Summer Events in Charlotte: Your 2025 Guide to Local Fun

Charlotte comes alive in the summer, and 2025 brought a packed calendar of music, sports, cultural celebrations and warm-weather events across the metro.

Whether you were a longtime local or exploring Charlotte neighborhoods before a move, June and July offered plenty of opportunities to experience the city beyond the usual attractions.

Juneteenth Weekend in Charlotte

Charlotte marked Juneteenth 2025 with events centered on culture, art, music and community throughout the city.

University City Juneteenth Art Fest | June 19
Held at the Shoppes at University Place, the free University City Juneteenth Art Fest featured local artists, live music, dance performances and a marketplace highlighting small and minority-owned businesses. The event ran from 4 to 8 p.m.

See the 2025 Juneteenth Art Fest details.

Durag Fest | June 21
Durag Fest returned to Charlotte for its Juneteenth celebration at Blackbox Theater on East Sugar Creek Road. The 2025 event celebrated Black culture, creativity, fashion, music and HBCU influence.

View the 2025 Durag Fest event page.

KIDZ BOP Live | June 21
Families headed to PNC Music Pavilion for the Charlotte stop of the KIDZ BOP LIVE Certified BOP Tour. The Charlotte performance was part of a national summer tour that also stopped in Raleigh and Greensboro.

See the 2025 KIDZ BOP tour schedule.

FIFA Club World Cup: Real Madrid vs. Pachuca | June 22
Bank of America Stadium hosted one of Charlotte's biggest sporting events of the summer when Real Madrid faced CF Pachuca in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.

See FIFA's Real Madrid vs. Pachuca match details.

Carolina Open Air Brought EDM to Charlotte June 27–28

Electronic music fans had a full weekend at Carolina Open Air, held June 27 and 28 at Blackbox Outdoors on East Sugar Creek Road.

The two-night lineup featured artists including Tape B, Daily Bread, ALLEYCVT, Detox Unit, Opiuo and Maddy O'Neal, giving Charlotte one of its larger EDM weekends of the summer.

View Carolina Open Air's 2025 event details.

July Brought Rugby, Lake Norman Parties and Restaurant Week

USA Eagles vs. Belgium | July 5
The USA Men's Eagles opened their Charlotte July Series at American Legion Memorial Stadium with a 36-17 victory over Belgium.

The international rugby schedule continued later in the month, including a July 12 match against Spain at the same stadium.

See the USA Eagles' 2025 Charlotte results and schedule.

Black Boat Weekend | July 18–20
Lake Norman hosted the first Black Boat Weekend in the Charlotte area, bringing hundreds of boats and thousands of attendees together for a weekend of on-water music and social events.

The weekend included boating events on Lake Norman along with parties and other gatherings around Charlotte.

Visit the official Black Boat Weekend site.

Queen's Feast: Charlotte Restaurant Week | July 18–27
More than 125 restaurants across nine Charlotte-area counties participated in the summer 2025 edition of Queen's Feast. Participating restaurants offered prix fixe dining menus, giving locals an opportunity to try restaurants across Uptown, South End, SouthPark, Ballantyne and surrounding communities.

Explore Queen's Feast Charlotte Restaurant Week.

More Charlotte Summer Highlights in 2025

The major festivals and sporting events were only part of Charlotte's summer calendar.

Charlotte Knights Baseball
Baseball continued throughout the summer at Truist Field in Uptown, giving fans one of Charlotte's classic warm-weather outings.

Visit the Charlotte Knights.

MONOPOLY LIFESIZED | Through July 27
Blume Studios hosted MONOPOLY LIFESIZED: Travel Edition from May 6 through July 27, transforming the familiar board game into an interactive, life-sized experience.

See the 2025 MONOPOLY LIFESIZED event details.

Jazz Room: Etienne Charles | June 20–21
JazzArts Charlotte welcomed trumpeter and bandleader Etienne Charles to Stage Door Theater for a summer Jazz Room weekend.

And when the temperatures climbed, Charlotte-area residents had plenty of places to cool down. Stone Realty Group's 2025 Charlotte summer swimming guide covered pools, spraygrounds, lake beaches and other seasonal swimming spots.

Frequently Asked Questions

What were some of the biggest Charlotte events in summer 2025?
Major June and July events included Charlotte's Juneteenth celebrations, Real Madrid vs. Pachuca in the FIFA Club World Cup, Carolina Open Air, USA Eagles rugby, Black Boat Weekend on Lake Norman and Queen's Feast Charlotte Restaurant Week.

Were there family-friendly summer events in Charlotte in 2025?
Yes. Family-oriented options included the University City Juneteenth Art Fest, KIDZ BOP Live, Charlotte Knights baseball, MONOPOLY LIFESIZED and pools and spraygrounds throughout Mecklenburg County.

Where did most Charlotte summer events take place?
Events were spread throughout the metro, including Uptown, University City, the Sugar Creek corridor and Lake Norman. That variety gave residents and visitors opportunities to explore several different parts of Charlotte during the season.

Considering a Move to Charlotte?

From event-packed Uptown and South End to established neighborhoods and lakeside communities, Charlotte offers very