News

What to Do in Charlotte This Summer

Keyanna Metts
27 June 2023

You will have so much fun visiting our Charlotte Campus, especially in the summer! After you take your amazing JWU tour, you’ll want to get to know the surrounding city and all it has to offer. For students entering their senior year of high school, a visit to JWU could earn you grant money. If you attend an on-campus visit before December 31st of your senior year in high school and complete your JWU application, you could receive a Visit Grant of up to $1,000 annually, which automatically renews each year for up to $4,000 while at JWU. Even more reason to come visit this summer!

Here are some fun things to do when you visit Charlotte.

people enjoying charlotte street festival

1. Experience the Cookout Summer Shootout

If you’re a NASCAR fan, you’ll love this cookout/racing event that runs from June 12 – August 1 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Watch future racing stars from around the world battle for the title of Summer Cookout Champion in Legend Cars and Bandoleros.

2. Visit Carowinds Amusement Park

Celebrate the 50th season of this iconic amusement park! Have a fun splash at Carolina Harbour Waterpark or visit the new experience at Aeronautica Landing, which celebrates North Carolina’s aviation history with fun rides.

3. Explore the Discovery Place Science

Celebrate the 75th anniversary of Discovery Place Science, where you can visit their new exhibit, Marvel: Universe of Superheroes. You can also watch movies in their IMAX theater or see live shows such as Science at The Stage or Nose-to-Nose. This is an amazing museum!

4. Celebrate at Charlotte Pride Festival

Rep your pride flag and color the town with your beautiful rainbow at Charlotte Pride Festival on August 19-20 to celebrate all things pride! You can go to a drag pageant and dance to live music and eat some delicious food at each and every vendor.

people under a rainbow parachute at a pride festival

5. Grab a bite at Urban District Market

Urban District Market is a great spot to eat with food stalls that offer plenty of options. Crispy Patty has amazing sandwiches with your choice of meat or seafood on a golden crust. Rare Butcher is a steakhouse that serves good cuts on a hot platter with sides you don’t want to miss. Burger Company makes their patties by hand for the most flavorful burger.

6. Enjoy Jazz at the Garden

Enjoy some smooth jazz music at the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden with award-winning musician Marcus Johnson, who will fill this beautiful garden with equally beautiful music on July 1.

7. Check out these summer concerts

Get excited because some big names are coming into town! Blink-182 will make their stop in the Queen City on July 14 at the Spectrum Center, then the one and only Beyoncé will make her stop on August 9 at the Bank of America Stadium on her Renaissance World Tour.

a music concert with confetti in the sky

8. Visit the Butterfly Bungalow

Get an up-to-close look at the caterpillars, butterflies and chrysalides! The Bungalow is open from May 26 through September 3, Wednesday through Sunday from 10 am to 3 pm, which is also when David Stowe Botanical Garden will be open.

9. Celebrate the Fourth of July in style

Join the Charlotte Symphony at Symphony Park for the Summer Pops Celebrate America concert on July 2nd to start your patriotic celebration. The evening will end with a fireworks finale. Then, on July 4th, you can get your party on early at the Stars and Stripes on Main parade in Mooresville at 10 am. End the day with some fireworks Uptown at the WBTV Skyshow, or you could go to the U.S National Whitewater Center for their annual celebration!

10. Check out the Tawba Walk Arts and Music Festival

Get inspired by going to this festival in Cornelius! You’ll walk through the heart of Cornelius and enjoy all kinds of beautiful art. There will also be two stages with live music and more than 100 vendors with a lot of art demonstrations.