The weekend is here, North Carolina. This one is light on big hip hop shows, but it’s heavy on HBCU culture, primetime football and free festivals. Here’s what’s happening Friday, Oct. 2 through Sunday, Oct. 4 in Charlotte, the Triangle, Greensboro and Fayetteville.
Times and lineups can change. Double-check with the venue before you head out.
Don’t Miss: BIG HBCU Battle of the Bands in Greensboro
BIG HBCU Battle of the Bands: Battle for the South II takes over First Horizon Coliseum on Sunday, Oct. 4 at 4 p.m. ABC45 reports more than 20,000 people are expected, with bands from NC A&T, Winston-Salem State, Fayetteville State, Shaw, Benedict, Elizabeth City State and first-timer Miles College. Tickets are on Ticketmaster through the Greensboro Complex. Purchases inside the venue are cashless.
Charlotte
Sports
- Panthers vs. Detroit Lions: Sunday, Oct. 4, 8:20 p.m., Bank of America Stadium. Sunday Night Football is in the Queen City. WBTV listed tickets starting at $134.80.
- Memphis at Charlotte 49ers: Saturday, Oct. 3, 3:30 p.m. (ESPN+).
Concerts and Shows
- Kacey Musgraves, Middle of Nowhere Tour: Friday, Oct. 2, Spectrum Center.
- Weezer, The Shins and Silversun Pickups: Saturday, Oct. 3, Spectrum Center.
- Charlotte Symphony: “Back to the Future” in Concert: Friday, Oct. 2 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 3 at 3 p.m., Belk Theater. From $28.26.
- Disney On Ice: Spotlight Magic: through Sunday at Bojangles Coliseum. From $36.55.
- FabFest Charlotte Beatles Festival: Friday at Knight Theater ($22.50) and Saturday at CPCC’s Parr Center (FREE).
Festivals and Free Events
- Hola Charlotte Festival (FREE): Saturday, Oct. 3, starting at noon on Tryon Street uptown, with Luis Enrique headlining.
- K-FEST (FREE): Saturday, Oct. 3, noon to 10 p.m., Urban District Market. Korean street food, karaoke and a K-Pop dance contest.
- Charlotte Kids Fest (FREE): Saturday, Oct. 3, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., The Boardwalk at University City.
- Concord International Festival (FREE): Saturday, Oct. 3, noon to 6 p.m., downtown Concord.
- Carolina Renaissance Festival: opens Saturday in Huntersville, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekends. $36 adults, $22 kids.
Durham, Raleigh and Chapel Hill
Sports
- Campbell at NC Central: Saturday, Oct. 3, 6 p.m., O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium in Durham. HBCU football at the Nest, and Campbell comes in ranked.
- Notre Dame at UNC: Saturday, Oct. 3, noon, Kenan Stadium (ESPN).
- Louisville at NC State: Saturday, Oct. 3, 3:30 p.m., Carter-Finley Stadium (ACC Network).
Concerts and Shows
- Weezer, The Shins and Silversun Pickups: Sunday, Oct. 4, 7 p.m., Lenovo Center.
- Dermot Kennedy: Sunday, Oct. 4, 8 p.m., Red Hat Amphitheater.
- Grupo Duelo: Sunday, Oct. 4, 8 p.m., The Ritz.
- Indigo Girls: Saturday, Oct. 3, 7 p.m., Raleigh Memorial Auditorium.
- Fortune Feimster (comedy): Saturday, Oct. 3, 5 and 8 p.m., DPAC.
- The Midnight: Friday, Oct. 2, 7 p.m., The Ritz.
Festivals and Free Events
- Raleigh Wide Open (FREE): Friday and Saturday downtown. Bluegrass, Americana and folk, plus vendors and a family zone.
- Falling for Local at Dix Park (FREE): Saturday, Oct. 3, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. More than 180 local makers, live music and food trucks.
- Taste of Asia (FREE): Saturday, Oct. 3, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Moore Square.
- Bull City Blues Ramble (FREE): Sunday, Oct. 4, noon to 8 p.m., live blues on five stages around Durham.
- Move-a-Bull City Open Streets (FREE): Sunday, Oct. 4, noon to 4 p.m., car-free streets in downtown Durham.
Greensboro
- BIG HBCU Battle of the Bands: Sunday, Oct. 4, 4 p.m., First Horizon Coliseum (see above).
- Black Violin, Be Free Tour with Braxton Cook: Sunday, Oct. 4, Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts. The hip hop meets classical duo is a perfect nightcap after the Battle of the Bands.
- Sugarland: Ride or Die Tour: Saturday, Oct. 3, First Horizon Coliseum.
- Big Lick Comic Con: Saturday and Sunday, Special Events Center at the Greensboro Complex.
- First Saturday Stroll on Elm (FREE): Saturday, Oct. 3, noon to 5 p.m., downtown Greensboro.
Fayetteville
- The Vision Board Exhibit Opening Reception (FREE): Friday, Oct. 2, 6 to 9 p.m., Region Six Project Gallery, 100 Hay St. The show celebrates Black women as pioneers and influencers in fashion, beauty, music, art and culture.
- Zach Williams with Cochren & Co.: Saturday, Oct. 3, 7 p.m., Crown Theatre.
- Heritage & Harvest Bourbon Showcase: Saturday, Oct. 3, 1 to 5 p.m., Cape Fear Botanical Garden. From $25.
- Harvest Fest: Saturday, Oct. 3, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sweet Valley Ranch. $15 adults and $10 kids online.
- Fayetteville Freedom Run: Money Box 5K: Saturday, Oct. 3, 9 a.m., Fayetteville Technical Community College.
- Road trip: Fayetteville State football plays at Livingstone on Saturday at 1 p.m. in Salisbury. Then catch the Broncos’ band in Greensboro on Sunday.
Featured photo by David Trinks on Unsplash.
Know of Something We Missed?
Hosting a show, party or pop-up in NC? Tag @iamhiphopmagtice so we can put it on the next guide.
Sources
- Greensboro Complex: BIG HBCU Battle of the Bands
- ABC45: 20,000 expected at 2026 BIG HBCU Battle of the Bands
- Greensboro Complex events calendar
- WBTV: 9 things to do in Charlotte this weekend, Oct. 2-4
- V101.9: Things to do in Charlotte this weekend
- NCFootballNews: NC college football Week 5 schedule
- NCCU Athletics: 2026 football schedule
- NCFootballNews: Lions at Panthers, Sunday Night Football
- DoRaleigh: Triangle big ticket events, Sept. 28-Oct. 4
- DoRaleigh: October 2026 in Raleigh
- Triangle on the Cheap: Fall festivals in the Triangle
- Downtown Greensboro events calendar
- Foxy 99: Things to do in Fayetteville this weekend
- Ticketmaster: Kacey Musgraves, Charlotte, Oct. 2
- Silversun Pickups tour: Oct. 3 Spectrum Center
- Silversun Pickups tour: Oct. 4 Lenovo Center
- Black Violin: Greensboro, Oct. 4
- Live Nation: Zach Williams Revival Nights
