You know about The Nutcracker and the tree lightings, but there’s much more going on in the Queen City for the holidays. From concerts to art exhibits, awards to family events, check out these highlights to make sure you are really in the know about all that Ho! Ho! Ho!

LOCAL MEDIA

PHOTO CREDIT: The Charlotte Ledger

Interact Studio Celebrates an Authentic Voice in Charlotte – Tony Mecia

Tony Mecia, the founder & editor of The Charlotte Ledger, was recently named winner of Interact Studio’s 2021 Community Voice Award. The award celebrates leaders in Charlotte’s community who use their authentic voice to create positive change.

Next Wednesday, Dec. 15 at 11 AM, Interact Studio is hosting their final virtual Human Touch gathering of 2021 with Tony as the special guest speaker. The event will also include guest co-hosts Matt Olin & Tim Miner, the co-founders of Charlotte Is Creative, to interview Tony and bring some holiday cheer.

• MORE: RSVP for the event and celebrate this champion of Charlotte’s media landscape.

VISUAL ARTS

Dammit Wesley’s Hunnid Dollar Exhibit for One Night Only

Curated by artist Dammit Wesley, painter, graphic designer and co-owner and Creative Director of BLKMRKCLT, the Hunnid Dollar Exhibit will feature work from more than 20 artists, including Simplisticphobia, Carla Aaron-Lopez, Carey King, Garrison Gist, CHDWCK!, QN VU and Kiana Mui – that have agreed to sell their works at a discounted price of $100 for one night only.

Wesley says, “This is an opportunity to make collecting art more accessible.”

The event is this Saturday, Dec. 11 from 4 to 8 PM at BLKMRKCLT just past the Boileryard at Camp North End.

• MORE: Learn more and get out your wallet.

BONUS: Camp’s Mistletoe Market featuring booths with wares from Charlotte makers is taking place just outside BLKMRKTCLT at the same time.

Nutrient Rich and Gifts Galore at Goodyear Arts Show

The second annual Nutrient Rich event showcases a grand buffet of more than 100 small individual artworks by 26 artists of the Goodyear Arts Collective, an artist-led, nonprofit residency and events program at Camp North End.

This event is open to the public Friday, Dec. 10 from 6 to 9 PM and Saturday, Dec 11 from 5 to 8 PM, overlapping the Mistletoe Market and Hunnid Dollar exhibit. It will return Friday, Dec. 17 from 6 to 9 PM and Saturday, Dec. 18 from 5 to 8 PM.

• MORE: More about a Nutrient Rich weekend.

Taylor Lee Nicholson Knows Art … and Junk Food

A self-described artist, director, comedian and HUG grantee, Taylor Nicolson is a jack-of-all-trades. Their new exhibition — Junk Food — brings attention to the ways we all try to “fill up” – including food, social media, TV.

Nicholson sees this pattern of relentless consumption as an indication of a deeper yearning, a hunger that junk food will never satisfy. See Nicholson’s work, which includes acrylics and sculptures from post-consumer materials, at The Artisan’s Palate at 1218 E. 36th Street through Dec.17.

• MORE: Fill up on Junk Food … and good food at Artisan’s Palate.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Do Greater Gets $300K on Giving Tuesday

Last week, Jim Keffer at Keffer Auto and the Kia America Dealer Management Group presented a check for $300,000 to William “Coach” McNeely, founder of the Do Greater Foundation for the development of the CRTV Lab at Shiloh Institutional Baptist Church. [CRTV = “creative.”]

Do Greater Charlotte is a nonprofit facilitating exposure and access to creativity, technology and entrepreneurship to underserved, under-resourced communities. McNeely says, “We believe we are investing very early to create the next generation of creative entrepreneurs in Charlotte.”

The lab will add a permanent space at Shiloh to Do Greater’s CRTV mobile and online labs, serving as a hub for the organization and its young creatives.

• MORE: Study up on the CRTV Lab.

Local Baker and Activist, Manolo Betancur, Earns National Recognition

Local baker, entrepreneur and activist, Manolo Betancur was honored, not once, but twice this month, taking home the Tiptree World Bread Award for U.S. Bread Hero and the AFP Charlotte’s Outstanding Philanthropic Small Business Award nominated by Charlotte Bilingual Preschool. Both awards recognized him or his commitment to Charlotte’s Latinx community.

Betancur’s commitment to the community is “baked” into his business model. He regularly donates cakes from his Central Ave. bakery to organizations serving people experiencing homelessness and meals for families in need. Since 2001, he has contributed 10% of the bakery’s profits to local nonprofits.

• MORE: You can visit Manolo’s Bakery for a sweet treat that supports the community at 4405 Central Ave.

LOCAL MUSIC

Annual Tosco Music Holiday Party

A tradition since 2016, Tosco Music has organized a festive holiday concert each December. This year’s event will feature an eclectic mix of more than a dozen performers and plenty of singalongs, including:

• Damien Horne
• Fuzion Latina Charlotte
• G & That Jazz
• K. Omari Wilkerson
• Karla Davis
• Max Odom
• Nyla Martin
• Pete Lents
• Providence H.S. Chamber Orchestra
• Pryor Rayburn & Bob Dawson
• The Ruach
• The Young Fables
• Toni Tupponce & Tyrone Jefferson
• The Tosco Music House Band & Singalong Choir

Expect a musical selection of holiday classics and traditional Christmas carols delivered in a variety of musical genres. This year’s event is Tuesday, Dec. 20 at 7:30 PM at Knight Theater.

• MORE: Buy your tickets and join the party.

THEATRE AND DANCE

Caroline Calouche & Co. is Trippin’ Again

A contemporary (and tipsy) twist on the classic Nutcracker story, Clara’s Trip cirque and dance show developed by Caroline Calouche & Co. will delight audiences young and old again this year.

In the show, Clara meets a young man, but her dancing lands her in the hospital where friends and gifts swirl together in her dreams. The show runs Thursday, Dec. 16 through Sunday, Dec. 10 with children’s matinee shows on the weekend at Booth Playhouse.

• MORE: Get tix and trip with Clara.

*Featured Image Credit: Caroline Calouche & Co.