Charlotte, NC: 8 events your small business can benefit from in 2021

In this 5-minute read:

  • 8 local events in the Charlotte area that your business should get involved in this year

Attending local events is a great way to increase brand awareness and to help grow your business. From business development conferences to your local county fair, there’s a lot that you can gain from getting involved in events. 

Attract new customers and keep them loyal with reputation management software. Learn more, plus get free reputation monitoring and customer insights when you sign up for Womply Free!

These are some of the top business and community events that Charlotte, NC has to offer. See what events make sense for your business and get them added to your calendar. Get your team excited and have fun with it!

PLEASE NOTE: We have made every attempt to be accurate in our information but as you can imagine during the COVID-19 pandemic, everything is still in flux. Please consult the websites for the individual events and confirm the status of the events you wish to attend.

SAFe DevOps

When: January 18-21, 2021

SAFe DevOps courses are now offered in virtual sessions. 

SAFe DevOps is a training conference designed to help businesses map their value stream from concept to revenue. All team members from any industry can benefit from this professional development course. 

Throughout the event, attendees work to design a continuous delivery pipeline that is tailored to their business. 

Learn more about the event or register to attend at eventbrite.com.

Queen Charlotte Fair

When: 2021 fair is over; check back for 2022 dates!

The 2021 fair was a great success. Stay tuned with their website and Facebook page for dates and info for 2022! 

The Queen Charlotte Fair is the annual spring fair that pulls in crowds from all over the state. This fair is at the Route 2 Pavilion in Concord, NC, just a short drive from Charlotte.

Events at the fair include concerts, helicopter rides, circus shows, browsing through vendor booths, carnival rides, and more. 

Your business can get in on the fun by setting up a booth at the fair. Create more awareness for your brand with fun offers at the fair and free samples or demos of what your business provides. 

Learn how to get involved at queencharlottefair.com.

Speed Street

When:  May 27-29, 2021

Every year, just before the Coca-Cola 600 Nascar race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, festivities commence to get the excitement going for the race. On the Thursday before the race, Speed Street begins. 

Speed Street attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors with live music, food, contests, vendors, and appearances from popular racecar drivers. See if you can build the fastest zucchini car!

Your business can join in on the hype by attending the event as a vendor, sponsoring the event, or creating fun race-themed offerings leading up to the big day. Be prepared for the crowds that gather as race day gets closer. 

Get more updates on the event by following the 600 Festival Association Facebook page.

spectators at stock car race for local business events

Taste of Charlotte

When: June 11-13, 2020

Over the course of 3 days, the Taste of Charlotte festival features more than 100 samples from local area restaurants. Visitors can try the food while enjoying live music, street performances, cooking demos, fun activities, and more. 

If you have a local restaurant or your business resides within the 6 city blocks from Stonewall to 5th Street during the festival, you’ll definitely see the most benefits from this event. But you don’t have to have a food business to join in on the fun. 

Take your team to enjoy Taste of Charlotte, offer discounts to festival-goers and think of other creative ways to take advantage of this popular event. 

For more information, visit tasteofcharlotte.com.

Network After Work

When: February 23, 2021

Network After Work has gone virtual. They have several networking events and workshops planned throughout the year. If you can’t make it to their February 23 event, check out their other events here

Join other business owners and local entrepreneurs online for an afternoon of socializing and networking. Participate from the comfort of your home or office with your own drinks and snacks as you meet other like-minded professionals from across the country. 

This event is intended to connect you with others and help you further your business goals. Whether you are just getting started and have a specific goal in mind or just want to grow a deeper connection to your community, this event is for you. 

Get your tickets at networkafterwork.com/events.

Festival in the Park

When: September 24-26, 2021

Festival in the Park started in 1964 and ever since has been bringing joy to the community through good music, good art, and good times. People travel from all over the globe to take part in this cultural experience. 

Artists gather together to share their works and visitors come to enjoy the atmosphere of this fun event. Art, music, food, activities, contests, and more keep everyone entertained for the weekend. 

Your business can get involved by volunteering, sponsoring the event, or becoming a vendor at the festival. Learn more at festivalinthepark.org.

Carolina BalloonFest

When: October 14-16, 2021

The Carolina BalloonFest is the country’s second-largest hot air balloon event, bringing tens of thousands of visitors each year. Beyond the balloons and competition, visitors can enjoy live entertainment, pilot meet and greets, a kids zone, fine food and drink, and more. 

Traditional and specialty-shaped balloons make appearances at the festival and on Saturday evening of the event, attendees are captivated by the glow of the balloons against the night sky. 

Become a vendor or come up with some fun balloon-themed offerings to get involved in this regional event. Visit www.carolinaballoonfest.com to learn more. 

pink and purple hot air balloon for local business events

Small Business Saturday Pop Up

When: November 27-28, 2021

Throughout the year, QC Socialite Events hosts Small Business Saturdays where they allow small businesses and startups to set up pop up shops at Charlotte Premium Outlets. If you’re looking for extra exposure for your new business, this is a great opportunity for your to take advantage of. 

Learn more information and register at eventbrite.com.

Enhance your business with reputation management software

As you gain new customers through attending local events and enhancing your business with annual expos and conferences, you should have a strategy in place to help you keep the momentum going. 

Getting regular customer reviews online is a great way to help your business see continued growth from each new customer that you gain. 

Womply’s reputation management software makes the process of asking a customer for a review simple. Right from your dashboard, you can send a reminder to your customers to leave you a review online. Once they do, you’ll get an alert so you can go in and respond to the review right from your dashboard, increasing your customers’ engagement with your business and building loyalty. 

Also, click here to check out our small business loans resources. Learn more, plus get free reputation monitoring and customer insights when you sign up for Womply Free!

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