Axios Weekender: 28 fun things to do this weekend

The Weekender is proudly presented by The Speedway Club. One of Charlotte’s best-kept dining secrets, The Speedway Club is now offering limited seating for the general public Thursday-Saturday. Enjoy a world-class menu, great cocktails and Speedway views. Call 704-455-3216 to make reservations.

FRIDAY, JUNE 4

83. Isolated thunderstorms. 30% chance of rain.

Pick up a donut (or a dozen) in honor of National Donut Day: Keep an eye out for Charlotte donut shops celebrating with donut deals. All-day. Varies. Details.

Related story: Top 13 donut spots in Charlotte, and what to order at each

Charlotte Regional Farmers Market at 1801 Yorkmont Rd.: This huge state-run market features fresh produce, meats, cheeses, flowers and other goods. 8 am to 6 pm. Free. Details.

Eat Black Charlotte Week at 1327 South Mint St.: Eat Black Charlotte Week (EATBLKCLT) is a week of pre-fixe lunch and dinner menus crafted by local Black-owned restaurants. The week will come to a close with events at Unknown Brewing Co. and 1501 South Mint. June 4-12. $35. Details.

Mecklenburg County Public Health Vaccination Event at 933 Louise Ave. Suite 105: Catawba Brewing Company is hosting a free Covid-19 vaccination clinic for all residents, age 18+. The clinic will be administering the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. Catawba will offer a $5 gift certificate to anyone 21+ that receives a vaccination on-site. Appointments are required. 3-7 pm. Free, appointments required. Details.

Related story: Free beer may be the key to vaccinating Charlotte’s 20-somethings

GRACEfest Opening Night at The Brooklyn Collective at 219-229 South Brevard St.: GRACEfest is Uptown’s first annual art festival that honors the 18 ancestors of the Grace AME Zion. The two-day festival will have art, music, dancers, acapella spirituals, spoken word, heritage and history. 6-9 pm. $20. Details.

Goodyear Arts Doomsday Clock Curated by God City at 301 Camp Rd., #200: In this new exhibition, seventeen multimedia artists have responded to their understanding of Doomsday Clock with art inspired by comics, philosophy, world history, Reaganomics and Saturday morning cartoons. 6-9 pm. Free. Details.

Victoria Yards First Friday Movie at 408 North Tryon Street: Head to Victoria Yards to catch a screening of Black Panther. There will be food trucks, alcoholic beverages, and live music prior to the movie. 6 pm. Free. Details.

EMO Night at the Music Yard at 2433 South Blvd.: Reminisce on your angsty teen years by heading out to Emo Night at The Music Yard. This event will feature songs from My Chemical Romance, Panic at the Disco!, Blink 182, Fall Out Boy, Paramore, Good Charlotte and 3OH3 to name a few. 6-10 pm. $10+. Details.

Art After Dark with the Harvey B. Gantt Center at 551 South Tryon St.: Head to the Harvey B. Gantt Center for an evening of hands-on art workshops, discussions, live music, plus the unveiling of the museum’s newest exhibit, Choose Your Weapon by E. Mackey — a collection of photos that reflect his journey as a photographing activist. 6-10 pm. Free (21+). Details.

Candle Making Workshop at NoDa Brewing Co. at 2921 North Tryon St.: Join Stacy Ahua of Usu Company candles for a DIY candle-making workshop. You’ll get to sample, select and blend a one-of-a-kind scent for your candle. Together, Stacy will take you step-by-step through all of the materials you need in the candle-making process. At the end of the class, you’ll leave with your own unique candle creation. 6-8 pm. $45. Details.

River Jam at the Whitewater Center 5000 Whitewater Center Pkwy.: Bring a blanket or a chair and head to the River Jam stage to enjoy some live music by the whitewater rapids. Taking the stage this Friday is The Jakob’s Ferry Stragglers then performing Saturday is Ryan Montbleau. 6:30 pm. Free, $6 parking. Details.

Virtual Jazz at the Bechtler: Tune in virtually to hear the Ziad Jazz Quartet perform live from The Playroom stage at the Bechtler. 7-8 pm. $10. Details.

Summer Gnocchi from Scratch with SkillPop: Culinary instructor and pasta aficionado Emily Trotochaud will walk you through the process of making both potato and spinach gnocchi. Bonus – this lesson doesn’t require any special equipment or ingredients. 7-8:30 pm. $20. Details.

SATURDAY, JUNE 5

85. Partly cloudy. 24% chance of rain.

Uptown Farmers Market at 300 South Davidson St.: Shop from over 40 vendors selling fresh fruits and veggies, meat and poultry, and artisan foods and baked goods. Plus, the Uptown Farmers Market is on a mission to address food insecurity in our area, so consider making a donation while there. 8 am to 12:30 pm. Free. Details.

University City Farmers Market at 8929 J M Keynes Drive: Pick out fresh fruits and veggies and shop from local farmers, artisanal food makers and pop-up chefs. 9 am to 1 pm. Prices vary. Details.

Goat Yoga at Maple Leaf Stables-Indian Land Ag and Art Tour: You’ve heard of downward-facing dog, but have you heard of downward-facing goat? Spend a Saturday morning doing goat yoga with the baby and momma goats at Maple Leaf Stables. Following the class, enjoy snuggles and a photo op. 10-11:30 am. $26. Details.

12th Annual 704 Mimosa Party: Hosts all around the Queen City will be throwing mimosa parties to benefit the Charlotte Lesbian and Gay Fund (CLGF). Not only is this a fun time, but it’s helping to give back to the community. 10 am to 3 pm. Free, donations appreciated, registration required. Details.

National Trails Day at Mount Holly’s Catawba Riverfront Greenway and Tuckaseege Park at 165 Broome St.: Explore areas of the Thread Trail for National Trails Day. This family-friendly event will have guided walks, stand-up paddle (SUP) board instruction, SUP, free bike and kayak rentals, outdoor lifestyle exhibitors and a farmers’ and artists’ market. 10 am to 2 pm. Free, pre-registration required. Details.

Seltzer World Festival at 2215 Thrift Rd. Ste. B: Join the East Coast’s first seltzery, Summit Seltzer and Elevate Lifestyle for a pet-friendly experience with DJ spinning, food for purchase, entertainment, and lots of fun activities & games. Use promo code AXIOSCHARLOTTE and save $10 off your general admission ticket. Noon to 3 pm & 4-7 pm. $35. Details.

Devils Logic Brewing Grand Opening at 1426 E 4th St.: This three-day grand opening celebration will have live music, limited release beers, giveaways, axe throwing, and food including a Sunday brunch. Noon to 11 pm. Free. Details.

Silent Streets Opening Celebration at 500 S. Tryon St.: Head to the Mint Museum Uptown for an afternoon street party for the arts. The lineup for the afternoon includes a conversation with the commissioned artists Amy Bagwell, Stacy Lynn Waddell, and Antoine Williams at 1 pm, a performance by beloved Charlotte-indie band, Junior Astronomers at 3 pm and 5 pm, along with food trucks and several other family-friendly activities. Noon to 6 pm. Details.

Lenny Boy Fest at 3000 S Tryon St.: Join The MAKRS Society and Lenny Boy Brewing for their monthly mini-fest featuring live music, multiple food trucks and 25+ local makers and vendors. Grab a coffee from a local vendor or a Kombucha, Beer or Wild Ale from Lenny Boy Brewing. 1-5 pm. Free. Details.

Concert in the Courtyard at 1115 N Brevard St.: Grab food at an Optimist Hall stand, then catch a performance from Nate Brown in the main courtyard. 2-5 pm. Free. Details.

SUNDAY, JUNE 6

86. Partly cloudy. 24% chance of rain.

Front Porch Sunday at Sycamore Brewing at 2161 Hawkins St.: Now in its sixth season, Front Porch Sundays has become one of Charlotte’s largest monthly pop-up markets. The event pops up on the grounds of Sycamore Brewing the first weekend of every month. Stop by for live music, food trucks, local shopping and of course cold craft beer. 10 am to 4 pm. Details.

Counterculture Club outdoor yoga series at Camp North End: Join Counterculture Club Yoga in the Boileryard at Camp North End for a rejuvenating yoga flow, fit for all levels. 10 am. $10. Details.

Kanna Infused Sip & Smoke Brunch at 209 W. Worthington Ave.: Enjoy brunch (infused or un-infused) on Kanna’s patio with food from Chef Will Williams of Seasoned Provisions and music from Dj G-Cord. Seats are limited and you must be 21+ to attend. Pups welcome. 11 am to 4 pm. $17-$20. Details.

Pet Pop Up at Skiptown at 222 Rampart St.: Pamper your pet with locally made goodies like dog treats, pet accessories, and pet grooming products at Skiptown’s Pet Pop-Up. Noon to 5 pm. Free. Details.

The Charlotte Regional Farmers Market at 1801 Yorkmont Rd.: This huge state-run market has three buildings filled with vendors selling fresh produce, meats, cheeses, flowers and other goods. Noon to 6 pm. Prices vary. Details.

Check out more upcoming events on our Event Board. Hosting an event? Reach more Charlotteans through an Event Listing, which includes placement on our Event Board and in our newsletters’ Classifieds section. Have a scoop about a cool event? Email [email protected].