That nip in the air means more than just the return of football season. There’s lots to do for creatives in the Charlotte arts scene, too. Here’s a look at more than 70 events celebrating arts and culture in Charlotte this autumn.

Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture

551 S. Tryon St.; 704-547-3700

Sept. 24: In-Gallery Curator Tour and Talk with Dexter Wimberly
Sept. 28: Prince’s Guitar: Themed Sip and Paint with Cathay Dawkins
Oct. 1: Family First: Oil Pastel Monoprints
Oct. 8: Men of Change Community Exhibit Opening
Oct. 9: Classic Black Cinema Series: The Spook Who Sat by the Door
Oct. 26: Wednesday Night Live: Nkeiru Okoye-Inspired
Nov. 13: Classic Black Cinema Series: Anna Lucasta

McColl Center for Visual Art

721 N. Tryon St.; 704-332-5535

Oct. 6: Artist Talk: A Conversation with Fall Artists-in-Residence
Oct. 14: October Front Lawn Friday

Charlotte Museum of History

3500 Shamrock Drive; 704-568-1774

Sept. 24: Mad About Modern Home Tour
Oct. 15: Meet the Curator: Scott Huler’s A Delicious Country
Oct. 16: History Hike at Reedy Creek Park

The Mint Museum – Randolph

2730 Randolph Road; 704-337-2000

Sept. 24: Potters Market at the Mint
Sept. 25: Shae Bishop Public Talk
Sept. 25: Party in the Park
Oct. 15: Bilingual Stories & Music
Oct. 30: Party in the Park
Nov. 27: Museum Store Sunday

The Mint Museum – Uptown

5000 N. Tryon St.; 704-337-2000

Oct. 7: Mint to Move Cultural Dance Night
Oct.12: Mindful Looking
Oct. 16: Writing with Bearden: An Ekphrastic Workshop with Charlotte Lit
Oct. 19: Wednesday Night Live: Discussion with Author Glenda Gilmore, PhD
Nov. 2: Wednesday Night Live: Andrew Finn Magill’s “The History of Bluegrass”
Nov. 27: Museum Store Sunday
Dec. 2: Mint to Move Cultural Dance Night: Dia de las Velitas (Little Candle Day)
Dec. 7: Wednesday Night Live: Youth Orchestras of Charlotte Concert of American Favorites
Dec. 10: Mint Fashion Day Celebration

Knight Theater

430 S. Tryon St.; 704-372-1000

Sept. 24: International Slam Invitational
Oct. 1: I Am Queen Charlotte
Oct. 13-15: Charlotte Ballet: Fall Works
Oct. 22: Charlotte Symphony: Symphony Spooktacular
Oct. 30: Clerks III: The Convenience Tour w/ Kevin Smith
Dec. 21-23: Cirque de Noel

Booth Playhouse

130 N. Tryon St.; 704-372-1000

Sept. 23-25: Color Play
Sept. 28-29: Urban Bush Women’s Legacy + Lineage + Liberation
Oct. 2: Your Neighborhood Orchestra: Lost in Space
Oct. 6-9: August Wilson’s Gem of the Ocean
Oct. 13: Craig Ferguson
Oct. 14: El Show de Lokillo Florez
Oct 15: Burlesque 3000
Nov. 2-3: Acting Our Age 2022: Using Our Voices
Nov. 16: Joe Pera
Nov. 26: James Gregory
Dec. 15-20: Clara’s Trip: A Cirque & Dance Nutcracker Story

Belk Theater

130 N. Tryon St.; 704-372-1000

Oct. 1: Tabitha Brown: Cooking from the Spirit Tour
Oct. 13-16: Opera Carolina: Tosca
Oct. 25-30: Dear Evan Hansen
Nov. 4: Charlotte Symphony: Get Out in Concert
Nov. 6: Disney Junior Live on Tour: Costume Palooza
Nov. 8-13: Hadestown
Nov. 20: The Illusionists: Magic of the Holidays
Nov. 25-26: Charlotte Symphony: Polar Express in Concert
Nov. 29-Dec. 4: Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill: The Musical
Dec. 9-23: Charlotte Ballet: Nutcracker

Stage Door Theater

155 N. College St.; 704-372-1000

Oct. 9: Musicology 101: The Art of the Sample
Oct. 18-23: The Crown Live
Nov. 5: Almost Broadway

Other Blumenthal Venues

Sept. 22-Oct. 1: Headphone Disco (Bechtler Plaza)
Sept. 24: Luminarium Life Drawing Class (Blumenthal Performing Arts Center)
Sept. 29-Oct. 8: Brooklyn: The Collective Memory (Studio 229)
Oct. 1: Luminarium Photo Walk w/ The Light Factory (Blumenthal Performing Arts Center)
Oct. 11-16: Anastasia (Ovens Auditorium)

Theatre Charlotte

501 Queens Road; 704-376-3777

Nov. 4-13: Misery
Dec. 9-18: A Christmas Carol

Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte

704-342-2251

Sept. 29-Oct. 30: Evil Dead The Musical (The Barn at MoRa)
Dec. 1- Jan. 14, 2023: The Play That Goes Wrong (Hadley Theatre)

Children’s Theatre of Charlotte

ImaginOn, 300 E. 7th St.; 704-973-2828

Sept. 23-Oct. 23: Annie (McColl Family Theatre)
Nov. 12-19: Jackie Robinson: A Game Apart (Wells Fargo Playhouse)
Nov. 18-Dec. 22: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: The Musical (McColl Family Theatre)

Three Bone Theatre 

The Arts Factory at West End Studios, 1545 W. Trade St.; 704-559-9051

Nov. 4-19: Sanctuary City

Matthews Playhouse

Fullwood Theatre, 100 E. McDowell St., Matthews; 704-846-8343

Sept. 23-Oct. 2: Princess Fearless
Dec. 8-18: Scrooge

Charlotte’s Off Broadway

VAPA Center, 700 N. Tryon St.; 704-589-9146

Sept. 10: Readings of Hamilton Audition and Five Players in Search of a Win
Sept. 24: Reading of The Inheritance Part 2

QC Concerts

Ztarlton@qcconcerts.com; 704-451-6707

Oct. 15-16: Titanic (Fullwood Theatre, Matthews)
Nov. 13: 35MM: A Musical Exhibition (Free Will Craft + Vine)

Charlotte Ballet II

kpereira@charlotteballet.org; 704-414-2775

Between Sept. 26-29, Charlotte Ballet will host free, hour-long community performances at rec centers around Charlotte. These are open to the public with no registration required: 

Monday, Sept. 26, 6 p.m.
Ivory/Baker Recreation Center, 1902 Stroud Park Court

Tuesday, Sept. 27, 6 p.m.
Bette Rae Recreation Center, 2921 Tuckaseegee Road

Wednesday, Sept. 28, 6 p.m.
Sugaw Creek Recreation Center, 943 W. Sugar Creek Road

Thursday, Sept. 29, 6 p.m.
Hickory Grove Recreation Center, 6709 Pence Road

MISCELLANEOUS EVENTS

Yiasou Greek Festival
Yiasou (hello)! Get an authentic experience at one of Charlotte’s largest cultural events featuring food, music and cultural exhibits.
More: Free; Sept. 9-11, times vary; Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 600 East Blvd.

ArtPop Upcycled Fashion Show
The second annual ArtPop Upcycled Fashion Show will feature 12 designers utilizing their artistic skills to make fashion out of vinyl billboards. The ArtPop fundraiser will feature beverages, other forms of art and auction items.
More: $85-125; Sept. 10, 6 p.m.; Lenny Boy Brewing Co., 3000 S. Tryon St.

Festival in the Park
A staple in Charlotte since 1964, Festival in the Park strives to “build community by celebrating the arts,” including musical performances, local art vendors, food, drink and more.
More: Free; Sept. 16-18, times vary; Freedom Park, 1908 East Blvd.

Charlotte International Arts Festival
The Charlotte International Arts Festival features a variety of events ranging from symphony performances to drag story hours to dance showcases.
More: Prices vary; Sept. 16-Oct. 2; locations vary

Latin American Festival
The 32nd Latin American festival will feature live music, authentic Latin American food, visual art and more.
More: Free; Sept. 17, noon; Symphony Park, 4400 Sharon Road

ArtPop Pop Up
Shop local art and meet artists like Katrina Sanchez, Kevin Harris, Kalin Devone and Travis Johnson.
More: Free; Sept. 24 & Oct. 22, 6 p.m.; Red Salt, 555 S. McDowell St.

Charlotte Film Festival
The Charlotte Film Festival remains committed to its mission to “discover different” during its 19th annual event spotlighting emerging filmmakers and independent movies from around the world.
More: Prices TBD; Sept. 28-Oct. 2; The Independent Picture House, 4237 Raleigh St.

Charlotte Chalk Art Festival
The inaugural Charlotte Chalk Art Festival will allow attendees to experience street art firsthand while experiencing curated performances, competitions and other arts and crafts.
More: Free; Oct. 1-2, 11 a.m.; 4237 Raleigh St.

Charlotte Dragon Boat Festival Race & Asian Festival
An important part of the Chinese traditional calendar, dragon boat racing originated over 2,300 years ago on the life-sustaining rivers of southern China. The Charlotte Dragon Boat Festival Race and Asian Festival will promote diversity and inclusivity through a celebration of Asian cultures.
More: Free; Oct. 8, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; Ramsey Creek Park, 18441 Nantz Road, Cornelius

Hola Charlotte Festival
Touted as the “largest Hispanic Heritage celebration in Charlotte,” Hola Charlotte features nationally recognized performers celebrating the heritage of multiple Latin American countries with Hispanics of different backgrounds and ages.
More: Free; Oct. 15, noon; South Tryon Street from Brooklyn Village Avenue to East 4th Street

Festival in the Heights
An outdoor gathering featuring family-friendly activities, food trucks, local music and vendors to help support east Charlotte schools.
More: Oct. 15, 1 p.m.; Shamrock Park, 2545 Jeff Street

Sculpting The Portrait in Clay
Over the course of four classes, master sculptor Peter Rubino leads students on a technical and artistic journey toward understanding the dynamic and creative forces in sculpting a portrait in clay.
More: $48; Sept. 20-Oct. 18, 10 a.m.-noon; Charlotte Art League, 4237 Raleigh St.

Bay Haven Food and Wine Festival
Launched last year by Greg and Subrina Collier, the second annual festival will honor the diaspora by celebrating Black foodways and the industry members who make them possible.
More: Oct. 19-23; More information to come

Urban Design Awards
The second annual Urban Design Awards, aka The Urbies, are designed to spotlight local projects and designs.
More: Oct. 27; more information to come

Biketoberfest
A massive interactive fundraising event, Biketoberfest gives participants the opportunity to win a prize for their efforts in adventuring our fair city without the use of a car.
More: $25-40; Oct. 30, noon; Triple C Brewing Company, 2900 Griffith St.

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