October 1, 2025
When it comes to seasonal beverages, October is more than pumpkin spice lattes. In North Carolina, it’s also the governor-proclaimed NC Beer Month, a four-week celebration of the state’s more than 400 breweries and brewpubs — the largest number of independent craft beer spots in the American South.
Here’s how to raise a toast to NC Beer Month in Cabarrus County, NC!
Explore and Pour Trail
Cabarrus County’s Explore and Pour craft beverage trail features 15 regional craft beverage locales. Sign up for your free mobile pass and experience the area’s breweries, wineries, bottle shops, cidery, distillery, and more. Plus, check in at each location to earn points that you can redeem for prizes, like hats, bottle openers, and tees.
NC Ale Trail By Rail
Cabarrus County is also a stop on the NC Ale by Trail by Rail, so an exploration of North Carolina’s craft breweries is made easy with Amtrak. The Kannapolis Train Station is located right in downtown, steps away from all the action.
NC Beer Month Things to Do in Concord
Concord is home to several craft beer locales, including Cabarrus Brewing Company and Southern Strain Brewing Company, both of which host Oktoberfest celebrations surrounding NC Beer Month.
On October 3-5, Oktoberfest at the Strain will feature not only a mouthwatering menu of German food — think local brats, pork schnitzel, and a double smash burger with beer braised onions, beer cheese, onion jam and beer mustard on a pretzel roll — but also seasonal brews: Festbier, a crisp lager, and Märzenbier, a slightly malty lager. Both are brewed with barley grown in Germany and malted in Durham. Order these in a commemorative stein for $5 refills.
When Cabarrus Brewing first hosted Oktoberfest, their goal was to bring the communal celebration their team experienced in Germany home to Cabarrus County. That remained the same for their 9th Annual CBC Oktoberfest, held September 26-28. Visitors enjoyed Marzen beers like those brewed in Munich and a bevy of hearty German food options. The scene came to life with decorations, costumes and live music, along with contests for stein holding, boot chugging and brat eating. As always, the mayor of Concord was there to tap the ceremonial first keg.
Coming up at CBC, a fall favorite is back on October 3 with the return of Pumpkin Coffee Blonde, and the taproom stays busy with weekly events like yoga, open mic night, dance classes, and more.
More must-visit craft breweries in Concord to check out are combination brewery and meadery Buzzed Viking Brewing Company as well as highly-rated High Branch Brewing Co. which is located on the lower level of the Gibson Mill Market food hall. High Branch hosts weekly Panthers watch parties as does Percent at The Nook, the small-batch brewery’s second location and cool collaborative space which opened this summer.
As of August 2024, downtown Concord became home to a social district, an area where people are welcome to stroll with open to-go containers of alcoholic beverages sold by businesses within the district. Don’t miss local spots to grab a beer including Lil’ Robert’s Place, Local Bottle Shop, Press & Porter, The Basement Arcade Bar, and more.
Burgtoberfest – Photo: Percent Tap House
NC Beer Month Things to Do in Harrisburg
Head to Harrisburg for Percent Tap House’s annual ‘Burgtoberfest event on October 4. This small-batch brewery is Harrisburg’s first, and it takes its pioneer role seriously with this Oktoberfest-themed party. You’ll enjoy vendors, food trucks including German classics, competitions such as stein-hoisting, costume contests, stein-carrying races, keg painting, live music, Percent Tap House merch and the most important thing, new beer releases!
Look forward to the following new beers available for ‘Burgtoberfest:
- Schön – Marzen
- Live Laugh Lager – Festbier
- Lovely From The Other Side – Helles Lager
- Feather Is Lighter – Munich Dunkel
- Apple Peak – Apple Light Lager
- Congregation II – Wet Hop IPA
- Cap’n Crunch-a-Tize – Peanut Butter IPA
- Pumpkin Fresh – Pumpkin Golden Stout
- Lovely Patrol (POG Juice) – Fruited Sour
- Sword of Damocles – West Coast IPA
While in town, stop by Vortex Bottle Shop — also on the Explore and Pour trail — to pick up more Carolina craft brews.
NC Beer Month Things to Do in Kannapolis
In downtown Kannapolis, Kanntoberfest is a popular annual event welcoming thousands of attendees in previous years. During the 6th annual celebration, festival goers didn’t let a little rainy weather dampen the day. With downtown closed to traffic for the event, visitors enjoyed meandering through local shops and restaurants, food trucks, games, a vendor market, live DJ, and beer, including Old Armor Beer Company‘s German-style Kanntoberfest Beer brewed just for the festival.
With Kanntoberfest 2025 in the books, there are still plenty of happenings on tap in Kannapolis.
Old Armor has a weekly event lineup packed with live music, line dancing, dueling pianos, and more. On October 17-18, visit Atrium Health Ballpark, home of the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers, for Boomer’s Halloween Bash. This family-friendly event features a pumpkin patch on the field, costume contests, hayrides, live music, plus food and beer.
NC Beer Month Things to Do in Mount Pleasant
Celebrate NC Beer Month in style at 73 & Main’s on-site nano brewery, Old Well Brewery. The beer selections rotate regularly at this hyper-craft brewery, which is also Mount Pleasant’s first brewery, and include festive sips such as blond ales, imperial stouts, Black IPAs, American wheat ales and more.
Pair local craft beverages from Old Well with dishes from 73 & Main’s menu of steaks, seafood, burgers, sandwiches, and more for the perfect meal. The restaurant resides in a historic setting in downtown Mount Pleasant and is open for dinner Wednesday through Sunday with an impressive spread for brunch on Sundays.
Sleep Tight
With plenty of seasonal flavors and a range of events happening all month long, October is an ideal time to discover something new in Cabarrus County. You’ll need a cozy basecamp for all your North Carolina Beer Month adventures, so check out these Places to Stay to find your Cabarrus County home away from home.
