Annual Events in Charlotte: A Month-by-Month Calendar

Charlotte's annual events run from the NASCAR Hall of Fame induction in January to the Charlotte Ballet's Nutcracker in December, with the biggest cluster in May (golf and NASCAR) and in the fall (festivals, parades and holiday lights). This calendar gives the usual month for each event, not exact dates, because organizers reset dates every year. Click through to each official site before you plan.

We only list events we confirmed on their own official sites. Months with nothing verified are skipped rather than padded, so you will not find February, March, July or August below.

Quick answer: which Charlotte events happen every year?

The main recurring events are the NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony (January), Charlotte SHOUT! (April), the Truist Championship and Coca-Cola 600 (May), Taste of Charlotte (June), Yiasou Greek Festival and Festival in the Park (September), the Novant Health Charlotte Marathon and Southern Christmas Show (November) and the Nutcracker (December).

Three well-known events carry the Charlotte name or sit in the metro area but are outside the city limits: the Coca-Cola 600 and Speedway Christmas (Concord) and the Carolina Renaissance Festival (Huntersville). They are marked as such below.

Is Charlotte Motor Speedway in Charlotte?

Charlotte Motor Speedway lists its address as 5555 Concord Parkway South in Concord, North Carolina, in Cabarrus County, so the track that hosts the Coca-Cola 600 and Speedway Christmas is outside Charlotte city limits despite its name. Plan for a drive northeast of the city, and allow extra time on race weekends.

January: what happens in Charlotte?

January has one marquee annual event, the NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Uptown.

NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony (Uptown)

The NASCAR Hall of Fame in Uptown Charlotte inducts a new class each year, and the ceremony is held in the Crown Ballroom, typically on a Friday evening in late January. The official ceremony page has listed tickets at $150 per person, including the class yearbook. Prices and dates change, so check the official site. Pair it with a daytime visit to the museum.

April: what is Charlotte SHOUT!?

Charlotte SHOUT! is an annual arts festival spread across Uptown, typically held in April.

Charlotte SHOUT! (Uptown)

Charlotte SHOUT! calls itself a beloved annual celebration and lists more than 200 events and attractions across Center City, from performances to public art. It usually runs for about two weeks in April. Most of it is concentrated in Uptown, so one light rail or parking stop gets you to several events.

May: golf and NASCAR

May is the busiest sports month in Charlotte, with a PGA Tour event inside the city and a NASCAR race just outside it.

Truist Championship at Quail Hollow Club (south Charlotte)

The Truist Championship is a PGA Tour event usually played in May at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte. The official site opens volunteer registration well ahead of tournament week and posts each year's dates once they are set. Check the site for the grounds ticket and parking arrangements, since the club is a private golf club.

Coca-Cola 600 (Concord, outside Charlotte)

The Coca-Cola 600 runs every May at Charlotte Motor Speedway, 5555 Concord Parkway South in Concord. It is a NASCAR Cup Series race held in late May, and the speedway has advertised a free pre-race concert for Coca-Cola 600 ticket holders. It is a short drive from Charlotte, not a trip within the city.

June: Taste of Charlotte

June belongs to food: Taste of Charlotte is a free-to-enter, three-day food festival on Tryon Street in Uptown.

Taste of Charlotte (Uptown)

Taste of Charlotte is typically held over a June weekend. Admission is free, and you buy festival coins to spend on food, drinks and kids' activities, so budget for coins rather than a gate fee. Uptown parking fills up, so consider the LYNX Blue Line.

September: Greek food and a long-running park festival

September brings two long-running community festivals, one in Dilworth and one in the park next door.

Yiasou Greek Festival (Dilworth)

The Yiasou Greek Festival is held every September at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 600 East Boulevard in Dilworth. It typically runs Friday to Sunday, with a posted food menu and cathedral tours on the official site. Admission has been $5, with children under 12 free, and free parking has been offered at 400 East Boulevard (after 5 p.m. on Friday, all day Saturday and Sunday). Confirm both on the site before you go.

Festival in the Park (Freedom Park)

Festival in the Park has been bringing music and art to Freedom Park in Charlotte since 1964, set around the park's lighted lake. It is typically held over a late-September weekend, from Friday afternoon through Sunday. Freedom Park sits between Dilworth and Myers Park.

September to November: fall thrills and renaissance fairs

The fall calendar adds a theme-park haunt and a Renaissance fair, both with weekend-only schedules.

SCarowinds at Carowinds (Charlotte mailing address)

Carowinds' SCarowinds haunt runs on select nights from September into early November. The park's address is 14523 Carowinds Boulevard, Charlotte, NC 28273. The official page does not recommend it for children under 13. Use the official calendar for open nights.

Carolina Renaissance Festival (Huntersville, outside Charlotte)

The Carolina Renaissance Festival is held at 16445 Poplar Tent Road in Huntersville, in northern Mecklenburg County. It typically runs Saturdays and Sundays from October into November, from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with free parking, and it goes ahead rain or shine. The official site warns that there are no verified ticket resellers, so buy through the festival.

November: marathon, parade and holiday lights

November is the second-busiest month, with a road race, a craft show, a parade and two light displays.

Novant Health Charlotte Marathon (Uptown)

The Novant Health Charlotte Marathon is typically held on a Saturday in mid-November and starts in Uptown. The weekend includes the marathon, a half marathon, a 5K and a rucking division, and it benefits Hemby Children's Hospital. Expect road closures around Uptown that morning.

Southern Christmas Show (east Charlotte)

The Southern Christmas Show is held at The Park Expo and Conference Center, 800 Briar Creek Road, Charlotte, NC 28205, for about two weeks in November. The official site describes about 400 vendors. Hours differ by day, so check the site.

Novant Health Thanksgiving Parade (Uptown)

The Novant Health Thanksgiving Parade goes down Tryon Street in Uptown on Thanksgiving Eve rather than Thanksgiving Day. It is free, runs rain or shine, and is typically timed for the early evening. See the official site for the step-off time.

Speedway Christmas (Concord, outside Charlotte)

Speedway Christmas is a drive-through light show at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord. The official page describes more than 5 million lights on a 4-mile course, synced to 101.3 FM, open rain or shine nightly from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. The season typically starts in late November and runs into early January, and it is closed on December 24.

December: The Nutcracker

The Charlotte Ballet's Nutcracker is the main annual stage event of the holidays in Uptown.

Charlotte Ballet's The Nutcracker (Uptown)

Charlotte Ballet stages The Nutcracker at Belk Theater in Uptown Charlotte for most of December. Weekend shows are the hardest seats to get, so we suggest booking early on the official site.

Charlotte annual events at a glance

• January: NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, Uptown
• April: Charlotte SHOUT!, Uptown
• May: Truist Championship (south Charlotte) and Coca-Cola 600 (Concord)
• June: Taste of Charlotte, Uptown
• September: Yiasou Greek Festival (Dilworth) and Festival in the Park (Freedom Park)
• September to November: SCarowinds at Carowinds and Carolina Renaissance Festival (Huntersville)
• November: Novant Health Charlotte Marathon, Southern Christmas Show, Thanksgiving Eve Parade, Speedway Christmas (Concord)
• December: Charlotte Ballet's The Nutcracker, Uptown

How we chose

We started from a researched Charlotte profile, then checked each event against its own official site for the usual month, the venue and whether it comes back every year. We left out anything we could not confirm, including events with no current official page. We list the usual month, not this year's dates, so the page stays accurate. For this week's schedule, see the Charlotte events page.

Frequently asked questions

See the questions below for quick answers, and browse events this weekend for what is on now.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What are the biggest annual events in Charlotte?

The biggest recurring events are the Truist Championship golf tournament and the Coca-Cola 600 in May, Yiasou Greek Festival in September, the Novant Health Charlotte Marathon in November and the Charlotte Ballet's The Nutcracker in December. Each posts its own dates on its official site.

When is the Truist Championship held in Charlotte?

The Truist Championship is usually held in May at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte. The official site publishes the exact dates for each year.

Is Charlotte Motor Speedway in Charlotte?

No. Charlotte Motor Speedway is at 5555 Concord Parkway South in Concord, North Carolina, in Cabarrus County, outside Charlotte city limits. It hosts the Coca-Cola 600 and Speedway Christmas.

When is the Yiasou Greek Festival?

The Yiasou Greek Festival is held every September at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 600 East Boulevard in Dilworth, Charlotte. It typically runs Friday through Sunday.

Is the Carolina Renaissance Festival in Charlotte?

No. The Carolina Renaissance Festival is at 16445 Poplar Tent Road in Huntersville, in northern Mecklenburg County. It typically runs on weekends from October into November.