The very popular festival Matthews Alive is returning in 2025! It will take place at Stumptown Park, at the corner of John and Trade Streets in Historic Downtown Matthews, from Friday, August 29, to Monday, September 1, 2025.
The annual festival, a Charlotte area Labor Day weekend tradition, is dedicated to the support of local non-profit organizations through music, arts and community involvement.
The festival features three stages of live music, rides, games, the Small Shops (formerly Arts & Crafts Pavilion), food and drink vendors, a kids’ zone, and a Labor Day parade.
Admission is free. Tickets are required for the carnival rides, games, and inflatable attractions, and can be purchased on-site. An “all you can ride” wristband is available on Friday, starting at 4 p.m.
Hours of Matthews Alive
- Friday: 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. (rides open at 4 p.m., with $25 “all you can ride” wristband)
- Saturday: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. (parade at 9:30 a.m.)
- Sunday: 1 p.m. to 10 p.m.
- Monday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Labor Day Parade
The Matthews Alive Parade, held Saturday, August 30, at 9:30 am, will follow a new route through downtown. Parade participants will still stage as usual on Matthews-Mint Hill Road, turning left onto Trade Street. Rather than proceeding through the festival footprint, the parade will now turn right onto John Street and proceed to Covenant Church Road for disembarking. This new route offers more spectator space and a safe unloading zone on a closed street.
Small Shops
The Small Shops, formerly the Arts & Crafts Pavilion open Saturday morning and close nightly at 7:30 p.m.
Kids Connection
There will be kid-friendly entertainment on the kids’ stage, and, surrounding the stage will be plenty of fun, including a ninja mobile course and fun size equipment.
Indoors
The Matthews Community Center will host live music indoors. Brad Bailey, Mike Ramsey, and Cori Rose will play in the theater lobby in the afternoons. Fans can hear Thirsty Horses, Darren Deese, and the Shelley Ruffin Trio on the theater stage.
Indoor exhibits return at the Matthews Community Center, including the quilt show, woodworking groups, fiber craft demonstrations, basket weavers, and the Infinite Turtles Robotics Team. The Matthews Artist Guild will host their annual exhibit in the Art Center.
Friday Highlights
- Shag dancing on the dance floor
- Live music: Carolina Barnburners
- Live music: Band of Oz
- All-you-can-ride wristband night at the carnival ($25, starting 4 p.m.)
Saturday Highlights
- The Labor Day Parade starts at 9:30 a.m. It’s one of the largest Labor Day parades in the Southeast.
- Kids’ Connection, Kids’ Stage and Small Shops open
- Live music: The Tina Turner Tribute featuring Debby Holiday
Sunday Highlights
- Live music: Don Jovi
- Rides
- Games
- Small shops
- Games
Monday Highlights
- Live music: The Castaways
- Live music: Y2K Kids
- Small shops
- Rides
- Matthews Artist Guild’s exhibit at McDowell Arts Center
- Games
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