Culture About Concord, North Carolina

Nestled in the beautiful Piedmont region of North Carolina, Concord is a mid-sized city with a rich history and vibrant culture. Once a major textile manufacturing hub, Concord has transformed into a diverse community with plenty to see and do. This cultural guide takes a deep dive into what makes Concord unique.

Music and Entertainment

Live Music Scene

Concord has an energetic local music scene largely centered around live music venues downtown. Some highlights include:

• McGill Baptist Church: This historic church hosts regular bluegrass jams and concerts by local bands. Its excellent acoustics make it a popular spot for musicians.
• Sidetracked Brewery: This craft brewery features live music several nights a week from rock bands, singers, and songwriters across various genres. It’s a chill, welcoming spot to catch a show.
• Concord Events Center: The downtown events center draws regional and national touring acts with its sizable indoor stage and capacity crowds. Genres range from country to rap to indie rock.

Annual Festivals and Events

Several annual events enliven Concord’s entertainment schedule:

• Alive After Five: Downtown street festival held Friday nights in the spring and fall with live music, food, craft beer, vendors, and family activities.
• Concord Food Truck Festival: Massive food truck rally with live music and entertainment held each April.
• Concord Christmas Parade: Festive holiday parade through downtown with floats, bands, and dance groups. A decades-long tradition.
• Patriotic Festival: Independence Day festival and fireworks show at Atrium Health Ballpark.

Movie Theaters

Concord has a handful of cineplexes showing the latest film releases:

• AMC Concord Mills: Huge 24-screen theater located inside Concord Mills mall.
• Southern Theaters Concord: Independent theater in downtown Concord showing mainstream and limited-release films.
• Great Outdoor Drive-In: Classic drive-in theater experience 15 minutes outside Concord, open seasonally.

Sports and Recreation

Motorsports

As the epicenter of NASCAR racing, Concord has multiple major motorsports complexes:

• Charlotte Motor Speedway: Concord’s flagship track hosts NASCAR’s top series including the Coca-Cola 600 and millions of fans annually. The Speedway grounds also feature a dirt track, dragway, and zipline.
• zMAX Dragway: State-of-the-art drag racing strip known for hosting NHRA national events. Part of the greater Speedway complex.
• Concord Speedway: Historic short track built in 1959 running weekly races for lower-tier series. An icon of local racing.

Outdoor Recreation

Concord has bountiful parks and greenways for getting outside:

• Rocky River Golf Club: Scenic municipal golf course along the Rocky River. Features 27 holes across three courses.
• Frank Liske Park: Large park with hiking trails, disc golf, picnic areas, and a kids’ splash zone.
• Rocky River Nature Preserve: Over 200 acres of woodlands and wetlands with wildlife viewing platforms.
• Parks and Greenways: Concord has an extensive trail system following the Rocky River and Irish Buffalo Creek through parks, fields, and forests.

Arts and Culture

Museums and Historic Sites

Concord has numerous museums and landmarks preserving its heritage:

• Concord Museum: The city museum chronicles Concord’s history through permanent exhibits and artifacts in an 1840s courthouse.
• Reed Gold Mine: Living history site where America’s first gold rush occurred in 1799 with restored mining pits and demonstrations.
• Alfred and Jane Stowe Botanical Garden: Lovely 10-acre garden featuring sculptures, fountains, and thousands of both native and exotic plants.
• Historic Downtown Concord: The walkable downtown has many restored 19th century buildings like the historic county courthouse and Victorian storefronts. Various walking tours are available.

Performing Arts

Concord has a strong performing arts scene led by:

• Old Courthouse Theatre: Long-running community theater staging Broadway musicals, comedies, and dramas inside a restored 19th century courthouse.
• Davis Theater: Historic downtown theater, restored to its 1940s glory, hosting movies, comedy, concerts, and events in an intimate setting.
• Concord City Dance Theater: Youth dance company staging acclaimed ballet and contemporary productions.

Public Art Displays

Interesting public art installations and murals can be spotted across Concord such as:

• Harmony Park: Downtown pocket park featuring interactive musical sculptures like chimes, drums, and metallophones.
• Toast to Education Mural: Vibrant downtown mural celebrating Cabarrus County’s excellent colleges and universities.
• Rock’n Race Car Sculpture: Giant sculpture made from auto parts pays homage to Concord’s racing heritage. Located by city hall.

Cuisine and Drink

Local Eateries

Concord has a range of homegrown restaurants serving comfort food, Southern cuisine, and global flavors:

• JW’s Kitchen: Beloved downtown diner open since 1947 dishing out hearty portions of American classics. Cash only.
• Wildflour Bake Shop: Bakery and bistro offering freshly baked breads, pastries, quiches, soups, salads and more.
• La Fuente Authentic Mexican Restaurant: Family-run Mexican joint serving classic tacos, enchiladas and other authentic fare. Great margaritas too.
• Sammy’s Neighborhood Diner: Charming neighborhood diner with Southern favorites like fried chicken, mac and cheese, collard greens and banana pudding.
• Ray’s Mongolian Grill: Create your own stir-fry bowls at this fast casual Asian fusion spot.

Breweries, Cideries and Wineries

Concord has a booming craft beverage scene including:

• Sidetracked Brewery: Laidback downtown brewpub featuring a rotation of original beers from stouts to sours.
• High Branch Brewery: Industrial-themed taproom serving IPAs, lagers, and experimental brews. Family and dog friendly.
• Goose and Monkey Brew House: Nanobrewery offering English-style ales and live music in a funky converted service station space.
• Morgan Ridge Railwalk Brewery: Brewery and restaurant set in a historic cotton mill with craft beers, guest taps and elevated pub fare.
• Cabarrus County Wineries: A dozen wineries dot the county’s Yadkin Valley wine region featuring estate-grown varietals.
• Southern Strain Brewing Company: Farmhouse cidery amid an apple orchard growing heirloom apples used in small-batch hard ciders.

Concord’s Most Vibrant Neighborhoods

Concord has several distinctive residential areas and commercial districts:

Historic Downtown

The walkable downtown district centered on Union Street North contains:

• Over 20 blocks of Victorian storefronts and historic government buildings
• Independent shops, restaurants, theaters, art galleries and museums
• Regular festivals and events

Downtown anchors the city’s cultural offerings with its easily explorable setting and sites.

McGill Business District

Concord’s central business hub along McGill Avenue/Hwy 29 is home to:

• Office buildings and Fortune 500 company headquarters
• High-end hotels and apartment towers
• Banks, law firms, medical practices
• Retail chains, car dealerships, big box stores

The district generates billions in economic impact annually.

Gibson Village

Established as a model mill community in the 1920s, Gibson Village retains its original charm with:

• Dozens of picturesque Craftsman homes
• Community garden plots
• Village Store with an old-timey soda fountain
• Walker United Methodist Church

This National Register Historic District makes for pleasant neighborhood walks.

Crews Road – Stough Road Business Corridor

Anchored by Concord Mills Mall, this area contains:

• Over 300 retailers like outlet shops, mega-stores and car dealerships
• Hotels, office parks, apartments, senior living complexes
• Banks, pharmacies, chain restaurants

The corridor serves as Concord’s primary shopping and dining destination.

From its historical sites to its craft breweries to its NASCAR mecca, Concord truly has something for all tastes when it comes to arts, entertainment, cuisine and recreation. Concord’s diversity of neighborhoods adds to its cultural richness as well. Whether you’re downtown bar-hopping, museum-hopping, catching a race, or just going for a nature walk, there are endless ways to experience Concord’s vibrant offerings.