We’re back! After the “to stream or not to stream (live)” season of 2020, the Embrace sculpture is welcoming you back with open arms to the real thing—LIVE, outdoor concerts. MoRA’s summer concert series, Thursdays Live 2021 presented by Edge City Brewery, kicks off the season on Thursday, June 17 at 6pm. And we’re doing it with style…
…with a brass quintet from the Charlotte Symphony, featuring works by Brahms, Mozart, Scott Joplin and more!
The Charlotte Symphony is partnering with MoRA to make its music more accessible to new generations of enthusiasts. MoRA’s dedication to bringing arts to the community and creating opportunities for neighbors to gather and connect is a direct response to what neighbors said they wanted in early surveys. Stay tuned, because there are more arts announcements to come!
Rocking the mic as emcee this season is “one of Charlotte’s most recognizable, non-famous, best kept secrets,” Brian Lafontaine, who has performed and worked professionally as an actor “since the late 1900’s.” Lafontaine’s body of work includes film, stage, and TV—Ozark, Stranger Things, and Homeland to name a few—as well as countless commercials.
What to know about Thursdays Live 2021:
WHEN: Concerts take place 6p – 8p on the third Thursday of each month, from June through October in 2021:
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Photo by Leigh Black
June 17 – brass quintet from the Charlotte Symphony
- July 15 – Party of Six
- August 19 – The Swingin’ Richards
- September 16 – Barcerado
- October 21 – Late Night Special
WHERE: The venue is the iconic Embrace sculpture located at 6697 Monroe Rd., at the intersection of Monroe Road and Conference Drive in Charlotte.
HOW: As always, admission is free. And this year, food and drink will be available for purchase from the great businesses in Meridian Place near the Embrace sculpture: Edge City Brewery, Hawthorne’s Pizza, and Wingstop.
Guests may bring a chair or pack a picnic, but no outside alcohol permitted on the premises.
In addition to Edge City Brewery, sponsors include these local businesses and partners:
- Pet in the City
- Hawthorne’s NY Pizza
- Savvy & Co
- Meridian Place
- On the Move Charlotte
- NoDa Yoga
- The Mother’s Best CBD
- Wanda Smith & Associates
- Iora Primary Care
- The Barker Lounge
- Rama Swim
- Williams Subaru
- GrindHaus Studios
- Key NC Homes
- Social Pet
Free parking is available onsite at Meridian Place (6697 Monroe Rd), and overflow parking is available across the street at East Mecklenburg High School (6800 Monroe Rd).
HEALTH AND SAFETY NOTE: CDC guidelines will be followed. Please wear a mask if you haven’t been vaccinated.
About MoRA
MoRA is the Monroe Road Area in east and southeast Charlotte. The Monroe Road Advocates bring art and artists to the forefront, support local businesses and responsible development, and advocate for bike paths, transit and walkability. They inform, elevate and celebrate—connecting the neighborhoods and businesses along the corridor from Lupie’s to Hwy 51. MoRA is a grassroots non-profit with an all-volunteer Board.
~Kathy Hill
