KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Wed, May 6: Free Wednesday Evenings - The Mint Museum Uptown
Fri, May 8: Girls Rugby Spring 2026
Sat, May 9: Best Dam Food Festival Tega Cay
Sat, May 9: Raleigh's Spring Festival - A Tribute to Mother's Day - Free Admission
Sat, May 9: The Color Purple - Theatre Charlotte
Mon, May 11: Fruity Pickin' Storytime: Highland Cow Hide & Seek - Millstone Creek Orchards
Thu, May 14: “History of the Nissen Wagon Works in NC” A250 Presentation - At N.C. Transportation Museum
Sat, May 16: Cornelius Fishing Derby
Sat, May 16: The Youth Orchestras Finale Concert - Charlotte Symphony Orchestra
Mon, May 25: Memorial Day Observance at Patriots Park
Wed, Jun 3: Oasis Spaces: Navigating Jim Crow Traveling Exhibit - Lake Norman State Park
Fri, Jun 12: Free Village Park Movie Series
Sat, Jun 20: The Wizard of Oz |
Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers: When they were handing out high school yearbook awards, some of my classmates unofficially, though cheerfully, voted me Least Likely to Become a Professional Cheerleader. I couldn’t really disagree: After all, I was a nerd before being a nerd came into fashion, much more comfortable in a library than at a pep rally. So much for teenage
predictions! Yesterday, my daughter Ella turned 25, which means KidsOutAndAbout turns 25, too. When Ella was imminent, and her sister Madison was one-and-a-half, I was realizing just how many incredible experiences for kids and families were all around us in Rochester, NY. Back then, before web calendars were a thing, finding out about stuff happening meant you had to know where to look. So during maternity leave from my old technology consulting firm, I
decided to build a place to make invisible opportunities visible, to celebrate the people who create them, and to build audiences for these great things. We’ve grown to a dedicated team of 20 people doing work that matters, serving 52 regions with 15 million readers per year and 750,000 weekly newsletter subscribers. So yes, I’m a professional cheerleader, and I love it. I love this. I love that my job is to help build an audience for the remarkable experiences
people are bringing to life. I love that our mission is to shine a light on the concerts, camps, classes, festivals, trails, museums, libraries, theaters, and local treasures large and small that become family stories and memories. Far from slowing down, we’re heading into hyper-drive for our Silver Anniversary, so stay tuned! Thank you for being part of the journey, and for giving us so much to cheer about.
—Debra Ross, publisher of
KidsOutAndAbout.com, co-author of The Eclipse Effect: How to Seize Extraordinary Moments to Build Strong Communities
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KidsOutAndAbout.com: Discover more. Do more. Connect more. If you like my publisher's column, you can easily scroll through past columns in the "Notes from Deb" section of our site. |
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Young Adventurers Camp offers a nurturing environment for early learners, with themed activities, water days, crafts, field trips, lunch, and optional rest time. Traditional Camp provides K–8 campers a classic summer filled with activities, trips, treats, and flexible schedules, plus leadership opportunities and optional tutoring. Specialty Camps for grades 1–8 deliver immersive, week-long experiences in cooking, STEM, coding, arts, music, and theater. Athletic Adventurers Camps keep K–8 campers active through sports programs led by skilled coaches. All camps emphasize fun, growth, and confidence, with full-day options including meals and engaging experiences tailored to each child’s interests and developmental level.
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Come and join us as we delve into the science behind your favorite science fiction books, movies, and TV shows like Godzilla and The Last of Us! Do you have what it takes to survive on Mars like Mark Watney? Are the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park actually accurate to dinosaurs from fossil records? What animals could actually evade the Predator in real life? Not only will these questions be answered, but you will also learn more about water conservation in relation to Dune by Frank Herbert; discuss camouflage, metamorphosis, and mimicry in animals as it relates to Men in Black; and enjoy a stunning planetarium show based on the planets from Star Wars! Grab your light saber and hover board to Museum of York County and join us!
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Come enjoy a family carnival, just for you! We can't wait to host your family with us on that Saturday. There will be something for all ages, from carnival rides, tons of inflatables and obstacle courses, slides, swings, bounce houses, mechanical bull ride, face painters, glitter tattoo artists, a Fun House, and it goes on! Everyone who registers with us as they walk up will receive a ticket for a free Pelican's Snoball, and if you'd like, we provide lunch for your family so you can stay longer and enjoy the day on us. We will have a photo booth here for being able to create lifelong memories, as well as access to free resources to help your family at every turn. Feel free to stop by our Pleasant Plains Christian School tent and see how our school is thriving and ministering to so…
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Ahoy! Cornelius Parks and Recreation, Cornelius Police Department, and the Joshua Murray Boating Safety Center are excited for another year of the Cornelius Cardboard Boat Regatta! Registered teams will design and construct their own boats, built primarily of cardboard and duct tape, and race them on Lake Norman. Awards will be given to the winners of the boat race and also in the categories of Best Decorated, People's Choice and the Titanic Award (best sinking). Registration required for racers only, viewing the race is free and open to the public.
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Since the fall of 1964, Festival in the Park has brought Charlotteans from all walks of life together to enjoy arts, crafts, music and family entertainment. With the mission of bringing the community together by celebrating the arts, the Festival Board is excited to broaden its reach and to announce a spring fine arts event, the Kings Drive Art Walk. We invite you to participate in our spring event which will be held along the Little Sugar Creek Greenway, a reclaimed natural waterway between East Morehead Street and Pearle Park Way Bridge along Kings Drive. With a focus on fine and emerging artists, our spring festival on this beautiful and easily accessible venue is an annual fine arts outing! The KDAW festival is located on the King’s Drive section of the Little Sugar Creek…
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Mark your calendars and get ready to travel the world - no passport required! Join us on Saturday, May 2nd, from 10:00am - 5:00pm at the Davidson County Fairgrounds for a FREE celebration of culture, community, and connection. This is the 30th anniversary of the Multicultural Festival, and we want you to be a part of this wonderful event. The festival highlights five major cultural areas—African American, European, Asian, Latino, and Native American—with many nationalities represented. Experience the beauty of diverse traditions through sights, sounds, and tastes from around the globe. Don’t miss this vibrant celebration of culture and community, see you there!
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- Free spring mini photo session with Shoott! - Charlotte - Shoott, Broadway, New York, NY, USA, 05/01/2026 to 05/03/2026, See link for times
- Free Fun Fridays at Johnston YMCA - Yscholars, Johnston YMCA, 3025 N Davidson St, Charlotte, NC 28205, 05/01/2026, 10:00am
- SCNP: May Flowers Hike - 15700
Thompson Road, Mint Hill, NC 28227, 05/01/2026, 2:00pm to 3:15pm
- CSO Roadshow @ Do Greater - Charlotte Symphony Orchestra - Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, Do Greater Charlotte Foundation, Greenland Avenue, Charlotte, NC, 05/01/2026, 5:30 pm
- Spring Fest 2026 - Pleasant Plains Christian School, 3316 Pleasant Plains Rd, Matthews, NC 28105, 05/02/2026, 10 am - 2 pm
- Live Music at Patriots
Park - Kings Mountain Patriot Park, South Railroad Avenue, Kings Mountain, NC, 05/02/2026, 7 pm
- 20th Annual Daniel Boone Family Festival - Mocksville, NC, 05/02/2026, 10 am - 7 pm
- Kings Drive Art Walk - Little Sugar Creek Greenway, 600 South Kings Drive, Charlotte, NC, 05/02/2026 to 05/03/2026, 11 am
- LNP: Salamander Saturday Hike - Latta
Nature Preserve, Quest at Latta Nature Preserve, Sample Road, Huntersville, NC, 05/02/2026, 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
- CSO Roadshow @ Simmons YMCA - Charlotte Symphony Orchestra - Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, Simmons YMCA, Democracy Drive, Charlotte, NC, 05/02/2026, 4
pm
- 30th Annual Multicultural Festival - Lexington, NC - Davis County Fairgrounds, Old Hwy 2, Bloomfield, IA, 05/02/2026, 10 am - 5 pm
- SCNP: Migratory Birds Week (drop-in) - 15700 Thompson Road, Mint Hill, NC 28227, 05/03/2026, 1:30pm to 3:00pm
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The KidsOutAndAbout annual guide to summer camps in the Charlotte area is back! You can search by date, age, or categories like day/overnight, sports, drama, music, theatre, arts & crafts, technology, robotics, horseback riding, preschool, & more.
Our guide puts summer fun right at your fingertips!
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Parents have an abundance of choices when it comes to PreK and day care options in the Charlotte area! Use our Big List to help find the best one for your kiddos and check our events calendar to find Open Houses where you can meet teachers and tour the
schools.
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Looking for a thrilling family-friendly adventure in the Charlotte area? Escape rooms are interactive, puzzle-packed experiences where you and your team work together to solve clues and complete your mission-all before time runs out! Whether you're escaping
a spooky cabin, cracking a high-stakes heist, or breaking a magical curse, escape rooms offer exciting, screen-free fun for kids, teens, and adults.
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Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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