It's game day, but after the Panthers spank the Falcons there's more fun. Holiday Comedy Show - This isn’t your kids’ holiday show. The Grass Station Hot Dogs is a comedy/holiday show featuring local and regional artists performing songs that are “A Mish-Mash Of Musical Ingredients.” This will be an annual event to benefit a different charity. This year it’s The Arts Empowerment Project, an organization that matches children impacted by violence and abuse to meaningful, fulfilling arts experiences. The Muse will also be collecting canned goods for The Funky Geezer Food Bank for the Homeless. Bring a can of food and get $1.00 off a bar drink. The Evening Muse, 3227 N. Davidson St. $6, $8. Tickets.
Support Panthers - Wear you favorite NFL gear to the The Harold Cogdell Tailgate. Free admission and parking. 3 p.m. - 8 p.m. Sydney’s Martini, 401 N. Tryon St.
Time to break-out the ugly sweaters, unwrapped new toys and get this holiday party season started. Plus ACC Football Championship weekend kicks off tonight. See you in the streets! Post-Crawl Party - If you’re hanging out in Southend for the art crawl tonight, don’t mis the Southend Holiday Party featuring a tacky sweater contest and shopping. Charlotte Improv will do a holiday themed-live improv with audience interaction. Bring an unwrapped new toy for donation. 9:30 p.m., Charlotte Art League, 1517 Camden Road. Free. Details.
Holiday Tradition - The 8th Annual Fourth Ward Holiday Home Tour is a Charlotte holiday tradition featuring eight private homes, decorated for the holidays. There’s also a free horse & carriage rides, seasonal entertainment, and food, beer & wine tastings from: The Asbury, The Wooden Vine, Muddy River Distillery, The Poplar Street Café & Wine Bar, Mert’s Heart & Soul, Rock Bottom Brewery, Red Clay Ciderworks, Potts Chocolate, Assorted Table Wine Shoppe, Allen Tate Realtors and 7th Street Public Market. This is a great way to walk the city and soak in Uptown’s Fourth Ward. I attended a few years ago, and had a great time. Each home features a volunteer who shares information about the home’s history and decor. $25. Various Times Tonight - Sunday. 4th ward. Tickets.
Jazzy Holiday - Enjoy jazzy renditions of seasonal classics at Jingle Bell Jazz featuring Ziad Jazz Quartet. They will perform “Winter Wonderland,” “Deck the Halls” (arranged by Herbie Hancock and Chick Correa), “Sleigh Ride,” the John Coltrane version of Greensleeves and more. The Jazz at the Bechtler's holiday show often sell out. 6 and 8:15 p.m., Bechtler Museum, 420 South Tryon Street. Details.
Don't Forget Holiday Fun -2nd Chance Santa is one of the biggest holiday parties. It's a black-tie optional event features Hot Sauce Band, light appetizers & finger foods from eight Local Charlotte restaurants. There will be beer and wine. 7:30 p.m. Rooftop 210, Epicentre,210 E Trade St. $40, $60 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. Olde Mecklenburg Brewery, 4150 Yancey Road.
Gay Chorus - One Voice Chorus’ annual holiday concert theme is Madonna/Madonna. It highlights both Mary, at the center of the nativity, and Madonna, pop icon! 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Saturday, Unitarian Universalist Church of Charlotte, 234 North Sharon Amity Road. $18.65 and up. Tickets.
ACC Championship Fun - Prep for the ACC Championship game with the ACC Bar Crawl. $20 gets you an ACC Bar Crawl T-Shirt, event koozie, drink specials, and free entry to all participating bars! A portion of the proceeds goes to each alumni group. 7 p.m. Tilt, (check-in), 127 W. Trade St. ACC Fan Central at the EpiCentre on Trade Street features a pep rally, the mascots, team pep bands and more.
A Very Tampone Christmas was my kind of party. What says happy holidays better than blindfolds, safe words and a dour Christmas elf? Local actors come together to turn the Frock Shop into a cozy home for a naughty Christmas party. The actors are in character with ridiculous accents and even better costumes. Even the food has adult names. Just to give you an idea, party-goers are divided into tops, bottoms and switches. I don't want to spoil it for you, but here's a little video peek from Saturday night. 8 p.m. The Frock Shop, 901 Central Ave. $25.Parking onsite.
Other Events
Who Let The Dawgs Out? - Georgia Bulldogs fans help set a tailgate record at Draught for the Georgia Bulldogs Tailgate. Noon. Draught, 601 Cedar St. Happy Birthday! - The venerable Double Door Inn celebrates its 41st Anniversary tonight headlined by Lenny Federal, who's probably been playing there since the doors opened. Don't miss the chance to celebrate with this local legendary music venue. 8 p.m. Double Door Inn, 1218 Charlottetowne Ave. $10.
After The Game, It's The AfterParty- Wear your Panther gear and head over to Label. DJ Cuttz and DJ LP spinning the hottest tunes for the Panthers v. Brown AfterParty. 10 p.m. Label, NC Music Factory, 900 NC Music Factory Blvd.
Stringer Bell Broke Her Heart! - "Love And Hip-Hop's" K. Michelle is getting mad press after opening up about her relationship with heartthrob Idris Elba. Apparently, their eight-month relationship inspired her new album "Anybody Wanna Buy A Heart?" Sounds like it didn't end well. 7 p.m. Neighborhood Theatre, 511 E. 36th St. $50 and up.
Read more here: http://charlottethingstodo.blogspot.com/2014/12/k-michelle-aka-idris-elbas-ex.html#storylink=cpy
I'm still recuperating from an outing with the Charlotte Bourbon Club at the Maker's Mark dinner at DB's Tavern on Ardrey Kell Road last night. Morning yoga at Lenny Boy Brewing helped along with a glass of the Icebreaker kombucha. Yoga and kombucha may be my new Saturday morning remedy. Now, I'm ready hit the streets. Let me start tonight's lineup with a correction. I listed the incorrect day for Bar 316 five-year anniversary celebration. It's tonight. Enjoy go-go dancers, drag queens and more. 9 p.m. The Bar at Charlotte, 316 Rensselaer Ave. If you're looking to hear great music this weekend. Check out Courtney Devores Soundbites for her music picks. Now, let's get this party started. See you in the streets...
Beer For A Cause - Salud Beer Shop is inviting beer enthusiasts to its holiday party. Bring lots of canned goods. Salud is hosting a competition for the person who donates the most cans. The prize will be the 3L magnum bottle of 2014 Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale. 5 p.m. 3306 North Davidson St.
More Beer - Festivus Party with live music and beer release. 6 p.m. Sycamore Brewing, 2161 Hawkins St.
Reggae Show - New York-based Kranium is blowing up with his hit "Nobody Has To Know." Don't miss a chance to see him in an intimate setting. 10 p.m. Twilight Lounge, 7030 Smith Corner Blvd.
A Tiki Bar? - Yep. Helen Schwab writes Tiki Hideaway opened Friday at the former Hef's at ParkTowne Village (beside Park Road shopping center). It's a restaurant and bar. Hours will be 4 p.m.-midnight Tuesday-Sunday; 1600 E. Woodlawn Road.
Read more here: http://helendining.blogspot.com/#storylink=cpy
Read more here: http://helendining.blogspot.com/#storylink=cpy
Music Benefit - Queen City Showcase benefits MusicCares, which provides a wide range of resources for people in the music community. Performers include Mark Lassiter, Forgive Me Not, the Feral and others. 7 p.m. Neighborhood Theatre, 511 E. 36th St. $10. Paid parking onsite and street parking. Bring cash for parking.
Enter The Wu - Enjoy all things Wu at the Off the Wall Wu Tang Forever Edition. You'll hear Wu Tang Clan albums, solo member albums, collaobs, Clan affiliates and more! Grooves by DJ Justice & Aking. They'll also be spinning classic Hip Hop, R&B, Soul, rare grooves, reggae and Pop. 10 p.m. Crown Station Coffee House & Pub, 1425 Elizabeth Ave.
A Few Good Men host the 6th Annual Christmas Jumpoff party. Enjoy drink specials and food until 1:30 a.m. Music by the Mighty DJ D.R. 9 p.m. Fountain Blue Lounge, 7200 Albemarle Road (East Albemarle Shopping Center near Albemarle and Lawyers roads)
Break out your ugliest sweater and you could win $100 gift card at Nan and Byron's Ugly Holiday Sweater Party. Enjoy beer and vodka specials and a late night menu. Music by DJ Bwillackers. 10 p.m. Nan and Byron's, 1714 South Blvd. Parking onsite.
Welcome to the Sip edition of Sip + Play where we feature adult beverages. Today we have Tracie Nasta of the Chop Shop Noda making her yummy Ginger Bread Cookie. It's an easy drink you can make and take a holiday party. Watch her make the recipe.
On tap tonight:
Heist Brewery's Experimental Flight school starts at 4 p.m. (2909 North Davidson Street #200) You get 5 beers for $8 and some beer knowledge.
Birdsong Brewing (2315 North Davidson Street) taps its Cowgirl Boots, a maple milk stout today at 4 p.m. And Jenny will be at The Beer Growler (1427 South Boulevard) to tap the Bourbon
Barrel-Aged St. Tuber Abbey! She's doing a Birdsong pint glass giveaway and
handing out samples from 6 - 8 p.m.
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
Posts
