CHARLOTTE, N.C. —
Taste of Charlotte @ Truist Field
Bring your appetite out this weekend as Taste of Charlotte returns to the Queen City. This free three-day food festival will feature samples from popular restaurants around the city as well as performances and activities. Attendees can purchase festival coins to use for restaurant samples, beverages, and kid’s activities. Things kick off Friday, Oct. 1 at 4 p.m. and conclude Sunday, Oct. 3 at 6 p.m. Find more information here.
Tuck Fest @ The Whitewater Center
Get out and get active at Tuck Fest, hosted by the Whitewater Center. The multi-day festival celebrates the outdoor lifestyle through nearly 150 activities, musical performances, races, yoga practices and more over three days. The festival is happening all weekend long and is absolutely free to the public. Parking is $6. Find a list of scheduled events here.
Carolina Renaissance Festival
Get medieval with your friends and family as you head out to the opening weekend of the Carolina Renaissance Festival. Enjoy non-stop, day-long, immersive and interactive activities as well as the open-air Artisan Market with arts and crafts, games, rides, jousting knights on horseback, falconry, and food options you’re sure to love. This season-long event runs every Saturday and Sunday until Nov. 21. Tickets start at $17 for kids and $27 for adults and can be purchased here.
Fall Festival Block Party @ Eastway Crossing Shopping Center
Nothing beats a fall festival filled with music, food, games, and family activities, and the Fall Festival Big Block Party is exactly that. Come out Saturday, Oct. 2 to celebrate the season as well as local businesses anchoring the Eastway Crossing Shopping Center. The festivities kick off at 10 a.m. and conclude at 10 p.m. Find information about when specific events are happening here.
Wicked @ Ovens Auditorium
This weekend is your last chance to experience the Broadway-favorite “Wicked” at Ovens Auditorium. From its first captivating to its epic conclusion, Wicked is sure to captivate audiences of all ages with its original story, awe-inspiring musical numbers, and life lessons that are sure to stick long after you see the show. Tickets start at $50, and the last show takes place on Sunday, Oct. 3. Click here for showtimes and ticket information.
ONGOING EVENTS
Food Truck Friday
Come out for good eats, live music and fun for the whole family at various Food Truck Friday events happening all over the Queen City. Come out to get your grub on at Food Truck Friday at Cabarrus Brewing Company, Resident Culture Food Truck Friday, University City Food Truck Friday, or Food Truck Friday at Sycamore Brewing. Times vary by location.
SCarowinds
Face your darkest fears at SCarowinds this weekend. Hoards of hungry zombies, jaw-dropping mazes, and epic coaster thrills await your arrival at the ultimate fright fest of the Carolinas. The fright-fest is open now, and you can visit the whole weekend long start at $40. Tickets are available for purchase here.
Immersive Van Gogh @ Camp North End
Come out to experience the lauded Immersive Van Gogh exhibit at Camp North End. The exhibit features 500,000 cubic feet of monumental projections animating Vincent van Gogh’s oeuvre. The event will run through Sunday, October 31. Tickets start at $39 and can be purchased here.
Live Under The Oaks @ Birkdale Village
Kick your weekend off with a little shopping and live music at the Grove at Birkdale Village every Friday evening from April to October this year. This week’s performer is The Stark Reality Trio, and the event will feature an onsite bar provided by Red Rocks Cafe. The event is free and will run from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Find more information here.
Markets + More
Queen City weekends always provide a surplus of vendor markets for Charlotteans to get their pick at fresh and locally sourced products. This weekend’s open markets include the Plaza Midwood Farmer’s Market, the Uptown Farmer’s Market, the University City Farmer’s Market, and the Southend Farmers’ Market.
Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!