September might be one of my favorite months for exploring North Carolina. Summer isn’t quite over, but fall starts sneaking in. County fairs open their gates, apples are ready for picking in the mountains, corn mazes begin popping up, festival season kicks into high gear, and by the end of the month you can even start celebrating spooky season.
And the best part? You don’t have to drive across North Carolina to find something fun to do.
If you’re looking for things to do near Charlotte, NC in September, I’ve rounded up festivals, fairs, apple orchards, cultural celebrations, live music, fall activities and unique North Carolina day trips that are all within roughly a two-hour drive of Charlotte.
Whether you want something close to home for Saturday afternoon or you’re ready to pack up the car for a full-day adventure, there is A LOT happening around Charlotte this September.
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Things to Do Near Charlotte Labor Day Weekend: September 4–7
Labor Day weekend is basically the unofficial kickoff to fall festival season in North Carolina, and there are several really good options within an easy drive of Charlotte.
Matthews Alive Festival
September 4–7, 2026 | Matthews, NC
You don’t even have to leave the Charlotte area for one of North Carolina’s biggest Labor Day celebrations.
Matthews Alive takes over downtown Matthews with amusement rides, live entertainment, food vendors, arts and crafts, games and plenty of activities for families.
One of the things I love about events like this is that you can make them as inexpensive or elaborate as you want. Walk around, listen to music and explore the vendors or turn it into a full festival day with rides, games and fair food.
Best For: Families, teens, carnival rides and a close-to-home Labor Day activity.
Matthews Alive is scheduled for September 4–7, 2026.
North Carolina Apple Festival
September 4–7, 2026 | Hendersonville, NC
Drive from Charlotte: Around 2 hours
If you’re ready to pretend it’s fall even though Charlotte may still be pushing 90 degrees, head toward the mountains. The North Carolina Apple Festival fills downtown Hendersonville with fresh local apples, apple treats, arts and crafts, children’s activities, entertainment and vendors.
Henderson County is one of the largest apple-producing areas in North Carolina, so this is also the perfect excuse to turn the festival into an entire apple-picking day trip from Charlotte. Visit the festival, then stop by one of the nearby orchards for apple cider donuts, fresh apples or even U-pick.
The 2026 NC Apple Festival runs September 4–7.
Don’t Miss: Apple cider donuts. Always the apple cider donuts.
Hickory American Legion Fair
September 2–7, 2026 | Newton, NC
Drive from Charlotte: About 1 hour
Want a classic county fair experience?
The Hickory American Legion Fair brings rides, fair food, games and entertainment to the Hickory/Newton area over Labor Day weekend. This is an easy option if you want to get out of Charlotte for the day without committing to a long road trip.
Earl Scruggs Festival
September 4–6, 2026 | Mill Spring, NC
Drive from Charlotte: About 1½–2 hours
Bluegrass fans should put this one on the calendar.
The Earl Scruggs Festival takes place at Tryon International in Mill Spring and celebrates the North Carolina-born banjo legend’s influence on bluegrass and American music.
The 2026 lineup includes major names such as The Avett Brothers, Béla Fleck and Greensky Bluegrass.
Best For: Music lovers and a couples’ or friends’ weekend getaway.
John Coltrane International Jazz & Blues Festival
September 5–6, 2026 | High Point, NC
Drive from Charlotte: About 1½ hours
High Point celebrates jazz legend John Coltrane with two days of live jazz and blues at Oak Hollow Festival Park.
If your idea of the perfect day trip involves grabbing some good food, spreading out a blanket and listening to live music, this could be worth the drive.
The festival is scheduled for September 5–6.
Happy Valley Fiddlers Jamboree
September 4–6, 2026 | Lenoir, NC
Head to the foothills for a weekend filled with old-time music, bluegrass, dancing and Appalachian traditions. The Happy Valley Fiddlers Jamboree brings musicians and visitors together for performances, contests, workshops, food vendors and family-friendly activities in a relaxed outdoor setting.
It is a great choice if you want a Labor Day weekend event that feels distinctly North Carolina without the crowds of a large city festival.
Best For: Bluegrass fans, families and anyone who enjoys traditional mountain music.
Uwharrie Bigfoot Festival
September 4–6, 2026 | New London, NC
If you prefer your Labor Day weekend with a little mystery, make plans for the Uwharrie Bigfoot Festival. This unusual and entertaining event celebrates Bigfoot lore, local legends and the Uwharrie region with vendors, food, live entertainment, guest speakers and plenty of Sasquatch-themed fun.
Even if you are not a serious Bigfoot believer, it is the kind of quirky North Carolina festival that makes for a memorable day trip.
Best For: Families, curious kids, fans of folklore and anyone looking for something different.
Mocksville Food & Brews Festival
September 5, 2026 | Mocksville, NC
Spend the afternoon sampling local food, enjoying craft beverages and listening to live music in downtown Mocksville. The Mocksville Food & Brews Festival is an easy Labor Day weekend outing for adults, couples and groups of friends who want a relaxed small-town event with plenty to eat and drink.
After the festival, leave time to explore downtown Mocksville’s shops, restaurants and historic streets.
Best For: Foodies, craft beer fans and a casual Saturday afternoon away from Charlotte.
Labor Day Celebration at the Whitewater Center
September 5–6, 2026 | Charlotte, NC
You do not have to leave Charlotte to enjoy Labor Day weekend.
The U.S. National Whitewater Center typically celebrates the holiday with outdoor activities, live music, food, drinks and plenty of opportunities to spend the day outside. You can combine the celebration with hiking, biking, rafting, ziplining or simply relaxing along the Catawba River.
Best For: Active families, outdoor enthusiasts and anyone who wants a full day of adventure close to home.
Planning Tip: Popular activities and parking can fill up quickly on holiday weekends, so arrive early and check the current event schedule before you go.
Iredell County Agricultural Fair
September 4-12, 2026 | Troutman, NC
For a classic county fair experience near Lake Norman, check out the Iredell County Agricultural Fair in Troutman. Expect carnival rides, midway games, fair food, livestock exhibits, agricultural displays and entertainment for all ages. It is an easy option for families in north Charlotte, Huntersville, Mooresville and the Lake Norman area, especially if you want a traditional fair night without driving too far.
Best For: Families, kids, teens and anyone who loves funnel cakes, carnival rides and the bright lights of the midway.
Planning Tip: Confirm the 2026 dates, admission prices and ride wristband information before heading out, since fair schedules and ticket details can change.
Things to Do September 11–13 Near Charlotte
If Labor Day weekend doesn’t work for you, don’t worry. The following weekend may actually have MORE going on.
Cabarrus County Fair
September 11–19, 2026 | Concord, NC
If you’re in the Charlotte or Cabarrus County area, the Cabarrus County Fair is one of the big September events to put on your calendar. For nine days you’ll find carnival rides, games, animals, entertainment, competitions and all the wonderfully ridiculous fair food you can handle.
And admission is surprisingly affordable. For 2026, general gate admission is listed at $8 for ages 12+, $6 for ages 6–11 and free for children 5 and under. Parking is also free. They also have an unlimited rides wristband available to purchase.
Best For: Families, teens and an affordable evening activity.
Local Tip: If your child attends Cabarrus County Schools then go on Thursday, September 16th and they’ll get free admission.
Art Walk on Union
September 12, 2026 | Concord, NC
Downtown Concord’s Art Walk on Union is one of the easiest free September activities for anyone around Cabarrus County.
Spend the day wandering through downtown while browsing handmade artwork, listening to live music, grabbing something from the food trucks and popping into local shops and restaurants.
ClearWater Arts Center is also hosting an Open Studios event with a free shuttle running between downtown and ClearWater.
Art Walk on Union runs from 11 a.m.–4 p.m. and is free to attend.
Make a Day of It: Pair Art Walk with lunch downtown and then head over to The Depot at Gibson Mill for some treasure hunting or check out The Basement Arcade for some good old fashioned arcade game fun!
Yiasou Greek Festival
September 11–13, 2026 | Charlotte, NC
Come hungry.
The Yiasou Greek Festival is one of Charlotte’s longtime cultural celebrations and brings Greek food, pastries, music, dancing and traditions to Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral. If you’ve never experienced Greek festival food, this is your opportunity to try everything from gyros and spanakopita to baklava.
The 2026 festival is scheduled for September 11–13.
Best For: Foodies.
Cornelius Festival of Cultures
September 12, 2026 | Cornelius, NC
Head toward Lake Norman for a celebration of cultures represented throughout the community.
The Cornelius Festival of Cultures combines performances, food and cultural experiences and gives you an easy excuse to spend the rest of your day exploring Lake Norman.
Downtown Davidson Fall Arts Festival
September 12, 2026 | Davidson, NC
Downtown Davidson is already one of those places where you can easily spend a relaxed Saturday walking around, grabbing coffee and exploring the shops.
Add dozens of artists, live music and food, and you have a pretty great fall afternoon.
The Downtown Davidson Fall Arts Festival is scheduled for September 12 from 4pm-8pm.
More Events September 11–13
Other events within roughly two hours of Charlotte include:
- Art in the Park — September 12 in Blowing Rock
- Sculpture Celebration — September 12 in Lenoir
- Salisbury Pride Festival — September 12 in Salisbury
- Greensboro Pride Festival — September 12 in Greensboro
- Winston-Salem Food Truck Festival — September 13 in Winston-Salem
- Stanly County Antique Power Tractor Show — September 12 in Albemarle
Things to Do September 18–20 Near Charlotte
This may be my favorite September weekend because we’re finally starting to creep into actual fall activities.
North Carolina Folk Festival
September 18–20, 2026 | Greensboro, NC
Drive from Charlotte: About 1½ hours
If you don’t mind driving a little farther, the North Carolina Folk Festival is a fantastic day-trip option.
The festival takes over downtown Greensboro for three days and, here’s the best part, admission is FREE.
The 2026 festival includes 84 artists representing around 60 genres across 10 stages. Headliners include The Roots, Molly Tuttle and St. Paul & The Broken Bones. You’ll also find food vendors, makers, family activities and cultural demonstrations throughout downtown.
This is exactly the kind of event that makes driving an hour and a half feel worthwhile.
Worth the Drive: Definitely.
Bands, Brews & BBQ
September 19, 2026 | Mooresville, NC
Mooresville’s Bands, Brews & BBQ festival brings live music and food into downtown, making it an easy Lake Norman outing from Charlotte.
The Town of Mooresville has September 19 listed for the 2026 Bands, Brews & BBQ festival.
Make a Day of It: Explore downtown Mooresville before the festival or pair it with another Lake Norman stop.
Bard at the Barn
September 19- October 11, 2026 | Charlotte, NC
Shepherd Shakespeare Company will be hosting free showings of A Midsummer Night’s Dream every Saturday and Sunday at 11am through October 11, 2026. Admission is free but it’s recommended to bring chairs or blankets to sit on and picnics are welcome.
Festival of India
September 19–20, 2026 | Charlotte, NC
Want to travel without leaving Charlotte?
Festival of India fills Uptown with Indian food, dance, music, culture and colorful performances. It’s one of those festivals where you can easily spend a few hours eating your way through the vendors while watching performances.
The 2026 Festival of India is scheduled for September 19–20.
Yadkin Valley Harvest Festival
September 19, 2026 | Yadkinville, NC
Head north toward North Carolina wine country for the Yadkin Valley Harvest Festival. This is a fun option if you’re looking for something that feels more like a small-town North Carolina fall festival than a big Charlotte event. But go early…the festival only runs from 10am-3:30pm
More September 19 Weekend Ideas
You can also check out:
- Stallings Fest — Stallings
- Catawba Valley Pride — Newton
- WoodMill Winery Fall Wine Festival — Vale
- Hispanic League Fiesta — Winston-Salem
- Walnut Cove FallFest — Walnut Cove
- Festa Italiana at Raffaldini Vineyards — Ronda
Things to Do September 21–27 Near Charlotte
By the final full weekend of September, fall has officially arrived… at least according to the calendar. And this is when the mix of fall festivals and Halloween activities gets REALLY good.
Mayberry Days
September 21–27, 2026 | Mount Airy, NC
Drive from Charlotte: About 1 hour 45 minutes
Ever wanted to step inside Mayberry?
Mount Airy — Andy Griffith’s hometown and the inspiration behind Mayberry — spends an entire week celebrating The Andy Griffith Show during Mayberry Days.
Expect concerts, special guests, tribute characters, contests, performances and plenty of nostalgia throughout downtown Mount Airy.
Some activities are free while special performances require tickets.
Mayberry Days runs September 21–27, 2026.
Why It’s Worth the Drive: Even if you’re not a huge Andy Griffith fan, Mount Airy is such a unique North Carolina small town that this can easily become a full day trip.
Festival in the Park
September 25–27, 2026 | Freedom Park, Charlotte
Charlotte’s Festival in the Park has been a local tradition since the 1960s.
The free three-day festival surrounds Freedom Park Lake with artists, makers, food and live entertainment. The festival also includes family activities and children’s art areas, making this one of the easiest free family events in Charlotte this September.
The 62nd Annual Festival in the Park takes place September 25–27, 2026.
Admission: FREE.
‘Tawba Walk Arts & Music Festival
September 26, 2026 | Cornelius, NC
Take another trip toward Lake Norman for Cornelius’ popular ‘Tawba Walk.
Expect art, music, vendors and that walkable downtown festival atmosphere that’s perfect for an easy Saturday afternoon. The festival runs 2p-8p and admission is free.
Ciao Italia Matthews
September 26, 2026 | Matthews, NC
Love Italian food and culture?
Ciao Italia Matthews brings an Italian-inspired celebration to the Charlotte area on September 26.
And let’s be real… any festival that gives me an excuse to eat pasta, pizza and Italian desserts has my attention. Oh, and they have a pasta making class!! But you have to register because space is limited!
Hiddenite Celebration of the Arts
September 26, 2026 | Hiddenite, NC
Here’s one for anyone who loves finding those smaller North Carolina festivals you don’t hear about every day. The Hiddenite Celebration of the Arts brings arts, crafts, music and community activities to Alexander County. Hiddenite is only a little over an hour from Charlotte, so it’s an easy option when you want to explore somewhere new.
Apple Festival at Historic Bethabara Park
September 26, 2026 | Winston-Salem, NC
Historic Bethabara Park adds a little history to your fall festival experience with its annual Apple Festival. Pair it with another Winston-Salem attraction and you’ve got an easy full-day trip from Charlotte.
Murray’s Mill Harvest Folk Festival
September 26–27, 2026 | Catawba, NC
Historic Murray’s Mill celebrates harvest season with an old-fashioned folk festival September 26–27.
If you’re looking for something outside the bigger cities, this is another fun small-town North Carolina option.
September Is Also Apple-Picking Season Near Charlotte
You definitely don’t need a festival to have a great September weekend. September is PRIME apple season in Western North Carolina, and several fantastic orchards are within approximately two hours of Charlotte.
Jeter Mountain Farm
Hendersonville, NC
Jeter Mountain Farm has more than 20 varieties of apples along with other seasonal produce. You can take a tractor ride out to the orchards, pick your own apples and then head back for apple cider donuts, food, coffee or hard cider.
Apple U-pick begins in late summer and continues through the September season depending on availability.
Grandad’s Apples N’ Such
Hendersonville, NC
This is another one that can turn apple picking into an entire fall outing. Grandad’s offers apples plus a bakery, corn maze, cow train and apple cannons, with additional fall activities appearing as the season progresses. And yes, there are more cider donuts.
Sky Top Orchard
Flat Rock, NC
Sky Top gives you the apple-orchard experience with mountain views.
Along with apples, you’ll find the farm store, cider donuts, farm animals, wagon rides and family activities.
Carrigan Farms
Mooresville, NC
Don’t want to drive all the way to Hendersonville, NC to pick apples? Carrigan Farms is much closer to Charlotte and typically begins its fall apple-picking activities during September.
Fall experiences vary throughout the season, so check current availability before heading out.
Corn Mazes & Pumpkin Patches Opening in September
You don’t have to wait until October to start checking things off your fall bucket list. Several farms around Charlotte begin their fall seasons during the second half of September.
Shelby Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch
Shelby, NC
The Shelby Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch opens for the 2026 fall season on September 19.
Expect an eight-acre corn maze, pumpkins, hayrides and dozens of farm activities.
Thomas Family Corn Maze & Pumpkins
Albemarle, NC
Thomas Family Corn Maze begins its 2026 season on September 26 with a corn maze, playground, corn pit, jump pillow, hayride, pumpkins and other activities.
Hodges Family Farm Pumpkin Patch
Charlotte, NC
You don’t even have to leave Charlotte to find pumpkins.
Hodges Family Farm’s pumpkin patch season begins September 26, with additional fall activities offered on select dates.
Start Spooky Season Early
September isn’t just the beginning of fall; it’s also the unofficial beginning of Halloween season.
Tweetsie Railroad Ghost Train
Beginning September 25, 2026 | Blowing Rock, NC
Are you ready for Halloween before October even arrives?
Tweetsie Railroad’s Ghost Train returns Friday and Saturday nights beginning September 25. The nighttime event transforms the Wild West theme park into a Halloween experience with the Ghost Train, haunted attractions, entertainment and trick-or-treating.
Ghost Train runs September 25 through October 31, 2026.
Planning Tip: This is an extremely popular event, so don’t assume you’ll be able to buy tickets at the last minute.
SCarowinds
Beginning September 11 | Charlotte, NC
If your teenagers are ready for something scarier than a pumpkin patch, September also marks the return of SCarowinds.
The park transforms after dark with haunted attractions, scare zones and Halloween entertainment.
Charlotte-area fall event calendars currently list SCarowinds beginning September 11 for the 2026 season.
Best For: Older kids, teens and adults who actually enjoy being chased by scary people in the dark.
I am not judging. I’m just saying you won’t catch me volunteering to go first.
Go on a Paranormal Ghost Hunt at Whiskey Prison
Starting September 19th through the end of October you can experience a ghost hunt like no other! The folks at Southern Grace Distilleries are opening up Whiskey Prison every Saturday night for a true paranormal ghost hunt. Learn all about my visit to Whiskey Prison here.
What Is There to Do Near Charlotte in September?
A lot!
September is one of those transition months where you get a little bit of everything North Carolina has to offer.
You can still enjoy outdoor summer activities at the beginning of the month, spend Labor Day weekend at a festival, visit the county fair, head toward the mountains to pick apples, get lost in your first corn maze and then finish September riding a haunted train.
And almost everything on this list can be reached in about two hours or less from Charlotte. That means you don’t necessarily need a hotel, complicated itinerary or entire vacation. Sometimes you just need a free Saturday, a full tank of gas and somewhere new to explore.
Looking for More Things to Do Near Charlotte?
Keep exploring North Carolina with these guides:
- Things to Do in Concord NC & Kannapolis NC This Weekend (Updated Weekly)
- Best Indoor Family Activities in Concord, NC (Updated for 2026)
- Inside Whiskey Prison: Southern Grace Distilleries in Mount Pleasant, NC
- Everything You Need to Know About Gibson Mill in Concord, NC: A Full Day of Shopping, Food & Family Fun
- The Basement Arcade Bar in Concord, NC: The Retro Family Adventure That Got Our Teens Off Their Phones
Make sure to save this guide because I’ll continue updating it as more September events are announced.
Know of a September festival, fair or fall activity within two hours of Charlotte that should be on the list? Drop it in the comments so I can check it out.
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