Charlotte Events This Weekend: Oct 23–25, 2026

Friday, October 23 – Sunday, October 25, 2026. Charlotte packs a full fall weekend: back-to-back Hornets home games at Spectrum Center, Checkers hockey, JPEGMAFIA and RAWAYANA at the NC Music Factory, spooky-season strings by candlelight, Sunday football at Bank of America Stadium, the FINAL weekend of the NC State Fair in Raleigh, and the start of GHOE in Greensboro. Here is your day-by-day guide.

Friday, October 23

Charlotte Hornets vs Atlanta Hawks — 7:00 PM ET at Spectrum Center

Friday-night NBA basketball in Uptown, with tip-off at 7:00 PM ET and resale seats from around $10. Read our game guide.

Charlotte Checkers vs Springfield Thunderbirds — 7:00 PM ET at Bojangles Coliseum

AHL hockey in east Charlotte, one of the best-value sports nights out this weekend. Read our game guide.

JPEGMAFIA — 8:00 PM ET at The Fillmore Charlotte

Boundary-pushing rapper/producer brings the Experimental Rap Tour, a GA standing-room show. Read our event guide.

Saturday, October 24

Romanian-American Festival — 11:00 AM–4:00 PM at Stumptown Park, Matthews (FREE)

Free daytime festival of Romanian food, music and dancing; family-friendly, no tickets required. See our full weekend roundup.

Charlotte Hornets vs Miami Heat — 6:00 PM ET at Spectrum Center

Hornets back one night later; note the earlier 6 PM tip-off, at 6:00 PM ET. Read our game guide.

Candlelight: Halloween Classics — 6:30 PM & 8:45 PM ET at Charlotte Museum of History

Thriller, Stranger Things theme, Ghostbusters and more by Charlotte Strings, by candlelight. Read our event guide.

Anthony Jeselnik — 7:00 PM at Belk Theatre

Dark-comedy stand-up, razor-sharp one night only. See our full weekend roundup.

RAWAYANA — 8:00 PM ET at Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre

Venezuelan reggae-pop band’s ¿Dónde es el after? World Tour; moved from The Fillmore to Skyla, resale from $132.25. Read our event guide.

Sunday, October 25

Carolina Panthers vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers — 1:00 PM ET at Bank of America Stadium

NFC South showdown closes the weekend in Uptown. Read our tickets, parking & game day guide.

GHOE 2026: NC A&T’s 100th Homecoming — week begins in Greensboro at North Carolina A&T State University

The Greatest Homecoming on Earth turns 100; the week opens Sunday with the coronation of Mr. and Miss A&T and runs through Nov 1. Read our GHOE guide.

Sam on Someday — 6:00 PM at Petra’s, 1919 Commonwealth Avenue (tickets $12)

Intimate, laid-back Sunday-evening show to close the weekend. See our full weekend roundup.

Worth the drive: NC State Fair — Final weekend

NC State Fair — Final weekend — through Sunday, October 25 in Raleigh at NC State Fairgrounds

Final weekend — Gates 9 AM–11:30 PM Fri/Sat and 9 AM–11 PM Sun. Last chance for 80+ new food items, the 230-foot America 250 Wheel and nightly fireworks. Read our final-days guide.