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Check out this list of events celebrating the 4th of July in Charlotte and the surrounding area — as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing.

WBT KNIGHT’S SKYSHOW Hosted by Al Gardner and Tara Servatius. Jon Wilson broadcasts live. Skyshow radio heard live on 1110 A.M. and 99.3 F.M. Skyshow tailgate party at 5 p.m., Charlotte Knights vs. Durham Bulls at 7:15 p.m. Skyshow fireworks will follow the game. Sat., July 4. $7 and up. Knights Stadium, Fort Mill. 803-548-8050. For more information, call 704-364-6637 or visit www.wbtskyshow.com.

9TH ANNUAL PIG PICKIN’ Featuring live performances by Belmont Playboys, The Needles, The Dead Kings, M4 Messenger and Black Lashes. Sat., July 4. The Penguin, 1921 Commonwealth Ave.

4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION AT HOLIDAY INN CENTER CITY This 4th of July celebration will feature live DJ music, a rooftop view of uptown fireworks display, cash bar, food and more. Sat., July 4, 7-11 p.m. $10-$15 for all-you-can-eat. Holiday Inn Center City, 230 N. College St.

BREAKFAST CLUB JULY 4TH PARTY Three levels of totally 80’s. $2 PBR bottles, party favors, and view of uptown fireworks. visit www.that80sclub.com for more informtaion. Sat., July 4. Breakfast Club, 225 N. Caldwell St. 704-374-1982. www.that80sclub.com.

CAROWINDS’ INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION This all day event includes country music performances, the Miss Carowinds’ 2009 Swimsuit Competition, live DJ, and the yearly Night of Fire. Sat., July 4, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Carowinds, 14523 Carowinds Blvd. 704-588-2600. www.carowinds.com.

CONCERT ON THE GREEN Come celebrate the Fourth of July at the Village Green, where R & B band, Rough Draft, will play. Pack your “most patriotic” picnic for the contest. Sat., July 4. Free. Davidson Village Green, Concord and Main St., Davidson.

TOWN OF DAVIDSON PARKS AND RECREATION FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION Dress your bicycles, wagons, pets, and strollers in your favorite patriotic attire and come to Davidson’s annual Fourth of July small town parade and evening of music and games. Sat., July 4, 4:30-8 p.m. Davidson Village Green, Concord and Main St., Davidson.

FOURTH OF JULY AT BLUE RESTAURANT In honor of Independence Day, Blue Restaurant and Bar is offereing a three course dinner special for $34.95 and 1/2 price bottles of red and white wines. The Pressley Brothers will be playing live music. Sat., July 4, 5 p.m. Blue Restaurant, 5th & College.

RED ROCKS, WHITEWATER & BLUEGRASS 4TH OF JULY FESTIVAL Spend your Fourth of July at the USNWC. With festivities starting at noon, enjoy music, food, beer, wine, and activities for the whole family. Then, later, sit back and watch the fireworks display. Sat., July 4, 12 p.m. US National Whitewater Center, 820 Hawfield Rd.

RED, WHITE & BLUE FEST Charlotte’s only deck party and premiere fireworks view. Queens City Car Wars & Bike Show. For more information, visit www.kossmotorsports.com. Sat., July 4. $5, Free for children 12 and under. The Blake Hotel, 555 South McDowell St.

RED, WHITE, AND BOOM! PRESENTED BY LANCE Come celebrate the 4th at this family-friendly festival full of activities, musical entertainment, food vendors, and more. Fireworks show begin at 9:30 p.m. Sat., July 4, 6-10 p.m. Free, $5 parking fee. Memorial Stadium, 310 North Kings Dr.

RED, WHITE AND BOOM! ROCK HILL Event features live music from the Oneppo Brothers and ZoSo. There will be food vendors, kids activities and the fireworks start at 10 p.m. Sat., July 4, 6-10 p.m. Free. Old Town Amphitheater at City Hall Black Street, Rock Hill, SC.

INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION AT THE CHARLOTTE MUSEUM OF HISTORY Bring your family and learn about the birth of your country through colonial games, various family-friendly activities and bring a picnic lunch. Sat., July 4, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Charlotte Museum of History, 3500 Shamrock Dr. 704-568-1774. www.charlottemuseum.org.

CELEBRATING AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE Featuring firearms demonstrations, historic readings, cooking demonstrations and more. For more information, visit www.chmuseums.org. Sat., July 4,  10 a.m.-4 p.m. $3-$6; Free for children 3 and younger. 1444 Brattonsville Rd, McConnells, S.C.

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1. Ok Magazine Runs Cover Photo of Michael Jackson on Stretcher
Please make the Michael Jackson circus stop!  Personally, I wish the media would leave Michael alone and let him rest in peace, but OK! Magazine has no intentions of doing that.  According to the latest gossip blogs, the magazine paid $500,000 for the last picture of Jackson alive on a stretcher.

2. Kevin Jonas is Engaged
Apparently the eldest Jonas Brother Kevin is getting hitched to his longtime girlfriend.  So will the Jonas Brothers sing at their wedding?  LOL

3. With All the MJ Madness, Did You Forget About Fantasia’s Birthday!
Oh, the tragedy that is Fantasia.  Apparently she turned 25 recently.  But before we sing Happy Birthday, let’s have a moment of silence for her new red hair.  *crickets*

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Check out these events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area this weekend— as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing.

FRIDAY, JULY 3

311
Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
311 is still “all mixed up.” The bands newest album, titled Uplifter contains a mix of sounds from hard rock to reggae. See them perform with opening act Ziggy Marley at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre tonight.

• Special Event Theatre Charlotte is presenting a night of song merriment with its Grease Sing-Along event. The film will be screened with subtitled song lyrics, so you can chime in. Dress up as your favorite character from the film for the pre-show costume contest. more…

• Theater Ready for a fight? Citizens of the Universe is presenting fist-pumping performances of Fight Club for your own deranged enlightenment.

SATURDAY, JULY 4

Living in America party
The Breakfast Club
The Breakfast Club’s Living in America party will feature 80’s music, party favors, drink specials and you can get a great view of Uptown fireworks.

• Special Event Red, White & Boom is a family-friendly 4th of July fest full of activities at Memorial Stadium. more…

• Special Event Red White & Blue Fest offers you a car and bike show, a fashion show, live music, food, fireworks and more, in celebration of July 4th. more…

SUNDAY, JULY 5

Basil Thai Cuisine
210 N. Church St.
In a recovery effort from yesterday’s hotdogs and hamburgers, visit Basil Thai Cuisine where you can munch on flavorful Pad Thai.

• Theater In the mood for a romantic comedy? If so, head to CPCC’s Halton Theater for a performance of The Rainmaker. more…

• Theater Make your way to Belk Theater today for final performances of The Phantom of the Opera. more…

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Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today, July 2, 2009 — as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing.

• Fight Club in Plaza Midwood

• The Midlifers Stand Up Comedy Tour at Alive

• Subaru River Jam at US National Whitewater Center

• Karaoke at Irish Cue

• Open Mic Night at Prevue

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Many folks shudder at the thought of getting older. Old age means scary stuff like wrinkles, memory loss and other ailments and, worst of all, death. Luckily, we have comedians who find the aging process funny, rather than disturbing. The Midlifers Stand Up Tour, which stops by Alive in NoDa tonight, consists of four comedians — including Julie Scoggins, Ken Evans, Tony Boswell and Kevin Alderman — with four different views on life and being middle-aged in America. The show should have you laughing, but in any case it’s for a good cause, as proceeds go to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. For more information on The Midlifers Stand Up Tour, visit www.themidlifersstanduptour.com. 18 and up. $15. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m. Alive, 2909 N. Davidson St. 704-930-2200. www.matthewscomedyzone.com.

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Check out this concert - for a good cause - at Amos’ Southend on Friday. See flyer below for details.

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In the cool, cool, cool of the evening, it’s still rather hot in Charlotte. So you have a good excuse to flee to the mountains where longtime Queen City favorite Rebecca Koon is starring in Blowing Rock Stage Company’s upcoming Suite Surrender, opening this Friday. The North Carolina premiere of Michael McKeever’s old-timey farce marks the second hook-up between the playwright and Koon. In cahoots with husband Steve Umberger, Koon co-produced McKeever’s Open Season at Spirit Square in July 2003.

The current collaboration with the playwright is closer in one key respect. McKeever is actually in the cast up in Blowing Rock. He’ll be portraying Mr. Pippet, private secretary to the legendary Claudia McFadden, one of two Hollywood superdivas vying for the same luxury suite at the Palm Beach Royale Hotel.

Koon isn’t the only CL Best Actress onstage. Kim Cozort, a two-time winner in Lost in Yonkers (1994) and The Goat (2006) is one of the leading ladies in a cast that also includes Lynn Llewelyn and Beth Dimon. Mistaken identities, double entendres, and gargantuan egos abound through July 12 at the Hayes Performing Arts Center. Defying all logic, Claudia McFadden and Athena Sinclair probably won’t succeed in killing each other or clawing each other to shreds amid the mayhem and carnage.

Plenty of ventilation awaits you up in the mountains – with a high probability of hilarious hyperventilation.

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Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today, July 1, 2009 — as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing.

• Pop Life at Apostrophe Lounge

• Tosco House Party Open Mic at The Evening Muse

• Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory at CPCC’s Halton Theater

• Harry Egypt’s Extreme Karaoke with Projexorcism and Planet Piss at Snug Harbor

• Rub Down Wednesdays at PJ’s Coffee & Lounge

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On July 4 at 4 p.m., Joseph-Beth Booksellers will feature artist/bookseller Nathan Spoon’s artwork throughout the store (see select paintings below, in order: 1. “Woman on a Red Blanket”; 2. “Cup & Saucer”; 3. “Forgotten Onion”; 4. “Moonlight Boat”). Wine and appetizers will also be available.

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The Parker String Quartet - comprised of musicians David Bell (clarinet), William Hoyt (horn), George Pope (flute), Barry Stees (oboe), Cynthia Watson (bassoon) and Inessa Zaretsky (piano) - will perform as part of the 2009 Summer Serenades: A Festival of Music at Queens University of Charlotte on July 8 and 18. Program and ticket information is listed below.

Wednesday, July 8, 7 p.m.
Program: Haydn Divertimento, Piazolla’s String Quartet, the world premiere of Sextet for Piano and Winds by pianist Inessa Zaretsky, and Brahms’ Clarinet Quintet, Op. 11
Complimentary Italian gelato night follows the concert.

Saturday, July 18, 7 p.m.
The Parker String Quartet with Paul Nitsch, pianist and Artist-in-Residence at Queens
Program: Haydn’s Divertimento a tre, Beethoven’s String Quartet op. 18 No. 4, Schubert’s “Trout” Quintet for Piano and Strings
Complimentary Divine Desserts follows the concert.

Performance will be held in Dana Auditorium. Tickets (which can be purchased online or at the door) are $20 per show or $50 for all three. Students of all ages are admitted free. For more information, call 704-337-2213, e-mail fom@queens.edu or visit www.queens.edu/friendsofmusic.

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