The 4th in Charlotte is here, and the Queen City is offering plenty of activities and events throughout the next few days to help you celebrate. We’re here to guide you through this patriotic weekend, right up to Wedsday night.
First things first: food! Without good food, the Fourth of July experience just isn’t the same. Whether mom and dad are on the grill, or the family decides to eat out, you want everyone’s bellies to be pleased during the firework show later in the evening.
So, where should you snag some eats this year?
Rhino Deli and Market
At Rhino you can grab some of their signature sandwiches and snacks along with some of Charlotte’s best local beer and drinks to keep everyone happy. This wouldn’t be your traditional burgers-and-hotdogs 4th of July meal, but if you were looking for something quick before you head to watch the fireworks uptown then this can serve as a great option.
Reid’s Fine Foods
Reid’s can you serve you a more traditional 4th of July dinner. While known for their signature baskets that can consists of all sorts of snacks—the kind of stuff that would work perfectly for a picnic—Reid’s is also home to a butchershop. The fresh meat section offers all kinds of prime-grade beefs, along with high quality chicken, lamb, pork, and seafood. Add on to your shopping cart one of Reid’s wine and beer baskets and you’re looking at the perfect 4th of July weekend.
Earl’s Grocery
At Earl’s you can choose from a selection of delicious platters, fresh cheeses, and meats and full meals that just about anyone can enjoy. Even pick up desserts such as a good ole fashioned American apple pie—the perfect exclamation mark on Independence Day!
Now that you have food covered, where are those explosions in the sky?
Charlotte Symphony
July 1st
Right before Independence Day, the Charlotte Symphony will present a rousing salute to America with this fun-filled night of patriotic favorites topped off—naturally—by a spectacular fireworks finale. This is the Symphony’s final Summer Pops showing and it has pretty much everything we like: good music, good food, and an excuse to spend time in good company. Grab your loved ones and bring your lawnchairs and blankets. You can pack up your own spread of picnic food and drinks, or enjoy the options available at each concert from Reid’s.
Harrisburg Park
July 3rd & 4th
Join the town of Harrisburg for two days of fourth of July fun. On Monday, July 3rd there will be a festival in the park from 4:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. The festival will also continue on Tuesday during the same times, joined by a parade that will march down Highway 49 earlier in the morning at 9:00 a.m. Both nights will conclude in fireworks.
U.S. National Whitewater Center
July 3rd & 4th
Charlotte’s Whitewater Center will be hosting a two-day event (on the 3rd and the 4th). Listen to live music and watch as the fireworks light up the river. Parking to view the fireworks will be just $5. There are festivities that you and the family can partake in if you choose to pay the higher price. Both days will include yoga and fun games to participate in such as a cornhole tournament and a battle royale stand-up paddleboard sprint.
Charlotte Motor Speedway
July 4th
North Charlotteans: If you don’t want to travel south into the city you can head up to the racetrack to get your fireworks fix. The speedway will have a fireworks display on the track following the conclusion of the Bojangles’ Summer Shootout Series.
WBT’s SkyShow Charlotte
July 4th
Your most obvious option should be WBT’s SkyShow Charlotte. Festivities will be happening from 2:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. WBT’s street festival will be on Mint Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, right in front of BB&T Ballpark. And yes, there will be plenty of food and drink—if you don’t pick them up from our suggested options. There’s also live music, an interactive kids area, a ferris wheel, and more. It’s an event that the entire family can enjoy, at a minimal cost! You can even choose to attend the Team USA vs Team Cuba baseball game at BB&T Ballpark, starting at 6:05 pm. After the game concludes, the fireworks start. If you’re not in the stadium you can still witness the fireworks up close for free in the fields of Romare Bearden Park or even watch from parking decks surrounding the park for a great vantage point. The nighttime city view with the addition of the fireworks will make for a breathtaking view you won’t want to miss.
