Symphony Park at SouthPark

I have lived in Charlotte for a year now and I first heard about Summer Pops last year. I was so excited this summer to give it a try and we enjoyed it so much I think next year we may buy summer passes. I think they hold other events here as well but that is the only thing I have come for. The symphony is amazing first off, so great to enjoy. You also get to bring your own seating and food, wine etc so the whole event is so wonderful. They also have food trucks out front for you to enjoy as well.

It was fantastic minus the heat and a few bugs! Get there early to get a good spot under the few trees for a bit of shade. I recommend bringing a cooler or bag with ice and drinks. Bring snacks or eat before you come. Everyone was very nice and even shared their bottle opener. The symphony conductor was hilarious and did NOT take himself seriously. He engaged the audience and invited people on stage. There are places to eat around the mall. Some people even left their quilts and small items on the lawn and went to eat and came back. There are porta potties and a hand washing station but I would recommend you bring your own TP and hand sanitizer just in case. Bring bug spray!

I am a big fan of both the Summer Pops and Movie in the Park events here. I’m not so much of a fan of the other events (ex. Great Grapes, Bourbon, Beer & BBQ etc). In short, the park is great for picnic style festivities. It’s nice to sprawl out on the blanket, enjoy the music or movie. BUT it’s a nightmare for any food/​drink stand up events. The space is very crowded. And it simply doesn’t worth the $ 20 – 30 admission those events typically charge, only to be frustrated by the lines and the crowd.
Summer Pops Tips:
1. Summer Pops now are $ 10pp, $ 15 for the July 4^th (7÷3÷2014 this year) event. You can buy online up until Friday afternoon, or you have 3 stations to buy from on day of. «Gate» opens at 5pm, and there are going to be some crazy people who think they need to rush and cut in front of you and run to stake their spots. Try not to be the crazy person.
2. Bring something heavy to put on the corners in case it’s a windy day, but otherwise the blanket won’t fly away. I managed to find some leftover bricks lying aside and a large fallen tree branch.
3. Low chairs please. Don’t be THAT person with the full size tailgate chair, because you’re blocking everyone else behind you.
4. Consider being there at 5pm to get the spot, then LEAVE. It’s HOT, HOT, HOT out there. Enjoy a nice dinner nearby (you can even walk so you don’t leave the prime parking spot you got). That way you can support the nearby eateries (I used to wait tables in Southpark years ago, and Sundays in June were horrible for business), stay out of the heat, and still be back in time for prelude.

Lovely spot for a stroll around the Symphony Park on a sunny day. Beware! There are some weird bugs flying about, only to find out they were fireflies, lots of them during the summer.
Place — great outdoor place to listen to the symphonies and bands playing under the white opera like awning.
Pro:
Came here during one of the summer festival under the stars event. I went on a day where they played classical music by the Charlotte Orchestra. It was super lovely! A thing to do once or twice in Charlotte.
Con:
Come at a bad time, or late, you will get the nose bleed section. I can tell that there were habitual locals who are familar with the setup and event that had blankets, chairs, and snacks laid out on the lawn and had the best seats!
Parking sucks, if you come late. I thought coming early before the event starts (45 minutes), was actually late, compare to others who were there ahead of time.
All in all, this is definitely the place to relax and enjoy the music with the other fellow Charlotte people.

Small. Charlotte size I guess. The idea is there but the execution lacks. JJ’s red hots as food? Ravinia it is not. Another charlotte try at being a city with mild success.