Community Calendar

All throughout September, guests are invited to join the mountain’s naturalists as they count and celebrate the annual spectacle of fall raptor migration. Participants can observe the migration from viewing locations on Linville Peak (across the Mile High Swinging Bridge) and Half Moon Overlook (the first major overlook when entering the park). Included with admission.

NAME OF EVENT: 2025 Civics 101 Program (LWVCM)

WHEN: Wednesdays from 6 to 8:30 pm from February 19, 2025 through April 2, 2025

WHERE: Charlotte Mecklenburg Government Center 600 E. 4th Street, Charlotte NC 28202

WHAT
Civics 101, sponsored by the League of Women Voters Charlotte Mecklenburg (LWVCM), offers a comprehensive look into the structures of city, county and state governance for Charlotte.
Seven-evening sessions, one-evening-per week, can be attended either in-person or online. Panelist include elected officials, administrators and media representatives.
Price: $50 Adults, Free for Students
For information and registration, visit: https://goleaguego.org/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=355841&module_id=525173

The Bhagavad Gita teaches us that real happiness lies within, not outside. Learn how to go within and be independent of the external world.

Watch Sunandaji online explain Bhagavad Gita chapter 10, "The Yoga of Supreme Manifestation," from September 07 - 11, 2025. Register for free at VedantaUSA.org

The African Children’s Choir is marking over four decades of transforming lives through the power of music, education and hope. As they embark on a tour of more than 100 cities, the Choir will continue to captivate audiences with their heartwarming performances with a show that blends traditional hymns and African cultural sounds, while sharing stories of God’s faithfulness through joyful worship.

Comprised of children ages 8 to 10, all from vulnerable backgrounds across Africa, the African Children’s Choir serves as a powerful testament to the resilience and potential of Africa’s future leaders. Each child in the Choir has faced significant hardship, often with limited access to education. Yet, through the Choir, these children gain life-changing opportunities for education and personal growth, becoming beacons of hope for their communities.

The African Children’s Choir is more than just a choir. It’s part of a larger, international, Christian organization called Music for Life, which provides thousands of impoverished children throughout Africa with the education, discipleship, and leadership skills needed to rise above their conditions so they can bring positive, lasting change to their families, communities, and countries.

All throughout September, guests are invited to join the mountain’s naturalists as they count and celebrate the annual spectacle of fall raptor migration. Participants can observe the migration from viewing locations on Linville Peak (across the Mile High Swinging Bridge) and Half Moon Overlook (the first major overlook when entering the park). Included with admission.

The southern Appalachians are world-renowned for different types of fungi, from mushrooms to lichens, and are home to more than 2,000 species. Here’s a chance to learn about the lifestyle and habitats of fungi, as well as observe many kinds of fungal fruiting bodies, including mushrooms growing at higher elevations. Participants will learn how to identify them by size, shape and color. You will also inoculate a log with shiitake mushroom mycelium to take home with you. After an interactive introduction to the fungi kingdom, which includes inoculating the logs, we’ll take a short slow stroll in search of mushrooms growing on the mountain to collect representatives of different fungal families to study back in the classroom. Through this workshop and field exploration, you’ll learn about fungal habitats, toxicology and the important roles fungi play in the forest ecosystem. The workshop is designed for beginners, but veteran foragers will also glean new insights.This event costs $60 for general admission and $51 for members of Grandfather Mountain’s Bridge Club – plus tax. Limited to 12 participants.

💻 Join Apparo for our Sept. 11 & 18, 12-1 PM webinars, Storytelling with Your Phone: Simple Video Tools for Nonprofits (A 2-Part Series). Apparo's webinars are free, but require registration. Webinars will be recorded and shared for later viewing with those who register.

Here are the details:
⭐Learn how to create powerful, mission-driven videos using just your smartphone. In this hands-on webinar designed specifically for nonprofit professionals, you'll discover practical tips for filming, editing, and sharing compelling stories—without needing expensive gear or a tech team. Whether you're highlighting a client's success, sharing an event recap, or promoting volunteer opportunities, this session will help you confidently capture your nonprofit’s impact through mobile storytelling. Perfect for Executive Directors, communications staff, and anyone wearing multiple hats—this one-hour session is packed with real examples, free tools, and ready-to-use strategies to start telling your story today. Presented by Fela Davis, 23dB Productions.

Register today!

Subscribe to Apparo's newsletter to stay up to date on future sessions, and subscribe to Apparo's YouTube to watch past educational webinars for nonprofits.

Free live music, food trucks and drinks, and interactive family-friendly experiences are coming to Symphony Park six times this fall at SouthPark After 5, happening every Thursday from September 4-October 9.

SEE THE LINEUP ⬇️

SEPTEMBER 4
🎵 Java Band
🎨 Free face painting

SEPTEMBER 11
🎵 Landslide Tribute to Fleetwood Mac
🎨 Books on the House free mobile library

SEPTEMBER 18
🎵 Coconut Groove Band
🎨 Books on the House free mobile library, plus a performance by North Carolina Brazilian Arts Project

SEPTEMBER 25
🎵 Bourbon Sons
🎨 Free sunflowers for the first 500 attendees

OCTOBER 2
🎵 Y2K Kids
🎨 Books on the House free mobile library

OCTOBER 9
🎵 Petty Rewind
🎨 Free pumpkin patch for the first 500 attendees

ℹ️ See the food truck lineup and learn more about SouthPark After 5 at southparkclt.org/after5

The Gallery Reception will take place September 11th 6-8pm.

Under the Influence is the most recent exhibition of Kirsten Stolle’s research-driven practice. Pivoted at the intersections of art, science, and culture, her work examines the global influence of chemical companies on our food system. Delving into propaganda and greenwashing, Stolle appropriates corporate advertising strategies and aesthetics, highlighting the contradiction between public image and facts. Her recent projects have looked into agribusiness disinformation, chemical company marketing campaigns, and the historical ties between Bayer-Monsanto and chemical warfare.

Kirsten Stolle is an Asheville-based artist working in collage, text-based images, and installation. She is a Pollock-Krasner Grant recipient and her work is in the collections of the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art, San Jose Museum of Art, North Carolina Museum of Art, and Minneapolis Institute of Arts. Solo exhibitions include NOME (Berlin), Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art, and Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art. Group exhibitions include Balzer Projects (Switzerland), Central Museum of Textiles (Poland), Fridman Gallery (NYC), the Mint Museum, North Carolina Museum of Art, and the Weatherspoon Museum of Art. Her work has been published in Harper’s, The Atlantic, Photograph, Topic, Poetry. She has been awarded residencies at the Bogliasco Foundation, Ucross Foundation, Millay Arts, Blue Mountain Center, Willapa Bay AiR, Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, Marble House Project, and Ballinglen Arts Foundation.

This exhibition is on display July 16- October 17.

The Bhagavad Gita teaches us that real happiness lies within, not outside. Learn how to go within and be independent of the external world.

Watch Sunandaji online explain Bhagavad Gita chapter 10, "The Yoga of Supreme Manifestation," from September 07 - 11, 2025. Register for free at VedantaUSA.org