June

this month’s five essential dates

5/30 – 6/23

What do you get when you cross Saturday Night Live, Broadway and the Queen City? Charlotte Squawks, of course. For 15 hilarious years, this group of talented local performers have come together to crack jokes about pop culture, sports, politics and life. Spend a side-splitting night at the group’s Quackceañera at the Booth Playhouse. Tickets start at $24.50.

6/9

Celebrate the best of Broadway at the Blumenthal Performing Arts 15th Annual Tony Awards Viewing Party at McGlohon Theater at Spirit Square. WBTV’s Kristen Miranda hosts the free event — watch the awards live on the big screen while enjoying complimentary nonalcoholic beverages and light bites. Don’t forget to have your photo taken on the red carpet with a real Tony Award before night’s end.

6/15

Whether you prefer swimming, kayaking or stand-up paddleboarding, you can make a splash at the second annual Catawba River Races at the U.S. National Whitewater Center. All you have to do is decide whether you want to participate in a competitive or recreational race, then register for the division of your choice. Spectators welcome. Registration is $35 per race in advance, $42 on race day. usnwc.org

6/16

Spend Father’s Day on a musical journey to a galaxy far, far away at Charlotte Symphony Summer Pops, Star Wars: The Music. Bring your dad, your kiddos or any other Star Wars aficionados in your life to Symphony Park at SouthPark Mall to hear your favorite scores from this beloved series, conducted by Christopher James Lees. Other Summer Pops concerts include The Music of Queen, Saturday, June 8 at Belk Theater, and the Best of Broadway, Sunday, June 23 at Symphony Park. Ticket prices vary. For other concert dates visit charlottesymphony.org.

6/25-30

The beloved musical FALSETTOS by William Finn and James Lapine is back with an all-new production, which will air nationwide on PBS this fall. See the cast perform FALSETTOS live in Charlotte at the Knight Theater at Levine Center for the Arts. Tickets start at $25. blumenthalarts.org