👋 Happy Saturday! It's Alexis, who recently traded the usual date night for a tufting gun and a little DIY therapy. More on that below.

☀️ Today's weather: Sunny, with a high of 78 and a low of 53.

🎂 Happy birthday to our members Chris Goulet and Kory Pennington!

Today’s newsletter is 744 words — a 3-minute read.

Tucked behind a fresh juice bar, on North Davidson Street, you'll find art studio with rug tufting workshops that makes for a fun date night activity.

Why it matters: Safe & Sound Rugs owner Christian Davis spent years hosting pop-ups before finding a permanent home for his rug-tufting workshops in NoDa.

Context: Davis started leading rug-tufting workshops in Raleigh in 2023 before bringing the concept to events and businesses around Charlotte. As the classes grew in popularity, he decided he needed a dedicated studio where he could host more people and offer classes regularly.

• Davis got into rug tufting after realizing he could make designs he couldn't afford to buy — and wanted to give other people the chance to do the same. "It's a beginner-friendly experience. It's date-friendly. It's solo date-friendly," he said. "It marks off a lot of boxes."

How it works: During classes, instructors teach you how to use a tufting gun before helping you create your rug.

• You can choose or submit a design when you book, and it'll already be drawn on your frame when you arrive, so no drawing skills are required.
• Instructors typically handle trickier outlines and curves, while you fill in the design — unless you want to give those parts a try.
• They'll heat-press, cut and shave your finished rug so you can take it home the same day.

If you go: Book a class with Safe & Sound Rugs at least two days in advance so they can prepare your design. You can find their studio behind Jugo Bar at 3205 N Davidson St.

Read more

The 62nd annual Festival in the Park is back at Freedom Park this weekend.

Details: You can stroll the family-friendly event for live music, art, vendors, face painting and more.

• Festival in the Park runs from 10am-9pm today and 10am-5pm tomorrow at 1908 East Blvd. It's free to attend.
• View their parking and food map before you go.

More weekend plans

Speaking of festivals, a Beatles Festival returns to Charlotte next weekend if you want to make plans to add that to your calendar.

What to expect: FabFest is a two-day festival that celebrates The Beatles and the spirit of the '60s through live music, art and activities.

• The festival kicks off Friday, Oct. 2, with the Tosco Music Beatles Tribute at Knight Theater, followed by a FabFest daytime celebration from 10am-5pm Saturday, Oct. 3.
• Saturday includes live music on two stages, vendors, trivia, speakers, games, food trucks, yoga and contests for Beatles cover songs, art plus '60s fashion and costumes.

If you go: FabFest will be held at Knight Theater (430 S. Tryon St.). Tickets are $22.50-$56.50 for Friday's show. Saturday is free to attend.

• Free parking is available at CPCC Deck 3 and CPCC Deck 4.

Juicy Dumpling, a Chinese restaurant across from The Wine Vault, recently opened in University City.

Dig in: The menu features handmade soup dumplings, pan-fried dumplings and steamed dumplings, which you can watch the team prepare from the open kitchen at the front of the restaurant.

• You'll also find noodle dishes ranging from Sichuan dan dan noodles to braised beef noodles, plus wontons, fried rice and chow mein.

What we ordered: The spicy brisket beef noodles ($16.99), chicken xiao long bao ($12.99), rainbow pan-fried dumplings ($14.99) plus the beef and onion dumpling.

My thought bubble: The prices make it easy to order a few different dishes for the table and sample your way through the menu — which is exactly what we did. The dumplings come in enough fillings and styles that I'd recommend ordering a few varieties to share.

Stop by: Find Juicy Dumpling at 8933 J M Keynes Dr., Suite 1, at The Boardwalk at University Place. It's open 11am-9pm Sunday-Thursday and 11am-11pm Friday-Saturday.

See inside the restaurant

🥟 I could eat dumplings everyday for the rest of my life and never get tired of it.

😋 Ashley needs to try these handmade dumplings.

🥢 McKenzie keeps Trader Joes' Soyaki Sauce and dumplings on lock.

📚 Alex had a book exchange with her friends last night.

Thanks to Mike Szvetitz for editing this newsletter.