Five events this weekend! Four in The Triangle and one near Charlotte ⬇️

Check out the interactive calendar.

Concord, NC—Saturday, October 18, 11AM-6PM

There are two types of fan cons (not really, but bear with me): 1) huge, expensive, multi-day events featuring celebrities and concerts; and 2) intimate, affordable, single-day events where you meet new friends, geek out, and feel the community.

MoTownCon is the latter, and it’s on its fifth year. If you’re in the Concord/Charlotte area or want an excuse to head that way, this is a good one to attend. Here’s what you can expect:

The large cons are fun, but the smaller ones leave you feeling happy and connected. I got the chance to go to Epic Mighty Con in Wendell, another small community con last month, and it was a great day.

Cost: $10 at the door; Parking on-site is an additional $10
Address: Cabarrus Arena & Events Center, 4759 State Hwy 49, Concord, NC 28025

Raleigh, NC—Saturday, October 18, 10AM-9PM

Oak City Indie Games Showcase 2025 is this weekend! This event, put on by the Triangle Interactive Arts Collective, is a day full of indie video & tabletop games, experimental games & demos, and more. All these games are created by designers and developers local to the Triangle area.

If you were at Playthrough Gaming Convention earlier this month, you probably met some of our local game studios! See them again, as well as many more, this weekend. And if you’re a game designer yourself, this is a great place to network.

Cost: $17.85 (ticket link)
Address: Wake Technical Community College, Southern Campus Student Services Bldg L #1636
9101 Fayetteville Rd, Raleigh, NC 27603

Apex, NC—Saturday, October 18, 4PM-9PM

Geek & Grub is back with their Halloween Market 🎃 Spend a spooky evening at Optimist Farm in Apex perusing creepy wares, books, clothing, trinkets, and more. Dress up in a spooky costume and enjoy a night outdoors before it gets too cold!

Here’s a bit of additional fun. When you buy something at Geek & Grub, you get a raffle ticket for a chance at prizes throughout the day. There’s also a scavenger hunt with a prize wheel at the end!

Cost: Free!
Address: Optimist Farm, 2908 Optimist Farm Rd, Apex, NC 27539

Raleigh, NC—Sunday, October 19, 12PM-4PM

It’s now Sunday, you’ve enjoyed yesterday’s events above, and now it’s time for a Hidden Block Party! Hidden Block Games and Raleigh Retro Gamers are teaming up again to bring this family friendly, video game-inspired party to life. There will be:

And local video game jazz band, the Turnabout Players, will be playing some live music. (More on them below.)

Cost: Free!
Address: Gateway Plaza, 2409 Crabtree Blvd, Raleigh, NC 27604

Raleigh, NC—Sunday, October 19, 4PM-7PM

If you don’t make it to the Hidden Block Party to see the Turnabout Players, or if you just can’t get enough of them and want to join in on the jams, head to Hartwell for their monthly Triangle Video Game Music Jam!

This jam is open to all who want to join in. You can find the list of songs and charts, along with more details and their Discord server link on their info website.

If you love video game music, this one’s for you. And even if you don’t play, it’s still a great time hanging out at Hartwell and listening.

Cost: Free
Address: Hartwell, 620 W South St, Raleigh, NC 27603

Lot’s of fun events going on this weekend. It really feels like we’re kicking off spooky season 👻 Let me know if you’re going to any of these events! Hope to catch you there.

Enjoying this content? Share it with a friend! And don’t forget to check out the calendar and business directory for more North Carolina nerdy goodness.

Scare you next week,

– Matias