Summer Fun Guide – Uptown Charlotte

Mint After 5
Definitely not just another event where you’ll get smashed and pick up a hook-up; nope, the view alone destroys that idea altogether. The rooftop is six stories up, next to the Hearst Plaza on Trade, edged with weathered statues of angels that remain from the days when the building housed a Montaldo’s, and engulfed by the skyline of uptown. The summer schedule could not be better: The event starts at 6:00, but the “gorgeous ones” don’t show until 7:00 – just enough time to freshen up after work. By 8:00 the sun is done baking the city and you’re enjoying the sunset with a chardonnay in your hand and 300 of your fellow urbanites just getting warmed up for the evening’s festivities. The third Friday of the month through September.
youngaffiliates.org/mintafter5.html

Taste of Charlotte
With 12 years under their belt, the folks at Taste of Charlotte have got this event dialed in with samplings from over 100 of the city’s restaurants, live entertainment on its Center Stage, and even an “Adventure Village” for the kids.  Tavern at the Taste, between Fifth and Sixth Streets, is where we’ll be: “where the entertainment is lively, the beer is cold, and the wine is vibrant.”  Admission to this event is FREE, but alas, food and drink are not. June 11-13 on Tryon Street between MLK Jr. Blvd. and Sixth Street: tasteofcharlotte.com

Charlotte Criterium
Don’t think Lance Armstrong and the Tour de France; think more NASCAR on two wheels and lots of left turns. It’s called the Presbyterian Hospital Invitational Criterium (which is a fancy name for a bike race). Well, there is a bike race going on in the middle of lots of picnics and beer drinking, and if you’re lucky enough to get into the VIP tent, plenty of fine food. But skip the tents and head straight for Stool Pigeons on the corner of Fifth and Church, get an outside table, and set up camp. You’ll have your own waitress delivering beer and wings for the night. If you’re watching someone exercise, maybe the calories don’t count (check with your trainer).
charlottecriterium.org

Alive After Five at EpiCentre
One of the longest-running after-work parties in town, Alive after Five at the Epicentre is a glorious mixture of cold lite beer, warm summer days, and live music. Right after work on Thursdays throughout summer, most folks go home to change before hitting the top floor of the Epicentre, but they are ready to enjoy some of the best people watching in all of Charlotte when they arrive. The party is free and the bars are open, so it’s best not to schedule an 8 a.m. meeting on the following Friday. Check the website for the band lineup: aliveafterfives.com

~ Matt Kokenes