We did the digs this week so your group chat doesn't have to. Here's the rundown for Friday, October 23 through Sunday, October 25, day by day, every event checked against venue and event sources before it made the list.
The big one: Hornets home opener, Friday night
The Charlotte Hornets open the 2026-27 season at Spectrum Center (333 E Trade St) on Friday, October 23, tip-off at 7 PM against the Atlanta Hawks. The Hive is loud on opening night, Uptown gets packed before the first quarter, and there's a full weekend of basketball behind it — the Miami Heat come in Saturday at 6 PM.
Friday: three ways to open loud
- JPEGMAFIA with redveil at The Fillmore, 8 PM. Chaotic, genre-bending and one of the most electric live acts touring right now.
- Undertale Live: The Determination Symphony at Ovens Auditorium. The cult-favorite game's score, played live by a full orchestra.
- Charlotte Checkers home opener at Bojangles Coliseum, 7 PM against the Springfield Thunderbirds.
Saturday: amphitheater to renaissance
Rawayana brings their tropical psych-funk to Charlotte Metro Credit Union Amphitheatre Saturday night — the Venezuelan band behind "Venekera" is one of the best live shows touring this fall.
Daytime, it's a two-lane split: Whiskey, Wine & Fire takes over Ballantyne's Backyard with tastings and fire pits, while the Halloween-adjacent Tricks & Treats festival runs its seasonal program. Out in Huntersville, the Carolina Renaissance Festival (16445 Poplar Tent Rd) runs both weekend days, 9:30 AM entry with the village open to about 5:30 PM: jousting twice daily, 100+ artisan shops, and turkey legs the size of your forearm. The Checkers host Springfield again Saturday at 6 PM.
Sunday: the soft landing
The Charlotte Symphony plays its final Schubert program performance Sunday, Sueco closes the weekend at The Underground, and the Renaissance Festival keeps running for daylight hours. If you want the quiet version, the Uptown Farmers Market (300 S Davidson St, 8 AM-12:30 PM) is at peak fall harvest. Sunday morning produce, Sunday evening soul. That's a close.
Before you go
- Verify showtimes before you drive. Big-venue shows sometimes shift doors.
- Buy tickets through Ticketmaster, the venue box office or the official event link, not a resale screenshot from a stranger.
- Layer up. October in Charlotte runs warm midday and chilly after dark.
The homepage board has the weekend's headline events with direct links: things to do in Charlotte this weekend, and the citywide slate lives at the Charlotte events calendar.