Sponsored by:
Uptown Charlotte is springing back to life this Halloween weekend. (Hey, did you see what we did there?)
As part of the ongoing Show Up for Uptown initiative, organizers have scheduled a host of outdoor events — an uptown beer garden, a movie under the stars, a Halloween event for kids and a Black Lives Matter art exhibition.
Let’s start with the Black Lives Matter events:
In June, at the height of protests following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, more than 20 artists came to S. Tryon Street to create plywood murals that covered the windows of several uptown businesses.
On Saturday and Sunday, those plywood murals return for public display and will be available for purchase through an online auction. Local poet Jah Smalls will host an open-mic poetry event on Saturday from 2-4 p.m., and the live entertainment continues on Sunday from 1-3 p.m.
Charlotte Art League is one of the community partners leading this project, called “Building Bridges – Eliminating Racism Through Art.”
Jim Dukes, league’s executive director, says the murals, and future arts-based programming focused on eliminating racism, are important for all voices in Charlotte to be heard in a new way.
“These messages allow us to view the artists’ message and listen with our eyes and help facilitate communication,” he said.
Other Weekend Events
Friday, 8 p.m.
Rocky Horror Picture Show
Where: Victoria Yards (7th & Tryon streets)
See this 1975 cult classic for FREE. Seating is limited, so registration is required. (Tip: Seating for last week’s showing of Princess Bride went fast, so book your space quickly and dust off your lawn chair.) Arrive early for live music and a beer garden. Must be 21 or older.
Saturday, 1-4 p.m.
Halloween Festivities
Where: 7th Street Public Market
This event will include caricature artists and photo opportunities. Kids, wear your costumes and get individual Halloween bags of candy from market vendors.
Street Eats
Friday – Sunday
Tryon Street will be closed to auto traffic between 5th and 6th streets, starting Friday at noon and ending Sunday at 10 p.m. This is to allow ample space for outdoor dining. Center City Ambassadors will be on hand to answer questions and provide hospitality. Food trucks are scheduled throughout the weekend. Some of the participating restaurants and food truck will include:
Parking: enjoy all of these events without stressing over a parking space. From Friday at 5 p.m. to Sunday at 9 p.m.
- $1 parking at Fifth Third Center
- $1 parking at the Truist parking deck
- Free parking at Seventh Street Station
Remember to wear a face covering and practice social distancing.
