It's officially fall and Halloween decorating has already started for many, and so have seasonal events.
A storm system from Helene is impacting parts of North Carolina, especially the western parts of the state, but the weekend should be a go for most events.
We put together a list of top events happening around the state this weekend.
If you have smaller kids and want to ride a train without the spooks, Thomas and Friends is hosting a fun event at the North Carolina Transportation Museum in Spencer.
Ride a real train with Thomas the Tank Engine and Percy! There will also be lawn games, live entertainment and bubble activities.
The event will be Sept. 27-29 and again next month, Oct. 4-6.
"The event at the N.C. Transportation Museum includes Thomas and Percy train rides, pictures with Sir Topham Hatt, hay bale maze, temporary tattoos, balloon artist, photo ops, character inflatables, giant lawn games, a music show, model train layouts, food vendors, picnic shelters, a large gift shop, plus three exhibit buildings featuring North Carolina’s transportation history with rail cars, antique automobiles, and a Wright Brothers flyer replica," according to the website.
Tickets are $22 on weekends and free for children under age 1.
The event is operating on a revised schedule Friday due to Helene. Check the website for any updates.
If you're into fiddles and banjo music, the IBMA World of Bluegrass festival promises to bring some of the best bluegrass music across downtown Raleigh to the stage.
The main stage will be at the Red Hat Amphitheater, with street stages on Fayetteville Street. Sections of Fayetteville Street will be closed Friday and Saturday and filled with vendors and activities.
Click here for the lineup. Tickets start at $10 for lawn, and children age 5 and under are free.
Be sure to check out the art market too!
Experience a cultural celebration with the Lumbee Tribe at the Dance of the Harvest Moon powwow in Maxton, N.C.
Tribe members dressed in native regalia will come together in dancing, and you'll hear music from drum circles.
The event will be at the Lumbee Tribe Cultural Center, at 638 Terry Sanford Drive, Sept. 27-29.
Admission is $10 for adults on Saturday and $5 on Sunday. Children under age 5 are free, and admission for children age 5 and above is $5.
The Durham Pride Parade is stepping off Sunday at 11 a.m. in downtown Durham.
"We love the diversity of Durham and are celebrating by walking together in the parade," event organizers said. The event is happening from 10 a.m. to noon.
During the parade, volunteers will walk with a decorated city truck and pick up litter from along the parade route. Participants under age 16 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Click here to register for "Keep Durham Beautiful."
There will also a "Music and Market Festival" on Saturday, with the parade happening Sunday.
Oktoberfest at the beach? Good Hops Brewing at Carolina Beach will have food trucks with German-style eats and special beer releases. There will also be music from The Sausage Festival Band, described as "a special full size traditional Bavarian Oompah style Blaskapelle band."
The event is free to enter, with food and drinks available to purchase. It will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tweetsie announced the park will be closed this weekend because of impacts from Hurricane Helene.
It doesn't get much spookier than hopping aboard a haunted train at night in the North Carolina mountains.
The Ghost Train at Tweetsie Railroad in Boone, N.C. began Friday, Sept. 20, and continues every Friday and Saturday night through Oct. 26.
The park will remain family-friendly during the day, but by dark, the "creepy carnival" will be in action.
"Daytime guests can still enjoy all of Tweetsie’s Wild West adventures, rides and attractions... but when the sun goes down, the park gets a full makeover complete with costumed characters, decorations, music and Halloween-themed attractions," event organizers said.
The park opens at 7:30 p.m. for the Ghost Train and the first train is scheduled for 8 p.m. On Saturday nights in October, the park opens at 7:15 p.m. with the first train scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are $60 for adults, $40 for children (ages 3-12) and free for children age 2 and under, according to the Tweetsie Railroad website. A limited number of guests will be admitted each evening, so visitors are encouraged to purchase tickets ahead of time.
The Ghost Train, haunted house and "freaky forest" are recommended for those age 8 and up. And yes, you can wear a costume! Park organizers just ask that costumes are family friendly.
Be sure to check Tweetsie's website to see if there will be any weekend impacts from Helene.