Blues, Brews and BBQ

It is time again for the annual Blues, Brews & BBQ festival in Uptown Charlotte.The event is held in our wonderful center city on September 11th and 12th. Come in and experience live music, great food and of course brews.

Click here for the event schedule.

Lessons of History

Last week, a handful of movers and shakers from the last decades of Charlotte's development converged to discuss the future of Uptown. Hugh McColl, Jr., Harvey Gantt, Rolfe Neill, Wendell White and David Ivey all played a role in creating the vibrant center city we enjoy today. Having watched Charlotte grow across a forty-year period, this group remembers that the climb was not always directly upward, and views our current condition as a short pause in our long-term economic rise. Click here for the complete Charlotte Observer story by Doug Smith.

Charlotte leaders predict uptown will rise again
By Doug Smith
dougsmith@charlotteobserver.com

High-rise residences, office towers, museums, an arena and an entertainment complex have fueled an unprecedented boom in the urban core that could surpass $6 billion in investment by the end of the decade.

Now, as that wave of projects nears completion, center city backers worry that the lingering recession and the troubles of uptown's big banks will bring development to a halt.

There is a pause, but uptown's growth will resume, say five leaders who helped guide center city development during the past 30 years.

Like them, I lived in Charlotte in the late-1980s when mortgage rates ran in double digits and homes languished on the market for ages. I feared this was the new norm and that I would never afford my own home. Well, in time things did change - interest rates dropped (they're currently at their lowest point since the 1950s) and homes sold. I even bought one. So, as we ponder whether we are now living the new norm, pause and remember the ups and downs of our recent past.

First Night

First Night Charlotte is back!!

Wednesday, December 31
3:00pm - 7:00pm First Night Kids
7:00pm – People’s Processional
8:00pm – Midnight – First Night Charlotte

www.FirstNightCharlotte.com

Where will you be on December 31? If your plans to bring in the New Year are still up in the air (and even if they’re not) consider First Night Charlotte. It’s no secret that with the current state of the economy and the holidays being just around the corner, wallets have been feeling the pinch. First Night is the most affordable, exciting, imaginative, and dynamic option for your New Year’s Eve festivities.

Click here for more information.

Charlotte Center City Partners

WBT Holiday On Ice 2008

Great traditions start with WBT... and WBT's Holiday on Ice is no exception. Tucked away in Uptown Charlotte's most scenic park is the area's only outdoor ice rink. There's no better way to get in the holiday spirit than skating with your friends and family among the holiday decorations in uptown. Join us for skating and holiday cheer at WBT's Holiday on Ice... on the Green in Uptown.

The Grand Opening is Wednesday, November 26th and runs until Saturday, January 10th.



Hours vary between holidays and school dates.

Admission: $7
Skate Rental: $3

wbt.com

Thanksgiving Day Parade

The Carolinas' Thanksgiving Day Parade, a tradition since 1947, is scheduled for Thursday, November 27, 2008, at 10:00am in Uptown Charlotte. Click here for general information and click here for a photo gallery.

Parade route: Begins at Tryon at 9th, turns left onto 3rd and ends between Davidson and McDowell on 3rd.

The Carolinas' Thanksgiving Day Parade has evolved over more than six decades as a regional tradition and highlight of the Holiday Season. Founded in 1947 by four local businessmen to attract holiday shoppers to downtown Charlotte, the Thanksgiving week events have become so much more. The Parade and its ancillary events are produced by an independent, volunteer, non-profit, charitable organization, Carolinas' Carrousel, Inc.