Charlottesville this weekend: things to do Oct. 30 to Nov. 1

Halloween lands on Saturday this weekend in Charlottesville: the YMCA’s costumed 10K and family walk in the morning, the City Market, horror classics at the Paramount and UVA’s free Great Rotumpkin projection show at the Rotunda that night.

Last checked Oct. 31, 2026. Listings come from the Paramount Theater, UVA Arts, the City of Charlottesville and each organizer linked below. Confirm times before you go. Clocks fall back one hour at 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 1.

Friday, Oct. 30

• Charlottesville High School football vs. Orange County, 7 p.m., Charlottesville High School Stadium, 1400 Melbourne Road. The Black Knights’ last home game of the season. See our Friday night football page and the team schedule.
• Waynesboro Symphony Orchestra: Symphonic Masquerade, An Evening on the Water, 7:30 p.m., the Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St. Paramount listing

Saturday, Oct. 31

• YMCA Halloween Hustle, 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. A 10K run and a 2-mile trick-or-treat family walk from the Brooks Family YMCA, 151 McIntire Park Drive, to the Charlottesville High School track, with a costume contest after. Walk $30; children 12 and under walk free; 10K $75 on race day. YMCA race page
• Charlottesville City Market, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., 100 E. Water St. Produce, baked goods and crafts. See our farmers markets guide and the city’s market page.
• Rosemary’s Baby (R), 2 p.m., the Paramount. Paramount listing
• The Great Rotumpkin, 7 to 11 p.m., the Rotunda, 1826 University Ave. Free. Charlottesville artist Jeff Dobrow’s yearly Halloween projection show covers the Rotunda in ghosts, skeletons and pumpkins. UVA Arts listing
• A Nightmare on Elm Street (R), 8 p.m., the Paramount. Paramount listing
• Neighborhood trick-or-treating: the city sets no official hours. See our trick-or-treat hours page and Halloween events.

Sunday, Nov. 1

• Coco (PG), 2 p.m., the Paramount. A family film for Day of the Dead weekend. Paramount listing
• Faculty Artist Series: David Sariti and Elizabeth Field, 3:30 p.m., Old Cabell Hall at UVA. Two violinists trace the violin and its bows from the 17th century to now. UVA Arts listing

All weekend

• Come From Away, Live Arts, 123 E. Water St., running through Nov. 15. Performance times and tickets are on the Live Arts show page.
• Carter Mountain Orchard, 1435 Carters Mountain Trail: weekend entry passes are required for visitors 12 and older, $10 a person. See our fall festivals and pumpkin patches page and the orchard’s pass page.
• Exhibitions: two shows at Second Street Gallery, 115 Second St. SE, run to Nov. 20 (open Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.). See arts and exhibitions this month.

Regular weekend fixtures

• City Market: Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., 100 E. Water St., through November; the Holiday Market follows from Nov. 28 to Dec. 19.
• Paramount Theater tours: the next public tour is 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 7. Tour registration

Send us your event

Running something in Charlottesville next weekend? Email the date, time, venue, price and a photo through our events form, ideally a week ahead.

Frequently asked questions

What is there to do in Charlottesville this weekend?

Halloween is Saturday, Oct. 31: the YMCA Halloween Hustle at 8:30 a.m., the City Market from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Rosemary’s Baby and A Nightmare on Elm Street at the Paramount, and UVA’s free Great Rotumpkin show at the Rotunda from 7 to 11 p.m. On Sunday the Paramount screens Coco at 2 p.m.

What is free in Charlottesville this weekend?

The Great Rotumpkin projection show at the Rotunda, 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday, is free, and so is walking the City Market at 100 E. Water St. Children 12 and under walk free in the YMCA’s 2-mile Halloween walk.

What time is the Rotumpkin at UVA?

7 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, at the Rotunda, 1826 University Ave. UVA Arts lists it as free. Downtown, the city’s Water Street and Market Street garages give the first hour free.