Friday-Sunday, Sept. 25-27 — Cabarrus Brewing Company Oktoberfest: Cabarrus Brewing Company, 329 McGill Ave. NW in Concord, will celebrate its ninth annual Oktoberfest with a weekend of German food, beer, live music and festivities. The celebration begins Friday at 4 p.m., with events continuing Saturday and Sunday. Friday hours are 4-10 p.m. and Saturday hours are 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
Friday-Sunday, Sept. 25-27 — Kantoberfest: Downtown Kannapolis celebrates Oktoberfest weekend with food, beverages and entertainment throughout the downtown district.
Friday-Saturday, Sept. 25-26 — Breakaway Carolina: The two-day Breakaway Carolina Music Festival returns to zMAX Dragway in Concord with a lineup of live electronic music performances.
Friday, Sept. 25 — Friday Night Flicks: Concord’s free outdoor movie series continues as part of the city’s Friday Night Flicks schedule. The series runs monthly through Nov. 20.
Saturday, Sept. 26 — Flint’s Fabulous 5K: The Run Kannapolis series continues at 8 a.m. at the North Carolina Research Campus. The race benefits Leashes of Valor, which provides trained service dogs at no cost to post-9/11 veterans.
Monday, Sept. 28 — Operation Carolina comes through Midland: Army veteran and Operation WarriorFit Executive Director Jonathan Milkovich will pass through Midland as part of his approximately 700-mile run across North Carolina. Operation Carolina runs from Murphy to the Outer Banks to raise awareness of mental-health issues affecting veterans, active-duty service members and first responders. Local residents, runners and walkers are invited to meet Milkovich, run or walk portions of the route and show their support.
Saturdays and Sundays, Oct. 3-Nov. 22 — Carolina Renaissance Festival: The Carolina Renaissance Festival returns for eight weekends at its 25-acre village at 16445 Poplar Tent Road, along the Huntersville-Concord border. The festival recreates a 16th-century European marketplace with more than 1,000 costumed villagers, jousting knights, falconry, mermaids, music, comedy, games, rides, food and more than 140 arts and crafts shops. Gates are open from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, rain or shine, with free parking. Special themed weekends include BrewFest, Wizards & Revels, Celtic Music, Halloween Daze and Spooky Knights, Pirates’ Christmas and the season-ending Final Huzzah. Please note that tickets are limited and there is already a waitlist for Saturday, Oct. 3.
Friday-Sunday, Oct. 2-4 — NCNA Convention & Coin Show: The North Carolina Numismatic Association Convention & Coin Show comes to the Cabarrus Arena & Events Center, 4751 N.C. 49, Concord. The three-day event brings coin collectors and dealers together for the annual convention.
Saturday, Oct. 3 — Concord International Festival: Downtown Concord will be transformed into a celebration of cultures from around the world from noon to 6 p.m. The free festival features international food, music, dance and cultural performances, arts and crafts, cultural displays and children’s activities.
Saturday, Oct. 3 — Burgtoberfest: Percent Tap House in Harrisburg will host a free, family-friendly street party featuring food, beer, live music, shopping and other activities.
Saturday, Oct. 3 — Camp CARE 5K & Fun Run: Frank Liske Park in Concord will host the Camp CARE Golden Hour 5K, combining an evening run with activities supporting Camp CARE.
Saturday, Oct. 3 and Saturday, Oct. 10 — Midland Farms Fall Festival: Midland Farms will hold its fall festival on two Saturdays with family activities and seasonal attractions.
Thursday, Oct. 8 — Cabarrus County Senior Expo: The Cabarrus County Senior Expo begins at 10 a.m. at the Cabarrus Arena & Events Center in Concord.
Friday-Sunday, Oct. 9-11 — The Collectors Showcase: Sports Wax Promotions brings its Collectors Showcase to the Cabarrus Arena & Events Center for a three-day event geared toward sports card and memorabilia collectors.
Saturday-Sunday, Oct. 10-11 — Repticon Charlotte: Repticon returns to the Cabarrus Arena & Events Center with reptiles, exotic animals, supplies and vendors.
Saturday-Sunday, Oct. 10-11 — IBJJF Fall International Open: Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitors will gather at the Cabarrus Arena & Events Center for the two-day international open.
Sunday, Oct. 11 — NASCAR Bank of America 400: NASCAR’s Cup Series returns to Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord for the Bank of America 400.
Saturday, Oct. 17 — Peak Building Material Auction: The auction begins at 9 a.m. at the Cabarrus Arena & Events Center in Concord.
Friday-Sunday, Oct. 23-25 — Christmas Made in the South: The popular holiday shopping event returns to the Cabarrus Arena & Events Center. The show features handcrafted gifts, artists and craftspeople, gourmet foods, holiday activities and entertainment.
Saturday, Oct. 24 — Race for Peace 5K: The Run Kannapolis series continues with the Race for Peace 5K. Runners and walkers of all ages and abilities can participate in the city’s annual race series.
Saturday, Oct. 24 — Vino & Vibes Market: ClearWater Arts Center & Studios in Concord will host a market combining wine, live music and shopping from local vendors.
Saturday, Oct. 31 — Touch-a-Truck: Cabarrus Arena & Events Center hosts Touch-a-Truck beginning at 9 a.m., giving families an opportunity to see and explore vehicles and equipment up close.
Saturday, Oct. 31 — Nightmare at the Mill: City Club at Gibson Mill in Concord will host a Halloween night celebration in partnership with Epic Event Rentals.
Saturday, Nov. 7 — Old Armor 5K for Heroes: The final race in the 2026 Run Kannapolis series will be the Old Armor 5K for Heroes in Kannapolis. The event is part of the city’s eight-race series promoting healthy living.
Nov. 11-22 — Southern Christmas Show: The Southern Christmas Show returns to The Park Expo & Conference Center, 800 Briar Creek Road in Charlotte, for 12 days of holiday shopping and entertainment. The longtime holiday tradition features vendors offering Christmas décor, gifts, apparel, jewelry, toys, specialty foods and other items, along with holiday displays and entertainment. The show is open 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Veterans Day, Nov. 11, and Thursdays through Saturdays; hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sundays through Wednesdays. An Early Bird VIP session will be offered from 8-10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 14.
Southern Christmas Show information and tickets
Friday, Nov. 13 — Kannapolis Tree Lighting and Celebration of Lights: Kannapolis officially kicks off the Christmas season at 6:30 p.m. at Village Park, 700 W. C St. The free ceremony will feature live music and entertainment, followed by fireworks at approximately 6:45 p.m.
Nov. 13-Dec. 30 — Celebration of Lights and Winterland Express: Village Park in Kannapolis will be illuminated with thousands of Christmas lights, with the Winterland Express train, carousel, Santa visits, Singing Bears, holiday crafts and other activities. The lights are open 5:30-9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 5:30-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday. The park is closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Admission to see the lights is free, while tickets are required for the train and carousel.
Saturday, Nov. 21 — The Geekery Market: The Geekery Market returns to the Cabarrus Arena & Events Center beginning at 10 a.m., bringing together vendors and fans of comics, games, art, collectibles and pop culture.
Saturday, Dec. 12 — Kannapolis Christmas Parade: The annual lighted Christmas parade begins at 6 p.m. in downtown Kannapolis. The parade travels along Laureate Way and West Avenue and features illuminated floats, marching bands, churches, schools and community organizations.
Saturday-Sunday, Dec. 12-13 — The Nutcracker: The 24th annual production of The Nutcracker will be presented at 2:30 p.m. both days at the Kannapolis Performing Arts Center on the campus of A.L. Brown High School, 415 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. A meet-and-greet with the cast follows each performance.
Friday-Sunday, Dec. 18-20 — A Christmas Carol: Sigmon Theatrical will present A Christmas Carol at the Swanee Theatre in downtown Kannapolis. Performances are scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday, combining music, dance, puppetry and illusions in the retelling of the Charles Dickens classic.
Through Wednesday, Dec. 30 — Kannapolis Celebration of Lights: The holiday lights, Winterland Express and other seasonal attractions continue at Village Park through Dec. 30.
Don’t see your event? Let us know and we will include it. Coming Up in Cabarrus aims to help you find fun and interesting things to do. Email plemmons.mark@gmail.com
