CarolinaFest is a free family friendly Labor Day Celebration that will occur in Uptown Charlotte and will feature interactive expositions, family oriented activities, live music, speakers, and history in the making. The event will be held on Tryon Street in the heart of convention facilities. A map of activities can be viewed at CarolinaFest2012.com.Charlotte is the first convention host city to have the opportunity to host a convention week kick-off event that invites tens of thousands of Americans – many of them from the Carolinas – to experience the convention.
- Free and Open: CarolinaFest 2012 is open to the public and not ticketed. Those interested in receiving updates regarding talent and programming should sign up for our email list at CharlotteIn2012.com.
- Honoring Labor: On this Labor Day, as American families gather to celebrate and honor the working families who are the backbone of our economy, CarolinaFest will give organized labor the opportunity to highlight products and services created by American workers.
- Hours: CarolinaFest 2012 begins at 10 a.m. with the Charlotte Labor Day Parade. Stage programming will begin at noon to coincide with the conclusion of the parade, which ends in uptown Charlotte and will conclude at approximately 6:15 p.m.
- Location: CarolinaFest 2012 will run along Tryon Street from Stonewall to Trade Streets. Public entry points will exist at the intersection of Stonewall and Tryon and east and west of Tryon on Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, 3rd Street, 4th Street, and Trade Street. CarolinaFest activities and expositions will also take place on The Green at 400 South Tryon Street and the parking lot between Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and Stonewall Street.
- Stages: CarolinaFest 2012 will feature two stages. The Main Stage will be located at Trade and Tryon Streets and feature national talent and a speaking program. The Carolina Stage will be located on the Levine Avenue of the Arts and feature regional talent and a speaking program. Talent and speakers will be announced in the weeks ahead.
- Youth Activities on the Green: CarolinaFest 2012 is a family friendly event that will include a wide variety of activities geared to all ages of youth that include games, interactive exhibits, arts & crafts, fitness and healthy eating activities, and ways that youth can explore the Mayor’s four legacy areas. We will also bring back some of our most popular activities, such as the successful “Kids Convention” that taught youth about the democratic process of a nominating convention and encouraged civic engagement.
- Legacy Village: The Legacy Village will be located adjacent to the Harvey B. Gantt Center and will highlight community efforts to support Mayor Foxx’s Legacy Projects. It will be home to exciting and engaging exhibits and provide festivalgoers an opportunity to see firsthand the great work that being done in support of the Mayor’s Legacies. It is our goal is for festivalgoers to be drawn in and entertained by these organizations, learn of their story while engaging in the interactive exhibits, be inspired to take steps to become involved in their communities, and carry these legacies forward. The four convention legacy programs are; Healthy Children, Healthy Families; Youth Employment and Civic Education; Building a Broader, More Inclusive Economy; and Energy, Technology, and Sustainability.
- Museums: In an effort to provide a taste of Charlotte’s spectrum of artistic and cultural experiences, the museums that fall within CarolinaFest – the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, the Gantt Center, and the Mint Museum – will be open to festivalgoers free of charge. Other Uptown museums will also provide discounted admission on Labor Day. Discovery Place and NASCAR Hall of Fame admission will be half price and The Levine Museum of the New South admission will be $5.
- Food Vendors: A section of Tryon Street will be devoted to give festivalgoers an opportunity to sample a diverse selection of local food vendors.
The Democratic National Convention will bring the attention of the nation and the world to our city and region. CarolinaFest 2012 provides an outstanding opportunity to showcase our region to visitors and give local residents an opportunity to participate in the convention.