Smarty Scoop is proudly sponsored by Discovery Place, Discovery Place KIDS – Huntersville and The Charlotte Nature Museum.
Carowinds – The Great Pumpkin Fest
Starting September 19th, The Great Pumpkin Fest Fall Festival will be held every Saturday and Sunday through Halloween, located inside Carowinds’ Planet Snoopy. The Great Pumpkin Fest celebrates all the fun of the fall season with costumes, games, hands on activities and Snoopy and his pals giving hugs, high fives, and treats. Great Pumpkin Fest activities are included with the price of daytime admission to Carowinds. The park is open from 10a-5:30p on October Saturdays and Sundays with The Great Pumpkin Fest going from 11a-5p.
SCarowinds:
DARKNESS FALLS. EVIL RISES.
Starting September 18th, 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. Smarties, we’re talking about SCarowinds’ Halloween Haunt. Recommended for Ages 13 and up.
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: For information on all exhibitions click here.
Featured Shows: For information on all featured shows click here.
IMAX: For 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: For a complete description of all nine theme areas click here.
Featured Shows: For a complete listing of all featured 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: For complete details on exhibitions and exhibits click here.
Featured Shows: For a complete schedule of show times click here.
U.S. National Whitewater Center
5000 Whitewater Center Parkway
Charlotte, NC (704) 391-3900
Summary: The USNWC’s 700 acres offers a wide variety of outdoor activities for all ages and skill levels. Guests can enjoy whitewater rafting and kayaking, flatwater kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, rock climbing, zip lines, ropes courses, a canopy tour, and mountain biking on our 25+ mile trail system. For those looking to kick back, live music and outdoor festivals create a unique atmosphere of relaxation and fun. The River Jam concert series takes place every Thursday and Saturday evening throughout the summer months, in addition to 9 unique festivals held throughout the year.
Carolina Raptor Center
6000 Sample Road, Huntersville, NC (704) 875-6521
Summary: Carolina Raptor Center is dedicated to environmental stewardship and the conservation of birds of prey through education, research, and the rehabilitation of injured and orphaned raptors. As a charitable 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, CRC relies on public financial support to fulfill our mission. Supporters can release a raptor, adopt a bird, make a charitable donation, purchase a membership or sponsor a capital improvement project. CRC’s environmental education programs reach approximately 40,000 students each year. Our Raptor Trail hosts more than 35,000 visitors a year. Visit our calendar page for event times or just come and enjoy our nicely maintained trails and see all the amazing birds of prey.
The Schiele Museum of Natural History
1500 East Garrison Blvd, Gastonia, NC (704) 866-6900
The natural wonders of North America and North Carolina coupled with the rich history of our region are all reflected in The Schiele’s exceptional exhibitions and diverse programming. Whether you’re indoors or out, with the kids or your colleagues, by bringing you a lot closer to nature, The Schiele will bring you a little closer to yourself.
Featured Exhibits: For a complete listing click here
Planetarium: For a complete schedule click here
Events Calendar: For all events click here
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9
Foodtruck Friday
Southend
1613 Camden Road Charlotte, NC
Every Friday, 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. 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.
Children’s Theatre of Charlotte
located @ Imaginon
300 E. 7th Street, Charlotte, NC (704) 973-2800
To see the complete 2014-2015 schedule, special pricing and ways to save click here
Summary: Children’s Theatre of Charlotte’s home is ImaginOn: The Joe & Joan Martin Center, an amazing collaborative venture between the Theatre and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library. It’s an amazing place for families – a really cool children’s library, plus two incredible theatre spaces for our productions, classrooms, computer labs, a Teen Loft and a lot more.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10
Latin American Festival
Symphony Park at Southpark Mall
4400 Sharon Road, Charlotte, NC
October 10 – 11, See website for details, All ages, $10-$15, children 10 and under free
Summary: Mingle with more than 20,000 other culture and music lovers at one of Charlotte’s largest cultural events, the Latin American Festival! The Latin American Coalition’s signature cultural event is celebrating 25 years with two days of music, food, and fun.
Bank of America 500
Charlotte Motor Speedway
5555 Concord Pkwy. South, Concord, NC (704) 455-3200
Saturday October 10, See website for complete schedule, All ages, Starting at $10, Free for children 13 and under
Summary: Sparks will fly as the intensity heats up in the only Saturday night race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Last year’s action spilled over from the track into the garage and this year we expect even more fisticuffs in the first race of the Contender Round. It’s a 500-mile battle that could make or break Championship dreams. Country music superstar Hunter Hayes will rev up the crowd with a full one hour pre-race concert broadcast on the gigantic Speedway TV, then daredevil Erendira Wallenda will perform breathtaking aerial acrobatics while suspended from a helicopter. Her grand finale? She’ll hang by her toes—with no net! It’s all included with your Bank of America 500 race ticket!
Family Art Making Day
McColl Center for Art and Innovation
721 N. Tryon Street, Charlotte, NC
October 10, 12:00pm – 5:00pm, All ages, Free
Summary: Explore different ways to create art with the Artists-in-Residence- Juan Fuentes, Mary Matthews, Mei-ling Hom, and more in their studios. Guests can even help paint a mural on the front lawn.
Ballantyne Festival
Ballantyne District Park (behind Morrison YMCA)
9405 Bryant Farms Road, Charlotte, NC (704) 726-3776
October 10, 11:00am – 9:00pm, All ages, Free
Summary: The festival is a daylong festival that promises the Ballantyne community an autumn-inspired experience for adults, kids and families alike. Beginning late morning, enjoy a chili cook-off, games, inflatables, pumpkin painting, hayride, performances, crafts, and more. Live music kicks off in the afternoon, complemented by an oyster roast, beer, and wine served into the evening.
Carolina HealthCare System 75th Anniversary Community Celebration
CMC Parking Lots A and B
1000 Blythe Blvd., Charlotte, NC (704) 631-1026
October 10, 10:30am – 2:30pm, All ages, Free
Summary: Featuring free health screenings, CMC campus tours, local artisans, food, face painting, bounce houses, live entertainment, trick-or-treating, wellness information and even a petting zoo.
Family Fun Day
Bechtler Museum of Modern Art
420 S. Tryon St., Charlotte, NC
October 10, 10:00am – 5:00pm, Ages 5-18, $8, free for kids
Summary: Learn about the art and artists of Bechtler Collection and engage imaginations during Family Day at the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art. Participate in hands-on art activities, special museum tours and more.
Carolina Renaissance Festival
16445 Poplar Tent Road, Charlotte, NC (704) 896-5544
October 3 – November 22, See website for schedule and prices, All ages
Summary: The Carolina event has grown to be one of the largest of the Renaissance fairs nationwide. Tree lined lanes are filled with over 100 purveyors of crafts and food, and non-stop music and comedy shows are presented on 12 stages every event day.
Blumenthal Performing Arts
130 N. Tryon Street, Charlotte, NC (704) 372-1000
To see the 2015 schedule click here
Summary: You can get all the best of the performing arts without buying a plane ticket to the Big Apple! Blumenthal Performing Arts is your source for all the best performing arts events in Charlotte and the Carolinas.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11
Dilworth South End Chili Cook-Off
Atherton Mill
2100 South Blvd., Charlotte, NC
October 11, 11:00am, All ages, $10, children for free
Summary: We will have pumpkin painting for the kids by Wine & Design, a cornhole tournament, local bands, a huge raffle, a bake sale to benefit MS, celebrity judges, Sir Purr, Chubby Checker, big fire trucks and lots and lots of chili.
Latin American Festival
Symphony Park at Southpark Mall
4400 Sharon Road, Charlotte, NC
October 10 – 11, See website for details, All ages, $10-$15, children 10 and under free
Summary: Mingle with more than 20,000 other culture and music lovers at one of Charlotte’s largest cultural events, the Latin American Festival! The Latin American Coalition’s signature cultural event is celebrating 25 years with two days of music, food, and fun.
Carolina Renaissance Festival
16445 Poplar Tent Road, Charlotte, NC (704) 896-5544
October 3 – November 22, See website for schedule and prices, All ages
Summary: The Carolina event has grown to be one of the largest of the Renaissance fairs nationwide. Tree lined lanes are filled with over 100 purveyors of crafts and food, and non-stop music and comedy shows are presented on 12 stages every event day.
Children’s Theatre of Charlotte
located @ Imaginon
300 E. 7th Street, Charlotte, NC (704) 973-2800
To see the complete 2014-2015 schedule, special pricing and ways to save click here
Summary: Children’s Theatre of Charlotte’s home is ImaginOn: The Joe & Joan Martin Center, an amazing collaborative venture between the Theatre and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library. It’s an amazing place for families – a really cool children’s library, plus two incredible theatre spaces for our productions, classrooms, computer labs, a Teen Loft and a lot more.
