The Secret Gardens of Fourth Ward Tour
The 2026 tour ran Saturday and Sunday, May 16 and 17, from noon to 4 PM each day. Friends of Fourth Ward has not yet announced dates for 2027.
The Secret Gardens of Fourth Ward is a walkable, self-guided tour through Historic Fourth Ward showcasing private courtyards, Victorian front porches, and outdoor living spaces, with complimentary food, wine, and cocktail tastings, live music, and art along the way. It is presented each spring by Friends of Fourth Ward.
What's next in the neighborhood: Friends of Fourth Ward marks its 50th anniversary on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, at City Club, and its Annual Holiday Home Tour is listed on the group's calendar for December 4 to 6, 2026. Both are on the Fourth Ward events board.
The 2026 Tour
Tickets for 2026 were $35 for a single day (Saturday or Sunday) and $45 for a weekend flex ticket, sold through Eventbrite. Each tour stop or tasting location could be visited once. The ticket booth sat at the corner of West 9th and North Poplar Streets, where ticket holders picked up a tour guidebook.
What's Included
Every 2026 ticket included access to all tour gardens and these perks along the route:
Live Music
Prevox Trio · Isaac & Adele · The Porchlights · Leisure McCorkle
Complimentary Tastings
Food, wine, and cocktail tastings in gardens and restaurants along the tour route, courtesy of: The Asbury, Assorted Table Wine, Beverly's Gourmet Foods, Doc Porter's Distillery, Don Q Rum, Drumshanbo Gunpowder Gin, The Dunhill Hotel, Indigo Tea & Coffee, The Daily, Tito's Handmade Vodka, Pizzeria Sapienza, It's Poppin' Gourmet Kettle Korn, Republic National Distributing, and Spaghett (Saturday only).
Featured Stops in 2026
The Dunhill Hotel & The Asbury
An open house with complimentary tastings featuring Sticky Biscuits and a bourbon cocktail. The Dunhill, at Stop 42 on the Fourth Ward Walking Tour, has anchored the neighborhood since 1929.
Spaghett, Saturday Only
The long-awaited concept from James Beard nominee Chef Sam Hart, now open in the Historic Young-Morrison House in the heart of Fourth Ward. The restaurant offered complimentary tastings by Executive Chef Kendall Moore and award-winning mixologist Amanda Britton. Read more about Spaghett on Fourth Ward Charlotte.
Historic Settlers Cemetery, Docent-Led Tours
From 1 to 4 PM each day, docents led tours of Charlotte's oldest cemetery, founded in 1768. An oasis of green tranquility in Uptown.
Getting There
The tour takes place in Historic Fourth Ward, Uptown Charlotte. In 2026 the ticket booth was at the corner of West 9th and North Poplar Streets.
Light Rail: The 9th Street stop is 0.3 miles from the ticket booth. The 7th Street stop puts you near The Market at 7th Street if you want to shop before or after the tour.
Ride Share: Encouraged. Drop-off near W 9th and N Poplar.
Parking: Limited free on-street parking within Fourth Ward on a first-come, first-served basis.
Know Before You Go (2026 rules)
- The tour was self-guided and walkable. Guests picked up a guidebook at the ticket booth and explored at their own pace.
- Rain or shine. Tickets were non-refundable.
- Children who could not be carried required a ticket. Strollers can be challenging on Fourth Ward's brick-paved sidewalks and may not fit on narrow garden walkways.
- Dogs: Out of respect for the resident dogs and cats of Fourth Ward, the organizer asked guests to leave pets at home.
About the Tour
The Secret Gardens of Fourth Ward is an annual tradition produced by Friends of Fourth Ward, the neighborhood's 501(c)3 organization since 1976. The tour showcases a mix of private courtyards, Victorian front porches, and unique outdoor living spaces, while highlighting art, architecture, historic homes, Charlotte's oldest cemetery, and the defining character of one of America's most unique urban neighborhoods.
2026 Gold Sponsor: Howard Hanna Allen Tate
Follow @fourthwardCLT on Instagram and @friendsoffourthward on Facebook for future dates.
