Pineville's 28th Fall Fest
Is the Region's Hidden Gem.
The 28th annual Pineville Fall Fest runs Thursday through Saturday, October 15-17, 2026, at Jack D. Hughes Park on Main Street in Pineville, hosted by Pineville Parks and Recreation. Three nights of live music, food vendors, arts and crafts, a kids' art show, a lumberjack show, and the legendary pie-eating contest, all with free admission. Here is what you need to know.
The essentials, fast.
What makes this festival special?
Pineville has quietly run one of the metro's best free fall festivals for nearly three decades. It packs a city park with everything a classic Southern fall fest should have, and it never feels crowded in a bad way.
Live Music
Local bands play each night, from Thursday's warm-up sets to Saturday's full-day lineup.
Food Vendors
A full row of festival food keeps the fryers busy all three days.
Lumberjack Show
A timber-sports demo with axes and saws is the crowd-pleaser that sets this festival apart.
Pie-Eating Contest
The annual pie-eating contest is messy, hilarious, and exactly as fun as it sounds.
How much does it cost?
Admission is free for all three days, thanks to the Town of Pineville's parks department. Food and vendor purchases are the only costs. The official event page lives on the Town of Pineville website and lists the full evening lineups as the festival gets closer.
Official Event PageGood to know.
Thursday and Friday nights are gentler; Saturday is the full festival experience.
Pineville is right off I-485 and near Carowinds, so it is an easy add to a day south of Charlotte.
The kids' art show entries are worth a slow walk; they are the heart of the festival.
Curious about the neighborhood?
Pineville sits at the southwest corner of Charlotte, hugging the SC line with a walkable old Main Street and one of the region's biggest outlet malls nearby. It mixes small-town feel with serious convenience.
More fall festivals.
Fall Festivals Guide 2026
Every festival post in one place, from the Renaissance Fair to the Thanksgiving Eve Parade.
Fall for Matthews
Mint Hill Madness
Sources: Town of Pineville Parks & Recreation, Charlotte On The Cheap. Dates and details were verified against official event pages in September 2026; always double-check the official site before you go, since event details can change.
Festival season is my favorite
time to show off Charlotte.
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