Weekend Preview: Non-CIAA Events List

A couple of years ago, I wouldn't have been able to find any non-CIAA tournament week events in the Uptown area during the CIAA Tournament. Times have changed. Whether you're hanging at the breweries in Southend or in the heart of the fun, there's plenty to do this weekend in Uptown, NoDa and beyond. No need to leave town. Find your fun. See you in the streets...

Tonight
A Slave Story - Pulitzer Prize-winner Suzan-Lori Parks' play "Father Comes Home From the Wars (Parts 1, 2, & 3)" tells the story of the slave, Hero. It examines a slave’s dedication to his master and the people he leaves behind. Opens tonight through March 12. Actor’s Theater of Charlotte, 650 E Stonewall St. Various times and prices. Details.

Man’s Best Friend - Men love bacon and beer (yes, I’m stereotyping). Tonight is their night with the Bacon Beer Fest featuring seven bacon-themed brews. Until 10 p.m. Unknown Brewing, 1327 Mint St.

Hornets Watch Party - More beer fun tonight at the Beer, Basketball & BBQ Hornets’ watch party. The team plays the Cleveland Cavalier. Enjoy barbecue and the tapping of the Bring Back the Buzz Honey Pale by Sycamore Brewing. Good Bottle Co., 125 Remount Road. Free, but donations to Most Valuable Kids Charlotte-Metro accepted. Details.

Thursday
Beer and Networking - Corri Smith and Amy Herman host their second #Instabeerupclt tonight. The monthly gathering is free and moves to Plaza-Midwood for this edition. 6 p.m. Legion Brewing, 1906 Commonwealth Ave.
 

R.I.P David Bowie - Scott Weaver and friends pay tribute to the late David Bowie at SHIPROCKED! Presents: LIPGLOSS loves BOWIE: The Glam Years. Bethann Phetamine stars with guest, Xtassi Sorcière making her SHIPROCKED! debut, and special musical guest Joshua Cotterino, interpreting glam Bowie classics. The DJ soundtrack will feature Bowie hits through the years, as well as favorite glam classics. Don’t miss the  SHIPROCKED! Go GO Crew will be glitterfied. 10 p.m., Snug Harbor - 1228 Gordon St. Free. Details.

Let’s Eat - Catch On and the Peculiar Rabbit partner tonight for their first Monthly All Seafood Dinner. The monthly seafood dinners will feature a five-course seafood meal with the first course being cocktail hour with a top shelf cocktail and appetizers like crabs claws, crudo, ceviche, poke. The 1-1/2 hour sit down four-course meal will include local made dumplings, a small plate, a fish entree and a lemon pistachio raspberry tart. The chefs will show you how the food is being made, the ingredients and how to cook it. 6 p.m. Peculiar Rabbit, 1212 Pecan Ave. Cost: $60 per person. RSVP: orders@catchonseafood.com

Free Drinks And Culture - Edwin Gil’s Faces of Diversity installation will be on display at this free event. Complimentary apps and drinks. 5 - 7 p.m., Luna’s Living Kitchen, 2000 South Blvd.

#Repost @lunaslivingkitchen・・・Please join us this Thursday, February 25th, to celebrate Faces of Diversity at Luna's...
Posted by Edwin Gil on Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Black History - McColl Center’s Winter 2016 Artist-in-Residence Heather Hart and collaborator Jina Valentine, will meet to create, update, and improve Wikipedia articles about Charlotte’s black artists. Participants will help create historical documents at Black Lunch Table: Wikipedia Edit-a-thon Charlotte Session #4. No specialized knowledge of the subjects or Wikipedia editing experience is required. Laptops welcome. Instructions on basic of Wikipedia editing at the start. 5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m., The McColl Center of Art + Innovation, 721 N Tryon St.

Friday
Film Screening - See artist and filmmaker Stephanie Barber film "Daredevils." It is described as a “quietly riveting, filled with humor, surprising turns, and even dance.” 8 p.m. The McColl Center of Art + Innovation, 721 N Tryon St. Details.

Tyberpalooza
Enjoy two nights full of Bands, DJ's, Flip Cup & Cornhole Tourneys, beer tastings, and more. This party is billed as the The Best place to be CIAA weekend with the locals ( a euphemism for white partiers). There will be heated tenting in the parking lot. Features live music and DJs. Tonight features Flip Cub fun starting at 7 p.m. Saturday features a Craft Beer Tasting from 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. and a Cornhole Tournament. Tyber Creek Pub, 1933 South Blvd.

Sip & Paint - This new craze gets a new home in Southend with the grand opening of Studio Cellar. It’s a local social painting studio. No skills are needed. Classes are also available or you can free style. Alcohol is available. 5 p.m. Studio Cellar, 1800 Camden Road.




Saturday
Funk You Up - Grab your dancing shoes to celebrate the first Franco Moschino retrospective fashion exhibition in the United State - VIVA MOSCHINO! It’ll be a night of dancing and fun at the Mint Museum Auxiliary presents Uptown Funk: Moschino & Music. 8 p.m. Mint Museum Uptown, 2730 Randolph Rd. $125.

Transportation: A shuttle service will be provided. The service will begin with a departure time of 6:15 p.m. and run every 45 minutes between the Mint Museum Randolph to the Mint Museum Uptown at Levine Center for the Arts. Tickets for the shuttle service are $15 per person and can be purchased when registering. TJ's Take: This is a great deal because parking will be expensive and a nightmare uptown Saturday night!

Prophylactic Fashion - Local designers use condoms to create fashionable, wearable art, promote safe sex, at Condom Couture Charlotte 2016. It benefits Planned Parenthood South Atlantic. Also features J Buckmaster and DJ Andy Kastanas. Live music from Miami Dice and a performance by Bethann Phetamine. There will also be go-go dancers, stilt walkers and fire twirlers. 8 p.m. Neighborhood Theatre, 511 E. 36th St.  $35. Details.


 

Holla: sipandplayclt@gmail.com

The Workman's Friend Part II: Two gates and a lucky break (Video)

We return to Plaza-Midwood's The Workman's Friend as Corrina Devin explains the Irish accoutrements that make the new pub authentic to Dublin. We also learn how Kevin Devin found the best carpenter in Charlotte to create most of the woodwork inside the pub. His discovery may surprise you. This is the second in a three-part series on the new Irish pub that opened in Plaza-Midwood last month.

Erotic princesses, scandalous Rome and vintage bikes

The fun starts early today with a bike show at the Chop Shop and a beer festival uptown.  The fun continues tonight with two erotica events! Let's get this party started. See you in the streets...

Beer Festival - Enjoy more than 75 craft, import and specialty beers at the Charlotte 3rd Annual Charlotte Beer Festival. Live music from Early Ray Band! 2 p.m., EpiCentre, East Trade St. $30. #CLTBeerFestival

Cyclemania - This is one of the coolest motorcycle rallies with Mods and Rockers meeting up at the Charlotte Vintage Motorcycle Rally. Classic British, Euro and Japanese motorcycles, customized scooters and mopeds are invited for a day of music, bikes and fun. 1 p.m. Chop Shop, 399 E. 35th St. Full schedule.

Girls Wanna Have Fun - Local ladies tackle each other in the Blondes v. Brunettes football game to benefit the local Alzheimer’s chapter. 5 p.m. Revolution Park, 1225 Remount Road. $35 gets access to the game and the afterparty at Tyber Creek Pub,1933 South Blvd. Afterparty starts at 8 p.m. Details.

Toga Party - Actually, the Mystics Ball: There's No Place Like Rome isn’t your typical fraternity toga party. The Mystics explore erotic world of Ancient Rome. Party features living statues, a Roman bathhouse, the aerial artistry of Satarah, and more. Costumes are required. Wear your own or buy one at the door. 9 p.m. Chop Shop, 399 E. 35th St. $20 individuals, $35 couples.

Beauties Reimagined - If you believe in fairytales Once Upon A Pastie will blow your mind. The Big Mamma’s House Burlesque show features new performances and new fantasy characters. See Mary Poppins, Cruella De Vill, Ariel, Beauty and her Beast, Merida, Cinderella, Snow White and Minnie Mouse like you’ve never seen them before. Visulite Theater, 1615 Elizabeth Ave. $15, $18.

Don't Miss

Soul Music - Hear Charlotte’s own Stephanie Mills, Freddie Jackson, Evelyn Champagne King, El DeBarge and more at The Kinfolks 6th Annual Soulfood Festival. 4 p.m., Rte. 29 Pavilion, 5650 Sandusky Blvd, Concord. $35.


Celebrate Homebrewing - Before there was a craft brew scene, Charlotte enjoyed a robust home-brew culture. The American Homebrewers Association Rally celebrates homebrewing and connects beer enthusiasts from all over North Carolina. Includes a VIP brewery tour, beer samples, gifts, prizes and more. Local homebrew clubs will there. 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., NoDa Brewing Co, 2229 N Davidson St. RSVP here.

Holla: sipandplayclt@gmail.com

New Year's Daze: From An Irish Toast To Bill Belk

At my table for the NYE celebration at the Duke Mansion, tablemate former judge Bill Belk lamented when I declined a glass of wine. He had already joked with me about working during the meal (updating twitter) and now about drinking water. Belk and I go way back. I live tweeted his disciplinary hearing for the Observer.

"New Year's Eve is a marathon not a sprint," I playfully replied. 

I call New Year's Eve and St. Patrick's Day amateur nights. People who don't typically drink get rip-roaring drunk. 

My friends and I started our New Year's Eve at the Beer Growler with a flight. Plus, I needed to my baby growler ready for today's Alabama game. Then we hung with Tommy Timmins at Tyber Creek Pub for an Irish New Year's toast. We toasted with Black Velvet, Guinness mixed with champagne (tastier than you might think). 

After Tyber, the night flew with stops at the Duke Mansion for their celebration which kicked off the Duke Mansion’s 100th birthday this year. The food was superb and the crowd well-heeled crowd was friendly.

After Duke, I headed back for CLT NYE. Pockets of people danced, kids played video games and enjoyed the face painting area. My night ended at Rich & Bennett's annual New Year's Eve celebration at Phoenix. Initially, I thought the party was low-key, but the rooftop tented area was wild. A couple of over-indulged revelers danced with each other and everyone else. They came to partayy and they did. Welcome 2015!!

Start the holiday season with the Panthers, Santa and Tommy T

The most wonderful time of the year is coming! This weekend launches us into the holiday season. The fun starts tonight with several pre-Thanksgiving parties.

Tonight

Family Fun - The Carolina Panthers will hold an inaugural tree lighting celebration. 6 p.m. outside Bank of America Stadium, corner of Mint Street and Graham. See Sir Purr, TopCats and PurrCussion. Families can enjoy children’s activities, holiday music and a visit from Santa. More family holiday events on the Observer's mommy blog.

Pre-Turkey Day - The Wednesday party Pop Life gets a holiday moniker and a different location tonight. It's Kitchsgiving Eve 3.0 - The No Playlist Edition music by The Mash Out King DJ King Skillz.  10 p.m. Label, 900 NC Music Factory Blvd. Onsite parking available.










Party In The Alley - One night, two clubs and it's all free. Head over to Republic and Phoenix for the Block Party. 300 Block of North College Street. 10 p.m.



Turkey Swag - Don't feel like being stuck in one bar all night? Join Tommy T's Turkey Spree VIII. The fun starts with food and drinks at Tyber Creek Pub and then rolls uptown to Tommy's other spots. See the schedule. Transportation, drink specials, complimentary drinks at a mystery location and Turkey Swag. $15. 7 p.m. Tyber Creek Pub,  1933 South Blvd. Onsite parking available.

Thursday

Floats And Fun - Don't miss the Novant Health Thanksgiving Day Parade in Uptown. Rising star 12-year-old singer Lexi Walker will perform. Starts at 9:30 a.m. Stonewall and Tryon.





Eating Out? - Don't miss Observer food critic Helen Schwab's extensive list of restaurant offerings for Thanksgiving dinner.

Weekend Preview

Friday

Catchy Pop - Kat Dahlia straddles pop and Latin music. She performed “Gangsta” live at a Billboard Tastemakers. Her new track is "Crazy." Craig Strickland opens. 8:30 p.m. Chop Shop, 399 E. 35 St. Parking available at venue and behind venue in gravel lot on the side of the building access by 36th St. $10 and up.  

Saturday

Family Fun - Head Uptown for Lights On the Square: The Uptown Tree Lighting. ACC mascots join the festivities to start the ACC Tournament weekend. Families can enjoy Santa Village in Polk Park (free photos!), and a performance by The Wonderettes! Food trucks will be there too. 5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. The Square, Trade and Tryon streets. Tree lighting starts shortly after 6:30pm. 


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