guides

Ultimate Guide to Summer Fun!

Make those Bucket Lists with help from Atrium Health Levine Children’s

By Sponsored by Atrium Health Levine Children’s June 3, 2024

Summer in the Queen City does NOT disappoint - from street festivals to baseball games, fun can be had all over town. Thanks to our friends at Atrium Health Levine Children’s, we’re rounding up all the summer fun from lake to lake and Charlotte to Rock Hill so that you and your family can spend time together having good, healthy fun! Please check ahead before you head out to ensure that activities are running as scheduled. We do our best to keep this guide updated, but there are things outside our control that sometimes interfere with fun!




FESTIVALS: 

North Carolina:

June:

Taste of Charlotte
Tryon Street (Trade to Brooklyn Village Way); Uptown Charlotte
June 7-9, 2024
11 a.m. - 11 p.m.
FREE

Juneteenth Festival of the Carolinas
House of Africa, 1215 Thomas Avenue, in Plaza Midwood
June13-16, 2024
Please check website for specific event times
FREE

Indian Trail Juneteenth Festival
Crossing Paths Park, 120 Blythe Drive, Indian Trail
June14, 2024
6 - 9 p.m.
FREE

Town of Waxhaw Juneteenth Celebration
Downtown Waxhaw
June14, 2024
6-9 p.m.





4th of July Celebrations:

Uptown Charlotte/SkyShow Fireworks Spectacular
July 4, 2024
Fireworks following The Charlotte Knights Game (starts at 6:35 p.m.)

Carowinds
July 3 and 4, 2024
9 p.m.

Symphony Park - Summer Pops Celebrates America
4400 Sharon Road
June 30, 2024
8:15 p.m.
Tickets required; $18 adults in advance, $25 at the gate; children ages 13-17 $5 in advance, $7 at the gate; children 12 and under are free but do require a ticket

U.S. National Whitewater Center
Details are TBD

City of Monroe
Belk Tonawanda Park
July 4, 2024 (fireworks at 9 p.m.)
Check back for details

Town of Indian Trail 4th of July Parade
Downtown Indian Trail
July 4, 2024
11:30 a.m.,
Check Facebook for details and parking 

August:

Town of Indian Trail National Night Out
Multiple locations
August 6, 2024
6 - 9 p.m.
FREE

Town of Waxhaw National Night Out
Downtown Waxhaw
August 1, 2024
Details TBD

Crooked Creek SplashBash
Crooked Creek Park
August 2, 2024
Time TBD
Check MacaroniKID for details 

Town of Waxhaw Back to School Bash
August 12, 2024
Time TBD
Check back for Details

Charlotte Pride Festival
Uptown Charlotte (parade route available online)
August 17-18, 2024
All Day
FREE

Matthews Alive Festival
Downtown Matthews, Stumptown Park
August 30-September 2, 2024
Most activities are pay-to-play (food and games) but attendance is FREE


South Carolina:

June:

Rock Hill Juneteenth Festival
Downtown Rock Hill, Fountain Park
DATE TBD
FREE

Rock Hill Pride Festival
Downtown Rock Hill
June 15-23, 2024
11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

4th of July Celebrations:

Tega Cay
Windjammer Park
July 4-6th, 2024
Check site for details

Rock Hill’s Red White and Boom
Downtown Rock Hill; Fountain Park
July 4, 2024
12 - 7 p.m.

Baxter Village Fourth of July
Check back for details

Van Wyck/Indian Land
July 4, 2024
6 p.m.

Non-4th July Events:

Pageland Watermelon Festival
Downtown Pageland
July 20, 2024
FREE

August:

Summerfest
Downtown York
August 24, 2024
More information coming soon




Local Fun:

  • Baseball games 

Take the family out to a ball game! Summer is the perfect time to enjoy the boys of summer. Catch the Charlotte Knights,Gastonia Baseball Club, Kannapolis Cannon Ballers or the Hickory Crawdads for an afternoon or evening game.

  • Soccer games 

Don’t miss a chance to see Charlotte FC in action! MLS games are a real treat to see. The players interact with the fans before and after the games. Pro tip: Grab a seat behind the goal. Families, please note that although this typically is the liveliest section, adult beverages are typically sprayed after each goal. It is part of the fun to be with fans, there are lots of families in the section, the cheers and the singing make these the best seats. 

You can also go watch Charlotte Independence, their games are super family-friendly, there are regular theme games with giveaways and halftime fun. Another great one to watch is Hickory FC for good family fun.





OUTDOOR CONCERTS AND MOVIES

There is no shortage of places to see live music or a free movie in the summer. You can catch outdoor music at the following locations: 

South Charlotte

Blakeney Summer Concert Series
Ardrey Kell and Rea Road
Details forthcoming

Stonecrest Summer Concert Series
7800 Rea Road
Details forthcoming

Music at Promenade on Providence
10844 Providence Road
Details forthcoming 

Party at the Park at Mint Museum Randolph
2730 Randolph Road
Last Sunday of month 1-5 p.m.

Music at the Met
Thursdays from April 20- October 5
1111 Metropolitan Avenue, Charlotte

Matthews Beats ‘n Bites
The last Friday of the month, from April through September 5-9 p.m.
Stumptown Park

Mint Hill Family Fun Nights
July 15th, September 16th 6:30 p.m.
Mint Hill Veterans Park

Concert Series at Ballantyne Bowl
Second Thursdays during Summer
5 - 8:30 p.m.
$10 entry
11611 North Community House Road, Charlotte, North Carolina


South Carolina 

Tega Cay Concert Series
One Saturday a month from April to September
Runde Park and Catawba Park in Tega Cay

Main Street Live
Downtown Rock Hill
Details forthcoming

Music in the Park at Ebenezer Park
June 9
Ebenezer Park, Rock Hill

Anne Springs Close Greenway Summer Concert Series
Thursdays 6-9 p.m
Anne Springs Close Greenway, Fort Mill


Union County 

Downtown Waxhaw’s Jammin’ By the Tracks
June 7, July 12 and August 2, 2024
7 – 9 p.m.

Community Corner, 116 McDonald Street, Waxhaw


Outdoor Movies

Information is still forthcoming - check back soon!





TAKE A HIKE (OR BIKE) 






LET’S SPLASH! 

HIT THE ROAD 




GRAB A BITE/REFUEL ON A PATIO 

Charlotte has a ton of great patio options for you and your family to take advantage of great weather. You can find some of our favorites in this article or check out any of those listed below. They all have kid-friendly food and those with an asterisk have an option for a kid-safe play area.


Charlotte

  • Optimist Hall*
  • Mac’s Speed Shop
  • Olde Mecklenburg Brewery*
  • Middle James Brewery*
  • OpenTap*
  • Seoul Food Meat Co.*
  • Piedmont Social
  • Leroy Fox 
  • Improper Pig* 
  • OMB at the Bowl in Ballantyne
  • Flower Child at the Bowl in Ballantyne
  • Italia North at the Bowl Ballantyne 
  • Suffolk Punch at Southpark Mall*

Fort Mill / Rock Hill / Tega Cay

  • The Office (Indian Land)
  • Hobo’s (Fort Mill and Rock Hill)*
  • The Pump House (Rock Hill)
  • Farm Haus Butcher (Indian Land)
  • Fish Market (Fort Mill)*
  • Legal Remedy Brewing (Rock Hill)*

Union County

  • Franklin Court Grill (Waxhaw)*
  • Hacienda El  Rey (Indian Trail)
  • Marios Pizza (Indian Trail)*
  • Emmett’s Social Table (Waxhaw)


*please note: those with an asterisk have a safe/safer area for children to play






HIT UP LOCAL MARKETS AND FARMS 

We have great farmers markets and U-pick farms that are open all summer long; make sure to check the schedules to see what reservations (if any) are needed and what’s in season. 

Charlotte

Fort Mill / Rock Hill Farmers Markets

Fort Mill / Rock Hill U-Pick Farms

Union County Farmers Markets

Union County U-Pick Farms




LOCAL PARKS AND PLAYGROUNDS

One thing Charlotte has a ton of is parks and playgrounds - after all, we are called the city of trees! From Uptown to Rock Hill, we’ve got you covered. Linked below are playgrounds and parks across the Charlotte metro area:


Our thanks to Atrium Health Levine Children's for sponsoring this guide to ensure you and your family have a fun, healthy summer.  For more information on how to keep your kids healthy and active this summer, always contact your pediatrician with questions. Looking for a pediatrician? Find one here.