👋 Happy Saturday! It's Alexis, who can finally channel her "America's Next Top Model" dreams at an upcoming event — and you can too. More on that below.

☀️ Today's weather: Sunny, with a high of 92 and a low of 70.

🎂 Happy birthday to our members Lauren Ashburn, Susan Patterson and Amanda Lanier!

This newsletter has 702 words and is a 2.5-minute read.

Charlotte has style and its own fashion week to prove it, returning Sept. 22-26.

Why it matters: Charlotte Fashion Week founder Rita Miles tells Axios the nearly weeklong event is about more than strutting outfits down a runway—it's about building an inclusive creative space and offering an accessible path into fashion.

Catch up quick: Miles launched Charlotte Seen, the fashion organization behind Charlotte Fashion Week, in 2010. The annual event kicked off in 2011 as a platform for designers, models and other creatives.

• Now, it's grown to more than 200 shows over 16 years, with international recognition and an upcoming lineup featuring over 80 designers and 600 models.
• "There's a lot of creatives in this city. So why not spotlight that in Charlotte?" Miles said.

What to expect: Charlotte Fashion Week has a list of scheduled events from runway shows to after-parties.

• A kickoff party is scheduled for Tuesday.
• On Thursday, there will be a design challenge and the winner will earn a spot at New York Fashion Week next year.
• Friday evening's show is an unconventional runway featuring looks made from recyclable materials.
• Saturday, there will be two runway shows, each with a cocktail hour and vendor shopping beforehand.

If you go: All of the fashion shows will be at PINE (4100 Raleigh St.). Tickets range from $58-$79.

What's next: Charlotte Fashion Week is still accepting models and behind-the-scenes creatives, including hair and makeup artists, photographers and videographers, for this year's event.

How to get involved

Flow Fest is back at Whitewater Center this weekend.

What to expect: The two-day festival turns the entire property (at 5000 Whitewater Center Pkwy) into an outdoor yoga studio with more than 150 wellness practices in nature.

• There will also be experiences like a floating sound bath, essential oil blending, succulent terrarium workshop, candle making, goat yoga, soap making and more.
• The vendor village is open from 10am-5pm today and tomorrow.
• Expect a yoga rave tonight plus live music from bands and internationally touring DJs.

If you go: It's free to attend but you'll want to register for an experience in advance. Parking is $13 per day for cars and motorcycles and $25 per day for oversized vehicles.

More weekend plans

Fall means corn maze season. Here are 11 to explore within roughly an hour of Charlotte.

🌽 Almond Farm — Concord: Opens Sept. 26 with a corn maze, pumpkin patch, U-pick flowers, farm animals and weekend hayrides.

🍑 Black's Peaches — York: Saturdays in October with a corn maze, hayrides and farm activities.

🎃 Cherry Place Farm — Rock Hill: A two-acre maze, pumpkin patch, hayrides and barnyard games starting Oct. 3.

🌽 Country Days Corn Maze — Indian Trail: Choose between a seven-acre maze and a kid-friendly version starting Sept. 25.

🇺🇸 Hall Family Farm — Lancaster: A seven-acre U.S. history-themed maze with escape-room-style challenges.

🤠 Outlaw Acres — Monroe: An 1800s Western-themed farm with a maze, live performances and mega slide.

🚂 Patterson Farm — Mount Ulla: A corn maze plus 40+ attractions through Nov. 21.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Rural Hill — Huntersville: A Scottish-themed maze with daytime and nighttime options.

🐺 Red Wolf Farm — Maiden: Two mazes, hayrides and pumpkin bowling starting Oct. 3.

🌽 Kersey Valley — Archdale: A maze plus train rides, jumping pillows and more.

👻 Shelby Corn Maze — Shelby: An eight-acre maze, plus a haunted version after dark on weekends.

Full guide with ticket links

Almost one year after Border Patrol launched "Operation Charlotte's Web," Carolina Migrant Network has unveiled a new mural at Sabores De Oaxaca on Central Avenue to celebrate Charlotte's immigrant community and culture.

🏇 I'm learning how to ride a horse today.

🧘‍♀️ Ashley has a full day of 200-hour yoga teacher training today.

🌽 McKenzie still has nightmares from the haunted corn maze she did in high school.

⚓️ Alex is having one more boat day while the weather's still warm enough.

📖 Melissa, who edited this newsletter, intends to start reading books again.