October brings the beginning of cooler weather, campfires, fall foliage, spooky fun, and plenty of treats. October is often the month with the most pleasant weather in Charlotte. Plan October 2026 with this list of the top things to do in October in Charlotte (and surrounding areas.)
We’re highlighting some of the top things to do this month. But then, scroll down for our huge (and we do mean huge) calendar of things to do in Charlotte, and surrounding areas in October. This calendar will be updated all the time. Or jump right to the calendar.
We focus on the free and cheap, but we do include some great activities and events that do cost a little bit more if we think readers would like to hear about them.
FabFest, Charlotte’s Beatles Festival
FabFest, Charlotte’s Beatles Festival
Date: Friday, October 2, and Saturday, October 3, 2026
Time: FabFest Daytime is from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday; Evening show takes place on Friday at 7:30 p.m.
Place: FabFest Daytime is at The Parr Center at Central Piedmont Community College, 1201 Elizabeth Avenue, Charlotte, NC. The evening show is at Knight Theater, 430 S Tryon Street.
Cost: FabFest Daytime free. The cost for the evening shows vary.
Features: FabFest Daytime is an immersive Beatles day with live music, an open mic, authors, memorabilia, a marketplace and much more. Tosco Music Beatles Tribute takes place Friday night.
Charlotte Kids Fest
Charlotte Kids Fest
Date: Saturday, October 3, 2026
Time: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Place: The Boardwalk at University City, 9325 JW Clay Blvd, Charlotte, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Performances, hands-on activities and interactive workshops for kids
Concord International Festival
Concord International Festival
Date: Saturday, October 3, 2026
Time: 12 to 6 p.m.
Place: Downtown Concord, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Live music performances, a kids’ corner with hand-on experiences, cultural displays, international craft vendors, and food and drink.
K-Fest: Celebration of Korean Culture
K-Fest
Date: Saturday, October 3, 2026
Time: 2 to 10 p.m.
Place: Seoul Food Meat Co., Mill District, 421 E 26th Street, Charlotte, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Celebrate Korean culture through games, music, food and drink, K-Pop dance contest and more.
World Wellness and Unity Festival
World Wellness and Unity Festival
Date: Saturday, October 3, 2026
Time: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Place: Gandhi Park, 700 E Trade Street, Charlotte, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Celebrate the anniversary of the birth of Mahatma Gandhi with family-friendly activities, wellness and mindfulness experiences, cultural dances and more.
BOOM Fall Fringe Festival
BOOM Fall Fringe Festival
Date: October 3 and 4, 2026
Time: 6 to 11 p.m on Saturday; 12 to 7:30 p.m. on Sunday
Place: VAPA Center, 700 N Tryon Street, Charlotte, NC
Cost: $15 for single show and $40 for a festival pass. Some performances are free.
Features: Innovative performances in dance, spoken word, music and more.
Blessing of the Animals
Blessing of the Animals
Date: Various (mostly the first weekend of October)
Time: Various
Place: Various churches
Cost: Free
Features: Many churches invite people to bring their pets for the Blessing of the Animals in early October. This special event has become a much-loved part of the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi.
Visit a Haunted Trail
Haunted Trails
Date: Various dates in October
Time: Nighttime!
Place: Various places
Cost: Varies
Features: Check out our list of haunted trails near Charlotte! What better way to celebrate Spooky Season?
Kids in Nature Day Matthews
Kids in Nature Day
Date: Saturday, October 3, 2026
Time: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Place: Squirrel Lake Park, 1631 Pleasant Plains Road, Matthews, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Nature hikes, animal explorations, fishing, STEM activities, more
Bard at the Barn
Bard at the Barn
Date: Saturdays and Sundays through October 11, 2026
Time: 11 a.m.
Place: The Barn at MoRA, 8492 McAlpine Park Drive, Charlotte, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Free family-friendly performance of The Tempest by Shepherd Shakespeare.
Corn mazes, pumpkin patches, hayrides and more
Fall Family Fun at Local Farms
Date: All October
Time: Various times
Place: Local farms
Cost: Varies
Features: Check out our list of places to enjoy corn mazes, pumpkin patches, hayrides and more fall fun.
Carolina Renaissance Festival
Carolina Renaissance Festival
Date: Saturdays and Sundays from October 3 to November 22, 2026
Time: 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Place: 16445 Poplar Tent Road, Huntersville, NC
Cost: $37.99 for adults, $23.99 for children 5-12. Free for children 4 and under. Multiple discount offers and ticket giveaways (follow link above.)
Features: Jousting knights, multiple shows, mermaids, falconry, artisan market and more. More than 14 stages of entertainment and 500 costumed villagers.
Hola Charlotte Festival
Hola Charlotte Festival
Date: Saturday, October 3, 2026
Time: 12 to 6 p.m.
Place: Tryon Street, between Brooklyn Village Avenue and 4th Street, Charlotte, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Latin American cultural performances and art, a family area and more.
Autumn Jubilee at Dan Nicholas Park
Autumn Jubilee at Dan Nicholas Park
Date: October 3 and 4, 2026
Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Place: Dan Nicholas Park, 6800 Bringle Ferry Road, Salisbury, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Live music, kids’ activities, craft vendors, food vendors and more.
Kids in Nature Day at Reedy Creek Park
Kids in Nature Day
Date: Sunday, October 4, 2026
Time: 2 to 5 p.m.
Place: Reedy Creek Park, 2900 Rocky River Road, Charlotte, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Guided hikes, creating art from nature, more.
Whitewater Film Series
Whitewater Film Series
Date: Fridays in October, 2026
Time: Sunset (time varies)
Place: Whitewater Center, 5000 Whitewater Center Parkway, Charlotte, NC
Cost: Free (parking is $13)
Features: Free outdoor film series. Featured films with outdoor themes.
Block Party Before Panthers Sunday Night Game
Panthers Block Party
Date: Sunday, October 4, 2026
Time: 5 to 8 p.m.
Place: Mint and Graham Streets outside of Bank of America Stadium
Cost: Free (no game ticket required)
Features: Live concert with Chris Lane, live pregame show taping for NBC’s Sunday Night Baseball, Panthers Play Yard, giveaways, interactive games more.
Cotton Ginning Festival
Cotton Ginning Festival
Date: October 9 to 11, 2026
Time: Friday and Saturday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (tentative times)
Place: Dallas Park, 1303 Dallas Cherryville Hwy, Dallas, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Engine shows, arts and crafts, live music, Parade of Power, kids’ area, heritage area, more.
Charlotte VegFest
Charlotte VegFest
Date: Saturday, October 10, 2026
Time: 12 to 6 p.m.
Place: Victoria Yards, 209 E 7th Street, Charlotte, NC
Cost: Free (VIP option available)
Features: A celebration of healthy, sustainable and compassionate eating. Vegan food court, cooking demos, more.
Purple and Teal Day
Purple and Teal Day
Date: Saturday, October 10, 2026
Time: 12:30 p.m.
Place: Spectrum Center 133 E Trade Street, Charlotte NC
Cost: Free, but tickets are required
Features: First look at this year’s Hornets’ roster. Typically includes a scrimmage or practice, entertainment and other basketball festivities.
Fall for Matthews Festival
Fall for Matthews Festival
Date: Saturday, October 10, 2026
Time: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Place: Stumptown Park, 120 S Trade Street, Matthews, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Arts and crafts vendors, live music, food vendors, children’s area, more
Mountaineer Days Heritage Festival
Mountaineer Days Heritage Festival
Date: Saturday, October 10, 2026
Time: 12 to 6 p.m.
Place: Patriots Park, 220 South Railroad Avenue, Kings Mountain, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Live music, historic demonstrations, contests and more.
Build Your Own Boat
Build Your Own Boat
Date: Saturday, October 10, 2026
Time: 12 to 5:30 p.m.
Place: Whitewater Center, 5000 Whitewater Center Parkway, Charlotte, NC
Cost: Free to watch. $13 for parking. Cost to participate.
Features: Watch crews in homemade boats race on the whitewater channel. Live music following the competition.
Charlotte BookPalooza
Charlotte Book Palooza
Date: Saturday, October 10, 2026
Time: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Place: Truist Field, 324 S Mint Street, Charlotte, NC
Cost: $5 for adults. Free for kids and teens
Features: Author talks, book venders, cosplay and fandom fun, character moments, read to a rescue, more.
Laketoberfest
Laketoberfest
Date: Saturday, October 10, 2026
Time: 3 to 8 p.m.
Place: Bailey Road Park, 11536 Bailey Road, Cornelius, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Live music, North Carolina beer and wine, food trucks, kids’ zone, more.
Lake Norman Diwali
Lake Norman Diwali
Date: Saturday, October 17, 2026
Time: 1:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Place: Veterans Park, 201 Huntersville-Concord Road, Huntersville, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Cultural performances, kids’ activities, vendors, food, more
Charlotte Corgi Club Racing Championship
Charlotte Corgi Club Racing Championship
Date: Saturday, October 17, 2026
Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Place: Renaissance Park, 1536 W Tyvola Road, Charlotte, NC
Cost: Free to attend. There’s a cost to register your Corgi to race.
Features: Watch corgis race. There will also be food trucks, music and vendors. All dogs can attend. Only corgis can race.
Halloween Events
Tons of Halloween Events
Date: Varies
Time: Varies
Place: Varies
Cost: Most are free or low-priced
Features: We’ve put together a huge list of Halloween events, including costume contests, trick-or-treat events, and much more. There are some events for kids and some for adults in the list.
Pineville Fall Fest
Pineville Fall Fest
Date: October 15 to 17, 2026
Time: 5 to 9 p.m. on Thursday and Friday; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday
Place: Jack D. Hughes Park, 513 Main Street, Pineville, NC
Cost: Free for admission. There’s a cost for the rides.
Features: Carnival rides, arts and crafts vendors, live music, children’s entertainment and more.
Mush, Music & Mutts: NC’s Liver Mush Festival
Mush, Music & Mutts: NC’s Liver Mush Festival
Date: Saturday, October 17, 2026
Time: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Place: Uptown Shelby
Cost: Free
Features: Liver mush eating contests, recipe contest and more. Plus, live music, craft vendors, kids’ zone, and pet contests.
Lincoln County Apple Festival
Lincoln County Apple Festival
Date: Saturday, October 17, 2026
Time: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Place: Aspen and Main Street, Lincolnton, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Live entertainment, Apple Queen Pageant, craft vendors, kids’ activities, more
Nature at Night
Nature at Night
Date: Saturday, October 17, 2026
Time: 5 to 9 p.m.
Place: McDowell Nature Preserve, 15222 York Road, Charlotte, NC
Cost: $7 (registration required)
Features: Enjoy the nature preserve at night with wagon rides, s’mores, night hikes, crafts, live animals and more.
Charlotte Chalk Art Festival
Charlotte Chalk Art Festival
Date: October 17 and 18, 2026
Time: 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. each day
Place: No Brewing Co., 150 W 32nd Street, Charlotte, NC
Cost: Free (cost to compete)
Features: Watch artists compete in a chalk art competition. There will also be a community chalking area, art and crafts vendors, food and drink vendors and more. Family friendly event.
Fort Mill Fall Festival
Fort Mill Fall Festival
Date: Saturday, October 17, 2026
Time: 2 to 6 p.m.
Place: Walter Elisha Park, 345 N White Street, Fort Mill, SC
Cost: Free
Features: Live music, costume contest, fall photo ops, vendors and more.
Romanian-American Festival
Romanian-American Festival
Date: Saturday, October 24, 2026
Time: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Place: Stumptown Park, 120 S Trade Street, Matthews, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Traditional folk music and dance, kids’ cultural craft zone, local vendors and artisans, Romanian and American street food and desserts.
Mount Holly Lantern Parade
Mount Holly Lantern Parade
Date: Saturday, October 24, 2026
Time: 7 p.m.
Place: Downtown Mount Holly, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Watch a parade of illuminate lanterns created by regional and local artists, as well as students and community members.
Flocktoberfest
Flocktoberfest
Date: Saturday, October 24, 2026
Time: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Place: Naughty Donkey Farm, 24709 Canton Road, Albemarle, NC
Cost: Price is per car. $20 in advance or $25 at the gate
Features: Tour animal sanctuary and meet ducks, goats, alpacas, pigs, a donkey and more. Shop vendors, Enjoy photo ops, trick or treat.
Halloween in Huntersville Festival
Halloween in Huntersville
Date: Sunday, October 25, 2026
Time: 4 to 7 p.m.
Place: Huntersville Athletic Park, 11720 Verhoff Drive, Huntersville, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Trick or treat booths, live music, costume contest and more. Ends with a Halloween drone show.
Full Calendar of October Events
Please give the list a moment to load…it’s a LOT!
Leave a Reply