The Charlotte events calendar features free and cheap things to do every day. Think there's nothing to do? Look at this list of Charlotte events to get some ideas. You'll find festivals, free food, music, kids' activities and much more.
Click each title to see more information about the event or deal. You can also view the whole month (click "By Month") or see a specific date (click By Day).
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Double-Check Before You Head Out!
We make every effort to make sure that everything on Charlotte on the Cheap is 100% accurate.
However, sometimes things change without notice, and we are not always notified. It's also possible that we can make a mistake.
Please verify all deals and events with the venue or organizer before you go.
You might also be interested in one of these more specific calendars:
Today: Monday, July 20, 2026
Tomorrow: Tuesday, July 21, 2026
Wednesday, July 22, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students: buy one ticket get one free at Independent Picture House on Wednesdays | All Day | Discounted | Independent Picture House |
| AMC theatre Sensory-Friendly Movie for Mature Audiences (price and time can vary by theater) | All Day | AMC Theatres, participating locations | |
| Pop Up Food Share with Nourish Up | 10:30 am to 11:30 am | FREE | Cokesbury United Methodist Church, Charlotte |
| Birkdale Buds -- free children's activities | 10:30 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | Birkdale Village |
| Insomnia Cookies Happy Hour: Buy One Get One Free | 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm | Discounted | Insomnia Cookies, multiple locations |
| Short Pour Wednesdays: $3 12 oz pours of select beers | 2:00 pm to 9:00 pm | Discounted | Pilot Brewing |
| Nature Crochet and Crafts | 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm | FREE | McDowell Nature Center and Preserve |
| Disc Golf League | 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Heist Brewery & Barrel Arts |
| Charlotte FC Tailgate at Town | 4:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Town Brewing |
| Free Wednesday Evening at Mint Museum Randolph | 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Mint Museum Randolph |
| Wednesday Night Live: Free Museum Admission | 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | |
| "Main Character Energy" Art Show and Rhizome Arts Market | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | JCSU Arts Factory |
| Open Mic Night | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Muddy River Distillery, Mount Holly |
| Stitch N' Bitch | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Petty Thieves Brewing Co. |
| Weekly Bluegrass Jam | 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm | FREE | Gibson Mill Market |
| Bike Night | 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Cabarrus Brewing Company |
| Brewhouse Yoga (includes a free beer taster) | 6:30 pm | $6.00 | Sugar Creek Brewing |
| Open House at MakerSpace CLT | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Makerspace Charlotte |
| Open Mic at Summit Coffee Basecamp | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Summit Coffee, Basecamp, Davidson |
| Left Right Center Game Night | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Eleven Lakes Brewing, Cornelius |
| Music Bingo | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Old Armor Beer Company, Kannapolis |
| Open Mic | 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Starlight on 22nd |
| Trivia Night | 7:00 pm | FREE | Heist Brewery |
| Trivia | 7:00 pm | FREE | Lore Brewing, Indian Land |
| Free Bingo at The Percantile and Creamery (win prizes!) | 7:00 pm | FREE | The Percantile and Creamery, Concord |
| Bark in the Ballpark at Charlotte Knights game (ticket price varies) | 7:04 pm | Truist Field | |
| The Happening -- Collaborative arts/music/dance event | 8:00 pm | FREE | Jackalope Jack’s |
Thursday, July 23, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| IKEA Swedish Restaurant: 50% off meatball (or plant ball) entrée (must be IKEA Family member) | All Day | Discounted | IKEA |
| Vision to Learn: Free eye exams for kids (registration is required) | 9:00 am to 1:00 pm | FREE | North County Regional Library |
| Gem Theatre's Summer Matinee | 10:00 am | $2.00 | Gem Theatre, Kannapolis |
| Drop-In Dance Class from Charlotte Ballet: Senior Dance Class | 11:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | Sugaw Creek Recreation Center |
| ArtBreak at Mint Museum Randolph: Free lunch-time tour | 12:00 pm to 12:30 pm | FREE | Mint Museum Randolph |
| Gem Theatre's Summer Matinee | 12:30 pm | $2.00 | Gem Theatre, Kannapolis |
| Insomnia Cookies Happy Hour: Buy One Get One Free | 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm | Discounted | Insomnia Cookies, multiple locations |
| Hope Street Food Pantry Food Distribution | 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Hope Street Food Pantry |
| Music Off the Rails at The Charlotte Urban Design Center | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Charlotte Urban Design Center |
| Live Music Thursdays | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Lore Brewing, Indian Land |
| Plaza Midwood Chess Club Meetup | 6:00 pm | FREE | Common Market Plaza Midwood |
| Reel Trivia Night at Independent Picture House, with prizes, free samples and live music | 6:30 pm | FREE | Independent Picture House |
| July Book Club | 6:30 pm | FREE | Neoteric Brewing Company |
| LangTree Live Concert Series | 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | LangTree Lake Norman (Mooresville) |
| Board Game Night | 6:30 pm | FREE | Hi-Wire Brewing Charlotte |
| The Lost Years Movie Series: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring | 7:00 pm | $5.00-16.05 | Carolina Theatre, Charlotte |
| Music Bingo | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Middle James Brewing, Pineville |
| River Jam live music series (free admission; parking is $13) | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | U.S. National Whitewater Center |
| Charlotte Idol | 7:00 pm | FREE | OpenTap |
| Karaoke Contest | 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Seoul Food Meat Co., South End |
| Crossroads Cinema at Camp North End | 8:30 pm | FREE | Camp North End |
| Karaoke Thursdays | 9:00 pm | FREE | Hattie’s Tap and Tavern |
Friday, July 24, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Tequila Day deals | All Day | Various locations | |
| Queen's Feast -- Charlotte Restaurant Week | All Day | $30.00-55.00 | Charlotte, NC (many locations throughout Charlotte region) |
| Get a free $5 gift card at Dunkin' (only specific locations -- click link for addresses and specific start times) | 4:30 am | FREE | Dunkin’, various locations |
| Vision to Learn: Free eye exams for kids (registration is required) | 9:00 am to 1:00 pm | FREE | Allegra Westbrooks Regional Library (formerly Beatties Ford Regional Library) |
| Free Weekly Water Playgroup for Babies & Preschoolers at Charlotte Aquatics | 10:00 am to 10:30 am | FREE | Charlotte Aquatics |
| Pop Up Food Share with Nourish Up | 10:30 am to 11:30 am | FREE | Greater Mt. Sinai Baptist Church |
| Free Public Tour of Innovation Barn | 11:00 am | FREE | Innovation Barn |
| Aerial CLT Open House with $5 mini classes | 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm | $5.00 | AerialCLT |
| Free order of egg rolls with the purchase of any drink | 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Pilot Brewing |
| Yappy Hour Dog Social | 5:00 pm | FREE | Vaulted Oak Brewing |
| Food Truck Friday at Resident Culture Brewing | 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Resident Culture Brewing Plaza Midwood |
| University City Food Truck Friday | 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Armored Cow Brewing |
| Downtown Oakboro Cruise-In | 5:00 pm to 9:30 pm | FREE | Downtown Oakboro, NC |
| Charlotte Poets Read: Poetry readings and open poetry mic | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | That’s Novel Books |
| Christmas in July in Mount Holly -- pictures with Santa, live music, more... | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | The Grand Hall, Mount Holly |
| FREE Wrestling Show | 6:00 pm to 9:30 pm | FREE | Lenny Boy Brewing Co. |
| Live Music: Ben Mignogna | 6:00 pm | FREE | Frank’s Beer Shop |
| Herping Tour with Carolina Wildlife Sanctuary | 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | McAlpine Creek Park |
| Live Under the Oaks music series | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Birkdale Village |
| Live Music Fridays | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Edge City Brewery |
| Live Music Fridays | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | Lost Worlds Brewing, Cornelius | |
| Friday Nights at Camp North End | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Camp North End |
| Book Swap | 6:30 pm | FREE | Free Range Brewing |
| Theatre on the Beach: Tristan & Isolde | 7:00 pm | FREE | Jetton Park |
| Friday Live Music | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Confluence, Cramerton |
| Live Music Fridays | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Hi-Wire Brewing Charlotte |
| River Jam live music series (free admission; parking is $13) | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | U.S. National Whitewater Center |
| Carolina New Works Play Festival: How I Got Forgotten | 7:30 pm | FREE | Rowe Arts Building, UNC Charlotte |
| Movies on the Lawn: Dogman | 7:30 pm | FREE | Johnston YMCA |
| Pineville Rock'n & Reel'n Movie: Angles in the Outfield | 7:45 pm | FREE | Pineville Lake Park |
| Friday Live Music | 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Old Armor Beer Company, Kannapolis |
| Moth Night at Tuckaseegee Arboretum & Gardens | 8:30 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Tuckaseegee Arboretum and Gardens |
| Mooresville Movie Nights: Zootopia 2 | 8:30 pm | FREE | Liberty Park, Mooresville |
| Huntersville Movies in the Park: Hoppers | 8:30 pm | FREE | Richard Barry Park, Huntersville |
| Karaoke Idol | 9:00 pm | FREE | Beer Lab by Ghostface Brewing |
