Plaza Midwood kicks off local holiday shopping season on Black Friday

The Plaza Midwood business corridor on Central Avenue is holding its first-ever holiday event, Holiday Central, from 3:30 to 8:30 p.m. this Friday.

Highlights include carolers, elves, Santa at the Charlotte Fire Department’s Station 8 and a Christmas tree lighting at Zada Jane’s. The Plaza Midwood Merchants Association received a city of Charlotte neighborhood services grant to help with the celebration.

Merchants in the business district will stay open until 8:30 p.m. and offer refreshments and specials.

A short schedule:
3:30 to 5:30 p.m.: Santa at Fire Station 8 at 1201 The Plaza. Face painting at The Source Realty Group at 1200 The Plaza.
6 p.m.: Tree lighting ceremony with Santa doing the honors in front of Zada Jane’s at 1601 Central Ave.

Sources: Facebook page for Plaza Midwood Neighborhood Association, plus Eugene Bradly of the city of Charlotte’s Neighborhood and Business Services division.

Image: Gingerbread neighborhood, based on Plaza Midwood, from 2006, with a little help from Don Duffy Architecture.

Learn more about Charlotte's neighborhood Quality of Life Study

Charlotte’s Quality of Life neighborhood data gives people a chance to see how their neighborhoods are doing. The City of Charlotte is offering a series of sessions about the data, with one nearby meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 16, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Story Slam at 1401 Central Avenue.

Speakers are from UNC Charlotte’s Metropolitan Studies and the City of Charlotte’s Neighborhood and Business Services Department. The study serves as a benchmark for measuring the health of the city and its neighborhoods.

The Quality of Life Study divides the city into neighborhood statistical areas and examines 20 variables from databases maintained by the city, county and Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools. The study labels each area as stable, transitional or challenged depending on those numbers.

Merry Oaks, combined with the nearby Country Club Heights area, is labeled stable. Nearby Briar Creek/Woodland, Windsor Park and Eastway/Sheffield are all labeled “transitioning.”

To sign up for the Tuesday night session or later sessions, visit the City of Charlotte’s website. Another session is scheduled from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 18, at Biddle Hall at Johnson C. Smith University at 100 Beatties Ford Road.

The city site also has deeper information about the Quality of Life study.

Background:
The Charlotte Observer on the release of the quality of life study.
UNC Charlotte’s Urban Institute on the study.