Free "Love Uptown" concert kicks off Charlotte festival weekend
Queen City News
[{'start': '0.320', 'end': '4.240', 'text': 'Music, beer, and love and life. One of'}, {'start': '2.720', 'end': '6.240', 'text': "Charlotte's biggest festivals is"}, {'start': '4.240', 'end': '8.240', 'text': 'returning this weekend. Queen City News'}, {'start': '6.240', 'end': '10.320', 'text': 'reporter Shakira Speaks details what'}, {'start': '8.240', 'end': '12.400', 'text': 'festival goers did to get their weekend'}, {'start': '10.320', 'end': '14.880', 'text': 'started and what they can expect for the'}, {'start': '12.400', 'end': '16.640', 'text': 'rest of the weekend. The second annual'}, {'start': '14.880', 'end': '18.960', 'text': 'Love and Life Festival will consume'}, {'start': '16.640', 'end': '20.880', 'text': 'Uptown Charlotte on Friday, featuring'}, {'start': '18.960', 'end': '23.039', 'text': 'major artists like Ludacris, Gwen'}, {'start': '20.880', 'end': '25.199', 'text': 'Stefani, and Dave Matthews Band. And'}, {'start': '23.039', 'end': '27.519', 'text': 'neighbors are overly excited. So'}, {'start': '25.199', 'end': '29.760', 'text': 'excited, they needed a kickoff event to'}, {'start': '27.519', 'end': '31.519', 'text': 'start the weekend.'}, {'start': '29.760', 'end': '33.760', 'text': "I don't know. It's just like I'm I just"}, {'start': '31.519', 'end': '35.760', 'text': 'feel hyped. Hyped may be the best way to'}, {'start': '33.760', 'end': '38.000', 'text': "describe the weekend's packed lineup of"}, {'start': '35.760', 'end': '39.680', 'text': 'musical artists in Charlotte. Victoria'}, {'start': '38.000', 'end': '41.680', 'text': 'Yards was the first place neighbors'}, {'start': '39.680', 'end': '44.800', 'text': 'could go get a free taste of two local'}, {'start': '41.680', 'end': '46.960', 'text': 'bands. Natalie Carr in the Astronomers'}, {'start': '44.800', 'end': '49.280', 'text': 'and of Chicago based band Axe and the'}, {'start': '46.960', 'end': '50.640', 'text': 'Hatchman. But we also do a lot of work'}, {'start': '49.280', 'end': '52.879', 'text': 'throughout the year to build up the'}, {'start': '50.640', 'end': '53.920', 'text': 'Charlotte music scene and ecosystem. We'}, {'start': '52.879', 'end': '55.520', 'text': "think it's really important for a"}, {'start': '53.920', 'end': '57.520', 'text': 'growing city like Charlotte to have a'}, {'start': '55.520', 'end': '59.359', 'text': 'vibrant music scene that attracts people'}, {'start': '57.520', 'end': '61.039', 'text': 'from all over.'}, {'start': '59.359', 'end': '63.199', 'text': "It's really cool seeing everybody just"}, {'start': '61.039', 'end': '64.799', 'text': 'kind of like jam to whatever music.'}, {'start': '63.199', 'end': '66.720', 'text': "Anytime they have openers that we don't"}, {'start': '64.799', 'end': '68.320', 'text': 'know, we we like listening to them'}, {'start': '66.720', 'end': '70.080', 'text': 'anyways and giving them a chance and'}, {'start': '68.320', 'end': '72.080', 'text': "other people know him that we don't. And"}, {'start': '70.080', 'end': '74.080', 'text': "so it's just it's just nice. Bob Durkin,"}, {'start': '72.080', 'end': '76.640', 'text': 'the co-founder of Love & Life Festival,'}, {'start': '74.080', 'end': '78.960', 'text': "is excited for the event's second year."}, {'start': '76.640', 'end': '80.640', 'text': "After last year's festival, organizers"}, {'start': '78.960', 'end': '83.840', 'text': 'immediately hit the ground running'}, {'start': '80.640', 'end': '86.080', 'text': 'planning for 2025, adding new culinary'}, {'start': '83.840', 'end': '87.840', 'text': 'vendors and fixing logistical issues'}, {'start': '86.080', 'end': '89.680', 'text': 'with city officials. One of the things'}, {'start': '87.840', 'end': '91.520', 'text': 'was the light rail was phenomenal.'}, {'start': '89.680', 'end': '93.119', 'text': "That's how people came in. So, we wanted"}, {'start': '91.520', 'end': '94.479', 'text': 'to lean into that to get more people to'}, {'start': '93.119', 'end': '96.720', 'text': 'take the light rail. So, working with'}, {'start': '94.479', 'end': '99.040', 'text': 'cats has been great. We have even more'}, {'start': '96.720', 'end': '100.400', 'text': 'frequency in the number of stops. Um,'}, {'start': '99.040', 'end': '102.000', 'text': "they're going to run later to help"}, {'start': '100.400', 'end': '103.200', 'text': 'people out. And I think our Uber and'}, {'start': '102.000', 'end': '104.880', 'text': 'Lift lines are going to be even more'}, {'start': '103.200', 'end': '107.200', 'text': 'organized on College Street this year.'}, {'start': '104.880', 'end': '109.040', 'text': 'Festival goers will see an increase in'}, {'start': '107.200', 'end': '111.439', 'text': 'staff at the front gates to make sure'}, {'start': '109.040', 'end': '113.119', 'text': 'wait times are extremely low and more'}, {'start': '111.439', 'end': '115.600', 'text': 'restrooms will be scattered around the'}, {'start': '113.119', 'end': '118.159', 'text': 'venue. Durkin says the economic impact'}, {'start': '115.600', 'end': '120.560', 'text': 'of at least 20,000 people roaming around'}, {'start': '118.159', 'end': '122.560', 'text': 'uptown Charlotte will be significant. So'}, {'start': '120.560', 'end': '124.079', 'text': "we think it's 20 million plus and that's"}, {'start': '122.560', 'end': '125.680', 'text': 'people spending at the festival but also'}, {'start': '124.079', 'end': '127.680', 'text': 'hitting the restaurants, the convenience'}, {'start': '125.680', 'end': '129.920', 'text': 'stores, the liquor stores, staying at'}, {'start': '127.680', 'end': '131.920', 'text': 'the hotels and then the bigger impact I'}, {'start': '129.920', 'end': '133.440', 'text': 'think is showing what Charlotte has to'}, {'start': '131.920', 'end': '135.760', 'text': 'offer. The best putting his best foot'}, {'start': '133.440', 'end': '137.680', 'text': 'forward with the cuisine, the music, the'}, {'start': '135.760', 'end': '138.800', 'text': 'people most importantly so people get to'}, {'start': '137.680', 'end': '141.120', 'text': 'experience Charlotte this weekend and'}, {'start': '138.800', 'end': '143.120', 'text': 'hopefully come back. Durkin encourages'}, {'start': '141.120', 'end': '144.879', 'text': 'festival goers to download the Love and'}, {'start': '143.120', 'end': '146.959', 'text': "Life app. That's the best way to keep up"}, {'start': '144.879', 'end': '148.480', 'text': 'with weather notifications and updates'}, {'start': '146.959', 'end': '150.000', 'text': 'throughout the weekend. For now,'}, {'start': '148.480', 'end': '153.959', 'text': 'reporting in Uptown Charlotte, Shakira'}, {'start': '150.000', 'end': '153.959', 'text': 'Speaks, Queen City News.'}]