Concerts and events are returning to the Queen City as capacity limits are eased and face-covering restrictions are lifted.
Tom Glick, team president of the Carolina Panthers, announced Bank of America Stadium will open at full capacity for events, including the 2021 Carolina Panthers season.
Masks will not be required. No proof of vaccination will be required to attend, and the stadium will not have separate sections for vaccinated or unvaccinated attendees.
"We're delighted to have reached this point, and we know our fans are delighted because we've been hearing from our fans,” Glick said.
The rules apply to all events at the stadium.
That means packed crowds at Panthers games and thousands of people at concerts.
Garth Brooks is scheduled to play Bank of America Stadium on Sept. 25.
According to a release, 74,000 tickets were originally sold to the Garth Brooks concert, which had to be postponed due to the pandemic. It’s the largest paid crowd in the history of Bank of America Stadium. The release said all tickets will be honored.
Breakaway Music Festival is returning to the Charlotte area on Oct. 1 and 2 after a year hiatus due to the pandemic.
"We had to push pause for a year, and we were anxiously waiting for live music to come back,” said Adam Lynn, co-founder and president of Breakaway Music Festival. “And now we feel like it's the right time to make a big comeback."
Charlotte Motor Speedway will host the two-day music festival. Lynn said the festival typically sees about 15,000 people each day, but he’s expecting even bigger numbers this year.
"So, they're calling it the ‘Roaring 20's," Lynn said. “People spent over a year in their house dreaming about those experiences that they were having."
Lynn said he was basically told throughout the last year that what he’s done with his career was illegal to do with COVID-19 restrictions in place in states across the country.
When he received the news that Breakaway got the green light to move forward in the Carolinas this year, he said it was an exciting day.
"I think it's really made me appreciate what I've done, the career that I've built,” Lynn added, “and I guess I won't take it for granted anymore."
The Chainsmokers, Martin Garrix, and G-Eazy will headline the music festival. Tickets are on sale here.
WCNC Charlotte also reached out to Hornets Sports & Entertainment, which operates Spectrum Center. A spokesperson said in an email that the first concert at the venue is still more than two months away. As conditions continue to change rapidly, officials are still in the process of determining the guidelines for concerts and events.
Contact Kendall Morris at kmorris2@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
