The Juneteenth Festival of the Carolinas honors ancestors who were brought to this country as slaves. This year's celebration kicks off with a banquet today at Four Points Sheraton Hotel Uptown. The festivities continue through Sunday with events at Independence Park, at 300 Hawthorne Lane. Thursday is a day for children, with dance classes, arts and crafts, storytelling and more. On Friday, Mecklenburg Parks & Rec will light up the park with a Drum Circle. The festivities commence on Sunday with a parade. The Carter G. Woddson Education Village, dance troupes, vendors, poetry and music make this event an experience for all ages. . .and it's free! Call 704-392-7292 for details. (Herman)
The Charlotte Knights have two more games left in their four-game series against Ottawa before heading to upstate New York to take on Buffalo and Syracuse. Tonight is Victory Night at The Castle which means 2-for-1 tickets with a Harris Teeter VIC card and if the Knights pull one out, you get a free ticket to a future game. . .not a bad deal. The game tonight starts at 7:15pm and tomorrow's game starts at 12:15pm. Tickets range from $6-$9. Call 704-36-HOMER for more information. (Herman)
Central Piedmont Summer Theatre follows its successful staging of The Music Man by taking on the acting and choreography challenge of A Chorus Line. The original Broadway production electrified the world of musical theater by shining a light on the dramatic struggles and heartbreak in the performers' "real life" -- to the point of outshining the show's music, although the final high-kicking performance of "One" may make you forget that. The production will be presented today through June 21, and June 25-28, at 8pm; June 24 at 7pm, and Sunday, June 22 at 2:30pm, in CPCC's Pease Auditorium. Tickets are $16. Call 704-330-6534. (Grooms)
june 20 friday
The Charlotte Sting has the hive jumping with excitement. This season the team is playing with more fire and intensity, keeping fans on the edge of their seats. Tonight, the Sting will take on the Minnesota Lynx and on Wednesday, June 25, they will play the Cleveland Rockers. Game time is 7pm on each night at the Charlotte Coliseum. Ticket prices range from $8-$53. For all ticket information, call 1-877-WNBA-TIX. (Simpson)
Raleigh's pretty little songbird Tift Merritt has been touring around the Carolinas for quite some time but it hasn't been until recently the masses have finally caught on -- including the national press which most often compares her to Emmylou Harris. The venues keep getting bigger with each trip to the Queen City and the music just keeps getting better, so catch her while you can, tonight at the Visulite Theatre on Elizabeth Avenue. Bluegrass outfit, Chatham County Line gets things crankin' around 10pm. Tickets cost $12. For more details, call the club at 704-358-9200 or visit visulite.com. (Farris)
june 21 saturday
Tonic celebrates the shortest night of the year in style with their Summer Solstice with Same fashion show, featuring clothes by local designers Wilson Kello and Karina Erdelyi. Models jumping off the bar, video screen projections and (bless them) "non-model" models give this show the signature Tonic edge. Tonic is located at 1427 E. 4th St. The show starts at 10pm and there's a $5 cover charge. Visit www.withtonic.com for details or call 704-347-2582. (Herman)
june 22 sunday
Rapper LL Cool J, the self-proclaimed "Greatest of All Time," will perform at 7pm tonight at the Paramount's Carowinds Paladium tonight, along with special guest Dru Hill. Whether or not LL (born James Todd Smith) is in fact the greatest rapper ever is certainly open for debate -- however, his stylistic influence and importance in moving rap and hip hop into the mainstream is unquestioned. Tickets for the show are $34.99 and $49.99, which includes park admission. For more information, call 1-800-888-4FUN. (Davis)
