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Celebrate a day dedicated to scales and tails! Meet LOTS of reptiles and amphibians, and learn all about them with exciting activities, games, and special presentations. Don't miss turtle races, exotic reptile exhibits, turtle-sniffing dog demos, and MORE.

Advance tickets: $6 museum members / $18 general public
Day of event: $8 museum members / $20 general public

Shop for original works by local Native American artists and hear more from the artists themselves at USC Lancaster's Native American Studies Center!

These mini pop-up art sales offer original works by Native American artists, perfect for gifts or your personal art collection!

The June market features artwork such as beadwork and jewelry by Alex Boatwright (Catawba Nation) and Catawba pottery by Nancy White (Catawba Nation).

Admission is free and open to the public!

An unforgettable journey of enduring love and triumph over adversity, The Color Purple is a landmark musical from the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker. This epic story follows Celie, a young African American woman who courageously navigates a life marked by abuse and discrimination to discover the strength to break free and find her own voice. The Grammy-winning score of jazz, gospel, ragtime and blues promises to fill your heart and awaken your soul.

Pay What You Can Night for the Velveteen Rabbit! All proceeds go to our Non-profit Partner, Thompson CFF (https://www.thompsoncff.org/) Pay What You Can Performance: Thursday, April 23rd at 7:30 pm Suggested donation: $10 per person (any amount accepted). General admission only, with donations collected at the door (cash or credit). The Velveteen Rabbit April 24 - May 3, 2026 Book by Scott Davidson Based on the Novel by Margery Williams Directed By Jill Bloede "The Velveteen Rabbit" is a timeless children's classic that has captured the hearts of audiences for generations. This heartwarming story follows the journey of a toy rabbit who longs to become "real" through the power of love and imagination. With themes of friendship, resilience, and the transformative nature of love, this enchanting tale continues to resonate with people of all ages. Tickets for regular performance dates at https://www.matthewsplayhouse.com/.../2025-2026-the...

House of Mercy, a sponsored ministry of the Sisters of Mercy, invites the community to join us for the 31st Annual WALK for AIDS on Saturday, April 18th, 2026, in Belmont, NC. For more than three decades, this annual event has united individuals, families, faith communities, businesses, and local partners in support of people living with HIV/AIDS.

This year’s fundraising goal is $25,000 to support House of Mercy’s mission of empowering people living with HIV/AIDS in their transformation toward a more independent life through housing, case management, and supportive services. Funds raised directly sustain critical programs that promote stability, improve health outcomes, and combat stigma and discrimination surrounding HIV/AIDS.

Check-In: 9:00 a.m. at the Stone Shelter on the Sacred Heart Campus in Belmont, NC
Walk Start Time: 10:00 a.m.
Route: Participants choose a 1-mile or 2-mile option through historic downtown Belmont
Closing ceremony: 1:00 pm

Walkers of all ages are invited to participate by registering to walk, forming a team, becoming an event sponsor, volunteering, donating, or spreading the word. Following the walk, attendees will enjoy music by DJ Buddy Love, community vendors, prize giveaways, confidential HIV/STD Testing, and a small reception to celebrate the collective impact of the day. Awards will also be presented for the top individual fundraiser, the team with the most members, and the biggest cheer/pep spirit. This event provides an opportunity not only to raise funds, but to build meaningful connections and stand in solidarity with some of our most vulnerable neighbors.

House of Mercy envisions a community where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. Every step taken and every dollar raised strengthens our shared commitment to ensuring that people living with HIV/AIDS have access to safe housing, compassionate care, and supportive services.

To register or learn more about the 31st Annual WALK for AIDS, please visit thehouseofmercy.org/events.

Media Contact:
Peytan Medlock
Communications & Development Specialist
(704) 825- 4711 ext. 6
pmedlock@thehouseofmercy.org

Explore the mountain after hours with your own personal guides during our Grandfather by Night series! You’ll discover some of the park’s nighttime wonders, watch a stunning sunset (weather permitting) and experience the mountain as never before! The Naturalist Program version of Grandfather by Night includes an outdoor interpretive program about flora, fauna, folklore and other topics after sunset. This edition of the event series is accessible for those in a wheelchair or with limited mobility. Advance registration required.

Explore the mountain after hours with your own personal guides during our Grandfather by Night series! You’ll discover some of the park’s nighttime wonders, watch a stunning sunset (weather permitting) and experience the mountain as never before! The Naturalist Program version of Grandfather by Night includes an outdoor interpretive program about flora, fauna, folklore and other topics after sunset. This edition of the event series is accessible for those in a wheelchair or with limited mobility. Advance registration required.

Explore the mountain after hours with your own personal guides during our Grandfather by Night series! You’ll discover some of the park’s nighttime wonders, watch a stunning sunset (weather permitting) and experience the mountain as never before! The Naturalist Program version of Grandfather by Night includes an outdoor interpretive program about flora, fauna, folklore and other topics after sunset. This edition of the event series is accessible for those in a wheelchair or with limited mobility. Advance registration required.

Midnight Marathon, Arts & Science Council's signature performance art-based fundraiser, returns this April 17, transforming the Carolina Theatre into an immersive and enchanting showcase of local art for one night only!

This seven-hour showcase celebrates the depth of Charlotte's artistic community. Set inside the newly renovated and historic Carolina Theatre at Belk Place, this one-night-only event features nearly 30 local performers presenting a continuous stream of dynamic art forms, including dancers, poets, singers, storytellers, filmmakers, comedians, improv artists, musicians and more. Don't miss the event that transforms a single evening into a landmark moment for Charlotte's arts community.

Explore the mountain after hours with your own personal guides during our Grandfather by Night series! You’ll discover some of the park’s nighttime wonders, watch a stunning sunset (weather permitting) and experience the mountain as never before! The Naturalist Program version of Grandfather by Night includes an outdoor interpretive program about flora, fauna, folklore and other topics after sunset. This edition of the event series is accessible for those in a wheelchair or with limited mobility. Advance registration required.

Come hear the exciting life episodes of America’s pioneer hero Daniel Boone during the tumultuous, eventful years of our Founding Era (1773-1783). He takes the initial steps to begin America’s First Westward Movement to create Kentucky and then fights to keep a new nation free. Follow the challenging adventures of this favorite son of North Carolina on the western front in rhythm with the Revolution back east.

Randell Jones is an award-winning writer and storyteller, serving 14 years as an invited member of the Road Scholar Speaker’s Bureau of the NC Humanities Council and recipient of the History Award Medal from the National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution. He is the author of In the Footsteps of Daniel Boone and Before They Were Heroes at Kings Mountain as well as other books of the pioneer era and the American Revolution. This presentation is illustrated by scores of images he has captured at historical reenactments during the last 20 years.

"Daniel Boone" is donating $10 from the purchase of each copy of In the Footsteps of Daniel Boone at this event to the Charlotte Museum of History to help us all commemorate and celebrate 250 years of independence. Autographed copies are $30, including sales tax, so one-third of your purchase benefits everyone who visits Charlotte Museum of History. Huzzah!

The focus of this 10-hour workshop is to prepare participants from a variety of educational backgrounds and experiences in both the formal and non-formal sectors to use exemplary Environmental Education teaching methods. Participants will learn about a variety of teaching techniques, methods and instructional strategies; and the workshop will include multiple interactive components. This is a required workshop for all NC Environmental Education Certification candidates. This workshop may also count for Continuing Education for those educators who are already certified. This workshop is free to attend, although advance registration is required. Tickets for this event go online on Grandfather Mountain’s website April 13 at 10 a.m.

Wide variety of plants for sale including natives, perennials annuals and houseplants. All proceeds will fund gardening education in Mecklenburg County. We will offer educational booths with demonstrations on the following subjects: Growing tomatoes, Pesticide-free mosquito control and tool sharpening. We will be giving away FREE plants to the first 50 visitors and will be offering free tree and shrub saplings (while supplies last). We will also provide free tool sharpening (up to 2 hand tools, first come-first served). Extension master gardeners will be on site to answer questions and provide gardening expertise. Will include Children's gardening activities. Donut I Love U food truck will be on site selling donuts and coffee.

This month’s program explores urban gardening, box gardening, and raised bed mechanics from a panel of Master Gardeners, with a hands-on activity examining container-based horticulture and native species integration.

Tools and materials will be provided for all activities, but participants are welcome to bring their own small hand tools such as gloves, trowels, clippers if they prefer.

To register, contact us at (803) 313-7172 or email usclnasp@mailbox.sc.edu. Please direct any questions or comments regarding the series to program organizer and facilitator Professor Claudia Y. Heinemann-Priest at chpriest@mailbox.sc.edu.

Free and open to the public; reservations are strongly encouraged!

The Odyssey: A Comedy, Mostly” is an adaptation of Homer’s The Odyssey. It follows the well-known story of Odysseus’s journey from the battlefields of Troy back home to Ithaca and features familiar characters such as Odysseus, Athena, Poseidon, Circe, Penelope, and the Cyclops. The play was written with casual and modern language and a comedic tone, but it involves some dramatic moments and routinely breaks the fourth wall. About 90 minutes.

Tickets are non-refundable

Join Shannon Burbridge, an experienced movement instructor and educator with over 37 years of experience in the fitness and wellness field, to immerse yourself in a full day of yoga and grounding techniques to help you ground deeper into yourself and the nature around you. Along with a warmup flow, peaceful hike and longer, more in-depth, yoga practice, you will gain a basic understanding of foot reflexology, spinal connection, self-myofascial techniques and grounding rituals to connect yourself to the natural world around you. Tickets for this event go on sale online on Grandfather Mountain’s website April 20 at 10 a.m. Advance registration required.

Join WFAE for an intimate evening with the internationally recognized chieftess of the Gullah Geechee Nation, Queen Quet, Marquetta L. Goodwine. Queen Quet will join WFAE President & CEO Ju-Don Marshall for a conversation that explores the history, culture and heritage of the Gullah Geechee people, who live along the coasts from North Carolina to Florida.

You'll hear how the Gullah/Geechee's roots in Africa shaped their culture in America and how that culture continues to influence so much of what we think of as African American and mainstream culture today: from our music and language to our food and traditions.

Queen Quet will share her wisdom, stories, and tireless advocacy for preserving the culture and heritage of the Gullah/Geechee people.

Evening Schedule:

• 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM: Opening Reception
• 6:30 PM – 7:15 PM: Fireside Chat & 30-minute Address, followed by a live Q&A session.
• 7:15 PM – 8:15 PM: Book Signing & Meet-and-Greet.

Support the Mission

During the event, you will have the opportunity to purchase Queen Quet's works. All book proceeds directly support the Gullah/Geechee Nation’s vital work in coastal protection and cultural preservation.

Make it a Two-Day Experience! 

Want to hear Queen Quet talk about the impact of climate change on the Gullah Geechee way of life? All registrants for this Fireside Chat will receive an exclusive discount code for WFAE’s annual Carolinas Climate Summit, on April 16, where Queen Quet will be our keynote speaker.

Keep an eye on your inbox—your promo code will be included in your registration confirmation email.

The evening with Queen Quet is part of our EQUALibrium Live series, discussions on culture, equity and opportunity.

Special thanks to our sponsor: Novant Health

This workshop is open to individuals studying for the NC Environmental Education Certification or those needing CE Credits to maintain their certification and will focus on bears in North Carolina. Hosted by Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation’s own Interpretation and Education staff, this workshop will teach participants about the life history and management of black bears, as well as how to incorporate activities about bears into the N.C. Curriculum. Participants will also get to meet the black bears who call Grandfather Mountain home and what it takes to keep them healthy and happy. N.C. EE Certification Credit: Criteria II or III and CEU credit are available upon completion of workshop. Tickets for this event go online on Grandfather Mountain’s website May 29 at 10 a.m.

Join us for an in-depth exploration of the natural community types found on Grandfather Mountain. In this class, you’ll learn to recognize distinct habitats by studying their characteristic flora, fauna and environmental conditions. Guided by ecological principles and scientific tools, we’ll examine how factors such as elevation, topography, soil composition and microclimates shape these unique ecosystems and provide habitats for some of the rare and endangered species that we’ll see during our exploration. This workshop will enhance your ability to classify habitats and deepen your understanding of the complex interplay between species and their environments. Tickets for this event go on sale online on Grandfather Mountain’s website June 1 at 10 a.m. Advance registration required.

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. Tickets for this event go on sale online on Grandfather Mountain’s website June 8 at 10 a.m. Advance registration required.