Super Bowl Sunday is as much about food as it is about football for some fans.

Why it matters: It's a time to gather with friends and family over your favorite treats — some of which will be pricier this year thanks to inflation and the ongoing bird flu outbreak.

State of play: The Kansas City Chiefs play the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Feb. 9, at 6:30pm on FOX.

• Now let's dive into your Super Bowl feast.

By the numbers: The average cost for a party of 10 people is $139, a 0.1% increase compared to last year, according to Wells Fargo's Agri-Food Institute's Super Bowl Food Report.

• Some game-day favorites, like chicken wings (raw, not frozen) saw a price increase of 7.2% compared to last year, per the report.
• This aligns with the broader trend of a 4.2% increase in the meat/poultry/fish/eggs category between December 2019 to December 2024, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index data.
• Shrimp is a more affordable protein option (its price is down by 4%, per Wells Fargo's report).

Other effects on your menu

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department investigated more than 900 shootings into occupied properties last year.

Why it matters: CMPD fears these shootings, which can traumatize entire neighborhoods, are becoming normalized.

• "Imagine someone shooting 12, 10, one round, one round through your living room, into your child's bedroom, into your television, into your personal space," Major Bret Balamucki says. "How do you carry that? How do you go to sleep that night?"

By the numbers: According to CMPD's annual report, there were 932 investigations at crime scenes involving shootings into occupied properties in 2024. The figure represents a decline from 2023 but is higher than in years before that.

How CMPD plans to address this

Charlotte's four Black mayors — some of the city's most prominent living history makers — united for a rare discussion this week at the Sarah Stevenson Tuesday Forum. They reflected on their upbringings, legacies and challenges Charlotte faces today.

Mayor Vi Lyles said the Red Line commuter line could be a game changer, especially "for people of color more than anything else."

• The proposed commuter train connecting Uptown to north Mecklenburg is decades in the making. The project is finally gaining momentum under Lyles' tenure, and possibly starting construction as soon as 2026.
• Lyles spoke of how important it is for the city to create a reliable transportation system that moves people to and from work.

Former mayor Patrick Cannon was adamant about bringing the CIAA basketball tournament back to Charlotte.

• The CIAA is headquartered in Charlotte and includes member school Johnson C. Smith University. But Charlotte lost the tournament after more than a decade to Baltimore, which is slated to host the tournament through 2026.
• Mayor Vi Lyles says council member Malcolm Graham reminds her daily, "We're going to get the CIAA."

What else they had to say

The Annual Queen City Brewers Festival returns this Saturday, Feb. 8, for its 12th year.

What to expect: 30+ local breweries, live music and food from local vendors, including BBQ from Jon G's.

If you go: The event is from 1-4pm at The Innovation Barn (932 Seigle Ave.)

• Tickets are $75 and benefit the nonprofit Envision Charlotte.

💼 See which top Charlotte companies are hiring.

1. Operations Manager at Queens University of Charlotte.
2. Director of Development at Baby Bundles.
3. Master Gymnastics Coach at YMCA of Greater Charlotte.

Want more opportunities? Check out our Job Board.

Hiring? Post a job.

Alyssa Pressler started a Silent Book Club chapter at her Camp North End bookstore That's Novel Books because she wanted more time to read.

• What started as a four-to-five-people gathering a few summers ago has turned into an average of 110-150 people, Pressler tells Axios. That's Novel Books hosts two Silent Book Clubs a month.

Context: Silent Book Club has more than 1,500 chapters across 54 countries worldwide, including a few official chapters in Charlotte. You can find a local chapter on Silent Book Club's website.

How it works: That's Novel Books' next Silent Book Club is tomorrow, Feb. 6, from 6-8pm at Camp North End. No sign up required. Just show up with your reading material and something to sit on.

• Check That's Novel Books' website or Instagram before you head out.

More Silent Book Club chapters to check out

News you can use from our partners.

• ☀️ Keep your kids busy in the best way this summer. Charlotte Country Day offers 150+ camp options for children ages 3-18, including sports, academics, outdoor activities and more. Register for camp.
• LoSo is brimmingwith hot spots and local faves like Platform Sports, Goldie's, Rally and OMB. Live in the middle of it all at The Sloan. Plus, residents get perks like a speakeasy, barista bar, spa and dog park. Take a tour + get 10 weeks free.

☕️ Summit Coffee has soft opened its Wilmore location at 536 W. Tremont Ave. Suite 102. The grand opening is planned for this weekend. (Instagram)

📚 Charlotte Mecklenburg Library's Plaza Midwood branch will close later this month for restroom renovations and facility maintenance, per the library. Holds will be redirected to Independence Regional Library unless otherwise requested.

🏁 Country music star Jake Owen will perform on Saturday, May 17, at North Wilkesboro Speedway as part of the NASCAR All-Star Race weekend, according to a press release.

🥚 The Waffle House has added a temporary surcharge of 50 cents per egg amid rising egg prices from the bird flu outbreak. (Axios)

📅 Start planning your days ahead.

• The Play That Goes Wrong at Theatre Charlotte Feb 7-23: Get ready for a night of mishaps, mischief, and madcap mania. This award-winning smash comedy is part Monty Python, part Sherlock Holmes and guaranteed to leave you aching with laughter. $34.
• NC Association of Independent Schools Teacher Hiring Fair at Charlotte Country Day School Sat: If you're passionate about education and looking for an inspiring place to teach, explore the opportunities with NCAIS schools.
• Love Notes: A Valentine's Concert for Everyone to Benefit Tosco Music at Booth Playhouse Sat: Don't miss this Valentine's concert to benefit Tosco Music's nonprofit mission and programs. Attend single or paired, all are welcome. $50-$125.
• Second Saturday Stream Cleanup at Little Sugar Creek Sat: Bring your family out to volunteer with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services at the Stream Cleanup Saturday.
• Pups & Cups Tea Tasting at Humane Society of Charlotte Sun: This Valentine's season, enjoy the charm of an event filled with tea, games, and furry friends. Pups & Cups is their signature tea-tasting event supporting the Humane Society of Charlotte. $35.
• Drawing 101 at Arts+ Uptown Studios Feb 12-Mar 19: Use charcoal and pastel to learn composition, perspective, and line quality. Have fun with drawing in this 6-week group class for adults. $275.
• Alice in Wonderland presented by Charlotte Youth Ballet at Dale F. Halton Theater Mar 7-9: Follow us down the rabbit hole as Charlotte-area student dancers join professionals to perform the storybook ballet interpretation of Lewis Carroll's classic children's story, Alice in Wonderland. $35.

Want more things to do? Check out our Event Board.

Hosting? Purchase an Event Listing.

Former NoDa med spa PureGlo recently reopened in South End as Vela Aesthetics & Mercantile.

What to expect: The holistic med spa offers injectables (like Botox and lip flips), organic facials, lash and brow services, chemical peels, microneedling and an acne-healing program.

• Treatment rooms are upstairs. The ground floor is retail, including skincare products.

Stop by: 1800 Camden Road, next to Girl Tribe.

• Open Monday-Friday 10am-7pm and Saturday-Sunday 11am-6pm.