Summer officially arrives this week! As the weather heats up, so does the events calendar. I’ve found a lot of great activities, including multiple performances from the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra*, a visit from one of the Fab Four, and a couple fun road trip ideas.
CSO To Go
The 2025 CSO Roadshow season rolls on with more festive (and free!) celebrations of music and community. Bring your family and friends out for some fun-filled evenings of summer sounds as well as tasty treats from local food trucks. Don’t forget your lawn chairs and blankets. Here’s where you can catch the Charlotte Symphony over the next week:
- Friday, June 20th
7 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Simmons YMCA, Charlotte - Saturday, June 21st
8:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Bailey Road Park, Cornelius - Thursday, June 26th
8:30 PM – 9:30 PM
Pineville Lake Park, Pineville
Theater a Go-Go
Our lips aren’t sealed about this! Davidson Community Players* are presenting Head Over Heels, a jukebox musical with songs by ‘80s rock band The Go-Go’s. This Elizabethan tale about mistaken identities and true love runs through June 29th at the Duke Family Performance Hall (207 Faculty Dr, Davidson) on the campus of Davidson College. Tickets range from $15-$40, plus tax and fees. June 20-29.
HeroesCon
Meanwhile, comic book lovers from far and wide will descend upon the Charlotte Convention Center (501 S. College Street, Charlotte) this weekend for HeroesCon. The annual gathering was founded in 1982 by Shelton Drum, owner of Heroes Aren’t Hard to Find comic book shop in Charlotte’s Elizabeth neighborhood. Over the decades, the event cultivated a national reputation for its comics-first, family-friendly atmosphere. HeroesCon has become a beloved destination where fans can interact with an impressive roster of artists and exhibitors. June 20-22.
Juneteenth in Rock Hill, SC
The annual Juneteenth-Rock Hill Festival happens this weekend with Friday night food trucks in Fountain Park, the Juneteenth Freedom Fest featuring live music/dance performances on Saturday at Clinton College, and a Sunday worship service at Mt. Prospect Baptist Church. Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to enforce the emancipation of enslaved people—more than two years after President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. It marks the effective end of slavery in the Confederate South. Congress passed a resolution to establish the national holiday, and it was signed into law in June 2021. June 20-22.
Run for Your Beer
If you’re going to run through the woods for a long time, there should be an ice-cold beer waiting for you at the end. The Whitewater Center (5000 Whitewater Center Parkway, Charlotte) is hosting a Brew Dash this Saturday. You can compete in the 6K, 12K, or half marathon on the challenging trails before rewarding yourself with a post-race pint from Town Brewing Co., Middle James Brewing, NoDa Brewing Company, or Birdsong Brewing Company. June 21.
Latin Sounds
Another exciting Charlotte Symphony Orchestra Summer Pops concert happens this Sunday at Symphony Park (4400 Sharon Road, Charlotte). You’ll be dancing on the lawn as Resident Conductor Christopher James Lees and the CSO play the “Latin Sounds” of Arturo Marquez, Astor Piazzolla, as well as excerpts from Georges Bizet’s Carmen and MauriceRavel’s Bolero. Gates open at 5 p.m., d.a.l.i.a. plays at 7 p.m., and the Symphony goes on at 8:15 p.m. Food trucks will also be on site. Tickets for adults (youth) are $15 ($5) in advance, $20 ($7) at the gate. Kids under 13 get in free. June 22.
Ladies and gentlemen, a Beatle!
Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band return to Charlotte this month for a mid-week performance at Ovens Auditorium (2700 E. Independence Boulevard, Charlotte) on Wednesday, June 25th, which also happens to be Global Beatles Day. It was on June 25, 1967, that the Fab Four famously performed “All You Need Is Love” to a massive international audience via the BBC. Ringo’s band currently includes Colin Hay (Men at Work) and Steve Lukather (Toto). June 25.
Beethoven on the Big Screen
Our WDAV Reel Music Film Series continues with a special screening of the 1994 biopic Immortal Beloved on Wednesday, June 25th from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Independent Picture House (4237 Raleigh Street, Charlotte). Gary Oldman stars as Ludwig van Beethoven, and Jeroen Krabbé plays Anton Schindler, Beethoven’s secretary and biographer, who scours Europe trying to identify the object of the composer’s adoration. The screening will be followed by a discussion with WDAV’s Frank Dominguez and Charlotte arts and culture critic Lawrence Toppman. Tickets are $10. June 25.
Road Trip!
- North Carolina Blueberry Festival: The town of Burgaw hosts this two-day celebration of the historical, economic, and cultural significance of blueberries in southeastern North Carolina. Events include farm tours, a recipe contest, Tour de Blueberry bike race, a 5K run/1-mile walk, live music, beer & wine garden, car & truck show, and tasty blueberry treats. June 20-21.
- Boonerang Music & Arts Festival: Three days of fun and creativity in downtown Boone, North Carolina with live music, square/swing/honky tonk dancing, artist market, vintage market, food trucks, breweries, kids’ zone, silent disco, international festival. June 20-22.
I’ll have more sounds, sights, and bites for your next week. Remember, you can also find plenty of fun and engaging activities every day on the WDAV Events Calendar.
*Disclosure: Charlotte Symphony Orchestra and Davidson Community Players are WDAV underwriters.