Things to Do: April 30 - May 6

All Week

Strawberry Picking at Hall Family Farm
Strawberry season is here and Hall Family Farm is open for u-pick daily. No admission fee to pick, play on the free playground, or order from Hall's Kitchen. Ticketed activities like the hayride, Kid Zone, and ropes courses are also available.
📍 Hall Family Farm
🕒 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. (hot food and activities open 12:30 p.m. on weekdays)
👶 Best For: all ages
💡 Parent Tip: Call or text 704-562-4021 before you go. They close u-pick mid-day when berries need time to ripen, and they try to give an hour's notice.
Cost: Free admission, strawberries $4/lb, ticketed activities extra
Check Picking Conditions

Thursday, April 30

Preschool Ballet Classes
Free ballet class for preschoolers at Mallard Creek Rec Center. It's imaginative games and simple steps, not a recital track. And it's free, so if your kid hates it, you're out nothing but 45 minutes.
📍 Mallard Creek Recreation Center, 2530 Johnston Oehler Rd
🕒 9:30 – 10:15 a.m.
👶 Best For: Preschoolers (ages 3–6)
💡 Parent Tip: "Twirl, leap, and dance" is the marketing version. The reality is more like controlled chaos with occasional graceful moments. Still fun!
Cost: Free
Worth A Try!

Toddler Time at Big Air
Open jump for the little ones with a calmer, slower-paced vibe than the regular sessions. If your toddler has energy to burn and you've already done every playground in a 10-mile radius, this works.
📍 Big Air Charlotte, 2408 Sardis Road North
🕒 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
👶 Best For: Toddlers (ages ~1–3)
💡 Parent Tip: Grip socks are required!
Cost: $23+
Get Tickets

Storytime in the Park: Squirrel Lake Park
Matthews Library staff does storytime outside with stories, songs, and movement activities. Same format as last week, same great park for running around after.
📍 Squirrel Lake Park, 1631 Pleasant Plains Rd, Matthews
🕒 11:00 – 11:30 a.m.
👶 Best For: all ages
💡 Parent Tip: Bring something to sit on. Storytime will be cancelled if the weather doesn't cooperate. Call 704-416-5000 ext. 2 if you're unsure.
Cost: Free
See Details

Thursday Night Market 
Farm market with local vendors, fresh produce, a self-guided scavenger hunt, and free farm tours at 5 and 6 PM. Less crowded than weekend markets and actually a nice way to spend a Thursday evening.
📍 11237 Plaza Rd Ext, Charlotte
🕒 4-8 PM
👶 Best For: All ages
💡 Parent Tip: Tours go fast. Grab the 5 PM slot when you arrive and let the kids do the scavenger hunt while you browse vendors.
Cost: Free
Check It Out

SouthPark After 5: Java Band with Rod Fiske
This week's Thursday series has a free coloring station, a slime bar courtesy of HomeTrust Bank, and kids' activities from Babysitters of Charlotte. Outside food is fine. Outside drinks are not (ABC law, don't be that family).
📍 Symphony Park, 4400 Sharon Rd
🕒 5-9 PM
👶 Best For: All ages
💡 Parent Tip: Free parking in the SouthPark Mall lot. Get there before 6 if you want a lawn spot with a good sightline.
Cost: Free
Plan Your Visit

Friday, May 1

Learning for Littles
A free 45-minute outdoor nature program for toddlers and their grown-ups: read-aloud story, puppets, and a hands-on activity at the Trailhead Store picnic area. No registration. Just show up.
📍 Daniel Stowe Conservancy
🕒 9 - 9:45am.
👶 Best For: Ages 0 - 4
💡 Parent Tip: Get there a few minutes early to snag a spot near the action. If it's pouring, they move it onto the Trailhead Store porch instead of canceling..
Cost: Free
Register Here

Betty Bookworms: Storytime + Coffee
Weekly storytime at Betty on Thomas Ave. Kids get books and songs, you get coffee. Honestly the coffee is the main draw.
📍 Betty by Moxie Mercantile, 1219 Thomas Ave
🕒 9:30 – 10:30 a.m.
👶 Best For: Babies, toddlers, and preschoolers
💡 Parent Tip: Get your coffee first, then settle in. It's a much better experience caffeinated.
Cost: Free
Check It Out

Splash About and Explore
A free water playgroup for babies and preschoolers at Charlotte Aquatics with purposeful play stations in the water including floating toys, bubble activities, gentle slides, and pour-and-play sensory bins. This runs every Friday through the rest of 2026, so if this week doesn't work, bookmark it.
📍 Charlotte Aquatics, 7835 Little Avenue
🕒 10 to 10:30 AM
👶 Best For: 6 months to 5 years
💡 Parent Tip: Registration is required and space is limited. Do not assume you can just show up. Book it in advance like you would any class.
Cost: Free
Register Here

Free Breastfeeding Support Group
A free group for postpartum breastfeeding moms led by a licensed therapist from Charlotte Parent Therapy. Babies are welcome, toddlers have to stay home, and you can ask the questions you've been Googling at 3 a.m.
📍 New Mom School Ballantyne
🕒 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
👶 Best For: Breastfeeding moms
💡 Parent Tip: Space is limited, so register before you forget.
Cost: Free
Register Here

Postpartum Adjustment Support Group
A free, small-group session led by Tara Eschenbach, licensed social worker and owner of Charlotte Parent Therapy. Not a class or a lecture, just an open conversation about the realities of postpartum life with other moms who get it.
📍 New Mom School Ballantyne
🕒 12 to 1 PM
👶 Best For: Postpartum moms
💡 Parent Tip: Space is limited and registration is required so do not sit on this one. If you have a friend who just had a baby and has been struggling, this is worth sending her way.
Cost: Free
Register Here

KiddieCade Happy Hour
Two hours of supervised play for $35 while you sit in actual lounge seating with a real cup of coffee and catch up on emails. High-speed Wi-Fi, charging stations, open-concept layout so you can see your kid the whole time.
📍 The Kiddie Cade
🕒 1-3 PM
👶 Best For: Ages 2 and up
💡 Parent Tip: Book ahead. This is not a walk-in situation and Thursday slots fill fast. (Note: listed as a Thursday recurring event; confirm current Friday availability at the link.)
Cost: $35 for a 2-hour visit
Reserve Your Spot

Strawberry Picking
Hunter Farm is officially open for the season! Strawberry picking, wagon rides, petting barn, concessions, and a market barn. Farm Fridays include live music and food trucks starting April 17.
📍 Hunter Farm, Weddington
🕒 Fridays 4:00 – 7:00 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
👶 Best For: all ages
💡 Parent Tip: Walk-ins are welcome when space allows, but turn on notifications so you know when weekday picking opens up. Kids under 2 ride free; everyone else needs a ticket for the wagon ride.
Cost: Free admission, $14/person for wagon ride to petting barn
Plan Your Visit

SC Strawberry Festival: Welcome Ceremony
The Fort Mill festival opens Friday night with live music including a Morgan Wallen tribute band and a Black Crowes tribute, a butterfly exhibit you can feed, flying dog shows at 5:30 and 7:30 PM, rides, and a hot wing eating contest. Welcome ceremony at 6:30. Fireworks are Saturday.
📍 Walter Elisha Park, 345 N White St, Fort Mill, SC
🕒 5-10 PM
👶 Best For: All ages
💡 Parent Tip: Shuttle from one of three high schools: Nation Ford, Fort Mill, or Catawba Ridge. Do not park downtown. Shuttles run starting at 4:45 PM.
Cost: $10 parking
See the Schedule

First Fridays
Uno Tacos food truck, Handcrafted Market vendors, and Rod Fiske playing live on the Trackside Crafts patio. Easy to turn into dinner.
📍 Downtown Pineville
🕒 5-9 PM
👶 Best For: All ages
💡 Parent Tip: Sidewalks are stroller-friendly. Get there before 6 if you want Uno Tacos before they sell out.
Cost: Free
Learn More

International Game Fair
After-hours library event where participants get a passport and rotate through stations to play games and try food from countries including Mexico, Japan, Korea, Germany, and India. Local cultural organizations on-site. Registration required.
📍 University City Regional Library
🕒 6-8:30 PM
👶 Best For: Ages 5 and up
💡 Parent Tip: Register now. After-hours library events in Charlotte sell out quietly and without much warning.
Cost: Free
Register Here

Movie Night: Wish 
Outdoor movie on the Rea Farms lawn. Bring blankets and grab food from the on-site restaurants before it starts.
📍 Rea Farms
🕒 7-9 PM
👶 Best For: All ages (best for kids who can stay awake past 8)
💡 Parent Tip: Bring a blanket you do not mind getting damp. The grass gets dewy at night.
Cost: Free
Check It Out

Saturday, May 2

Free Comic Book Day
Participating libraries and comic shops give away free comics all day. Hickory Grove Library (9 AM - 2 PM) has Star Wars cookie decorating and face painting 12-2. Allegra Westbrooks Regional Library (10 AM - 3:30 PM) has superhero entertainment and a fighting game tournament.
📍 Multiple Charlotte-area locations
🕒 All day (hours vary by location)
👶 Best For: All ages
💡 Parent Tip: Libraries are your best bet with little ones. Hardy Boys at Camp North End and Heroes Aren't Hard to Find on Pecan Ave are worth it for older kids who are actually into comics.
Cost: Free
Find a Location

Cotswold Farmers Market: Opening Day
The seasonal market is back with fresh produce, local meat and eggs, baked goods, coffee, prepared foods, and flowers. First day back has a certain energy to it.
📍 491 Randolph Road
🕒 8 AM - 12 PM
👶 Best For: All ages
💡 Parent Tip: Get there before 10 for the best flower selection. The coffee vendors go fast too.
Cost: Free
Plan Your Visit

Hot Wheels Legends Tour
Custom car builders compete to have their car turned into the next Hot Wheels die-cast toy. Life-size Garage of Legends vehicles, an interactive play area with the latest Hot Wheels toys, collector displays, and exclusive merch only available on-site.
📍 Walmart, 2406 W Roosevelt Blvd, Monroe
🕒 8 AM - 12 PM
👶 Best For: Ages 3 and up, especially Hot Wheels fans
💡 Parent Tip: Monroe is a drive. Worth combining with another errand out that way rather than a standalone trip.
Cost: Free
See Details

SC Strawberry Festival
Full Saturday lineup: car show, tractor show, donut and ice cream eating contests, K9 flying dog shows at 1, 3:30, and 6 PM, roving entertainment all afternoon, and fireworks at 9:45 PM. More to do here than you will have time for.
📍 Walter Elisha Park, 345 N White St, Fort Mill, SC
🕒 10 AM - 10 PM
👶 Best For: All ages
💡 Parent Tip: Same parking as Friday: shuttle from Nation Ford, Fort Mill, or Catawba Ridge High School. Free pedicabs between some downtown walking lots. Budget extra time getting in Saturday morning.
Cost: $10 parking
Check It Out

Bowl Street Pop-Up Market
Curated outdoor market on The Bowl's green space in partnership with Shop Local QC. Charlotte-area artisans, makers, and small businesses with handmade goods, art, gifts, and one-of-a-kind finds. 
📍 The Bowl, Ballantyne
🕒 10 AM - 3  PM
👶 Best For: All ages
💡 Parent Tip: Easy to turn into a full morning. Walk the market, grab lunch at one of The Bowl's restaurants, let the kids run at Stream Park after. The Amp and OMB are right there if you want to extend into the afternoon
Cost: Free
Check It Out

Piedmont Arts and Cultural Experience
Brand new festival in downtown Mount Holly with live performances, artisan vendors, community chalk and string art, a kids' zone, putt-putt, a car show, and walking tours of public art at 10:30 AM, 12:30 PM, and 2 PM. Main stage has an American Idol Season 23 Top 8 finalist at 1:15 PM.
📍 Downtown Mount Holly
🕒 10 AM - 4 PM
👶 Best For: All ages
💡 Parent Tip: Main Street is closed to traffic. Park on a side street and walk in. About 20-25 minutes from Uptown.
Cost: Free
Learn More

Books, Bunnies and Belmont
Year 2: book reading and real live bunny snuggles at Belmont Bookshop. Sponsored by The Play Corner. Short, sweet, exactly what it sounds like.
📍 Belmont Bookshop
🕒 10:30 - 11:30 AM
👶 Best For: Toddlers and preschoolers
💡 Parent Tip: Small bookshop, limited floor space. Show up right at 10:30 if your kid is going to be upset about not being near the bunnies.
Cost: Free
RSVP Here

Cardboard Boat Regatta
Teams race homemade boats built from cardboard and duct tape on Lake Norman. Awards for Best Decorated, People's Choice, and the Titanic Award for best sinking, which is the one everyone is actually there for.
📍 Jetton Park, Cornelius
🕒 10:30 AM - 12 PM (first race at 11 AM)
👶 Best For: All ages (best for kids 4 and up who can follow what is happening)
💡 Parent Tip: Jetton Park has a solid playground right there. Come early, let them play, watch the race. Easy two-hour outing.
Cost: Free to watch
See Details

Front Porch Saturdays at FreeMoreWest
120-plus local vendors, food, and live music. Dogs welcome. Reliably a good Saturday.
📍 2215 Thrift Road, FreeMoreWest
🕒 11 AM - 4 PM
👶 Best For: All ages
💡 Parent Tip: Gets crowded by noon. Go before 1 PM if you want to actually browse without navigating around people.
Cost: Free
Check It Out

Riverfest
Free festival outside the Dynamo 31 Building in McAdenville with free yoga, kayak rentals, live music starting at 11 AM, kids' activities, food trucks, and vendors 11 AM - 4 PM. The floating concert on the South Fork River is ticketed separately.
📍 102 Main Street, McAdenville (festival); Cramerton (post-concert)
🕒 11 AM - 4 PM (festival); floating concert 4:30 PM
👶 Best For: All ages for the free festival; ages 8 and up for the floating concert
💡 Parent Tip: Doing the floating concert? Park in Cramerton and shuttle to McAdenville. You will float back to your car. There is no shuttle back from McAdenville after the concert, so do not park there.
Cost: Free (floating concert $32.55-$69.32 depending on kayak situation)
Get Tickets

Aquaporium
Immersive aquatic and reptile convention with educational events, vendors covering freshwater, saltwater, and reptiles, and raffle prizes. Surprisingly engaging if your kid has entered any kind of animal phase.
📍 Charlotte Convention Center
🕒 11 AM - 5 PM
👶 Best For: Ages 4 and up, especially animal enthusiasts
💡 Parent Tip: Kids 12 and under are free, so the adult ticket is reasonable for what you get. Budget a couple of hours minimum.
Cost: $15 adults, free kids 12 and under
Plan Your Visit

Open House at The Grove
Tour the space, meet the team, talk to current members, and see if The Grove is a fit. Light refreshments included and you can stay for lunch and playtime after.
📍 The Grove
🕒 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
👶 Best For: Families with young kids
💡 Parent Tip: If you have been on the fence about membership, this is the low-commitment way to actually see it in person before deciding.
Cost: Free
Reserve Your Spot

Sunday, May 3

Discovery Place Science: Sensory Friendly Hours
First Sunday of the month, every month. Sensory-friendly exhibit access, IMAX in a calmer format, and sensory backpacks with noise-canceling headphones available on a first-come basis.
📍 168 W 6th Street, Charlotte
🕒 10:30 AM - 1:30 PM
👶 Best For: All ages, especially kids with sensory sensitivities
💡 Parent Tip: Arrive right at 10:30 if your kid needs a backpack. They go fast and there is no waitlist.
Cost: $23 adults, $18 kids 2-13, free under 2
Learn More

Baby and Me Yoga
Prenatal, postnatal, and beyond yoga class where baby comes with you. Relaxed format with community time, meditation, and a slow strengthening flow. Feeding and diaper changes welcome mid-class.
📍 Palestra Spa
🕒 10:45 - 11:45 AM
👶 Best For: Babies and their caregivers
💡 Parent Tip: Pricing is listed as TBD. Check the link before you go so there are no surprises at the door.
Cost: TBD
Check It Out

Child and Infant CPR, Choking and AED Workshop
One-hour hands-on workshop covering CPR, AED use, and choking relief for infants, children, and adults. No formal certification required. Led by Kaitlynn Edwards, RN, from The Mama Coach.
📍 The Grove
🕒 2-3 PM
👶 Best For: Parents, caregivers, grandparents
💡 Parent Tip: Do this before the baby gets mobile. The eBook they send afterward is an actually useful reference, not filler.
Cost: $35
Register Here

Hope Floats Duck Race: KinderMourn
55,000-plus rubber ducks race down the rapids at the Whitewater Center. Kids zone, food, and duck adoptions support KinderMourn's grief counseling services for bereaved parents and children. Main duck drop at 3:30 PM.
📍 US National Whitewater Center, 5000 Whitewater Center Pkwy
🕒 2-5:30 PM
👶 Best For: All ages
💡 Parent Tip: Leave earlier than you think you need to. The USNWC entry process can take 30-45 minutes and missing the 3:30 duck drop is not a recoverable situation.
Cost: Free to attend, $13 parking
See Details

Cinco de Mayo Celebration 
DJ, live mariachi-style music, Cinco de Mayo food specials from every vendor in the hall, drinks from the on-site bars, and two pinata raffles. Every vendor is participating, so come with actual appetite.
📍 Gibson Mill Market, Concord
🕒 2-5 PM
👶 Best For: All ages
💡 Parent Tip: Gibson Mill is easy to navigate with a stroller and has real variety in the food hall. Concord is worth the drive for this one.
Cost: Free
Plan Your Visit

Discovery Place Kids: Sensory Friendly Hours
Calmer environment, reduced sensory input, and sensory backpacks with noise-canceling headphones available first-come. First Sunday of the month, every month.
📍 105 Gilead Road, Huntersville
🕒 2-4:30 PM
👶 Best For: All ages, especially kids with sensory sensitivities
💡 Parent Tip: If you want to do both Discovery Place locations today, do Science in the morning and Kids in the afternoon. The timing lines up perfectly.
Cost: $15 per person, free under 1
RSVP Here

Monday, May 4

Star Wars Summer Movie Series: A New Hope
Outdoor film in the parking lot between Ben and Jerry's and Summit Coffee in Davidson. Themed trivia and giveaways at 7:15, movie at dusk. Runs the first Monday of the month through October with six films total.
📍 202 S Main St, Davidson
🕒 7:15 PM (trivia); movie at dusk
👶 Best For: Ages 4 and up, Star Wars fans especially
💡 Parent Tip: Davidson's Main Street has solid dinner options right there. Make it dinner then movie and you have a full evening. Bring chairs or a blanket.
Cost: Free
See the Schedule

Tuesday, May 5

Ed's Dinosaurs Live! 
Ed Bounds brings a full crew including Baby T, a Stegosaurus, and the Triceratops Triplets. Pet a baby dinosaur, watch one hatch. This one actually lives up to it.
📍 Imaginon, Charlotte
🕒 11 AM - 1 PM
👶 Best For: Ages 2-8
💡 Parent Tip: First Tuesday of the month, every month. Free and consistently good. Put it on repeat in your calendar right now.
Cost: Free
Learn More

Babies on the Boardwalk 
A library-hosted walking group for new parents on the UC boardwalk. The point is fresh air, light movement, and adult conversation with other people who get it. Stroller-friendly by definition.
📍 University City Regional Library
🕒 2 to 3 pm
👶 Best For: Babies and their grownups
💡 Parent Tip: If you're running late, just meet the group on the boardwalk. Weather permitting, so check the forecast before you load up.
Cost: Free
More Info

Preschool Story Time at Park Road Park
Stories, activities, and songs for ages 3-5 at Pavilion 1 in Park Road Park. Outside, which is the right call this time of year. Registration encouraged.
📍 Park Road Park, Pavilion 1 (off Closeburn Road near the volleyball courts)
🕒 3-3:45 PM
👶 Best For: Ages 3-5
💡 Parent Tip: Pavilion 1 is near the volleyball courts, not the main playground entrance. Use the Closeburn Road access or you will be walking the long way with a preschooler who has opinions about it.
Cost: Free
RSVP Here

Family Story Time: Night Owls 
Pajamas welcome. Stories, songs, and movement for ages 0-5 right before bedtime. Stuffies too.
📍 Matthews Library
🕒 6:30 - 7 PM
👶 Best For: Ages 0-5
💡 Parent Tip: Go straight home after. You have a real shot at an early bedtime if you do not blow it with a detour.
Cost: Free
Check It Out

Wednesday, May 6

Little Learners
A short nature activity for little ones at the Wildwoods area of Whitewater Center. The class itself is solid, but the real win is using it as an excuse to explore Wildwoods after.
📍 Wildwoods at Whitewater Center
🕒 10:00 a.m.
👶 Best For: ages 1–5
💡 Parent Tip: Bring shoes they can get dirty. You'll end up in mud, guaranteed.
Cost: $5/child, adults free (included with some passes)
Register Here

Birkdale Buds
Weekly preschool play series kicks off for the season. This week: bubble play, glitter tattoos, snacks & crafts, and an animal rescue pop-up! Free, no registration, just show up.
📍 Birkdale Village, The Plaza
🕒 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
👶 Best For: preschool age
💡 Parent Tip: Crafts and activities are while supplies last, so earlier is better. Parking is available near Regal, Dick's, and Midwood Smokehouse.
Cost: Free
Show Up

Free Art Kit: Kuba Collage 
Pick up a free art kit inspired by the woven raffia cloth in the Kuba Textiles exhibit. Cut, paste, and assemble a textural collage at home. Available for four days starting today.
📍 Mint Museum Randolph, 2730 Randolph Road
🕒 Available 11 AM - 9 PM
👶 Best For: All ages
💡 Parent Tip: No appointment needed. Grab it on the way to or from another Randolph Road errand and you have an at-home activity ready to go.
Cost: Free
See Details

Kindergarten School Talk Workshop
30-minute popup breaking down Charlotte's elementary school landscape: magnets, private schools, the admissions process. Led by Natalie Parmenter of Primary Focus, a former teacher who actually knows how the system works.
📍 The Bunny Hive, 1207 East Blvd
🕒 11 AM
👶 Best For: Parents of kids ages 0-4 starting to think about school
💡 Parent Tip: Bunny Hive parking is limited. Harris Teeter next door or Dilworth Rd East are your best options. Register ahead; this is not a drop-in situation.
Cost: $15 (Bunny Hive members $10)
Register Here

Wednesday Night Live 
Free admission and live programming across the Mint Museum, Bechtler, Gantt Center, and Knight Theater every Wednesday through the season. Programming rotates each week.
📍 Levine Center for the Arts
🕒 5-9 PM
👶 Best For: All ages
💡 Parent Tip: Takes five seconds to look up this week's specific programming. Some weeks lean kid-friendly, others do not. Worth knowing before you load everyone in the car.
Cost: Free
Learn More