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: Tuesday, September 16, 2025
Tomorrow: Wednesday, September 17, 2025
Thursday, September 18, 2025
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Cheeseburger Day Deals | All Day | Various locations | |
| Charlotte International Arts Festival | All Day | FREE | Various locations |
| WDAV's Small Batch: North Carolina Baroque Orchestra Chamber Players (pay what you can; a $20 ticket comes with a pint glass and a beverage) | Free Range Brewing | ||
| Birding at Stevens Creek | 9:00 am to 10:30 am | FREE | Stevens Creek Nature Preserve and Center |
| ArtBreak at Mint Museum Uptown -- free guided lunchtime tour | 12:00 pm to 12:30 pm | FREE | Mint Museum Uptown |
| Free "Explore Creative Art" classes for adults and teens | 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm | FREE | Berewick Recreation Center |
| MODA Digital Arts Open Studio Oasis (pre-registration required) | 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm | FREE | Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture |
| Sock Lab -- get help with sock knitting projects | 2:00 pm | FREE | Editions — Coffee and Bookstore (Kannapolis) |
| Duolingo Live! Spanish | 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm | FREE | Independence Regional Library |
| Hope Street Food Pantry Food Distribution | 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Hope Street Food Pantry |
| NHRA Driver Josh Hart Signing Event, plus free hot dogs and hamburgers, at Super Eagle Auto Care, in fundraiser for breast cancer research | 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Super Eagle Auto Care |
| SouthPark After 5: Coconut Groove Band, plus free mobile library, more | 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Symphony Park |
| Yappy Hour Thurstdays | 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Southern Strain Brewing Company, Plaza Midwood |
| Plaza Midwood Chess Club Meetup | 6:00 pm | FREE | Heist Brewery & Barrel Arts |
| Gastonia Concert Series: Petty Rewind | 6:00 pm | FREE | Rotary Centennial Pavilion, Gastonia |
| Weekly Ping Pong Club | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Hi-Wire Brewing Charlotte |
| Charlotte Fit Fam | 6:00 pm | FREE | HopFly Brewing Company |
| September Book Club: Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkinsreid | 6:30 pm | FREE | Neoteric Brewing Company |
| Name the Music at Rhino Market & Deli South End | 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Rhino Market South End |
| LangTree Live Concert Series | 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | LangTree Lake Norman (Mooresville) |
| Board Game Night | 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm | FREE | Hi-Wire Brewing Charlotte |
| Open Mic Night | 6:30 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Traust Brewing Company, Mount Holly |
| Bingo w/ Shane | 6:30 pm | FREE | Model A Brewing, Tega Cay |
| The Vampire Diaries Trivia Night | 7:00 pm | FREE | Middle James Brewing, Pineville |
| River Jam live music series (free admission; parking is $12) | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | U.S. National Whitewater Center |
| Open Mic Night | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Cabarrus Brewing Company |
| Crossroads Cinema at Camp North End: Monsters Inc. | 8:00 pm | FREE | Camp North End |
Friday, September 19, 2025
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte International Arts Festival | All Day | FREE | Various locations |
| Free Birding Walks on trails of Stowe Conservancy | 9:00 am to 10:00 am | FREE | Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden |
| Free Public Tour of Innovation Barn | 9:00 am | FREE | Innovation Barn |
| Oktoberfest at Gilde Brewery | 11:00 am to 10:00 pm | FREE | Gilde Brewery |
| MØHØBERFEST | 11:00 am | FREE | Traust Brewing Company, Mount Holly |
| Mecktoberfest at OMB LoSo | 11:00 am to 11:00 pm | FREE | Olde Mecklenburg Brewery — LoSo |
| Now That's What I Call Fridays! | 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Brewers at 4001 Yancey |
| Festival in the Park | 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Freedom Park |
| Food Truck Friday | 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Resident Culture Brewing Plaza Midwood |
| Free beginning knitting class (must register and buy materials in the store) | 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Editions — Coffee and Bookstore (Kannapolis) |
| University City Food Truck Friday | 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Armored Cow Brewing |
| LoSo Studios: David "Shrink" Boyle Solo Show | 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm | FREE | LoSo Studios |
| Evening Stroll and Fire | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Reedy Creek Nature Center and Preserve |
| Free Summer Concert Series at Field Day Park at Lake Wylie: 50 Year Rebellion | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Field Day Park, Clover, SC |
| Live Under the Oaks music series | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Birkdale Village |
| Hot Glass Alley's Open Demo | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Hot Glass Alley |
| Friday Nights at Camp North End | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Camp North End |
| South End Food Truck Friday | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Hi-Wire Brewing Charlotte |
| Food Truck Friday at the Fountain in Rock Hill | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Fountain Park, Rock Hill |
| Live Music: Chris Vercauteren | 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm | FREE | Lost Worlds Brewing, Cornelius |
| Movies on the Lawn: LEGO Batman Movie | 6:30 pm | FREE | Johnston YMCA |
| Live music: Summit All Stars | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Summit Coffee, Basecamp, Davidson |
| Friday Night Live Music at Confluence | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Confluence, Cramerton |
| River Jam live music series (free admission; parking is $12) | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | U.S. National Whitewater Center |
| Friday Night Live Music | 7:00 pm to 11:30 pm | FREE | Hi-Wire Brewing Charlotte |
| Outdoor Movie Night at Triple C | 7:00 pm | FREE | Triple C Brewing Co. |
| The Comedy Market: Open Mic | 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Common Market South End |
| Big O Bingo Night | 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Sugar Creek Brewing |
| Brews & Views | 8:00 pm | FREE | Heist Brewery & Barrel Arts |
Saturday, September 20, 2025
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte International Arts Festival | All Day | FREE | Various locations |
| Flow Fest | 7:30 am to 9:30 pm | FREE | U.S. National Whitewater Center |
| Pilates in the Park at Prosperity Village | 8:00 am to 9:00 am | FREE | The Green at Prosperity Village |
| Cars and Coffee Concord | 8:00 am to 11:00 am | FREE | Charlotte Motor Speedway |
| Free paper shredding with Mecklenburg County (must reserve a time slot) | 9:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | Compost Central and Recycling Center |
| Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Community Book Sale | 9:00 am to 1:00 pm | FREE | Mountain Island Library |
| Help with Rail Trail Clean-Up and get a free drink | 10:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | New Bern Light Rail Station |
| Charlotte Monarch Celebration | 10:00 am to 1:00 pm | FREE | Reedy Creek Nature Center and Preserve |
| Lowe's DIY-U Kids Workshop: Football Spirit Board | 10:00 am to 1:00 pm | FREE | Lowe’s (multiple stores) |
| Harrisburg Multicultural Festival | 10:00 am to 2:00 pm | FREE | Harrisburg Park |
| Festival in the Park | 10:00 am to 9:00 pm | FREE | Freedom Park |
| Historic Matthews Cemetery Tour | 10:00 am | FREE | Historic Matthews Cemetery |
| Charlotte Doodle Meetup | 10:00 am to 11:00 am | $5.00 | Skiptown |
| Saturday Morning Yoga | 10:00 am to 11:00 am | $5.00 | Lenny Boy Brewing Co. |
| Visit Eastern Cabarrus Historical Society Museum | 10:00 am to 3:00 pm | FREE | Eastern Cabarrus Historical Society & Museum |
| Mini Pop-Up Art Market at Native American Studies Center in Lancaster, SC | 10:00 am to 4:00 pm | FREE | Native American Studies Center, Lancaster, SC |
| Free Yoga | 10:00 am | FREE | Sycamore Brewing |
| Roots to Rise: Healing Experience | 10:00 am | FREE | Levine Avenue of the Arts |
| Paddockpalooza: Artisan market at Hinds' Feet Farm, which serves people with brain injuries | 10:30 am to 4:30 pm | FREE | Hinds’ Feet Farm, Huntersville |
| Outlaw Acres -- Immersive Western-Themed Fall Attraction | 11:00 am to 5:00 pm | $15.00 | Outlaw Acres, Monroe |
| BeerFest | 11:00 am to 10:00 pm | FREE | Brewers at 4001 Yancey |
| Bard at the Barn: Free outdoor, family-friendly performance of The Tempest | 11:00 am | FREE | The Barn at MoRA |
| Oktoberfest at Gilde Brewery | 11:00 am to 10:00 pm | FREE | Gilde Brewery |
| Mecktoberfest at OMB LoSo | 11:00 am to 11:00 pm | FREE | Olde Mecklenburg Brewery — LoSo |
| People of the World: India | 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm | FREE | International House |
| 36th Street Market | 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | The Chamber by Wooden Robot (NoDa) |
| 34th Latin American Festival | 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Ballantyne’s Backyard |
| 29th Festival of India -- Day 1 | 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm | $0-6.00 | Belk Theater |
| Ciao Italia Matthews | 12:00 pm to 8:30 pm | Stumptown Park, Matthews | |
| Oktoberfest at Carolina Beer Temple | 12:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Carolina Beer Temple-Matthews |
| Ramble On Music Festival | 12:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | 405 S Main Street, Davidson |
| Lost Worlds Cornelius Oktoberfest | 12:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Lost Worlds Brewing, Cornelius |
| King Canary Oktoberfest | 12:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | King Canary Brewing, Mooresville |
| Maker's Market CLT at Burial Beer Co. | 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Burial Beer Co., Charlotte |
| Whimsical Nature Crafts | 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm | FREE | McDowell Nature Center and Preserve |
| Family Day at Cabarrus Arts Council, including free performance | 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | The Galleries at Cabarrus Arts Council |
| Starving Artist Market at Prosperity Village | 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm | FREE | Docia Crossing Road |
| Queen City Cultural Festival | 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm | FREE | Blush CLT |
| A Vibe Called Fresh: Westside Festival with DJ Showdown, Skating, more... | 1:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | West Complex |
| Syctoberfest | 1:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Sycamore Brewing |
| Free Public Tour of Innovation Barn | 1:00 pm | FREE | Innovation Barn |
| Hopfly Bike and Brew | 1:30 pm | FREE | HopFly Brewing Company |
| Free recycling class for kids | 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm | FREE | Innovation Barn |
| Shakedown Hike | 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Stevens Creek Nature Preserve and Center |
| Free Indie on Wheels -- American Coup: Wilmington 1898 | 2:00 pm | FREE | Goodyear Arts |
| Pickin' on the Porch -- free acoustic music series at Stowe Conservancy Trailhead Store | 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Trailhead Store at Daniel Stowe Conservancy, Belmont |
| Maker's Market CLT at Primal Brewery Huntersville | 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Primal Brewery, Huntersville |
| Bilingual Concert by Café Amaretto | 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Matthews Library |
| Folk & Fable Artisan Market | 3:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Durty Bull Brewing, Gastonia |
| McColl Center: The Long Exposure opening celebration | 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm | McColl Center for Art + Innovation | |
| Live Music: Mountain Standard Band | 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Triple C Brewing Co. |
| Lake Norman Empowerment Festival | 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Smithville Park, Cornelius |
| Live Music: Mariah Van Kleef | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Muddy River Distillery, Mount Holly |
| Live Music: Cory Threatt | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Lost Worlds Brewing, Cornelius |
| Live Music: Act Two Music | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Lore Brewing, Indian Land |
| Live Music: Cory Threatt | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Lost Worlds Brewing, Charlotte (Metropolitan) |
| Live Music: Cory Threatt | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Lost Worlds Brewing, Charlotte (Metropolitan) |
| Music and Brews in Mint Hill | 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Mint Hill Veterans Memorial Park |
| Live Music: Bullfrog Moon | 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm | FREE | Primal Brewery Belmont |
| Live music: Woodies Roundup | 6:30 pm | FREE | Primal Brewery, Huntersville |
| Live Music | 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm | FREE | Primal Brewery Belmont |
| Live Music | 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm | FREE | Primal Brewery Belmont |
| Live music | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Summit Coffee, Basecamp, Davidson |
| Night Market | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Beer Lab by Ghostface Brewing |
| River Jam live music series (free admission; parking is $12) | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | U.S. National Whitewater Center |
| Movies in the Park: Shrek | 7:15 pm | FREE | Wilmore Centennial Park at South End |
| Belmont Movies in the Park: Tangled | 7:30 pm | FREE | Stowe Park, Belmont |
