Café. As working parents with two daughters under age 4 (they also have a 17-year-old son), they struggled to…
Kelly Hickman, principal designer at ES Design Studio, gets a lot of requests for understated, neutral interiors. So she was thrilled when the owners of a 12,800-square-foot home in Morrocroft wanted a color-blitzed bonus room for their two children. “The…
Looking to take a breather from your family’s packed summer schedule? When you’re ready to log off, power down, and unplug, take a two and a half hour drive to southern Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains and treat yourself to a…
CELEBRATE AMERICA AT THE BALLPARK See the Charlotte Knights take on the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp on July 4 at 6:35 p.m., and stay for a fireworks show at Truist field immediately following the game. Gates open at 5 p.m. Tickets…
Can’t swing the airfare for a cross country trip this summer? Not to worry. Charlotte is accessible to plenty of family-friendly destinations that are four hours or less by car. Whether you want to see some wild animals, go glamping,…
VISIT THE NEW SULLENBERGER AVIATION MUSEUM The Sullenberger Aviation Museum officially opens its doors on Saturday, June 1, at 10 a.m. Captain C.B. “Sully” Sullenberger, who maneuvered the famed “Miracle on the Hudson” landing, will be in Charlotte to celebrate…
Britni Antonelli, co-owner of Pep + Palm, has done a number of full-scale renovations for clients across Charlotte since launching the business two years ago. But when her business partner Kelsey Peyton wanted to design a nursery for her then…
Baby Penelope’s 205-day stay at the NICU with Novant Health NICU nurse Courtney Hass
ENJOY FREE ADMISSION TO THE MINT MUSEUM Starting May 1, children in grades K-12 can enjoy free admission to both locations of the Mint Museum for an entire year with an adult admission. This opportunity was made possible through Mint…
MILES FROM CHARLOTTE: 668 TRAVEL TIME: 2 hours NONSTOP SERVICE ON: American Airlines We made it. The cold, gloomy months of winter are behind us and the days are finally getting longer. It’s time to trade those puffer jackets and…
VISIT CHARLOTTE SHOUT! This multi-week festival has returned to uptown and runs through April 14. See more than 200 installations, performances, events, and activations. Nearly all the events are outdoors, free, and open to the public. charlotteshout.com HEAD TO THE…
Any parent of a newborn knows late-night feedings are part of the gig. But any seasoned parent will tell you how fast that newborn transitions to the infant and toddler stage. That’s where Michelle Lane, owner of Modern Cottage, comes…
Pining for some mountain air but don’t have time for an extended road trip? Pack up the car with your puffy coats and hiking boots and head to Boone for one last dash of winter. Explore the trails at Grandfather…
RIDE A SUGAR HIGH Stop by The Crazy Mason, the new dessert bar in Concord, for an over-the-top frozen treat. Splurge on towering, Instagrammable confections served in mason jars and topped with donuts, cupcakes, gummy bears, and more. GET CRAFTY…
After living in a series of rental homes, Liz Farrar and her husband, Daniel, fell in love with a 3.6-acre lot off Carmel Road in south Charlotte. They planned to renovate the house and make it work for their four…
SEE THE RAIL TRAIL LIGHTS The popular Rail Trail Lights return to South End February 2-18. See multiple public light art installations by local artists along the .7-mile stretch of the Rail Trail between Bland Street and Atherton Mill. Artwork…
PLAY NERF GAMES On Friday, January 5, Mecklenburg County Parks and Recreation invites kids ages 7 to 12 to play Nerf games like Red vs. Blue, Capture the Flag, Last Man Standing, and more. Pizza, snacks, and drinks are provided.…
As founder of CoCreative Interiors, Misty Molloy does one-room redesigns and whole-house transformations in and around Charlotte. When it came to her own home in Huntersville’s Gilead Ridge neighborhood, she renovated nearly every room in the “builder-grade” house, save for…
