Charlotte, Travel

This is Charlotte – King’s Drive Artwalk

For the most part, Charlotte does outdoor events right during the warm weather season – free concert series on most Thursday nights, gallery crawls on Friday nights, Pops in the Park on Sundays, NASCAR related festivals, food related festivals, Shakespeare on the Green, White Water Center Events, Saturday night concerts at the Epicenter, art festivals, wine festivals etc, etc.  The cities only downfall is too much is packed into the same timeframes.  Thursdays you can find competing free concert series all over town and September is bursting at the seams with events.  Finally, an organizer broke the norm and started an event outside of September.

The Queen City in Full Spring

The Queen City in Full Spring

This past weekend Festival in the Park hosted their third annual King’s Drive Artwalk in, fancy this, April.  Really, other organizers should clone their move as the weather in April and May is much better suited for an event.  September tends to be one of the hottest months of the year and too damn hot to be outside unless you are on a party yacht (read pontoon) on Lake Norman or Lake Wylie.

King's Drive Artwalk Along the Greenway

King's Drive Artwalk Along the Greenway

King's Drive Artwalk Along the Greenway

King's Drive Artwalk Along the Greenway

King's Drive Artwalk Along the Greenway

King's Drive Artwalk Along the Greenway

The artwalk followed the greenway from the King’s Street Farmers Market down to The Metropolitan where a jazz stage was setup outside of Dressler’s and Hickory Tavern.  The greenway was loaded with artist booths along the way.  While there were not as many vendor’s as September’s Festival in the Park, the variety was definitely expansive.  We have a very modern design sense and normally cannot find much at Festival in the Park.  Not so with King’s Drive Artwalk.  Artists displayed exhibits ranging from traditional to modern and everything in between.  There was jewelry, photography, painting, sculpture, etc.

Artsy Fartsy Hard at Work Painting

Artsy Fartsy Hard at Work Painting

Jazz Stage at the Metropolitan

Jazz Stage at the Metropolitan

Even though our tastes are specific and hard to please, I still look forward to such events.  Supporting almost any form of art is a passion for me.  To our surprise, we actually came away with some wares.  Not to take the spotlight away from neighbor Lulu’s décor site, we came away with this little piece for our living room from Allison K Studio and another item to be gifted to someone at a later date.

Allison K Booth at the King's Drive Artwalk

Allison K Booth at the King's Drive Artwalk

New Artwork in la Casa Gourmand

New Artwork in la Casa Gourmand

New Artwork in la Casa Gourmand

New Artwork in la Casa Gourmand