3 fall festivals driving distance to Charlotte ahead of the NC State Fair
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If your yearning for autumn kicks off early, here are three September festivals near Charlotte.
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The North Carolina State Fair in Raleigh will open on Thursday, Oct. 15. Whether or not Charlotteans want to make the drive, there are options a little closer too.
The midway of the Greensboro Complex will be filled with games, rides and those classic fall fair foods Sept. 3-7, 10-13, and 17-20. The fair is about an hour and a half from Charlotte — much closer than than the two and a half hours to the state fairgrounds.
The festival is free for children, seniors, college students with valid ID and military with valid ID. Unlimited ride wristbands are $30 on Thursday and Friday and $35 on Saturday and Sunday.
The Central Carolina fair maintains an active Facebook page and regularly posts updates, including promotions and videos of adorable petting zoo animals.
Belmont was recently highlighted by Southern Living for its multitude of festive, small-town offerings, and the Belmont Literary Festival is no different. Belmont is 30-40 minutes from Charlotte.
The festival is an ode to books and book lovers open to all ages on Sept. 5. The event kicks off with keynote speeches from authors Steve Sheinkin and Maurice Ashley. A final keynote featuring bestseller Mona Awad will be ticketed separately.
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Along with the speeches and various vendors, chess boards will be available. Tickets are available through Belmont Bookshop.
This delicious festival will be held Sept. 19, about an hour outside of Charlotte.
The fourth annual festival will be headlined by country duo Big & Rich, and it is free. More than 20 regional BBQ vendors and a beer garden top off a night of North Carolina fun.
There is a BBQ contest, if you think you’ve got what it takes, and a Family Fun Zone with activities for the little ones. The event kicks off at 3 p.m. in Liberty Park.
If you are looking for a day trip, check out our recent list of day trips from Charlotte.
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