Smarty Scoop on Weekend Events: October 18-20 & a Yogafest GIVEAWAY!

Today’s Smarty Scoop is sponsored by Charlotte Yogafest & TrySports

Win 2 tix to Charlotte Yogafest & a $50 TrySports Gift Card!

Everyone who is anyone in Charlotte knows that Charlotte is home to some of the very best yoga in the country, and it’s time to let the world know about it. Let’s throw a massive yoga festival, yes? It’s on. Charlotte Yogafest brings together the city’s best yoga teachers and trainers to celebrate the collaborative, complementary intersection of yoga and sports in our community. Come out for a full day of fitness entertainment featuring a morning group run, interval trainings, and 30-minute yoga sessions. The festival also features massage booths, traditional henna painting, yoga demos, music, local food vendors and more. Click here to purchase your $10 tickets!

Three lucky Smarties will get in on the fun! One winner will get (2) tix to Yogafest and two winners will each receive a $50 gift cards to TrySports. All you have to do is share this post on your facebook wall (handy tab in upper left corner) and leave a comment below with your favorite Charlotte yoga instructor. This giveaway is coming through fast – we’ll pick our winners on Friday, 10/18 @ noon!

Namaste.

WEDNESDAY, October 16

Charlotte Christian School JK & K Open House
Charlotte Christian School
7301 Sardis Road, Charlotte, NC (704) 366-5657
October 16, 9:30am, Free, Registration encouraged
Summary: Charlotte Christian School will host a junior kindergarten and kindergarten admissions open house on Wednesday, Oct. 16 at 9:30 a.m. for parents interested in learning more about the school. Families will have the opportunity to visit classrooms and meet faculty and are encouraged to email www.admissions@charchrist.com to make a reservation. Other fall open houses include Thursday, Oct. 17 at 7 p.m for JK-K and Saturday, Nov. 16 at 1 p.m. for grades JK-12.

Trinity Episcopal School K – 8 Open House
Trinity Episcopal School
750 E. 9th Street, Charlotte NC (704) 358-8101
October 16, 7:00pm, Free
Summary: Trinity Episcopal School is the only K-8 independent school in Uptown Charlotte. Our passionate and innovative faculty is committed to creating scholars by redefining academic rigor using our workshop approach, inspiring a responsibility for students’ own learning and promoting their curiosity in the classroom and world around them. Trinity will host an Admission K-8 Open House on October 16. Parents are invited to learn more about Trinity’s curriculum, community life and more from the School’s leadership team.

Keystone Montessori School Open House
Keystone Montessori School (located in the Education Building of Sedgefield United Methodist Church)
2830 Dorchester Place Charlotte, NC 28209
October 16, 7:00pm, Free
Summary: We warmly invite you to spend part of your evening touring our Children’s House classroom and visiting with our teachers. Call Allyson Creel @ 704-523-4338 for more information.

THURSDAY, October 17

Leftover Luxuries Pre-party
Atherton Mill
2000 South Boulevard, Charlotte, NC
October 18-27, 6:00pm – 9:00pm, Free
Summary: Leftover Luxuries bi-annual, pop-up sale events are held in select cities and provides an opportunity for you to put cash in your pocket while creating an upscale retail atmosphere for new purchases. Each sale features pre-approved, locally consigned high-end or designer home furnishings and accessories, artwork, clothing, jewelry, handbags, shoes and other unique finds at a fraction of the original retail price.

FRIDAY, October 18

Palisades Episcopal School Preschool Fun Day
Palisades Episcopal School Preschool
13120 Grand Palisades Parkway, Charlotte, NC 704-583-1825
October 18, 10:00am-10:30am, Ages 3-5, Free
Summary: This thirty minute class creates a fun opportunity for preschoolers (ages 3-5) to interact in a group setting while promoting self-confidence and expression. Fun Fridays encourages and inspires creativity and imagination through music, movement and drama. Fun Fridays are led by Jennifer Tankersley, PES performing arts director. They are free of charge and open to the public! Just RSVP to epausman@pescharlotte.org.

Leftover Luxuries
Atherton Mill
2000 South Boulevard, Charlotte, NC
October 18-27, 10:00am-6:00pm, Free
Summary: Leftover Luxuries bi-annual, pop-up sale events are held in select cities and provides an opportunity for you to put cash in your pocket while creating an upscale retail atmosphere for new purchases. Each sale features pre-approved, locally consigned high-end or designer home furnishings and accessories, artwork, clothing, jewelry, handbags, shoes and other unique finds at a fraction of the original retail price.

Carolina BalloonFest
Statesville Regional Airport
260 Hangar Drive, Statesville, NC (704) 873-2892
October 18-20, Fri. 3:00pm-8:30pm, Sat. 7:00am-8:30pm, Sun. 7:00am-6:00pm, All ages, $6-$12, Children under 5 are free
Summary: Celebrating its 40th consecutive year and proud to be the second oldest hot air balloon festival in the US, Carolina BalloonFest attracts 30,000-35,000 spectators who arrive from the greater Charlotte, Winston-Salem and Greensboro metro areas of central North Carolina, as well as surrounding growing communities.

Rural Hill Amazing Maize Maze
Rural Hill
4431 Neck Road, Huntersville, NC (704) 874-3113
Click here for days and times, All ages, $10-$15
Summary: There’s more than enough fun and confusion for all! Get lost in our giant seven acre corn maze featuring over two miles of interconnecting paths. One of the largest in the Southeast, our maze is sure to please! Looking for an even bigger challenge? Traverse the maze in the dark during one of our famous Family Friendly Friday Night Mazes! Bring your own flashlight and an appetite for adventure, there’s even music and bonfires! (weather permitting) The whole of Rural Hill’s 265 acres is available to you and your group during maze hours- take a hayride around the farm, play a round of corn-hole, explore our historic site, play in our mini-mazes, have a picnic, hike our trails, pick a pumpkin (in October) & much, much more!

Aw Shucks! Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch
3718 Plyler Mill Road, Monroe, NC (704)709-7000
Open to the public September 13 – November 17, For times and cost click here, All ages
Summary: Corn maze, hayrides, animal barn, grain bin slide, 1800s train car, kid’s play area, tumbleweed roll (new for 2013), horseshoe and corn hole, boys’ club house and girls’ castle, kiddie corral (for 5 and under). Need I say more?

Hodges Farm Pumpkin Patch
Hodges Farm
3900 Rocky River Road E., Charlotte, NC (704) 494-0107
Opened 7 days a week in October, 9:00am – dark, All ages
Summary: “Pick Your Own Pumpkin” patch, hayrides, hay mountain, farm animals, corn maze, pony rides (Sat. & Sun only)

Regal Farm Corn Maze
Regal Farm
347 Bell Farm Road, Statesville, NC (704) 348-1648
See website for times, All ages, $8 – $15
Summary: Our 7 ACRE Corn Maze is fun for ALL AGES! If you are bringing little ones, you may need to bring a stroller for them. There is a good chance they may get tired of walking. Remember you will be walking on FARM LAND, therefore, there may be places where the land is uneven, and yes there is a good chance you may get your SHOES DIRTY. We recommend you wear sneakers or closed toe shoes.

Carrigan Farms Pumpkin Patch Tour
Carrigan Farms
1261 Oak Ridge Farm Highway, Mooresville, NC (704) 664-1450
See website for days and times, All ages, $10
Summary: Pumpkin patch and hayrides.

Scarrigan Farms
Carrigan Farms
1261 Oak Ridge Farm Hwy, Mooresville, NC (704) 664-1450
For schedule click here, 6:30pm, Ages 12+, Cost $20
Summary: On select October nights our 130 acre farm is transformed into the scariest haunted trail in the region. If you are looking for a new and out of the ordinary way to get your heart pumping and adrenaline rushing this October, Scarrigan Farms is the place for you.

Discovery Place
301 N. Tryon Street, Charlotte, NC (704) 372-6261
Summary: Step into a world where science is brought to life through interactive exhibits and explosive experiments during daily programs. Connect with the past and visit the future with groundbreaking exhibitions, larger-than-life IMAX Dome films and hands on activities that let you explore more. Plan your visit today. Click on the links below for detailed information on special events, featured exhibitions, featured shows and IMAX.

Featured Exhibitions: Animal Grossology, Fantastic Frogs, Families of Abraham
For more information on all featured exhibitions and exhibitions click here.
Featured Shows: Sub-Zero, Fired Up!, Aquarium Feeding Tour
For more information on all featured shows and shows click here.
IMAX: Flight of the Butterflies, Jerusalem
For more information on all featured movies and showtimes click here.

Discovery Place Kids – Huntersville
105 Gilead Road, Huntersville, NC (704) 372-6261
Summary: Explore the theme of I CAN at Discovery Place KIDS-Huntersville. The children’s museum features developmentally-appropriate experiences that encourage imagination and offer the opportunity to build confidence while testing skills by trying new things. The exhibits, themed around a small town, allow children to learn through play.

Theme Areas: I CAN
For a complete description of all nine theme areas click here.
Featured Shows and Shows:
For a complete listing of all featured shows and shows click here.
Current and Upcoming Events:
For all current and upcoming events click here.

Charlotte Nature Museum
1658 Sterling Road, Charlotte, NC (704) 372-6261
Summary: Bring little ones for just an hour or the whole day and experience wildlife through live animal exhibits and interactive education programs. The Museum is easy to navigate with fun surprises around every corner. Kids can roam The Great Hall and visit Beginnings, an area filled with young animals and information on their lifecycles.

Featured Exhibitions & Exhibits: Beginnings, Fort Wild, Butterfly Pavillion, Our Big Backyard, Paw Paw Nature, Trail, Creature Cavern, Insect Alley, Peetie’s Place
For complete details on exhibitions and exhibits click here.
Featured Shows: Don’t Make a Pet of Me, Turtles on the Twos, Autumn Woods, Animal Feedings & Encounters
For a complete schedule of show times click here.

Foodtruck Friday
Southend
1613 Camden Road Charlotte, NC
October 18, 5:00pm – 9:00pm, All ages, Free
Summary: Every Friday night, Charlotte’s favorite food trucks gather on the lot at the corner of Park and Camden in the Historic South End. These aren’t the roach coaches of yesteryear! The nationwide revolution of the food truck industry has hit Charlotte, and we’ve got an ever-growing community of trucks that cater to your every taste. From burgers to tacos to soul food to cupcakes to ice cream and everything in between…there’s something for everyone. Meeting every Friday night since February 2012, Food Truck Fridays have taken the city by storm. Periodically featuring entertainment as well, the crowds have swelled to over 1,000 each week. We’re family and dog-friendly, too! So bring a chair, bring a blanket, BYOB, bring the kids, take the dog…it’s a neighborhood night out in a relaxed, casual atmosphere. Most of the trucks accept credit cards as well as cash. Accessible by public transportation…take the light rail to Bland Station. A good time and great food are guaranteed!

Pineville Fall Festival
Pineville Lake Park
1000 Johnston Drive, Pineville, NC (704) 889-2400
October 18-19, For complete schedule click here, All ages, Free
Summary: Live music, carnival rides, lumberjacks, pie baking and pie eating contest, children’s art show, crafts, games and more…

Latta Haunted Trail
Latta Equestrian Center
6201 Sample Road, Huntersville, NC (704) 992-1550
Every Friday & Saturday in October, 8:00pm – midnight, All ages, $15
Summary: Not all haunted trails are created equal. This one is sure to scare the bravest people in the crowd. Small kid activities from 7-9.

Scarowinds Halloween Haunt – Now opened!
Carowinds
14523 Carowinds Blvd., Charlotte, NC (704)588-2600
Every weekend from September 14 – Halloween, 7:00pm – midnight, Ages 13+
Summary: DARKNESS FALLS. EVIL RISES. Every weekend night, Carowinds transforms into a horror-filled nightmare. From mazes with terrifying creatures around every corner to thrill rides that’ll haunt your dreams, it’s everything you fear and can’t wait to experience. Not for anyone under 13.

SATURDAY, October 19

Leftover Luxuries
Atherton Mill
2000 South Boulevard, Charlotte, NC
October 19, 10:00am-6:00pm, Free
Summary: Leftover Luxuries bi-annual, pop-up sale events are held in select cities and provides an opportunity for you to put cash in your pocket while creating an upscale retail atmosphere for new purchases. Each sale features pre-approved, locally consigned high-end or designer home furnishings and accessories, artwork, clothing, jewelry, handbags, shoes and other unique finds at a fraction of the original retail price.

Baubles and Bags
Assistance League of Charlotte
3600 S. Tryon Street, Charlotte, NC (704) 525-5000
October 19, 10:00am – 4:00pm, Free
Summary: It only happens once a year! The event that has made us famous! A one-day bonanza of donated jewelry, handbags, shoes and accessories. Perry’s at SouthPark will also be there from 9-noon to offer a verbal appraisal of one item per person. Don’t miss this special opportunity to find unique, affordable items to complete your outfit!

Palisades Episcopal School Preschool Fall Festival & Pumpkin Patch
Palisades Episcopal School Preschool
13120 Grand Palisades Parkway, Charlotte, NC 704-583-1825
October 19, 10:00am-2:00pm, All ages, Free
Summary: Please join Palisades Episcopal School on October 19, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. for our Fall Festival and Pumpkin Patch. The festival will include a pumpkin patch and decorating station, inflatable slide and obstacle course, velcro fly wall, an athletic challenge led by ex-NFL running back Tremayne Stephens, a cow train, football toss, cornhole, pizza, popcorn, ice cream and more! It will be a fun family day. Please call 704-583-1825 for further information.

Fall Finale
Fall Finale
U.S. National Whitewater Center
5000 Whitewater Center Parkway, Charlotte, NC (704) 391-3900
October 19, 9:00am-9:00pm, All ages, Free
Summary: Join us in celebrating the last of the River Jam concert series with the 4th annual Fall Finale, an all-day festival taking place on Saturday, October 12. The festivities will kick off at 9 a.m. with the Dirty Dozen Trail Race, a 12K trail race that features 12 challenging obstacles. Following the race, the afternoon will be filled with live music.

Carolina BalloonFest
Statesville Regional Airport
260 Hangar Drive, Statesville, NC (704) 873-2892
October 18-20, Fri. 3:00pm-8:30pm, Sat. 7:00am-8:30pm, Sun. 7:00am-6:00pm, All ages, $6-$12, Children under 5 are free
Summary: Celebrating its 40th consecutive year and proud to be the second oldest hot air balloon festival in the US, Carolina BalloonFest attracts 30,000-35,000 spectators who arrive from the greater Charlotte, Winston-Salem and Greensboro metro areas of central North Carolina, as well as surrounding growing communities.

2nd Annual Stroller Roller 5K
Carolinas Medical Center
1000 Blythe Blvd, NC
October 19, 7:50am, $15-$30, registration required
Summary: The Stroller Roller is the first 5K in Charlotte specifically designed for strollers, baby joggers, and even little red wagons.  Join these family participants as we come together and build hope for the sick and injured children in our community.

Hodges Farm Pumpkin Patch
Hodges Farm
3900 Rocky River Road E., Charlotte, NC (704) 494-0107
Opened 7 days a week in October, 9:00am – dark, All ages
Summary: “Pick Your Own Pumpkin” patch, hayrides, hay mountain, farm animals, corn maze, pony rides (Sat. & Sun only)

Discovery Place
301 N. Tryon Street, Charlotte, NC (704) 372-6261
Summary: Step into a world where science is brought to life through interactive exhibits and explosive experiments during daily programs. Connect with the past and visit the future with groundbreaking exhibitions, larger-than-life IMAX Dome films and hands on activities that let you explore more. Plan your visit today. Click on the links below for detailed information on special events, featured exhibitions, featured shows and IMAX.

Featured Exhibitions: Animal Grossology, Fantastic Frogs, Families of Abraham
For more information on all featured exhibitions and exhibitions click here.
Featured Shows: Sub-Zero, Fired Up!, Aquarium Feeding Tour
For more information on all featured shows and shows click here.
IMAX: Flight of the Butterflies, Jerusalem
For more information on all featured movies and showtimes click here.

Discovery Place Kids – Huntersville
105 Gilead Road, Huntersville, NC (704) 372-6261
Summary: Explore the theme of I CAN at Discovery Place KIDS-Huntersville. The children’s museum features developmentally-appropriate experiences that encourage imagination and offer the opportunity to build confidence while testing skills by trying new things. The exhibits, themed around a small town, allow children to learn through play.

Creative-Concoctions-Saturday
October 12, 11:00am & 2:00pm, All ages, Free with museum admission
Summary: Use your sense of touch in I CAN Create this weekend as we mix different ingredients together to make a fun concoction to take home.

Theme Areas: I CAN
For a complete description of all nine theme areas click here.
Featured Shows and Shows:
For a complete listing of all featured shows and shows click here.
Current and Upcoming Events:
For all current and upcoming events click here.

Charlotte Nature Museum
1658 Sterling Road, Charlotte, NC (704) 372-6261
Summary: Bring little ones for just an hour or the whole day and experience wildlife through live animal exhibits and interactive education programs. The Museum is easy to navigate with fun surprises around every corner. Kids can roam The Great Hall and visit Beginnings, an area filled with young animals and information on their lifecycles.

Featured Exhibitions & Exhibits: Beginnings, Fort Wild, Butterfly Pavillion, Our Big Backyard, Paw Paw Nature, Trail, Creature Cavern, Insect Alley, Peetie’s Place
For complete details on exhibitions and exhibits click here.
Featured Shows: Don’t Make a Pet of Me, Turtles on the Twos, Autumn Woods, Animal Feedings & Encounters
For a complete schedule of show times click here.

The Great Pumpkin Fest
Carowinds – Planet Snoopy Area
14523 Carowinds Blvd., Charlotte, NC (704)588-2600
Every Saturday and Sunday in October, 12:00pm – 5:00pm, 10 and under, Free with park admission
Summary: This is a great family and kid friendly outing. No scariness here, just tons of fun, even trick or treating and a costume parade. See website for full details https://www.carowinds.com/events/plan-a-visit/special-events/HowlOFests-Boo-Blast

Pumpkin Patch and Hayride
Hunter Farm
13624 Providence Road, Matthews, NC (704) 846-7975
See website for days and times, All ages, $7.50
Summary: Thousands of pumpkins to choose from, enjoy a hayride and feed the animals in the barn.

Carolina Renaissance Festival
16445 Poplar Tent Road, Huntersville, NC (704) 896-5544
Saturdays and Sundays, October 5 – November 24, 10:00am – 5:30pm rain or shine, All ages, $11 – $21, kids under 5 are free
Summary: The Carolina Renaissance Festival is one of the most interactive entertainment shows ever created with wonderful amusements and antics on going all around you! Enjoy non-stop entertainment presented on 11 stages every event day. There is comedy, music, dancing, circus performers, jousting knights on horseback, and much more! Sit back and relax or become a part of the action as you are surrounded by over 500 costumed characters roaming the festival village!

Latta Haunted Trail
Latta Equestrian Center
6201 Sample Road, Huntersville, NC (704) 992-1550
Every Friday & Saturday in October, 8:00pm – midnight, All ages, $15
Summary: Not all haunted trails are created equal. This one is sure to scare the bravest people in the crowd. Small kid activities from 7-9.

Scarowinds Halloween Haunt – Now opened!
Carowinds
14523 Carowinds Blvd., Charlotte, NC (704)588-2600
Every weekend from September 14 – Halloween, 7:00pm – midnight, Ages 13+
Summary: DARKNESS FALLS. EVIL RISES. Every weekend night, Carowinds transforms into a horror-filled nightmare. From mazes with terrifying creatures around every corner to thrill rides that’ll haunt your dreams, it’s everything you fear and can’t wait to experience. Not for anyone under 13.

SUNDAY, October 20

Providence Day School Open House (TK – Grade 12)
Providence Day School
5800 Sardis Road, Charlotte, NC
October 20, 2:00pm, Free
Summary: We invite you to join us and learn more about the Providence Day School community, including our globally-focused, TK-12 integrated curriculum. Contact Cecil Stodghill, Director of Admissions for more information (704) 887-7040.

Leftover Luxuries
Atherton Mill
2000 South Boulevard, Charlotte, NC
October 20, 10:00am-6:00pm, Free
Summary: Leftover Luxuries bi-annual, pop-up sale events are held in select cities and provides an opportunity for you to put cash in your pocket while creating an upscale retail atmosphere for new purchases. Each sale features pre-approved, locally consigned high-end or designer home furnishings and accessories, artwork, clothing, jewelry, handbags, shoes and other unique finds at a fraction of the original retail price.

Carolina BalloonFest
Statesville Regional Airport
260 Hangar Drive, Statesville, NC (704) 873-2892
October 18-20, Fri. 3:00pm-8:30pm, Sat. 7:00am-8:30pm, Sun. 7:00am-6:00pm, All ages, $6-$12, Children under 5 are free
Summary: Celebrating its 40th consecutive year and proud to be the second oldest hot air balloon festival in the US, Carolina BalloonFest attracts 30,000-35,000 spectators who arrive from the greater Charlotte, Winston-Salem and Greensboro metro areas of central North Carolina, as well as surrounding growing communities.

Hodges Farm Pumpkin Patch
Hodges Farm
3900 Rocky River Road E., Charlotte, NC (704) 494-0107
Opened 7 days a week in October, 9:00am – dark, All ages
Summary: “Pick Your Own Pumpkin” patch, hayrides, hay mountain, farm animals, corn maze, pony rides (Sat. & Sun only)

The Great Pumpkin Fest
Carowinds – Planet Snoopy Area
14523 Carowinds Blvd., Charlotte, NC (704)588-2600
Every Saturday and Sunday in October, 12:00pm – 5:00pm, 10 and under, Free with park admission
Summary: This is a great family and kid friendly outing. No scariness here, just tons of fun, even trick or treating and a costume parade. See website for full details https://www.carowinds.com/events/plan-a-visit/special-events/HowlOFests-Boo-Blast

Discovery Place
301 N. Tryon Street, Charlotte, NC (704) 372-6261
Summary: Step into a world where science is brought to life through interactive exhibits and explosive experiments during daily programs. Connect with the past and visit the future with groundbreaking exhibitions, larger-than-life IMAX Dome films and hands on activities that let you explore more. Plan your visit today. Click on the links below for detailed information on special events, featured exhibitions, featured shows and IMAX.

Featured Exhibitions: Animal Grossology, Fantastic Frogs, Families of Abraham
For more information on all featured exhibitions and exhibitions click here.
Featured Shows: Sub-Zero, Fired Up!, Aquarium Feeding Tour
For more information on all featured shows and shows click here.
IMAX: Flight of the Butterflies, Jerusalem
For more information on all featured movies and showtimes click here.

Discovery Place Kids – Huntersville
105 Gilead Road, Huntersville, NC (704) 372-6261
Summary: Explore the theme of I CAN at Discovery Place KIDS-Huntersville. The children’s museum features developmentally-appropriate experiences that encourage imagination and offer the opportunity to build confidence while testing skills by trying new things. The exhibits, themed around a small town, allow children to learn through play.

Creative-Concoctions-Sunday
October 13, 2:00pm, All ages, Free with museum admission
Summary: Use your sense of touch in I CAN Create this weekend as we mix different ingredients together to make a fun concoction to take home.

Theme Areas: I CAN
For a complete description of all nine theme areas click here.
Featured Shows and Shows:
For a complete listing of all featured shows and shows click here.
Current and Upcoming Events:
For all current and upcoming events click here.

Charlotte Nature Museum
1658 Sterling Road, Charlotte, NC (704) 372-6261
Summary: Bring little ones for just an hour or the whole day and experience wildlife through live animal exhibits and interactive education programs. The Museum is easy to navigate with fun surprises around every corner. Kids can roam The Great Hall and visit Beginnings, an area filled with young animals and information on their lifecycles.

Featured Exhibitions & Exhibits: Beginnings, Fort Wild, Butterfly Pavilion, Our Big Backyard, Paw Paw Nature, Trail, Creature Cavern, Insect Alley, Peetie’s Place
For complete details on exhibitions and exhibits click here.
Featured Shows: Don’t Make a Pet of Me, Turtles on the Twos, Autumn Woods, Animal Feedings & Encounters
For a complete schedule of show times click here.

Scarowinds Halloween Haunt – Now opened!
Carowinds
14523 Carowinds Blvd., Charlotte, NC (704)588-2600
Every weekend from September 14 – Halloween, 7:00pm – midnight, Ages 13+
Summary: DARKNESS FALLS. EVIL RISES. Every weekend night, Carowinds transforms into a horror-filled nightmare. From mazes with terrifying creatures around every corner to thrill rides that’ll haunt your dreams, it’s everything you fear and can’t wait to experience. Not for anyone under 13.