This weekend, there are several opportunities to celebrate and honor the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. through film, art, music, dance and civic engagement. Plus, The Delta’s of Charlotte Foundation is hosting its annual Legacy of Black Women Film Showcase, and Chubb Rock is coming to town. Kevin Hart’s Plastic Cup Boys are performing in the Qcity and so much more. Here’s a look at what’s happening this weekend around Charlotte:
MLK CELEBRATIONS & EVENTS
MLK Holiday Parade
Saturday in Center City Charlotte
The parade will march down Tryon Street, beginning at 9th Street and ending at Stonewall Street. More than 100 community organizations, marching bands and step and drill teams will participate. (Details)
2017 MLK Gospel Showcase Ft. Kierra ‘KiKi’ Sheard
Saturday @ CPCC’s Halton Theater
Hosted by comedian Anna Douglas, this event will feature performances by headliner Kierra “KiKi” Sheard along with Christian School Of Dance, Fred Jones Mime, the Judah Choir of the Park Church, West Charlotte HS Chorale Ensemble , Darryl Powell and the Nu Nation Choir of Greater Salem, and the DRC Prima Diamond Dance Team. (Details)
Hands On Charlotte’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Call to Service
Saturday @ Various Locations
Each January, Hands On Charlotte honors the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by organizing service projects for hundreds of volunteers on and around the holiday that bears his name. These projects not only deliver valuable assistance to nonprofit organizations, schools and other service providers around the area, but also allow participants to kick off the New Year by reflecting on the meaning of Dr. King’s life of service for today’s America. (Details)
Martin Luther King, Jr. Legacy Celebration
Sunday @ Levine Museum of the New South
Nearly 60 years after Charlotte’s schools desegregated and after Dr. King appeared on the news show 60 Minutes explaining why “riots are the language of the unheard,” Levine Museum examines connections to past and present through a variety of programming including film screenings, talk-backs, exhibits, crafts and more. (Details)
MLK–Bridging Musical Worlds
Sunday @ Friendship Missionary Baptist Church
This 9th annual Bridging Musical Worlds program is a collaborative effort between A Sign Of The Times the Carolinas, the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra String Quartet and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Each year, these organizations perform music dedicated to the life and work of Martin Luther King Jr. (Details)
Carolinas HealthCare System Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Service
Sunday @ Marshall Park
This event, which occurs on the actual birth date of MLK, Jr., is held to commemorate the life and death of Dr. King. The brief service includes a wreath-laying ceremony. (Details)
FOOD + DRINK
I Still ❤ The 90’s Brunch & Day Party
Saturday @ Sport One
Enjoy your favorite Southern brunch dishes, alongside $5 mimosas as DJ T.O. takes over the turntables and Reddick Mack of NuDecadent Designs creates a live visual performance. (Details)
ART + CULTURE
14th Annual Legacy of Black Women Film Showcase
Friday @ Spirit Square
Deltas of Charlotte Foundation (DOCF) is hosting its 14th Edition of the Legacy of Black Women Film Showcase this weekend, presenting short films that are written, produced, directed and/or feature black women. The evening will begin with pre-film reception at 6 p.m. (Details)
Paint & Play “2017”
Friday @ Industry
Paint & Play is a fusion of performing and visual arts with host Coco Lenell of Power 104.4FM featuring live painters, live spoken word, line dancing, on site vendors, food, music, free giveaways and a great upscale, chic, artsy, eclectic atmosphere. (Details)
Family First: Woodturning Workshop with Charles Farrar
Saturday @ The Gantt Center
Join Gantt Center exhibiting artist and curator, Charles Farrar, as he provides a glimpse of the history and practice of working with wood as a medium and what it means to “turn” vessels. (Details)
Family Fun Days at Charlotte Museum of History
Saturday @ Charlotte Museum of History
The Charlotte Museum of History is partnering with Drums 4 Life to produce three Family Fun Days that celebrate African-American culture. Each day will include African drum circle music, an educational activity that centers on African-American history in Charlotte, and a craft activity for children to make a drum and create their own drum circle. Attendees will also collaborate in a collective art project and more. These events are free to attend. (Details)
The Classic Black Cinema Series – ‘Boycott’
Sunday @ The Gantt Center
“Boycott” is a 2001 American television film directed by Clark Johnson, starring Jeffrey Wright as Martin Luther King Jr. and Terrence Howard as Ralph Abernathy. The film, based on the book “Daybreak of Freedom” by Stewart Burns, tells the story of the 1955-56 Montgomery Bus Boycott. (Details)
NIGHT LIFE + ENTERTAINMENT
The Kickback
Friday @ Apostrophe Lounge
This event is meant for all those who work hard all week and need to unwind on the weekend with nothing but good vibes and positive energy. It’s all about celebrating life, meeting new people and creating memories. Come out and enjoy drink specials, good music, hookah, and VIP bottle service. (Details)
Spectrum – Funky Jazz with a Twist of Soul
Friday @ Morehead Tavern
This show will feature vintage soul, jazz, and funk music, blended to take you back to a “Funky Good Time” and get you up on your feet! The band, a funky conglomerate of some of the best jazz and soul musicians in the Charlotte area, will be conducted by guitar virtuoso Mayhue Bostic. (Details)
Women & Whiskey
Friday @ Bubble Charlotte
Sample four different whiskey and food pairings and learn from an expert all about the whiskey-making process. Although this event is all about women and whiskey, men are welcome to attend. (Details)
Plastic Cup Boyz-Celebrity Show
Saturday @ The Comedy Zone Charlotte
The Plastic Cup Boyz, Will Spank Horton and Na’im Lynn, have traveled the world supporting Kevin Hart in the world of comedy and on the party scene. See them perform live this weekend in the Qcity. (Details)
The Official I LOVE N.Y Series W/Chubb Rock
Saturday @ BluNotes of Charlotte
The Legendary Hip Hop Artist Chubb Rock is coming to the Qcity. You know he can “Treat Em Right.” Plus, Mr. Energy DJ Freedom will also be in the building. (Details)
MLK Weekend Day Party Finale
Sunday @ Bubble Charlotte
Join Blue Goose, King Entertainment, and The Sol Kitchen for an epic day party at Bubble with music by DJ Loui Vee. RSVP for free admission before 5:30 p.m. (Details)
For more events, visit www.WhatsHappeningCharlotte.com. Hosting an event in the Qcity? Let us help you promote it.
