Spring in the Carolinas means outdoor fun and day trip
Today is the first day of spring, and the warmer weather is just one part of spring’s allure.
Spring also marks the unofficial start of picnics, outdoor concerts, day trips and more.
- The Charlotte Shout festival kicks off March 31 with 17 days of arts & culture.
- The three-day Boom Charlotte festival is scheduled for April 21024.
- Down in Columbia, the Soda City Market features dozens of local vendors, all selling products they make, grow or cook. The market is year-round, but spring is an especially nice time to visit.
- If art is your thing, the Kings Drive Art Walk returns May 6-7 for a 13th season along the Little Sugar Creek Greenway.
To launch the season, the QCity Metro team decided to share some of our springtime indulgences — everything from The Charlotte Fair to Knights baseball.
One team member is even planning a trip to Charleston for a special museum opening.
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Whatever your pleasure, get outside and have some fun.
Glenn’s Pick: the (new) International African American Museum
Charleston, S.C., is one of my favorite weekend destinations. Now with the International African American Museum set to open there on June 27 (not quite spring, but close enough), I’ll have one more reason to visit.
The $120 million project has been underway for more than 20 years and will tell the story of the Middle Passage – the cruel sea journey that brought millions of enslaved Africans to the so-called New World.
The museum is located on the site of what was once Gadsden’s Wharf in Charleston Harbor. Countless enslaved people once disembarked there.
In a New York Times interview, Tonya M. Matthews, the museum’s president and chief executive, said history weighs on the museum, where staff will be trained to accommodate viewers reacting to the history of enslavement depicted at the center.
After so many years actively ignoring its ties to slavery, Charleston is learning to embrace this ugly chapter in its history. I can hardly wait to see this latest example.
Tamia’s Pick: Knights baseball
This season, I can’t wait to visit Carowinds, go to a few Knight games, and drop by the Carolina BBQ Festival at Camp North End. The Knights’ first home game is scheduled for March 31 against Memphis Redbirds.
Amanda’s Pick: Food & Wine Festivals
I’m looking forward to the South End Wine and Hops Fest and the Charlotte Wine and Food Festival this spring.
My favorite part about these festivals is trying different wines and foods and meeting all the Black vendors. The live music is a plus too.
Nothing beats listening to a good cover band while sipping Pinot Griot and chowing down on good food.
Jalon’s Pick: The Charlotte Fair
I’m looking forward to checking out The Charlotte Fair. As a kid, I always loved attending the fair to enjoy the rides and food. I couldn’t go last year, so I will check it out this spring when it returns. This year the fair will run March 24 – April 2.
Madeline’s Pick: Getting outside
I’m excited to be outside! I love going to new restaurants and exploring the city through food.
This spring, I’ve already planned a few sunny weekends — brunch and mimosas with my mom at Stir, a Saturday lunch with my boo at Roy’s NoDa, and a girls’ day out somewhere in South End.
Cheers to spring and all the outings I’ll have!
Bethany’s Pick: Crowders Mountain
I love the outdoors, so I can’t wait to take my son Chester — a two-year-old Rhodesian Ridgeback — to hike Crowders Mountain. We’ve done Crowders’ Mountain before and loved it, so I’m looking forward to it.
Daija’s Pick: Camp North End
In addition to journalism, I also love photography. I’m most excited to do a photo shoot at Camp North End when the weather is nice this season.
I love the variety of spaces there, along with the colors and murals. It’s also a cool place to simply hang out, especially when the weather is nice, so I’ll probably do that too.
Check out this calendar of events.
