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Hello Cabarrus County! Hope your coffee tastes especially good this morning. 

In today’s bring-the-kiddos edition: Panda Fest returns with 80+ food stalls, Potbelly expansion picks up, and an honorary bridge for Corine Lytle Cannon + excuses to get the fam out and about this week.

Today’s sponsor, American Hartford Gold, is helping folks around Cabarrus County protect their savings as gold and silver continue to gain momentum. Their free guide explains what’s driving the surge… and what to know before adding precious metals to your portfolio. Grab your free copy here.

📰 In the news

Asian flavors take center: Panda Fest returns to Concord April 17 to 19 at Route 29 Pavilion with over 80 food stalls and upgraded gates to speed entry. Tickets start at $10 and $14 — find ticket info and dates.

Franchise growth picks up: Potbelly franchisee Shak Patel recently opened a Midtown Charlotte shop, his sixth, and says Concord, Huntersville, and Mooresville are next as expansion plans take shape — see what’s planned next.

Naming rules reshape tribute: Kannapolis City Council approved an honorary bridge designation for Corine Lytle Cannon, a longtime community justice advocate. The bridge is under construction and expected to be finished by year’s end — read how the decision unfolded.

Nothing prepares you for a pet emergency: I learned that the hard way after charging $10k to a credit card for life-saving surgery on my cat, Miss Stache. As soon as we got home, I signed up for Spot. It’s super affordable – and reimburses up to 90% of the bill.

Compare rates for free: The national average for car insurance is around $175/month. Paying more than that? Same, so I did some shopping around and ended up cutting my premium in half. If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably overpaying too — here’s the comparison tool I used.

Highlights this week:

• Test your luck at Queen Charlotte Carnival
• Eat pancakes to support kids
• Celebrate Concord Range grand opening
• Unlock clinical-level wellness data from home

💎 Local business spotlight

Craving a real slice: Whether you’re craving tart-and-creamy or straight-up sweet, Sunflour Baking Company nails Key Lime Pie, gluten-free too, with real Key West lime juice and a buttery graham crust. Bright, zesty, and week-lifting… a slice that resets your day and keeps you coming back.

Petals without the fuss: Freshen up the kitchen table or pull off a just-because surprise. Harrisburg Florist keeps it simple with thoughtful, locally made arrangements that don’t feel cookie-cutter. Pick something bright, or let their designers riff; either way, it’s an easy lift that makes this week feel nicer.

Scale something fun: Need a midweek energy boost? Mt. Pleasant Ninjas hides a rock-climbing wall inside its obstacle-course-meets-TaeKwonDo playground, perfect for shaking up routines, tiring out kids, or sneaking in some grip work yourself, without the long drive or extreme bro vibes.

These aren’t ads or sponsored placements, just some cool nearby spots we think are worth a visit.

🫶 We got your back

Your data is for sale right now: There are over 400 websites selling your info to marketers, political campaigns, and scammers. They’ve got your phone number, home address, relatives’ names… you name it. That’s how robocallers seem to know everything about you before you pick up. You can remove your info one site at a time, or pay a service to do it for you. Here’s what we recommend →

Why your last diet didn’t work: Sustained weight loss is nearly impossible with diet alone. Your body literally fights back by making you hungrier the moment you start restricting calories. That’s why more doctors are recommending GLP-1s. The best part? Getting them has never been easier. We compared three programs to help you find the right fit. See which ones stood out →

What doctors wish every 65+ adult had at home: Physicians call it “long-lie,” and it’s the real reason falls are so dangerous for older adults. It’s not a broken bone… it’s lying on the floor for hours waiting for someone to notice. We dug into the options that actually solve this problem, and one stood out. See which one →

Thinning hair? It only gets worse: A few months ago, I noticed my ponytail getting thinner. I tried the usual stuff (biotin, shampoo, etc.) but mostly just hoped it would fix itself… until I learned that active follicles can permanently go dormant if you don’t do something about it. The good news? You can get treatment that actually works with no office visits or trips to the pharmacy. Check out my favorite online options →

📆 Fun for the whole fam

Have an event to share? BaseLocal Verified Businesses can submit them for free! Learn more about how to submit an event here →

All events are subject to change without notice. Always check official event pages for the most up to date information.

☄ Comet Corner @ Cox Mill Elementary School (Concord) | Wednesday (3/11) at 7:40 AM – Help run Comet Corner, the before-school shop where kids snag pencils, fidgets, and seasonal goodies, all two bucks or less. It’s cash-only, so bring quick-change skills, a background check under two years old, and your patient smile. PTO opens up, you keep it humming.

⚾ Homeschool Meet-Up @ D-BAT Concord | Thursday (3/12) at 10:00 AM – Weekly at D-BAT Concord means homeschool P.E. hours, minus the living room yoga video. They’ll do speed and agility drills, baseball and softball fundamentals, kickball, even the HitTrax simulator, and you get flexible signups, some sanity, and kids who actually make new friends.

🎡 Charlotte Spring Fair @ Route 29 Pavilion (Concord) | Thursday (3/12) at 4:00 PM – Grab the crew and head to Charlotte Spring Fair Opening Day, where rides spin, shows distract, and funnel cakes ruin every diet nearby. Think fried turkey legs, sticky-fingered kids, and adults pretending they hate it, then grinning like they did in ’98.

🎡 Queen Charlotte Fair Opening Day @ Queen Charlotte Fair (Concord) | Thursday (3/12) at 4:00 PM – Opening day of the Queen Charlotte Fair is here, where your inner kid can chase rides, games, and fried everything. Expect heart-pounding thrills, golden funnel cakes, and shows that keep the whole crew smiling, plus prime people watching, and zero meal prep.

🧱 Bring Your Own Bricks: Build Night @ Luck Factory Games (Concord) | Friday (3/13) at 6:00 PM – Channel your builder self at Luck Factory Games, bring your own bricks or dig into bulk bins for play with folks, no take-home. Finally, a mess you do not have to vacuum, and it is all covered by the $8 plus tax drop-in admission.

🚗 Classic Cars & Coffee @ Gibson Mill Market (Concord) | Saturday (3/14) at 8:00 AM – Roll into Gibson Mill for the monthly Classic Cars & Coffee, a relaxed meetup for 50-ish-year-old cars, trucks, and bikes between The Depot and the Market. Hagerty buys the coffee, Petalcakes and Kunu bring treats, and AutoBarn tempts with chrome, memories, and questionable decisions.

☘ St. Patrick’s Day @ The District Exchange (Concord) | Saturday (3/14) at 11:00 AM – If your idea of St. Patrick’s Day involves wrangling kids, then reclaiming your sanity, The District Exchange has you covered. Family Fun 11 to 4, then Adults Night Out 7 to 11, so you can trade juice boxes for something stronger, responsibly.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

📻 Cabarrus County report

Weather forecast

Today – High: 87°F – Low: 55°F – Precip: 5%

Mostly sunny, with a high near 87. Southwest wind 5 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph. Later: A slight chance of rain showers between 1am and 2am, then a chance of rain. Mostly cloudy. Low around 55, with temperatures rising to around 65 overnight. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible.

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Tomorrow – High: 63°F – Low: 34°F – Precip: 82%

Rain before 5pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 63. Northwest wind 12 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. Later: Mostly clear, with a low around 34. Northeast wind 1 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

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This 4,000 square foot, 3-bed, 3.5-bath Cape Cod sits on 6.5 private acres in sought-after Mt. Pleasant. A circle drive frames front and back yards. Inside, 9-foot ceilings, an open plan, and granite counters with a tile backsplash shine. Upstairs offers a bonus room and flex space with bath, plus an oversized 600+ square foot garage.

Take a peek inside →