CaroMont Criterium
Springtime in Belmont is a beautiful and exciting time in the city! Locals and visitors alike enjoy the springtime weather while strolling down Main Street admiring the blooming cherry blossoms amid the backdrop of our historic downtown. Springtime in Belmont is not just about beauty, it’s also about the excitement this season brings. Spring introduces many exciting annual events within our historic downtown showcasing our community’s historic and active lifestyle. The fourth annual CaroMont Health Criterium is scheduled for Sunday, May 1st , where once again speeding cyclists will pedal in high- speed large packs through the streets of the historic downtown. As it did last year, the event will feature amateur and top professional men and women in cycling. The course on narrow downtown streets features six tight turns and a monster hill to the finish line! The CaroMont Health Criterium in Downtown Belmont is the 2nd stop in the week long bicycle racing series called USA CRITS Speed Week starting in Charlotte on April 30th and ending in Athens, GA on May 7th.
The CaroMont Health Criterium begins at noon on Sunday, May 1st, with amateur races first up. There will be men’s and women’s amateur races throughout the afternoon. Many of these amateur races will feature cyclists from Belmont and around Gaston County. Local elementary children will even have the opportunity to ride two laps on the 2/3 mile route through downtown, complete with the Tindol Subaru pace car leading them and the public address announcer cheering them on. The event concludes with a women’s professional race and a men’s professional race.
“We are excited to bring the CaroMont Criterium back to our community again this year in partnership with City of Belmont and the Downtown Belmont Development Association,” said Doug Luckett, President and CEO at CaroMont Health. “Racers and fans from across the region will roll in for a fun day of activities and healthy competition and it gives us a chance to showcase our beautiful, historic downtown Belmont.”
The event also features a BMX exhibition, Kids Zone, music and more. The Kids Zone will have popular inflatables for children to enjoy. Families can take advantage of the CaroMont Health Wellness Village, an experiential learning experience that promotes tips for living a healthy lifestyle, on Catawba Street.
The CaroMont Health Criterium will bring the energy of hundreds of cyclists and thousands of spectators to downtown Belmont on a Sunday afternoon that would otherwise be a quiet spring day. More information about the event is available at www.BelmontCrit.org.
FridayNightLive!
Dust off your dancing shoes! Belmont’s signature downtown concert series returns for its 10th season! “Friday Night Live”, sponsored by the Belmont Merchant Association, will return every other Friday night from May 6th through August 26th. The free concerts are from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. featuring popular Carolina beach music bands and local DJ Johnny B. This is a free, family-friendly event that attracts both local residents and out of town visitors upwards of 25,000 annual attendees. Be sure to bring your blanket or lawn chair and enjoy our local food and beverage vendors amid the laughter and sounds of this fun summer concert series.
GaribaldiFest
Celebrate the arrival of spring at our annual – GaribaldiFest on Saturday May 21st at Stowe Park and Main Street from 11 p.m.-5 p.m. This free family friendly event features over 75 vendors of arts and crafts, food, children’s activities, music, and more. Many of our city’s local non-profit organizations will be featured at the event sharing information about their work in the community. Bring your family to enjoy music, food, and fun in historic downtown Belmont!
Belmont Cruise-In
The Keystone Kops are looking forward to another great year for the Belmont Classic Car Show kicking off on April 6th and running through September. This fun event is every Wednesday night from 6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. located adjacent to Glenway Pub behind Friends Sport Bar & Grill. Admission to the public is free and everyone is welcome. This Classic Car Show is a fantastic experience for all. D.J. Johnny B will be at the event providing music for all patrons attending. The car selection is diverse with stock, modified, street rods, Corvettes and many others. There is a 50/50 raffle benefiting Shriners Hospitals for Children, door prizes, music, and more! Contact Don Deese at [email protected] for more information and pictures.
