Access Your Weekend: October 22, 2026
Welcome to Access Your Weekend.
AccessWilmington.com is up and running! Since the Oct. 19 launch you can find every event in town in one place, and just in time for spooky season we’ve added a Halloween Events page with costume parties, haunted trails, trunk or treats and ghost hunts from Wilmington to the beaches.
This week we gave away two tickets to Departure, the Journey tribute band, Saturday night at Bowstring Brewyard. There’s plenty more this weekend too, from the Lighthouse Beer and Wine Festival downtown to WALKERWORLD Spookyfest in Castle Hayne.
🎃 Halloween Weekend in Wilmington
- Trunk or Treat Monster Mash, Fri Oct. 23, 5–7 PM, Belville Riverwalk Park (free)
- Rocky Horror Picture Show Live Shadowcast, Fri and Sat, 7:30 PM, Thalian Hall
- Halloween Pub Crawl, Sat Oct. 24, 4:30–9 PM, starting at Underfront
- Drag at the Market: Halloween Edition, Sat Oct. 24, 7–9 PM, Market House Beer & Wine
- Ghostbusters in Concert, Sat Oct. 24, 7:30 PM, Wilson Center
- Poplar Grove Ghost Hunt, Sat Oct. 24, 8 PM, Poplar Grove Historic Plantation
- Funky Fright Fest, Sun Oct. 25, 12–4 PM, The Bend
That’s only a taste. The full lineup lives on our Halloween Events page, sorted by date and updated as new events roll in.
News & Updates
Carolina Beach Is Getting an Ice Rink on the Boardwalk
Carolina Beach is getting an ice rink on the boardwalk this winter. The town council unanimously approved $50,000 in Tourism Development Authority funds for the rink, which opens Nov. 27, the day after Thanksgiving, and runs through Jan. 3. It will be open to the public Wednesday through Sunday, with Mondays and Tuesdays set aside for figure skating exhibitions, lessons and private events. Tents for a seasonal marketplace will surround the rink in its first year, and the plan later calls for collapsible wooden market structures like those at German Christmas markets. An Ohio-based operator with 36 years of experience, which runs a similar rink in Southport, will run it. Daily hours and ticket prices have not been announced.
Featured Events
Departure: The Journey Tribute Band
SAT OCT 24 · 7–10 PM
For nearly two decades Departure has brought the golden age of rock back to life. Five veteran musicians nail Journey’s sound and energy, with Brian Williams matching Steve Perry’s range. Expect every hit and a whole room singing along at Bowstring Brewyard.
Lighthouse Beer and Wine Festival
SAT OCT 24 · 12–5 PM
The Southeast’s biggest beer and wine festival takes over Live Oak Bank Pavilion at Riverfront Park with more breweries than you can taste in one afternoon, plus wine, THC beverages, food and live music. Warm up Friday night with The Cellar, Sea & Shore, 6 to 9 PM at the same spot.
Punk Rock Cares Warming Shelter Benefit Show: Night 1 & 2
SAT OCT 24 · 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM · Sunday · Barzarre
Night 1 of the Punk Rock Cares Warming Shelter benefit with eleven local punk acts including Five Foot Nuttin’, The Explainers and Forty-Two. $10 suggested donation, with a raffle and silent auction.
Same As It Ever Was: Tribute to Talking Heads
FRI OCT 23 · 7–10 PM
Since the Talking Heads probably won’t tour again, this seven-piece band from Knoxville does the next best thing. They play the whole catalog, from ’77 through Stop Making Sense to Naked, with plenty of energy and improvisation. Same Bowstring stage as Departure, one night earlier.
WALKERWORLD Spookyfest Art+Music Festival
SAT OCT 24 · 2–10 PM
Six bands, six singer-songwriters and 50+ art vendors take over Walkerworld Organic Artist Retreat in Castle Hayne. The lineup includes Port City Ukuholics, Roland Ave, Ditch Kitty, Grass Shack Revival, Mars in Spring and GULP. Doors at 1:30 PM, all ages with a parent or guardian, and camping is available.
Oysterberfest 2026!
SUN OCT 25 · 12–5 PM
Wrightsville Beach Brewery mashes up an oyster roast and Oktoberfest with fresh steamed oysters, German-style beers and live music. A perfect lazy Sunday after a big Halloween weekend.
Live Music This Week
Thursday, Oct. 22
TopHouse · 7–10 PM @ Bowstring Brewyard
Ginger & Dylan · 6–9 PM @ The Bend
Open Mic · 7–9 PM @ The Starling Bar
Open Mic · 8–11 PM @ Oden Brewing
Friday, Oct. 23
Groove & Grub · 6–9 PM @ DREAMS Center for Arts Education
Live Music · 6–9 PM @ Hi-Wire Brewing
Krispee Biscuits · 7–10 PM @ The Bend
Brown Dirt Cowboys · 8 PM @ Live at Ted’s
Saturday, Oct. 24
Justin Cody Fox Band · 7–9 PM @ Waterline Brewing
Dram Family Band · 7–10 PM @ The Bend
YALL’RE + special guests · 7 PM @ Avenue B
Jay Killman & The Constellations · 8 PM @ Live at Ted’s
Sunday, Oct. 25
Soul-R Fusion · 4 PM @ Live at Ted’s
Open Mic Night · 4–7 PM @ Yacht Club Wilmington
Sunday Jazz Jam · 5–8 PM @ Fermental
Artist Spotlight: Justin Heter Pan
Justin Heter Pan is the guy who doesn’t want to grow up, and Wilmington is better for it. The drummer, producer and one-man band has played with Dubtown Cosmonauts, Dirty Dead, Wavy Train and more over 20-plus years, and he designs haunted trails on the side. Get the full story in WHQR’s profile.
Instagram | Facebook | Spotify
Looking Ahead
Thu, Oct. 29 · Night of the Living Dead (1968), Thalian Hall
Fri, Oct. 30 · Whiskey Glasses: Morgan Wallen Tribute, Bowstring Brewyard
Fri–Sat, Oct. 30–31 · Haunted Forest at Walkerworld, Castle Hayne: Friday Pre-Party (kids free) and Saturday Main Event
Sat, Oct. 31 · Murder Mystery Costume Ball, Tempo 33
Like what you see? Access Your Weekend lands in your inbox every Thursday with live music, festivals and free-ticket giveaways.
