Starting 10 a.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Tyber Creek will have Irish dancing from Rince Na h'Eireann, Irish food, live Music with McLean Avenue, a DJ, beer and liquor specials. Tyber Creek Pub, 1933 South Blvd
Bubble, Vida Vida, Whisky River, Blackfinn, Rooftop 210, Strike City and Suite! 7 p.m., EpiCentre, 210 East Trade St.
St. Patrick's Day Party
Special menu, Irish drink specials, live radio broadcast from Kiss 95.1, DJ, giveaways, NCAA tournament games on, and more. 11 a.m. Fitzgerald's, 201 E. Fifth St.
St. Patty's Day Party
Enjoy a warm corned beef sandwich and other Irish and German dishes. Früh Bock, Dunkel, and other regular brews on tap. The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery, 4150 Yancey Rd.
Armed with T-shirts, stickers, buttons and a new slogan, North Carolina craft brewers are fighting for their right to grow. Olde Mecklenburg Brewery and NoDa Brewing are spearheading a statewide campaign to pop the cap on beer distribution for local breweries.
John Marrino of OMB and Todd Ford of NoDa announced the Craft Freedom initiative during a press conference at the launch of Charlotte Craft Beer Week. Craft Freedom is a statewide effort to lift the cap on the amount of beer a local brewery can produce and distribute before it must hire a distributor. Simultaneous kick off events were held at Red Oak Brewery in Greensboro, Iron Clad in Wilmington and Raleigh Brewing Company in Raleigh on Friday. Asheville breweries also support the effort.
Courtesy of craftfreedom.org
Forcing small breweries to cede distribution to an company results in a profit loss for local breweries and basically a loss of control on how/if their beer is promoted to potential vendors.
Lifting the cap will take effort similar to what we saw in 2003 when state legislators finally allowed higher gravity beer in the state. For 70 years, beer could onlh be a maximum of 6% ABV. Raising the limit is the reason craft breweries have sprouted like wildflowers throughout the state. Now, the craft industry must work together to educate the public, the media and legislators about the importance of raising the production limit.
This is it! The last weekend to party as a sexy Santa or to wear your ugly sweater or to shop in the holiday market. This is it. What are you waiting for? Let's go!!! See you in the streets...
It’s Cold!- What better way to celebrate the cold weather than at the
2nd Annual Chili Cook-Off. Taste unlimited samples of chili from 20 home
chefs teams. Family friendly and dog friendly event so bring the whole
crew. Proceeds benefit Purple Heart Homes. 1 – 5 p.m., Unknown Brewing, 1327 S Mint St. Details. #WeLoveSouthEnd #WeLoveCLT
Don't Forget Sexy Santa - In keeping with the naughty spirit, the 5th Annual Sexy Santa party celebrates all things naughty. Wear your sexiest, funniest, goofiest Christmas-themed costume. Ice Martini Bar, 9525 Birkdale Crossing Drive #102, Huntersville.
Christmas Comedy - The Evening Muse and Matt Barrentine feature local, regional and even national comedy talent for the Stand Up, Get Down Comedy Show Holiday Special. 10:30 p.m., The Evening Muse, 3227 N. Davidson St. $8 - $10. Details.
Holiday Markets
VTGCLT Pop
is a full scale pop up shop that will be feature products from 85
local/regional vintage and handmade vendors. The shop will be open daily
from 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. daily and feature special guest and events
ranging from Food Trucks to performers. The old Goodyear building at S.
Tryon and East Stonewall Uptown. (100 East Stonewall St.) Details.
Art Gifts - Support NoDa artists by buying your last minute gifts at the All Arts Market. It will feature works by more than 70 artists. 6 p.m.-8 p.m., CenterStage At Noda, 2315 N Davidson St. Details.
Winter Market - Another chance to by gifts and baked good from 30 local vendors at The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery's 6th Annual Weihnachtsmarkt.
This is the opening weekend of the German-inspired Christmas Market.
Winter seasonal beers include Dunkel, Bauern Bock, and Yule Bock and
OMB’s homemade Glühwein: a spiced red wine served hot. Weihnachtsmarkt is every Friday and Saturday through the Dec. 18-19. 4
p.m. - 9 p.m. Fridays, 2 p.m. - 9 p.m. Saturdays. 4150 Yancey Road.
Finally! A beautiful weekend is on tap and I can't wait. It's going to be a great weekend to get outside and play. don't miss Biketoberfest and the other outdoor events.
Ticket Giveaway! Sip + Play Charlotte is giving away VIP passes to the Gravediggers Ball. Enter here.
Tonight
Share Your Talent - Locals share their creativity at the favorite Pecha Kucha. The presentations are limited to 20 images, 20 seconds per image, for a total of six minutes 40 seconds. Tonight’s presentation is an open call which means no themes or restrictions. All topics, ideas and media are welcome. 7:30 p.m. The Chop Shop Noda, 399 E. 35th St. Details.
Fundraiser Event - The Breast Cancer Cure Party includes appetizers, wine and beer. Live music by Carey Sims. 6 p.m. Napa on Provience, 110 Perrin Place. $20
Thursday Monthly Happy Hour - The Black Professional Group of Bank of America and the NFL Players Association-Charlotte Chapter teamed up with Herb Gray for the Herb Gray Happy Hour. A portion of the food and beverage sales will benefit Elon Homes and Schools for Children. 5 p.m., Charlotte City Club, 121 W. Trade St. 31st Floor Corner of Trade and Tryon across from the Marriott. Free.
Art Discussion - Listen and participate in a discussion about the evolving practice of contemporary craft in our region and the role that makers and supporters play in advancing the art form. Join craft advocate and collector Lorne Lassiter, curator Mark Leach, McColl Center Artist-in-Residence Mei-ling Hom, and gallerist/art consultant Noel as they discuss the past, present, and emerging trends in craft at McCOLL + RESPONSE | Discussion: Understanding Process + Practice in Contemporary Craft. 6-8 p.m. McColl Center, 721 N Tryon St. Details.
Friday
Got Game? - Show your bar game skills at the featuring flip cup, cornhole, beer pong, mini basketball and a mystery event for qualifying teams! 10 per team of two. Includes one drink. Team check-in is 7 p.m. - 7:45 p.m. Games begin at 8 p.m. Prohibition, 200 N Tryon St.
Favorite Hip-Hop Event - Art, Beats and Lyrics returns in its 11th year. This year will feature visual pieces by Dubelyoo, Carla Aaron Lopez, Miya Bailey and Matthew Curran, among many others. The event will also include appearances from hip-hop duo, 8Ball & MJG. 7 p.m. The Filmore, 820 Hamilton St. Ste. B2. Details.
OktoberFest Symphony Style - The Charlotte Symphony presents KnightSounds for symphony novices each Friday night. This month’s Oktoberfest theme features beer tastings, a roaming accordionists, and a live “oompa” band in the lobby after the show. The symphony will perform works of Johann Sebastian Bach and his son, W. F. Bach, plus Mozart’s Overture to The Marriage of Figaro, and selections from Brahms and Wagner. Local breweries, including NoDa Brewing Company and Olde Mecklenburg Brewery, will provide beer samplings, and the FestzeltMusik Oktoberfest Band will keep the party going after the concert.
7:30 p.m., Knight Theater, 430 S Tryon St. $29 includes a drink voucher. Drinks are permitted in the theater!
Saturday Family Fun - Bike, walk, and/or ride transit to a variety of destinations in Center City and South End while collecting stamps in at Sustain Charlotte’s Biketoberfest. The 7 p.m. afterparty at Triple C Brewing features live music, food trucks, and more. $15 and include a 2015 Biketoberfest t-shirt, entry to the after party at Triple C, a beer and more. 3 p.m. – 10 p.m. Uptown Charlotte, South End, and Triple C. Bike, walk, or ride the light rail around town to sponsoring businesses while obtaining stamps in your official Biketoberfest Passport! Passport pick up at Sustain Charlotte office Thursday and Friday or Saturday at Triple C. Registration available on Saturday at 2 p.m. Details. Note: Rain or shine! No refunds, but registration can be transferred to another participant.
Wine Event - It's the Southend neighborhood wine festival at the Southend Wine Festival. Enjoy unlimited tastings from 20 different vineyards, live music and food trucks. Proceeds benefit Classroom Central. 1 - 6 p.m., 308 W. Carson Blvd. $35. Details.
Fundraising Event II - The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's Charlotte Chapter presents the 5th Annual Brewer's Ball a beer, wine and food tasting event to benefit cystic fibrosis research. More than 300 guests are expected. Enjoy handcrafted samplings from local microbrewers and restaurants. Guests also get to exploring the exhibits at Discovery Place. 7:30 p.m, 301 N Tryon St. $75 and include unlimited samplings. VIP tickets are $125 and include a one-hour early entry to the event with private tasting, and a pilsner glass for tastings. Details.
Sunday Rescheduled! Hispanic Festival - The Fourth Annual Hola Charlotte Hispanic Heritage Festival features Latin festivals, live performances, Latin American cultural village, Latin cuisine and kids activities. 12 p.m. Hola Charlotte, Tryon St. Between Trade and 7th St. Details. This has now been rescheduled for Oct 18.
The rain has definitely put a damper on today's outdoor events, but we need it badly. So, celebrate this hopefully drought ending rain with some indoor fun. The party starts now. See you in the streets. Correction: Bob James is tonight! Raise A Glass - Challenge your friends in the First Annual Stein Hoisting Event sponsored by Sam Adam. Whoever holds their stein the longest will go on to compete at regionals, with the chance of competing in the finals on Jimmy Kimmel Live! The grand prize is a trip to Oktoberfest in Germany! 1 p.m. The Brass Tap, 1440 South Tryon St.
Afro Soul Groove - The monthly edition of Su CASA returns with resident Justice Sun Tzulu, DJ SunCee 95 of Afro+Freequency, spinning Afro/Deep/South African House. DJSteelWheel on the patio spinning Caribbean and African tunes. Live performance by Quentin Talley & The Soul Providers. 10 p.m. Petra’s, 1919 Commonwealth Ave. $5, $10.
Art Showcase - The third Skyline Artists Showcase features paintings by Kelly Keith, a performance by the dance troupe Triptych Collective and live music Ghost Tree Big Band. The Skyline Artists Showcase transforms the Goodyear building, the future home of Tryon Place, into a pop up art space. Co-presented by The Wall Poems of Charlotte and Amy Herman and the blessings of Charlotte Center City Partners. Former Goodyear, 100 E Stonewall St.
Don't Forget Family Fun - One of the most popular annual family events Festival In the Park returns with more than 1,000 performers scheduled on five performance stages and more than 180 arts and crafts exhibits. Various times this weekend. Details.
My Favorite Beer - Fall means Octoberfest beer and I’m so excited! Mecktoberfest celebrates German-style food, culture, and beer. There will be a special Mecktoberfest food menu.
OMB’s seasonal Mecktoberfest brew is a classic Märzen amber lager. The beer is just one part of it. The festival is good family fun. 11 a.m. - 11 p.m., Friday - Sunday, The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery, 4150 Yancey Rd. Details.
Black-Tie Gospel - The Praise Café TV Show/Charlotte Entertainment Network present the Gospel Image Awards 2015 to celebrate spiritual excellence through Christian Ministry. It’s a black tie event. 6 p.m. Halton Theater, 1206 Elizabeth Ave. $30. Details.
Great Jazz - The Jazz Diva presents An Evening With the Bob James Quartet. Opening Performance by Guitarists Paul Brown and Marc Antoine. 8 p.m., Knight Theater at Levine Center for the Arts, $45 - $70. Details.
All About Fashion - Majr presents Fashion Presentation featuring cocktails and apps. 8 p.m. Dupp & Swat, 2424 N Davidson St.
Beer & Run - Drink a beer every quarter mile, run/walk/skip/dance your way to the finish line, then celebrate at the after party. So, it’s four beers and in one mile at the National Beer Mile. 11 a.m. NC Music Factory, 1000 North Carolina Music Factory Boulevard. Details.
Ticket Giveaway!!!
Sip + Play CLT is giving away more tickets! Craft ciders are the newest evolution in Charlotte's growing brewing industry. Don't miss a chance to win free tickets to CiderFest at the EpiCentre on Oct. 9.Enter here.
Finally, it's Friday!!! I'm ready for the weekend. See you in the streets. Let's get this party started. Theater Night - The second annual Intro to LIT Evening of One Acts presents “New Blood! An Evening of NEW One-Act Plays.” The League of Independent Theatres of Charlotte will introduce two directors – Iesha Hoffman and Marius Riley – and three five-minute plays never before seen in Charlotte written by Matt Kenyon. 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. tonight and 6:30 p.m. Saturday. Upstage, 3306-C N. Davidson St. $10, $12. Details.
A New Concept For Black LGBT - Comfort Zone Productions presents Friday Urban Lounge. It's an evening of neosoul, jazz and soulful grooves. 7 p.m. -2 a.m. The Fountain Blue Lounge.
Friday Fall Beer - Get ready for the big release of Mecktoberfest, OMB’s seasonal fall brew. The beer is great, but the party is even better. 11 a.m. Old Mecklenburg Brewery, 4150 Yancey Road.
Asian Themed Party - The Moxie Society and The Mighty DJ DR present Tokyo Knights. There will be Japanese decor, Asian food, and cocktails. 10 p.m. Eight Sushi & Asian Kitchen, 1000 NC Music Factory Blvd. Details.
Earlier this week, I attended the Charlotte Chamber of of Commerce Economic Development. I realize this isn't my usual Sip + Play adventure, but it was held at Olde Mecklenburg Brewery. The subject was beer. How could I resist.
The panel included: Center City Partners' Tobe Holmes, NoDa Brewing Company's Todd Ford and OMB's John Marrino.
I knew the craft beer industry was growing exponentially here, but there's a lot I didn't know. The industry is doubling in the state and growing four-times as fast in the city. North Carolina has the largest number of breweries in the south. The industry's impact on Charlotte is undeniable. It's certainly enhanced our entertainment options, but it's also impacting the economy.
Courtesy of Charlotte Chamber of Commerce
The shop local movement is fueling the growth, especially among the millennials. By the way, did you know Sam Adams is the largest American-owned brewery?
Interesting nuggets: Ford of NoDa said when he started six years ago start-up breweries couldn't get a Small Business Administration loan. Today, that's not issue.
The next movement will likely be distilleries and cideries.
Whoa! Holiday parties, a fetish party, a German party all in one fun-filled night. Did I mention concerts too. It's going to be a long night. See you in the streets...
It's back! - Helen Schwab reports The Weihnachtsmarkt, the winter marketplace held in OMB Biergarten, returns today after bad weather last weekend. 2 p.m. - 10 p.m. Olde Mecklenburg Brewery, 4150 Yancey Road. Do You Wanna Build A Snowman? - Purgatory 61: Frozen Winter Fetish brings the latest edition of Charlotte's longest running erotica party. The latest Single Cell Productions Purgatory features DJ Triskyl and Shrapnel; live performance art by: JesAbella Marie, Miss Mena, Fever Dream Entertainment, and Marilyn Chen and the Purgatory Fetish Artists: Djinn the NytChylde, Sarah Birdsong, The Vivica Hallow, Lillith Filth, Danny Phoenix and Shepherd Shivalia. 8 p.m. Amos' Southend, 1423 South Tryon St. $40.
Fa La La Labulous Night! - Local gay advocates and allies host the Twirl To the World Holiday Party benefiting Campus Pride and SmartStart. 9 p.m. The Visulite Theatre, 1615 Elizabeth Ave. $10 with unwrapped tour.
Don't forget
Wake Up!!! - Get out early with the two-day CLT Coffee Crawl presented by Good Eats and Meets and local coffee roasters. Saturday and Sunday. Each stop will offer coffee samples, demonstrations and tours throughout both days. $10. 9 - 5 p.m. each day. Starts at Boquette Coffee Mountain Roasters, 2113 N. Davidson St. Details.
Soul Music - She's back. Goapele is like the Doug E. Fresh of soul music. She visits Charlotte often, and gives a good show. The Sol Kitchen presents A Night Of Soul with Goapele. Russell Taylor will open.8 p.m., The Chop Shop NoDa, 399 E. 35th St. $25 and up.
David Benoit's Charlie Brown Christmasbrings the spirit of the holidays to Charlotte. The show is the final in the Carolina Jazz Concert Series, which is an honor Benoit held in 2011. 8 p.m. Halton Theater, Central Piedmont Community College. $45 and up.
The Grays' Holiday Partyis one of the biggest holiday parties for Charlotte's black bourgeoises. What started as an intimate party in the Grays' homes moved successfully to the Gantt Center and added WBAV 101.9 as the sponsor. 8 p.m. Gantt Center, 551 South Tryon St. $50 includes apps and specialty cocktails. Limited street parking typically on Tryon street. Paid parking available at the Duke Energy Center (Stonewall between Church and Tryon) and The Green (Tryon and Levine Avenue of the Arts). TJ's #turntup
NoDa Krampus Krawl takesSt. Nick & his Krampus into the streets of NoDA with stops at Heist, the Johnston YMCA, Jack Beagles (f/ Krampus Rampus), and storytelling at Pura Vida Wordly Art. Don't miss face-painting at Growler's Pourhouse and art displays at Baku Art Gallery. The fun starts at 6:30 p.m. Heist. Full schedule here. I know what, I'm wearing for my fledgling Krampus outfit. TJ's #turntup
15th Annual Santa Bar Crawl means a whole bunch of bad Santas will take over uptown for this yearly tradition. This crawl winds along Fifth Street and the EpiCentre. Get the full schedule here. Starts at 2 p.m. Please line up a designated driver or a safe ride home. 60th Annual Singing Christmas Treeis comprised of performers, puppets and dancers. WFAE's Mike Collins will host this two-night show. Various times and days. There's also a Singing Christmas Tree For Kids. Details about both shows.Ovens Auditorium, 2700 E Independence Blvd. $21-$35.
Black Dress Black Tie is a Toys for Tots toy drive party. 9 p.m. Camden Grandview, 309 E. Morehead St. $10 and up w/ toy.
I'm back!!! In 2005, I launched the Paid To Party column for the Observer. Now I'm back with a fresh look at Charlotte's entertainment offerings. For the next few months, I'll be testing a new feature, primarily aimed at weekend events and other ways to entertain yourself, your family, your visitors.
Sip + Play is your guide to fun things to do in Charlotte from Food Truck Fridays to bar crawls to events you've never experienced. I still love a party, so there also will be plenty of that.
Sip + Play will take you all over Charlotte and beyond with live event coverage on the weekends and recommendations of where to go and what to do. I'm looking forward to sharing my adventures with you. #cltevents
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