September 8, 2023
With Cabarrus County’s mild, four-season climate, you can keep coming back for different adventures. Here are some of our favorite activities by season.
Spring
Two of Cabarrus County’s largest motorsports events takes place in the spring. The NHRA Four-Wide Nationals thunder into zMAX Dragway, then NASCAR fans return to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Coca-Cola 600 over Memorial Day Weekend. Both of these events feature unmatched entertainment and thrilling motorsports action.
At the speedway and beyond, there’s so much more to do during the spring months.
Stroll Memorial Garden to admire stunning blooms, pick strawberries at Deer Run Farm, or spend an afternoon tasting your way through our wineries. At Rocky River Vineyards in Midland, have a glass of your favorite varietal while sitting in a comfy chair on the porch. At Cabo Winery in downtown Concord, enjoy a tasting before walking down to 2 Gals Kitchen for lunch. This local eatery is a two-time winner of the annual Cabarrus Burger Maness competition that takes place every March.
Stay hungry! May is National Barbecue Month and Cabarrus County is home to delicious restaurants and another mouthwatering competition you don’t want to miss.
Outdoor enthusiasts will love spring in Cabarrus. Explore a new path along the Carolina Thread Trail. Design your own walking tour and take in public art. Pack some snacks, invite some friends and enjoy al fresco dining. At Rob Wallace Park in Midland, follow your picnic with a game of disc golf. At Frank Liske Park in Concord, you can challenge your friends to 18 holes of miniature golf or set out on a nature trail.
Read more about Springtime in Cabarrus County.
Summer
The kids are out of school and you’re all ready to have fun, but where do you begin?
Start with baseball. Come watch the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers play at one of the best ballparks in the country. That’s not just us being biased! Baseball Digest named Atrium Health Ballpark the 2022 Ballpark of the Year. If the Ballers are on the road, you can still find plenty of outdoor fun at Village Park where all shows are free during the Kannapolis Summer Concert and Movie Series.
Another can’t-miss summer activity: Spend an afternoon panning for gold with the kids at Reed Gold Mine. If you find gold, it’s yours. If you don’t, you can pick up a treasure at the gift shop! When the sun gets too toasty, head to the underground tunnels where temperatures stay around 50 degrees.
As summer heats up, cool down with frozen treats and a visit to the splash pad. You’ll find them at Atrium Health Ballpark and Village Park along with others around Cabarrus County including Harrisburg Park in Harrisburg and at Downtown Concord’s Rotary Square.
Read more about The Best Ways to Spend Summer in Cabarrus County.
Fall
Fall is when lagers give way to IPAs and pilsners make room for porters. Sample fall craft beers and celebrate NC Beer Month (October) at breweries like Buzzed Viking Brewing Company and Cabarrus Brewing Company in Concord and Percent Tap House in Harrisburg. Fall is also prime apple season, making it the ideal time to sample ciders at Tipsy Hare Ciderworks in Kannapolis.
From pumpkin patches and spooktacular Halloween events to fall festivals like the Carolina Renaissance Festival, the season also brings more major motorsports events to Cabarrus. In September, feel the rush of two-wide drag racing at zMAX Dragway. NASCAR is back at “America’s Home for Racing” in October for the Bank of America ROVAL 400, and three series compete over four days in November during the World of Outlaws World Finals at The Dirt Track.
If the kids are bummed that the neighborhood pool closed after Labor Day, bring them to Great Wolf Lodge. There they’ll play in a giant indoor waterpark with 11 waterslides and four pools that’s a perfect 84 degrees all year long.
Read more on How to Spend the Perfect Fall Weekend in Cabarrus.
Winter
Between tree lightings, parades and dazzling displays like Speedway Christmas and the Kannapolis Celebration of Lights, the Christmas season shines bright in Cabarrus County. Explore our list of holiday events and begin planning a magical winter getaway with your family.
On frosty evenings, the Gem Theatre is the ideal place to get cozy and catch a movie. As you grab popcorn and soda at the concession stand and make your way to your seats, you can easily imagine what this building looked like when it opened in 1936. A seat in the balcony offers a great vantage point to admire this beautiful vintage theater in downtown Kannapolis.
Seeing a movie at the Gem is one of many indoor activities here that offer an excellent experience under one climate-controlled roof. In Cabarrus, you can race, swim, and even skydive from inside!
For a little extra warmth on a cold day, head to Southern Grace Distilleries in Mt. Pleasant to sip a small-batch bourbon. This isn’t your usual distillery; it’s located inside a former prison. As the days get shorter and the nights grow longer, come here to grab a drink and head out on the popular Convicted Spirits Tours for a little ghost hunting.
Read more and start planning your cozy Winter Weekend Getaway to Cabarrus County.
Year-Round Fun
Searching for a round up of annual events? Looking for places to indulge in the freshest flavors? Browse the categories on The Drift to find inspiration for exploring every season in Cabarrus County, NC.
