Charlotte is one of the 25 largest cities in the U.S. and the largest city in North Carolina. Nicknamed the Queen City, Charlotte and its resident county are named in honor of Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of British King George III during the time of the city's founding.
Nearly 800,000 live and work in the Charlotte community and the City provides services to much of this population. The City’s focus areas are Housing and Neighborhood Development, Community Safety, Transportation, Economic Development and the Environment.
Charlotte consistently ranks as one of the top growing cities and is the home to more than 10 Fortune 1000 companies, including household names such as Bank of America, Lowe's and Wachovia Corp. Charlotte is also home to the Carolina Panthers of the NFL, the Charlotte Hornets of the NBA, the NASCAR Hall of Fame and the U.S. National Whitewater Center.
The Charlotte region is home to many annual festivals and special events. Carolina Renaissance Festival, operating Saturdays and Sundays, October and November. Located near the intersection of 73 and Poplar Tent Road, the Carolina Renaissance Festival is one of the largest renaissance themed events in the country and features 11-stages of outdoor variety entertainment, a 22-acre village marketplace, an interactive circus, an arts and crafts fair, a jousting tournament and a feast—all rolled into one non-stop, day-long family adventure. Its modern city center (Uptown) is home to the Levine Museum of the New South, which explores post–Civil War history in the South, and hands-on science displays at Discovery Place. Uptown is also known for the NASCAR Hall of Fame, which celebrates the sport of auto racing through interactive exhibits and films.
Other amenities that make Charlotte a great place to live and work include numerous higher learning organizations, cultural centers and health care facilities.
