| October 1, 2026|Charlotte, NC |
Good morning, Charlotte đź‘‹ October is here, and this week's Scoop is about getting Charlotte's workers, neighborhoods and weekends ready for what's next. The City's new Skilled to Build initiative is helping local small businesses, contractors and workers prepare for upcoming transportation and transit projects, with training and technical support across three tracks. Over on the Carolina Impact Weekly side, TreesCharlotte needs volunteers this Friday to plant and map street trees, Mecklenburg County and the West Side Community Land Trust are planning a next phase of affordable homeownership in Hoskins, and Charlotte nonprofits can apply for up to $200,000 when Groundwork Grants open Monday. Then there's the weekend. Weezer, The Shins and Silversun Pickups fill Spectrum Center, the Carolina Renaissance Festival opens for its first weekend in Huntersville, Hola Charlotte takes over Tryon Street and the Panthers host the Lions on Sunday Night Football.
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The City of Charlotte launched Skilled to Build in September 2026 to help local small businesses, contractors and workers prepare for upcoming transportation and transit projects.
The program has three tracks: Small Business Readiness, Mobility Workforce Readiness and Contract Readiness, with technical support, training and potential grants or procurement opportunities.
It does not promise contracts or funding for every participant, but it aims to help local companies and workers build the skills, systems and connections to compete. Read More... |
TreesCharlotte is putting volunteers to work this Friday, Oct. 2, on both ends of Charlotte's tree canopy gap.
Aldersgate Community TreeDay runs from 10 a.m. to noon, and Historic Hoskins TreeMapping (Phase VII) follows from 1 to 4 p.m.
Mapping volunteers count trees, measure trunks and identify species, giving the nonprofit the street-level data it needs to plant where shade is missing.
Both events are part of the work happening under Treesilience, a three-year, no-cost initiative in Ramblewood, McCrorey Heights, Greenville and Historic Hoskins, neighborhoods with 40 percent canopy or less compared with about 47 percent citywide.
Children of all ages are welcome, and registration is required for adults and youth 17 and older. Read More... |
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Mecklenburg County announced on Sept. 28, 2026, that the West Side Community Land Trust is expanding its work in the Hoskins neighborhood.
The effort builds on a 2023 ARPA investment that helped preserve 32 homes, and the next phase could create roughly 70 more through townhomes, modular houses and accessory dwelling units.
Under the community land trust model, residents own their homes while the trust keeps the land and helps protect affordability over time.
It is a planned next step, not a guaranteed final buildout. Read More... |
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★ Featured pick Hola Charlotte FestivalSaturday, Oct. 3 Tryon Street between Brooklyn Village Avenue and 4th Street · Free Charlotte’s 13th annual celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month takes over Uptown with live music, dance, art and food. Latin music star Luis Enrique performs, and a Latin American Cultural Village represents 15 countries. Bring the family and come hungry. Hours: Starts at noon. Check the festival site for the final schedule. Festival details →Friday, Oct. 2TreesCharlotte TreeDay and TreeMapping10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. · Free, registration required for adults and youth 17 and older Plant trees in the morning, then count, measure and identify street trees in the afternoon. The work targets neighborhoods with 40 percent canopy or less, compared with about 47 percent citywide. Children of all ages are welcome. Read the story →Charlotte Symphony: Back to the Future in ConcertFriday 7:30 p.m. · Saturday 3 p.m. · Tickets from $28.26 The orchestra performs Alan Silvestri’s score live while the 1985 film plays on the big screen. It is a movie night and a concert in one, and the Saturday matinee is an easy family pick. Symphony tickets →FabFest, Charlotte’s Beatles festivalFriday 7:30 p.m. tribute show · Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daytime festival (free) Friday night is the Tosco Music Beatles Tribute, with tickets from $22.63. Saturday brings free live music on two stages, plus a Beatles cover song contest and trivia. Beatles tribute tickets →Kacey Musgraves with Estevie7:30 p.m. · Tickets from $61.60 The country-pop star is on tour behind her sixth album, Middle of Nowhere, with rising Mexican-American artist Estevie opening the night. Kacey Musgraves tickets →Cirque du Biere: a spooky aerial show7:30 to 10 p.m. · Ticketed A spooky night of aerial acrobatics paired with craft beer. Cirque du Biere tickets →Saturday, Oct. 3Carolina Renaissance Festival opening weekendSaturdays and Sundays through Nov. 22 · $37.99 adults, $23.99 kids 5 to 9 Seven weekends of jousting, falconry demonstrations, food and rides kick off this Saturday. More than 1,000 performers and costumed characters and more than 140 shops fill the 16th-century-style village. Festival tickets →Charlotte Kids Fest11 a.m. to 4 p.m. · Free Six themed zones (Create, Dance, Discover, Go, Learn and Play) bring crafts, science activities, outdoor games, dance performances and a close look at construction and emergency vehicles. Kids Fest details →Weezer with The Shins and Silversun Pickups7 p.m. · Tickets from $33.55 Weezer celebrates 30 years of Pinkerton alongside songs from its 1994 debut, with two more alt-rock favorites on the bill. Weezer tickets →Dermot Kennedy with Jonah Kagen8 p.m. · Tickets from $27.50 The Irish singer-songwriter brings his folk-pop sound to the Music Factory on The Weight of the Woods tour. Dermot Kennedy tickets →The Congregation ShowNoon to 8 p.m. · $25 · Free for kids 13 and younger and for veterans and active-duty military with ID Vintage motorcycles, hot rods, builders and artists fill an indoor showcase that grew out of Charlotte’s custom motorcycle community. This year’s show raises money for disability rights and resources. Show details →Charlotte Roller Derby 20th anniversary bout3 p.m. · Tickets from $17 (kids 6 to 12 from $11) A “20 Leagues Under the Sea” bout against Upstate Roller Derby, with live music from Valley Range, games and raffles. Derby tickets →Also Saturday: The Charlotte 49ers host Memphis at 3:30 p.m. at Jerry Richardson Stadium (tickets from $26), and the Concord International Festival runs noon to 6 p.m. in downtown Concord (free). Sunday, Oct. 4Panthers vs. Lions on Sunday Night Football8:20 p.m. · NBC and Peacock The Panthers host their first Sunday Night Football game in nearly a decade. For a warm-up, Cam Newton and Omari “Peggy” Collins record a live 4th&1 podcast at 5 p.m. at the Roaring Riot Tailgate, 520 Elliott St. (guest passes $30). Game tickets →Disney On Ice presents Spotlight MagicSunday 2:30 p.m. · Runs through Sunday · Tickets from $36.55 Disney favorites take to the ice for a family-friendly matinee. Disney On Ice tickets →Kids in Nature Day2 to 5 p.m. · Free Guided hikes and making art from nature add up to an easy, outdoorsy family afternoon. BOOM Fall Fringe FestivalSaturday 6 to 11 p.m. · Sunday noon to 7:30 p.m. · Ticketed Charlotte’s fall fringe festival runs Saturday and Sunday, with single-show tickets and festival passes available. BOOM tickets →Vitamin String Quartet and Girl Named Tom7 p.m. · Tickets from $46.85 String arrangements of pop and rock hits meet the harmonies of the vocal trio that became the first group to win The Voice. Carolina Theatre tickets →Weekend game planFor a free day out: Hola Charlotte or Charlotte Kids Fest. For live music: Weezer, Kacey Musgraves or Dermot Kennedy. For families: Carolina Renaissance Festival or Disney On Ice. For giving back: TreesCharlotte on Friday. For football fans: the 49ers on Saturday and the Panthers on Sunday night. For beer fans: Mecktoberfest continues at Olde Mecklenburg Brewery in Ballantyne (free). Museum tip: Bank of America customers get free admission at participating museums Saturday and Sunday. Event details can change. Always confirm times, ticket availability and venue information before heading out. |
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Tucked into Camp North End, That's Novel Books is a used bookstore built on the idea that reading does not have to be a solitary habit.
Owner Alyssa Pressler opened the shop in February 2020, and it now hosts Silent Book Club, Writing Club and a monthly craft meetup.
Reviewers praise the friendly staff, the selection and the local authors on the shelves.
On Sunday, October 4, the shop hosts a read-a-thon benefiting the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation. Read More... |
Charlotte nonprofits working on economic mobility can apply for up to $200,000 over two years through the 2026 Groundwork Grants from the Charlotte Mecklenburg Community Foundation.
Eligible 501(c)(3) publicly supported charities serving Mecklenburg County can apply from October 5 to October 30, 2026 through the Foundation For The Carolinas Online Grants Center.
Award decisions are expected by December 31, with first payments due January 8, 2027.
The Foundation wants resident-driven, place-based work, so applicants should gather documents and review the toolkit now. Read More... |
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