Music, food and funk tonight

The NC Music Factory continues to set a new standard in concert series tonight. Plus Taste of Charlotte kicks off uptown. Is it 5 o'clock yet? See you in the streets. Let's get this party started.

George Hendricks Photography 

Comedic Melodrama - PaperHouse Theatre presents "A Woman of No Importance," Oscar Wilde’s take on the battle of the sexes. Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 8 p.m., June 5-14, FROCK Shop, 901 Central Avenue. $30 includes complimentary sips and nibbles. Reservations: paperhousetheatre@gmail.com or 704-659-3638. Space is limited to 30 people per performance. Reservations are mandatory. #AWoNI #‎cltcrafttheatre‬ ‪#‎experiencelocaltheatre‬ ‪#‎cltarts‬

Celebrity Comedian - Bobby Lee has appeared on MadTV, "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno."$20 various times Friday and Saturday. The Comedy Zone, 900 North Carolina Music Factory Blvd.




Friday Live: The N.C. Music Factory has the best lineup for it's Friday Live summer concert series. Tonight's headliner is Shovels & Rope, which music writer Courtney Devores says sold out two Charlotte venues and opened for the Avett Brothers a couple of years ago. Sounds like seeing them for $8 is a steal. 6 p.m., NC Music Factory Fountain Plaza, 900 NC Music Factory Blvd., $8.



Don't Forget

Family Fun - Sample a variety of Charlotte area restaurants, including a lot of chains, in one-spot at the three-day Taste of Charlotte. More than 100 restaurants, live music, children’s activities, street performers and more. 12 p.m. Friday - 6 p.m. Sunday. Center City, Tryon Street between Stonewall and Trade. Free, but you’ll need to purchase festival coins to sample food.  Details.
Updated info:  Don't miss the Race to the Taste, 5K and Cupcake Run/Walk on Saturday at 9 a.m. Starts at 4th Street near Church. Race through uptown to Southend. Enjoy live music. The Cupcake Run/Walk involves racers grabbing cupacakes along the route! Register here.

International Club DJ - Get ready to dance the night away as DJ Camillo takes over the N.C. Music Factory. POWER 98's DJ Phalse ID opens. 10 p.m. Label 900 NC Music Factory Blvd. $10.




The Mothership - Get funky with George Clinton. You know how this show will go. So bring your funky spirit and get ready for a trip you won’t forget. 8 p.m. Amos’ Southend, 1423 South Tryon Street, $35 and up.

LGBTQ Gala - If you applaud Caitlyn Jenner’s courage then the Platinum Gala: The Art of Expression is a great chance to support our local LGBTQ youth. The gala celebrates LGBTQ youth in the Carolinas. Molly Barker, Founder of Girls on the Run is the key note and Ben Thompson, Anchor WCNC, will be the Master of Ceremonies. 6:30 p.m. -10:30 p.m., The Mint Museum-Uptown, 500 S Tryon St. $100.

Holla: sipandplayclt@gmail.com

George Clinton, Canine Couture and Whiskey Women

Nice weather equals more outdoor events. The Mint rescheduled it's Party In the Park and the Charlotte Symphony launches it's Pop Series. More event inside and outside below. See you in the streets. Let's get this party started.

Tonight

Rescheduled! Family Happy Hour - Bring the kids to the front lawn of Mint Museum Randolph for the fourth annual Party in the Park, a family-friendly event, benefitting the Mint's annual fund. Bring snacks or cash for the food trucks and bar.  Enjoy an evening outside listening to summer tunes, playing games and watch a movie. The museum will be open. 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. Mint Museum Randolph, 2730 Randolph Road. Free.

Brown Liquor Ladies - The Queen City Whiskey Women host their monthly “Drink-Up.” $5 whiskeys. Cocktail Sensei, Stefan, creates a specialty cocktail each month inspired by the whiskey-swillin' ladies. The group nominates a monthly "MANhattan" - an adventurous and supportive male friend that is invited to attend the drink-up and regal us with his humor (and chivalry). Tiaras are strongly encouraged! 6 p.m. Heist Brewery, Heist Brewery, 2909 N Davidson St Ste 200.




Thursday 

New Monthly Series - The Cosmic Union Zulus presents: o&mi - w/ Pako the Panik, DJ Wizdom & The Dirty Drummer is a new monthly series that features rare grooves, afro, funk, hip-hop and soul. Dirty Drummer will do an Afrobeat, Brazilian, electro set. Plus there’s up rock from the Raleigh Rockers. 9 p.m. Crown Station, 1425 Elizabeth Ave, $5 / Ladies free before 11 p.m. 


Friday 

Family Fun - Sample a variety of Charlotte area restaurants, including a lot of chains, in one-spot at the three-day Taste of Charlotte. More than 100 restaurants, live music, children’s activities, street performers and more. 12 p.m. Friday - 6 p.m. Sunday. Center City, Tryon Street between Stonewall and Trade. Free, but you’ll need to purchase festival coins to sample food.  Details.

International Club DJ - Get ready to dance the night away as DJ Camillo takes over the N.C. Music Factory. POWER 98's DJ Phalse ID opens. 10 p.m. Label 900 NC Music Factory Blvd. $10.




The Mothership - Get funky with George Clinton. You know how this show will go. So bring your funky spirit and get ready for a trip you won’t forget. 8 p.m. Amos’ Southend, 1423 South Tryon Street, $35 and up.

LGBTQ Gala - If you applaud Caitlyn Jenner’s courage then the Platinum Gala: The Art of Expression is a great chance to support our local LGBTQ youth. The gala celebrates LGBTQ youth in the Carolinas. Molly Barker, Founder of Girls on the Run is the key note and Ben Thompson, Anchor WCNC, will be the Master of Ceremonies. 6:30 p.m. -10:30 p.m., The Mint Museum-Uptown, 500 S Tryon St. $100.

Saturday 

Night Run - Grab your retro-reflective and head to NoDa for the Noda 5k. Enjoy cool swag, beer, live music and food trucks. Benefits Beards BeCause. The race starts and ends at the NEW NoDa Brewing Company, 2921 North Tryon. $35 and up.

Dog Fashion Show - Bring your posh pooch out for a doggie fashion show and more at Canine Couture, which benefits Pride Charlotte and the Humane Society of Charlotte Enjoy an afternoon of local brews‚ and hang out with fellow dog owners. The event will include 12 vendors, including dog grooming and a DJ. Contests include Best Hair/Fur, Best Dressed/Costume, Best Owner/Pet Look A Like, Best Trick and Best in Show. General admission is $5, with VIP seating at $20. Entry into the contest is $15 per pet (including one category entry and admission for an owner) and $5 for each additional contest category entered. Details.

Sunday 

For The Family - Bring the family to the LGBT Community Picnic with cookout food, a DJ, games, such as kickball and Twister, face painting and Equality Cupcakes. Park Road Park, Shelter One.


Symphony In SouthPark - The Charlotte Symphony’s annual outdoor Summer Pops Series starts today. 5 p.m. Symphony Park, 4400 Sharon Road. June concerts are $12; July 3 tickets are $16; Summer Passes for all five programs are $48.

Holla: sipandplayclt@gmail.com

Cultural Initiative: Batman, skateboards and ramen

Cheery women posed with mannequin parts on the small stage at the Chop Shop while Ryan Fenix Sumner snapped pictures. A half dozen people buried their heads in  bowls of ramen noodles. Scores of others milled about admiring art that ranged from a skateboard sculpture to framed paintings and photos. On the mainstage, Adrian Crutchfield, Tony Diaz, and others performed. In masking tape squares, random party-goers danced dramatically. Human mannequins posed on a platform. A handful of vendors hawked everything from coffee to handcrafted items. All of this occurred at the exact same time.

Saturday was my first time experiencing Cultural Initiative. At first it, felt overwhelming. So much happening simultaneously. Then I felt emancipated. I'm so accustomed to events being linear experiences. There's a set schedule. Typically all of my attention must be focused on the main performer on stage, then the next performer.

Cultural Initiative let the audience decide. It was a refreshing approach to entertainment. I caught a little bit of everything, talked with friends, made new acquaintances all at my own pace. Kudos to Joel Andrew Tracey and the rest of the Cultural Initiative collective for trusting that the audience could experience the evening on its own terms.

Cirque du Charlotte, a film festival and plenty of fun and games

Get an early start today with activities for the kids and then rest up for an evening of fun and games. 

Musical Wonderland - Escape to a magical place with the Charlotte Symphony Pops: Cirque Musica. The performance features aerialists and circus performers. Music compositions include classical and popular repertoire. The Charlotte Symphony Orchestra performs with Albert-George Schram conducting. 8 p.m. $30-$79.  Tickets here. Parking: Bank of America Center Parking Garage entrances at: 150 N. College St. and  290 E. 5th St.

Light It Up, Up, Up! - The holiday activities began yesterday. Speedway Christmas holiday light show features more than three million lights in 800 displays and a Christmas Village located in the infield. Tonight's movie is "Elf." $20. More info. More family holiday events on the Observer's mommy blog.

...And don't forget

For the Family - Bring the kids out for the annual the St. Jude Give thanks. Walk. Proceeds provide treatment and care for children with cancer and other life-threatening diseases. The walk includes live music, face painting and a kids fun zone. Park Road Park, 6220 Park Rd. 8 a.m. registration. Various prices.

Uno out! - It's okay to be a kid again at PlayDate The Inspirational Edition. Games range from poker to Uno. Don't miss the signature PlayDate takes on Hula Hoops and musical chairs. 8 p.m. Venue 1801, 1801 South Tryon St. $10/$15. Parking onsite.

Keep It Real Short -  I'm really excited about the 100 Words Film Festival. I can't wait to see what these filmmakers do with such a strict word count. Categories are documentary and dramatic. 8 p.m. McGlohon Theater at Spirit Square, 345 N. College St. $10. More details.  Limited parking onsite. 7th Street parking deck at 7th off College St. (behind Levine Museum of the New South) accepts multiple forms of payment. Nearby surface lots accept cash and coins only.

Don't be shy: Tonya Jameson, sipandplayclt@gmail.com

Sour Beer, Latin Dancing And Running In The Streets

Welcome to Sip + Play: Things To Do In Charlotte. Each week, I’ll be your online guide to things to do in Charlotte, especially on the weekends. On Wednesdays, I'll give you a preview. Think of it like entertainment tapas. A taste of what happening this weekend in restaurants, nightlife, music, art and more. Basically, if it sounds fun, I’ll share it with you in Sip + Play. On the weekends, look for live coverage from events as well as more things to do and of course - a party or two!!! Let’s have some fun. I’m starting tonight with the Charlotte Bourbon Club for Bourbonista’s Bourbon & Babble.

  Tonight

Beer and Adventure - Two of my passions come together - hardcore fitness and beer - at the Whitewater Race Series Party, 6 p.m., NoDa Brewing Company, 2229 N Davidson St. Grab a NoDa Brewing's newly released Ashley's Love Potion, a Saison, and see what’s in store for the 2015 race season.

For The Naughty - After a six-year hiatus the Suicide Girls return with their popular Burlesque Tour. Suicide Girls Blackheart Burlesque, 9 p.m.,  at Fillmore Charlotte, 1000 NC Music Factory Blvd.

Fresh Beats - Rapid rhythms, live instrumentals and a fancy drum machine have made DJ AraabMuzik a rising star on the DJ scene. He's worked with ASAP Rocky, Azealia Banks, Jadakiss, Busta Rhymes, 50 Cent and Eminem and more.  Doors open at 10 p.m., Suite.

  Friday

Dancing Uptown -  Art and dancing unite at Mint To Move Cultural Dance Night. There will be Afro-Cuban and Latin-American music by DJ Pepito and live musicians. Featured performances: Café Amaretto Music with Ana Lucia Divins and Rumbao Latin Dance Company. 8 p.m. - Midnight. Mint Museum Uptown.

Saturday 

 Running and Partying - It’s the Thunder Road Marathon and the fun begins at 8 a.m. at Romare Bearden Park. Don’t feel like going uptown? The race will likely come to you with live music performances or a DJ at various mile markers along the way. Here's the line up. I'll be live-tweeting from some of the neighborhood block parties along the route. Follow me at this link or grab your bike and join me.




Sour Beer Lovers - If the name doesn’t entice you, the beer will. It’s Release The Funk 2: The Electric Funkaloo presented by Salud Beer Shop & New Belgium Brewing. 1 p.m. - 5 p.m, Neighborhood Theatre, 511 E 36th St. More than two dozen breweries are expected to participate. Get tickets here.








 Sunday 

For the Family - Don’t miss Art & Soul at Latibah Collard Green Museum, 720 Tuckaseegee Rd. Enjoy music by A Sign of The Times Band, live music and art auction and of course soul food. 980-206-1768.


Don't be shy: Tonya Jameson, sipandplayclt@gmail.com

Welcome back Tonya Jameson

We'd like to welcome back former Paid to Party blogger, Tonya Jameson.

Tonya has grown up on the ever-changing Charlotte entertainment scene and she gets out and about more than anyone I know.

She likes to try new things, has a varied palate and a thirst for social culture that is sure to entertain you and get you out of the house. Tonya says: I like taco trucks (yeah, I remember them) and diners after midnight. I can have fun seeing a new exhibit at the Mint Museum or barhopping uptown or straight chilling in Plaza-Midwood -- or all three on the same night! I work hard, play harder and do CrossFit so I can look good.

Yep, she's back.

For the next few months, Tonya will be testing a new feature for The Observer, primarily aimed at weekend events and other ways to entertain yourself, your family, your visitors.

Tonya will provide you will tips on where to go and what to do with your weekend and she'll be tweeting and live-blogging from specific events. So set your bookmark to Sip+Play and enjoy the ride.

-- Online editor Dee-Dee Strickland