November is here, and so is the start of holiday cheer.

Why it matters: The month is packed with festive fun, from ice skating at Camp North End to Uptown's annual Thanksgiving Eve Parade, plus major events like the Charlotte Marathon, college basketball and big-name concerts in between.

A few fun happenings to check out this month:

🏀 Nov. 4: Dick Vitale Invitational: Duke Blue Devils vs. Texas Longhorns at Spectrum Center. | 8:45pm

🎤 Nov. 13: Brandy & Monica: "The Boy is Mine" tour at Spectrum Center. | 8pm

🎄 Nov 18: Carolina Panthers and Charlotte FC's 12th annual Tree Lighting at Bank of America Stadium. | 5:30-9pm

⛸️ Nov. 20: Opening night for holiday ice skating at Camp North End. | Times vary; runs through Jan. 4.

✨ Nov. 26: Opening night of "Light the Knights" at Truist Field. | 5-10pm opening night; times vary depending on the day. Runs through Jan. 4.

🏃‍♂️ Nov. 27: CPI Security Charlotte Turkey Trot in SouthPark. Pick from an 8K, 5K, mile run and tot trot. | 8:10am

Full list

Ask any kid about their favorite holiday, and Halloween is probably on their Mount Rushmore. Friends! Costumes! Candy!

• But many adults also love the spooky holiday we just celebrated — because it's the one day a year we get an excuse to wander around town and knock on our neighbors' doors.

Why it matters: Only about a quarter of U.S. adults say they know "all or most" of their neighbors, a 2025 Pew Research Center survey found.

• 62% know some neighbors. But another 12% say they don't know a single one.

The big picture: Knowing your neighbors is better for your mental health, longevity and happiness levels, studies have shown.

• And the casual relationships we have with people nearby — the folks we wave to or chat with at the mailbox — are what keep communities strong and connected.

Reality check: A little more neighborliness can't solve everything that's currently straining American society.

• But it certainly couldn't hurt to at least be on a first-name basis with a few folks on your block or in your building.
• You never know when you might need some help shoveling your sidewalk or jumping your car, and communities can rally together in times of need.

Yes, but: You don't have to wait for Halloween to meet your neighbors.

• Spend some time out in your front yard, say hi to folks doing yard work or washing their car as you walk around, or go to your community yard sales and other events.

The bottom line: Making a few neighborhood friends is sweeter than any Snickers.

The Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture will unveil its newest exhibit, "Jazz Greats: Classic Photographs from the Bank of America Collection", next Friday, Nov. 7.

What to expect: A tribute to the legends of jazz and the cultural movement they shaped from the 1920s to the '80s.

• There'll be 33 iconic black-and-white photographs by 15 renowned artists printed in rich gelatin silver.

If you go: There's an opening celebration for the exhibit at 6:30pm on Nov. 7.

• "Jazz Greats" will be on view until April 26, 2026.

Stop by: 551 S Tryon St.

Valhalla — or Valhaunted? That's what I found myself wondering after employees told me the Uptown pub is haunted when I stopped by this week to check out the newly renovated space.

Naturally, I had questions. So I reached out to Jason Tapp of Spooky CLT, an expert in Charlotte's supernatural history who once took me on a haunted bar crawl through Uptown.

What they're saying: "I have no doubt the area is haunted — especially the arcade," Tapp told me.

• He added that there's a long-standing urban legend connecting Latta Arcade and Brevard Court (where Valhalla sits) to bootlegging. "I've been in the tunnels under the arcade," he said.
• "It's clear they connect to a larger network, but not much deeper than one story down."

Take Spooky CLT's self-guided haunted bar crawl for yourself