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On Tuesday evening, Feb. 3, WFAE and the League of Women Voters of Charlotte-Mecklenburg will host a forum with the candidates for Mecklenburg County Sheriff at the WFAE Center for Civic and Community Engagement in uptown. "Charlotte Talks" host Mike Collins will moderate.

Watch live here.


All four candidates running for the office are Democrats and will first compete in the Democratic primary on March 3.


2/2: Unfortunately, we've received word that Sheriff Garry McFadden is attending business in Washington D.C. related to the ICE operations in Minneapolis and will be unable to attend our forum.

• Rodney Collins: A retired chief deputy who spent 30 years with the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office before retiring in early 2024.
• Antwain Nance: A former Mecklenburg County Detention Center officer.
• Ricky Robbins: A retired sergeant with over 30 years of experience at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.

Date: Feb. 3
Location: WFAE Center for Civic and Community Engagement, 301 E. 7th St.
Doors Open: 6 p.m. | Forum Begins: 7 p.m.

Space is limited. The event is free to attend, but registration is required. Registration will close once we reach capacity.

WFAE will also livestream the event on WFAE.org.


Getting There:

Parking: Preferred Parking lot at 219 E. 7th Street (flat lot adjacent to the Lynx Blue Line 7th Street Station); additional street parking is available near First Ward Park.


The location is accessible from the Lynx Blue Line 7th Street Station. Bike and scooter parking is available at the park.


Arrive early for the best seating. We look forward to seeing you there!

Every bird counts! It’s time for the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC), a joint project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society.

Quietly stroll through the gardens or find a spot to sit and watch, counting birds and recording what you observe, which helps scientists in their study of birds. Volunteers from Wing Haven and the Mecklenburg Audubon Society will be on hand providing guided walks, sharing educational information, and enjoying the count alongside you or your group. Watch the video above to learn more!

Wing Haven is participating in the count on Friday, February 13 and Monday, February 16 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Register for the day you will join us on our website.

Recommended for everyone - children and adults, from bird novices to bird experts!

On Monday evening, February 9 at 7p.m., WFAE in partnership with the League of Women Voters of Charlotte-Mecklenburg, will host a forum with the candidates for Mecklenburg County Commission at the WFAE Center for Civic and Community Engagement in uptown Charlotte.


WFAE Executive Editor Ely Portillo will moderate the conversations with candidates in each of the four contested races: Districts 1, 2, and 3, as well as the at-large seats.



Date: February 9
Location: WFAE Center for Civic and Community Engagement, 301 E. 7th Street
Doors Open: 6 p.m. | Forum Begins: 7 p.m.


Space is limited. The event is free to attend, but registration is required. Registration will close once we reach capacity.


WFAE will also livestream the event on WFAE.org.


Getting There:

Parking: Preferred Parking lot at 219 E. 7th Street (flat lot adjacent to the Lynx Blue Line 7th Street Station); additional street parking is available near First Ward Park.

The location is accessible from the Lynx Blue Line 7th Street Station. Bike and scooter parking is available at the park.

Arrive early for the best seating. We look forward to seeing you there!

The Carolinas are among the most vulnerable regions in the United States to the effects of climate change. From sea-level rise to extreme weather events, the impacts of climate change are reshaping the way people live and work across the region.

The day-long event will include opening and lunch keynotes, panel discussions and networking opportunities to engage with stakeholders from across the region.

Join WFAE and climate experts, community leaders and advocates to explore the impact of climate change in the Carolinas and how people at every level are addressing it.

Learn more about the 2025 Carolinas Climate Summit.

Special thanks to our sponsors:

Presenting Sponsor:
Wells Fargo

Associate Sponsors:
Burroughs Wellcome Fund
Mazda of South Charlotte
Wake Forest University - Environmental and Epistemic Justice Initiative

The Departments of Dance and Music present Nouveau Now, a program of stunning choreography and live music performances at the gloriously restored 1927 Carolina Theatre in uptown Charlotte.



Celebrating the 100-year anniversary of the Martha Graham Dance Company, the program will feature Adorations, Reimagined, a beautiful Graham work reconstructed by dance professor Kim Jones. Delia Neil’s painterly Ode to Alphonse Mucha will immerse dancers and the audience in lush Art Nouveau, with music by Debussy and Ravel performed by the University Chamber Orchestra. Tamara Williams’s jazz choreography will embody the fervor of Duke Ellington's "Praise God and Dance," played live by the UNC Charlotte Jazz Ensemble. Ashley L. Tate will bring Nouveau Now to a powerful close with a fusion of contemporary, jazz and hip hop movement set to an electro-soul and alternative rock soundtrack.



Ticket Prices:

UNC Charlotte Student $16.05
Senior or Military $22.20
UNC Charlotte Faculty/ Alumni $28.40
Standard Admission $32.64

A civil engineer and amateur musician, Moshe Gildenman had never even held a weapon until the Nazis invaded his hometown in Ukraine and killed 2,200 Jews, including his wife and daughter. Vowing revenge, he escaped to the forest with his son and formed one of the most successful partisan units in the guerilla war to liberate Ukraine.



In his latest book, Partisan Song: A Holocaust Story of Resilience, Resistance, and Revenge, UNC Charlotte musicologist and National Jewish Book Award-winning author James A. Grymes chronicles the electrifying story of how this peaceful community member became a fierce resistance leader, and how music fueled his courage.



Join us for an evening of storytelling and music, as Grymes and the University Chorale of UNC Charlotte present readings from Partisan Song interspersed with performances of songs that inspired heroism during the Holocaust – music from the Yiddish songbook that Gildenman carried through the war, reconstructions of songs he composed in the ghetto and forest, and beloved anthems such as "Zog nit keyn mol."

The program will be followed by a book-signing. Books will be available for purchase.



This program is presented by the UNC Charlotte Department of Music and Temple Beth El and is supported in part by the Crane Family Charitable Foundation and the Blumenthal Foundation.



This program is FREE, but registration is required.

We are a non-profit that raises money to go towards lung cancer research, education, and support of families.

The nonprofit Coalition for Comprehensive Women’s Healthcare is bringing together a panel of women’s health experts to cut through the noise. We’ll talk about what the science actually says, what’s still emerging, and where marketing or misinformation is drowning out real, evidence-based care.

Perimenopause and Menopause is confusing, especially when every scroll brings a new miracle supplement, hormone hack, or wellness fix. How do you know who or what to trust? Make sure you drop your questions into the document.

We’ll explore symptoms, treatment options, and whole-person support! Menopause impacts every part of YOU: physically, emotionally sexually, socially, and financially. Come ready for conversation, answers to your questions, and a hopeful look at women's health. Virtual and In Person options for attendance.

“Gateway to the Backcountry, the River Port of Camden, South Carolina”
Lon D. Outen, Author and Research Assistant, Camden Archives and Museum

This lecture covers commerce transported along the Wateree and Catawba Rivers, including astate, national, and international trade system. Outen will discuss Camden’s port operations, the boat-building business, and the movement of goods from Kershaw County, LancasterCounty (Waxhaw area), the Catawba River trade, and trade locations in North Carolina like the Moravian (Winston-Salem) community and Salisbury. Outen also will touch on the Wateree Canals from 1787 to the 1830s, ferries along the rivers, and activities related to the Underground Railroad.

Presented in person and virtually. To attend via Zoom, register via this link: https://bit.ly/3YCLfHf

“The Wartime Experiences of Rev. William Martin”
Robert Ryals, Public Historian and Reenactor

The American Revolution includes anecdotal accounts of civilians persecuted for voicing criticism of British military actions. Rev. William Martin was one voice of dissent who suffered the consequences and paid the price for his convictions. This informative and engaging program brings Martin’s experiences to life, demonstrating the value of anecdotal history, and how anecdotal accounts can be applied for understanding the war’s effect on civilians. This program was made possible through a grant awarded by the South Carolina Sestercentennial Commission (SC250) to the Lancaster County 250 Committee.

Presented in person and virtually. To attend via Zoom, register via this link: https://bit.ly/49hUqD1

Dale Smith, chair and professor of global studies at UNC Charlotte, will deliver the lecture as part of the 2026 Great Decisions Lecture Series. The 2026 series offered by Charlotte Global at UNC Charlotte and co-sponsored by the World Affairs Council of Charlotte, Charlotte Sister Cities and the Young Professionals of the World Affairs Council of Charlotte.

Joshua Miller, assistant professor of political science and public administration at UNC Charlotte, will deliver the lecture as part of the 2026 Great Decisions Lecture Series. The 2026 series offered by Charlotte Global at UNC Charlotte and co-sponsored by the World Affairs Council of Charlotte, Charlotte Sister Cities and the Young Professionals of the World Affairs Council of Charlotte.

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

The March market features canned goods and beadwork by Shannon George (Catawba Nation) and jewelry by Dakota Little Hawk Simerly (PAIA Lower Eastern Cherokee Nation SC).

Admission is free and open to the public!

Beth Whitaker, professor of political science and associate dean for research and interdisciplinary collaboration in the College of Humanities and Earth and Social Sciences at UNC Charlotte, will deliver the lecture as part of the 2026 Great Decisions Lecture Series. The 2026 series offered by Charlotte Global at UNC Charlotte and co-sponsored by the World Affairs Council of Charlotte, Charlotte Sister Cities and the Young Professionals of the World Affairs Council.

Amal Khoury, associate teaching professor of global studies at UNC Charlotte, will deliver the lecture as part of the 2026 Great Decisions Lecture Series. The series offered by Charlotte Global at UNC Charlotte and co-sponsored by the World Affairs Council of Charlotte, Charlotte Sister Cities and the Young Professionals of the World Affairs Council of Charlotte.

As the North Carolina 2026 primary approaches on March 3, The Election Hub (www.theelectionhub.org), nonpartisan nonprofit, is hosting an educational session on key issues at stake for citizens in Mecklenburg County. We will have community leaders provide an overview of the issues, challenges and opportunities in healthcare, education, social services and the judicial system. The panel will then discuss how the upcoming election impacts those issues.
Speakers:
Alesha Brown, Executive Director, For The Struggle
Michelle Crouch, North Carolina Health News
Judge Rex Marvel, Mecklenburg County District Court Judge
Moderator: Tony Mecia, The Charlotte Ledger

The Lake Norman Orchestra returns for an outdoor afternoon concert featuring pianist Julie Jones on George Gershwin’s "Rhapsody in Blue." Selections include medleys of songs by The Beatles and The Alan Parsons Project, classical favorites including “Music from ‘Firebird,’” “Light Cavalry Overture,” and “Prelude to Carmen.” Also featured are selections from films and Broadway such as “Phantom of the Opera,” “The Magnificent Seven,” and “The Empire Strikes Back Medley.”
Enjoy a beautiful afternoon in the mountains with delicious food and wine available for purchase. This concert offers a wide variety of music and a memorable experience for music lovers of all ages. Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets for comfort.

Discover career pathways in IT, manufacturing, public safety, business, and more at the Roadmap to CTE Careers at Gaston College on Feb. 24. Learn how programs connect to high-demand fields while meeting instructors and local employers. Register to attend at gaston.edu/cte-roadmap.

On your mark. Get set. Run Jen Run! Support Charlotte’s breast cancer community at Go Jen Go’s 14th Annual Run Jen Run 5K and Festival. Following the 5K and Fun Run, enjoy music, food vendors, beverages, an expo area, family fun zone. Sign up to run or walk today.

Join WFAE for our annual Chocolate, Charcuterie, Champagne & Culture tasting event on Thursday, February 19, at The Charlotte Museum of History.

This post–Valentine’s Day celebration honors the people who matter most in our lives and brings together food, culture, music, and community for an elevated evening experience.

Guests will choose between two exclusive ticketed time slots—5:00 to 7:00 p.m. or 7:45 to 9:45 p.m.—and enjoy a curated tasting experience featuring sweet and savory chocolate and charcuterie selections, champagne, and live jazz music.

Throughout the evening, explore a variety of vendors representing cultures from around the world. Tastings are included with your ticket, and additional items will be available for purchase. 

Guests are encouraged to pick up an event passport at check-in and have it stamped as they visit each station!


Because this is a fundraiser, we are not able to issue refunds after Feb 1.