November 8, 2024
Whether it’s a long weekend or a weeklong getaway, these signature Cabarrus County events are perfect to plan an entire experience around.
You’ll find a variety of exciting events here, from major races and music festivals to baseball games and one of the Southeast’s top barbecue competitions. Pair these events with thrilling attractions like a legendary speedway and an indoor water park resort for year-round fun everyone in your crew will enjoy.
Save the date for these events, start planning, and put your vacation days to good use!
Spring
Calling all car lovers! The world’s largest automotive extravaganza features more than 10,000 displays that showcase hot rods, muscle cars, exotic sports cars and classic automobiles. For another can’t-miss pit stop for auto enthusiasts, visit the Mustang Owner’s Museum.
Home Games at Atrium Health Ballpark
Cheer on the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers during the home opener in April or anytime throughout the season until the end of August, and enjoy the inviting streetscape along West Avenue in revitalized downtown Kannapolis.
See the stars of the series race four-wide during this 44,000-horsepower festival of nitro! The “Bellagio of drag strips” is the world’s first four-lane, all-concrete drag strip, and every ticket is a pit pass giving fans unprecedented access to drivers, cars, and teams.
Named a “Top 20 Event” by the Southeast Tourism Society, this four-day festival includes a Kansas City Barbeque Society competition plus fireworks, rides, vendors, and a free concert.
Coca-Cola 600 Race Weekend
May features a horsepower triple-header with races from all three of NASCAR’s top series. NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series racers battle it out first on Friday during the NC Education Lottery 200 followed by the Xfinity Series BETMGM 300 on Saturday. The weekend culminates with the longest race of the NASCAR season, the NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600, on Sunday. Memorial Day Weekend at “America’s Home for Racing” is an incredible experience packed with military appreciation activities and performances, pre-race concerts, and driver appearances.
Summer
The family-friendly Summer Shootout at Charlotte Motor Speedway is the ultimate grassroots racing experience. Rising stars compete in Legend Cars (replicas from the 1930s and 40s) and Bandoleros, and each week includes fun races such as mascots in go-karts to principals driving school buses.
Back-to-School Monster Truck Bash
Say goodbye to summer and start the school year with a night of high-flying action. Get a picture with the five-ton trucks and meet the drivers during pre-race festivities, then settle in and watch as the 2,000-horsepower beasts take on The Dirt Track’s challenging course.
Indulge in classic fair food like roasted corn, fresh-squeezed lemonade, and fried Oreos, whiz around on thrilling rides, and enjoy entertainment including a petting zoo, live music, chainsaw art demonstrations, and of course, Robinson’s Racing Pigs!
Fall
As part of the NHRA’s Countdown to the Championship, the Carolina Nats feature exciting side-by-side action, and every ticket is a pit pass giving you unmatched access to the drivers and crews who operate these 11,000-horsepower machines.
Cabarrus County’s craft beverage scene is award-winning and steeped in rich history. Have a cold one at any of the area’s many breweries during North Carolina Beer Month in October, then make plans to explore even more craft beverage stops such as wineries and the first distillery located inside a former prison with the free Explore and Pour mobile pass.
Bank of America ROVAL 400 Race Weekend
The NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series visits the ROVAL for the first time on October 3, 2025. Be sure to wear pink to the NASCAR Xfinity Series Drive for the Cure 250 as the race raises awareness for the fight against breast cancer. Sunday brings one of the season’s most anticipated events—the Bank of America ROVAL 400. As the first road course race in the history of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, this 17-turn challenge combines a portion of Charlotte Motor Speedway’s traditional oval with a winding infield road course.
A four-day spectacular, the most prestigious dirt racing event in the country culminates in the crowning of champions from three series—the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series, the World of Outlaws Late Model Series, and the Big-Block Modifieds of the Super DIRTcar Series.
Winter
Snowland at Great Wolf Lodge
Stay in a magical winter wonderland complete with indoor snow showers, visits from Santa, and more holiday fun along with 11 waterslides and a water fort treehouse! Winter is the perfect time to visit since the 80,000-square-foot indoor water park is always a toasty 84 degrees.
Speedway Christmas
This spectacular display is the largest drive-through holiday light show in the Southeast. See five million LED lights paired with holiday music as you drive the four-mile course. On select nights, explore the infield Christmas Village and catch a drive-in movie on the giant SpeedwayTV.
Kannapolis Celebration of Lights
The hometown of legendary NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt, Sr. celebrates the holidays with over 250,000 twinkling lights, train rides, a double-decker carousel, and performances by the animated Kannapolis Singing Bears—all located at Village Park near Downtown Kannapolis.
Explore More
Browse the Event Calendar for a full list of happenings this year and find your ideal accommodations with these Places to Stay in Cabarrus County.
