Things to Do in
Charlotte This Week.
October 12 through October 18, 2026. This is the week fall truly arrives in Charlotte, and the calendar is packed with the season's best. The Carolina Renaissance Festival is open this weekend in Huntersville, Mint Hill Madness Family Fun Festival fills Veterans Memorial Park Friday through Sunday, and the Charlotte Chalk Art Festival turns NoDa into an outdoor gallery. Charlotte Symphony plays Belk Theater on Friday, the Charlotte Hornets are in preseason at Spectrum Center, and farmers markets across the metro are bursting with crisp apples, pumpkins, and squash. Warm sweaters, falling leaves, and a city full of things to do.
There is a shift in the air this week as Charlotte settles into the golden heart of autumn. The mornings are crisp, the leaves are turning, and the festival calendar swells with fall favorites. If you are looking for things to do in Charlotte this week, the big weekend draws are the Carolina Renaissance Festival in Huntersville and Mint Hill Madness Family Fun Festival, while NoDa hosts its free Charlotte Chalk Art Festival. The Charlotte Symphony opens a lush fall program at Belk Theater on Friday, the Hornets are lacing up for preseason at Spectrum Center, and the farmers markets are at peak fall harvest. Whether you want jousting, chalking, pumpkins, or an orchestra, this is a wonderful week to be out in the Queen City.
Monday through Friday.
Charlotte Symphony at Belk Theater, Charlotte Hornets preseason basketball at Spectrum Center, the Mint Hill Madness kickoff on Friday, Charlotte Regional Farmers Market's fall harvest, comedy at The Comedy Zone, and live music in NoDa.
Mint Hill Madness Family Fun Festival
Veterans Memorial Park - 8500 Fairview Rd, Mint Hill
The annual Mint Hill Madness Family Fun Festival kicks off Friday evening and runs all weekend long. Three days of family entertainment, carnival rides and games, live music, food vendors, and a fireworks finale. It is one of the most laid-back community festivals in the eastern Charlotte metro, with low ticket prices and a genuinely neighborly feel. Perfect for families with kids of all ages, and the sort of event that makes you feel like you live in a small town while still being 25 minutes from Uptown Charlotte.
Charlotte Symphony Masterworks: An Evening of Romance & Drama
Belk Theater - 130 N Tryon St, Uptown
The Charlotte Symphony opens a lush fall Masterworks program at Belk Theater on Friday night. This is peak Charlotte Symphony season: the orchestra settles into its Uptown home with emotionally rich repertoire, and an early conductor chat previews the evening for ticket holders. A crisp autumn evening in Uptown Charlotte, a world-class orchestra, and the glow of Tryon Street afterward make this an elegant date-night option. Check charlottesymphony.org for the full program and tickets.
Charlotte Hornets Preseason Basketball at Spectrum Center
Spectrum Center - 333 E Trade St, Uptown
The Charlotte Hornets tip off their 2026-27 NBA preseason with home games at Spectrum Center this week. Preseason games are affordable, low-stress ways to see the team and the arena, with deep ticket deals compared to the regular season. It is a great intro to NBA basketball for kids and a chance to watch the new season roster before the games count. Check hornets.com for the exact matchup and tip time, and grab tickets early because Spectrum Center is a favorite for families.
Charlotte Regional Farmers Market - Fall Peak at the Yorkmont Market
Charlotte Regional Farmers Market - 1801 Yorkmont Rd
The year-round Charlotte Regional Farmers Market at Yorkmont Road is in its fall groove this week. October brings crisp local apples, pumpkins, gourds, muscadine grapes, winter squash, pecans, and the last of the late peppers and tomatoes. It is the largest wholesale-to-retail market in the region, with a covered pavilion open Wednesday through Sunday and fall field crops in abundance. A great midweek stop to stock up for fall baking and harvest decorating.
Comedy Night at The Comedy Zone
The Comedy Zone Charlotte - 2208 South Blvd, Southend
The Comedy Zone hosts its regular Thursday-through-Sunday slate of stand-up in Charlotte this week. It has been the city's flagship comedy club for decades, bringing a mix of national touring headliners and local favorites to an intimate room in Southend. A midweek comedy show is a reliably fun, affordable night out, with a full menu and bar. Check comedyzonecharlotte.com for who is on stage this week.
Fall at the U.S. National Whitewater Center
U.S. National Whitewater Center - 5000 Whitewater Center Pkwy
As the heat breaks, the Whitewater Center becomes one of the best places to spend an October afternoon. Mountain bike the trails through the turning leaves, paddle the channels, zip line, or just walk the riverfront. Fall brings cooler temps, smaller crowds than summer, and the iconic backdrop of the Catawba River at peak color. Trail running series and fall programming are in full swing. Free admission, $12 parking.
Neighborhood Theatre: Live Music in NoDa
Neighborhood Theatre - 511 E 36th St, NoDa
NoDa's beloved Neighborhood Theatre keeps its eclectic fall concert calendar rolling this week with a mix of touring and regional acts. The room is intimate, the sound is excellent, and the neighborhood around it is packed with breweries and restaurants for a full night out. It has been the beating heart of Charlotte's independent music scene for over 30 years. Check neighbourhoodtheatre.com for the lineup and showtimes.
Saturday & Sunday.
Carolina Renaissance Festival in Huntersville, Charlotte Chalk Art Festival in NoDa, Mint Hill Madness with fireworks finale, fall farmers markets, corn mazes and pumpkin patches, and a Boo at the Zoo day trip.
Carolina Renaissance Festival
16445 Poplar Tent Rd, Huntersville
The Carolina Renaissance Festival is open this weekend in Huntersville, and it is one of the largest Renaissance festivals in the country. Wander the 25-acre village of Fairhaven with jousting tournaments twice daily, 100-plus artisan shops, food fit for a feast, comedy acts, and roaming performers in full period costume. October is arguably the best month to go: the weather is crisp and the leaves are turning. It runs weekends through November 22, but this is a perfect fall weekend. Buy tickets online to save.
Charlotte Chalk Art Festival
NoDa Brewing Company - 2921 N Tryon St, NoDa
The Charlotte Chalk Art Festival transforms the parking lot and grounds at NoDa Brewing into a giant open-air gallery as artists turn chalk into elaborate, ephemeral murals. It is free and family-friendly, with art activities for kids, crafts, food trucks, and plenty of NoDa Brewing beer for the grown-ups. Watch the pavement come to life in real time, then wander NoDa's mural-covered streets for more art. A wonderfully creative and distinctly Charlotte way to spend a fall weekend afternoon.
Mint Hill Madness - Saturday & Grand Finale
Veterans Memorial Park - 8500 Fairview Rd, Mint Hill
Mint Hill Madness hits its stride on Saturday with carnival rides, live music, food vendors, and kids' activities, before wrapping up Sunday with a fireworks finale. It is the eastern metro's signature fall family festival, drawing residents from Mint Hill, Matthews, and Charlotte's east side. Bring the kids, grab a funnel cake, and stick around for the Sunday night fireworks show. Presented with support from local businesses and sponsors, it is community spirit at its best.
Uptown Farmers Market & Cotswold Farmers Market
Uptown at 300 S Davidson St; Cotswold at 4921 Randolph Rd
October is peak fall-harvest season at Charlotte's Saturday markets. The Uptown Farmers Market at 300 S Davidson Street (8 AM to 12:30 PM) brings fresh produce, baked goods, artisan crafts, and food trucks to a walkable spot near the Rail Trail. The Cotswold Farmers Market at 4921 Randolph Road runs 8 AM to noon through October with local farms, honey, and seasonal goods. Look for crisp apples, pumpkins, muscadine grapes, and the first of the season's winter squash.
Falls Festival Weekends on the Farm: Corn Mazes & Pumpkin Patches
Hodges Family Farm - Charlotte; Patterson Farm - Mt Ulla
East and west of Charlotte, the region's fall farms are open for corn mazes, pumpkin patches, hayrides, and seasonal photo spots. Hodges Family Farm on the east side of Charlotte offers a giant corn maze and fall activities close to town, while Patterson Farm in nearby Mt Ulla is a favorite for sunflower fields, mazes, and farm animals. October weekends are prime time, so go early. Both are classic fall outings for families, couples, and anyone chasing that crisp harvest feeling.
Boo at the Zoo - North Carolina Zoo
North Carolina Zoo - 4401 Zoo Pkwy, Asheboro (a 75-mile day trip from Charlotte)
For a memorable fall weekend day trip, head to the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro, about 75 miles east of Charlotte, for Boo at the Zoo. The family Halloween event features trick-or-treating through the zoo, games, a costume contest, and pumpkins strewn through animal habitats. It is a comfortable day trip from the Charlotte metro on a nice October weekend. Check nczoo.org for dates and ticket times before you go.
Charlotte Hornets Preseason Home Game
Spectrum Center - 333 E Trade St, Uptown
Catch the Charlotte Hornets in preseason action at Spectrum Center this weekend if the schedule lines up. Preseason basketball is one of the most affordable ways to experience pro sports in Charlotte, with budget tickets and a relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere. Paired with an Uptown dinner or a walk through Romare Bearden Park, it makes a great fall weekend afternoon. Confirm the exact time at hornets.com.
The Music of Tina Turner with the Charlotte Symphony
Knight Theater — 430 S Tryon St, Uptown
The Charlotte Symphony celebrates the music of the Queen of Rock and Roll with two nights of Tina Turner favorites at Knight Theater. Expect powerhouse vocalists fronting the full orchestra through hits like "Proud Mary," "What's Love Got to Do with It," and "Simply the Best," with the energy of a stadium show in an intimate Uptown hall. A crowd-pleasing pick for date night or a night out with friends.
Ongoing & recurring.
Carolina Renaissance Festival
Huntersville - 16445 Poplar Tent Rd
Open Saturdays and Sundays through November 22. Jousting, artisan shops, and period entertainment at one of the largest Renaissance festivals in the U.S.
Fall Farms, Corn Mazes & Pumpkin Patches
Across the Charlotte metro
Hodges Family Farm, Patterson Farm, and more open on October weekends with mazes, pumpkins, hayrides, and harvest photo spots.
Charlotte Symphony Fall Season
Belk Theater & Knight Theater - Uptown
The Symphony's fall Masterworks and Pops series runs through the season, with programs most weekends at the Blumenthal venues.
Charlotte Regional Farmers Market
1801 Yorkmont Rd
Open Wednesday through Sunday year-round. Fall brings apples, pumpkins, squash, pecans, and muscadine grapes.
Fall at the U.S. National Whitewater Center
U.S. National Whitewater Center
Cooler-weather mountain biking, trail running series, and riverfront walks at peak fall color.
Don't miss these.
Carolina Renaissance Festival in Huntersville (Sat & Sun)
This is the can't-miss fall event of the weekend. The weather should be perfect, the jousting is thrilling, and the whole family can wander for hours. It is one of the biggest Renaissance festivals in the country, and it is right in our backyard. Go early, buy tickets online, and plan to stay most of the day.
Mint Hill Madness Family Fun Festival (Fri–Sun)
For families east of town, this is the best value of the weekend. Carnival rides, live music, and a fireworks finale, all with that friendly small-town feel. It is exactly the kind of community event that makes Charlotte-area living so warm and connected.
Charlotte Chalk Art Festival in NoDa (Sat & Sun)
Free, family-friendly, and uniquely Charlotte. Watch artists turn pavement into art at NoDa Brewing, then wander the murals of NoDa for the full arts-district experience. Pair it with a brewery stop for a perfect fall afternoon.
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