Charlotte's Beatles fans have a full weekend coming their way as FabFest returns October 2-3, 2026, pairing a ticketed tribute concert at Knight Theater with a free, all-day family festival at Central Piedmont Community College. Organizers describe the event as a Beatles music and art festival built to bring the community together, and this year marks its sixth go-round under that combined format.
The weekend kicks off Friday, October 2 at 7:30 p.m. with the Tosco Music Beatles Tribute at Knight Theater, a ticketed concert that has been a Charlotte tradition for more than 20 years, according to toscomusic.org. This year's lineup features more than a dozen local and regional acts reinterpreting Beatles songs across a range of genres, including The Taxmen, Beatles 4 Sale, RevelWood Mission, Cole Thannisch and Reeve Coobs, with audience singalongs woven throughout the night. Tickets for the Knight Theater show, located at 430 S Tryon St, range from $15.50 to $56.50.
The following day, the party moves outdoors and goes free. FabFest Daytime runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, October 3 at CPCC's Parr Center, offering live music on two stages alongside family-friendly activities, speakers, contests, videos, games and vendors, per the same event listing. Rare Beatles concert films will also screen throughout the day as part of the free programming.
Contests, Costumes and a Memorabilia Collection
Saturday's schedule leans heavily into community participation. A Beatles Art Contest and Sale, Beatles Cover Song Contest, Beatles Open Mic and a 1960s Fashion & Costume Contest are all planned, according to fabfestcharlotte.org. The Beatles Open Mic will include singalongs and playalongs, while the Cover Song Contest offers cash prizes; the Art Contest alone carries 14 cash prizes totaling $3,675.
Collector Randy Barrier is scheduled to once again exhibit his Beatles memorabilia collection at the daytime festival, the Tosco Music event page notes. Visitors can also expect a music video recording booth, a family fun tent with crafts, dance and spin art, a photo booth and indoor marketplace, an outdoor Strawberry Field art market, and a Beatles Rock Band video game room. The daytime event also includes food trucks, yard games, raffles and prizes, according to the festival's ticketing page.
Inclusive Programming and Free Admission Details
Piedmont Music Therapy will be onsite Saturday morning from 10 a.m. to noon, serving guests of all ages and abilities with inclusive music-making sessions using percussion instruments and manipulatives. FabFest Daytime is free to attend, but advance RSVP through Eventbrite is required for eligibility in the free raffles for festival door prizes.
Three Beatles authors — Robert Rodriguez, Anthony Robustelli and Sean Gaillard — are also included in the daytime lineup, per the same listing from Tosco Music. Saturday's programming aims to inspire different generations and cultures to come together through the music of the Beatles, organizers say in a newsletter distributed through Constant Contact.
Who's Behind the Festival
FabFest is presented by Tosco Music, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that also supports the broader festival, with all proceeds going toward its nonprofit mission and programs. Tosco Music says it presents live music at roughly 100 activities across some 30 locations throughout Charlotte each year, according to its about page. The organization launched FabFest in 2019 as a destination event for the city, and the festival expanded that same year into a community event with separate Friday and Saturday components, per fabfestcharlotte.org's ticketing page.
The 2026 edition of FabFest is presented by CG Financial Services, which also serves as the presenting sponsor of Tosco Music's 2026–2027 season, with additional support from the Arts & Science Council, the City of Charlotte and Corning Incorporated. The festival was first detailed in a community calendar listing from WFAE. Those with questions about the weekend's events can reach Tosco Music directly at [email protected].
