Annual Charlotte 5K to honor local runner’s memory

Q Fitness and Wellness’ upcoming 5K will pay tribute to Lance Sotelo, who died earlier this year at age 25.

Q Fitness and Wellness is using this year’s annual 5K to support Charlotte Pride, help support a future scholarship fund honoring Lance Sotelo and continue growing an event that has become more than simply completing a race. The QFW 5K, scheduled for June 13 at McAlpine Creek Park, is organized by Q Fitness and Wellness,…

by Liz Schob and Zach Anderson

qnotes history

40 Years of Qnotes Coverage

As a newspaper, Qnotes has served Charlotte for 40 years. In this edition we’ve collected here some of the most significant stories that have appeared on our pages and online during that time. There are more, so many more. We tried to keep it to one big story a year. And we did, mostly. Although…

by Qnotes Staff

live theater

Blumenthal announces theatrical lineup for 2026-27

Charlotte’s Blumenthal Arts Center recently released their list of stage productions that will headline for the 2026-27 PNC Broadway Lights Series. It’s a standout mix of drama, romance, spectacle and comedy, which includes the 40th anniversary return of “Phantom of the Opera” in a revitalized production featuring Maria Björnson’s original design. There’s also a new,…

by David Aaron Moore

ARTS AND CULTURE

Your Guide to 2026 Pride Festivals Across the Carolinas

As Pride season approaches, LGBTQ+ communities across North Carolina and South Carolina are preparing for another year of festivals, parades and community celebrations. While major events in cities like Charlotte, Raleigh and Durham continue drawing large crowds, smaller towns across the Carolinas are also hosting Pride gatherings throughout 2026, reflecting the growing visibility of LGBTQ+…

by Liz Schob

IN TRIBUTE

Honoring a Lifetime of Changing Hearts and Minds

Ian Palmquist was still in high school when he first started handing out pamphlets promoting tolerance for LGBTQ+ people. Decades later, what began as accidental activism with five friends grew into a lifetime of grassroots organizing, advocacy and community building — work that has now earned Palmquist recognition from both his peers and the state…

by LM Dudzik

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