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: Wednesday, July 15, 2026
Tomorrow: Thursday, July 16, 2026
Friday, July 17, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Krispy Kreme Birthday: Buy a dozen doughnuts and get another dozen for 89¢ | All Day | Discounted | Krispy Kreme — Multiple locations |
| Cinnaholic: $2 Old Skool Rolls | All Day | $2.00 | Cinnaholic, multiple locations |
| Free Dilly Bar with $1 purchase (can redeem one time) | All Day | FREE | DQ (Multiple locations) |
| Free Weekly Water Playgroup for Babies & Preschoolers at Charlotte Aquatics | 10:00 am to 10:30 am | FREE | Charlotte Aquatics |
| Free Public Tour of Innovation Barn | 11:00 am | FREE | Innovation Barn |
| Summer Reading Pizza Party with Beyond Blue -- free book, free pizza, more! | 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Charlotte Beyond Blue Neighborhood Center |
| Thrift Pony After Dark Night Market | 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Camp North End |
| Gatito Night Market | 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | 4410 N Tryon Street |
| Pageland Watermelon Festival | 5:00 pm to 11:59 pm | FREE | Downtown Pageland |
| 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 |
| 45th Annual Farmers Day Festival in China Grove | 5:30 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Hanna Park, China Grove |
| Hot Glass Alley's Open Demo | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Hot Glass Alley |
| Live Music: David Childers & The Serpents | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Muddy River Distillery, Mount Holly |
| Live Music: Tony Fisher | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Model A Brewing, Tega Cay |
| 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 |
| Gothic Punk Night Market | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | NoDa Brewing North End |
| 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 |
| Live Music Fridays | 6:00 pm | FREE | Frank’s Beer Shop |
| Live Music Fridays | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Hi-Wire Brewing Charlotte |
| Pigeon Hole Improv Night | 7:00 pm | FREE | Traust Brewing Company, Mount Holly |
| Jammin' On the 1 -- jam session at Access 21 Studios | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Access 21 |
| Friday Live Music | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Confluence, Cramerton |
| River Jam live music series (free admission; parking is $13) | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | U.S. National Whitewater Center |
| Friday Live Music | 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Old Armor Beer Company, Kannapolis |
| Movies in the Park: How to Train Your Dragon | 8:45 pm | FREE | Village Park, Kannapolis |
| Karaoke Idol | 9:00 pm | FREE | Beer Lab by Ghostface Brewing |
Saturday, July 18, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Dilly Bar with $1 purchase (can redeem one time) | All Day | FREE | DQ (Multiple locations) |
| World Cup Watch Parties (every game; time varies) | All Day | FREE | Old Armor Beer Company, Kannapolis |
| Showing All World Cup Matches (times vary) | All Day | FREE | Charlotte Beer Garden |
| Cars and Coffee Concord | 8:00 am to 11:00 am | FREE | Charlotte Motor Speedway |
| Carnivorous Plant Pop-Up at Charlotte Regional Farmers' Market | 8:30 am to 1:00 pm | FREE | Charlotte Regional Farmers Market |
| Cartoons & Coffee: Polar Express | 8:30 am | FREE | Rea Farms |
| Free Strength and Self-Defense Day -- Community event for adults | 9:00 am to 10:30 am | FREE | Core Combat Academies |
| 45th Annual Farmers Day Festival in China Grove | 9:00 am to 10:00 pm | FREE | Hanna Park, China Grove |
| Hands-On Tea Blending Workshop | 9:30 am to 11:30 am | $25.00 | The Pauline Tea-Bar Apothecary |
| Santa at Unsheltered Tortoise and Turtle Sanctuary (Registration is required!) | 10:00 am to 12:00 pm | $10.00 | UnshelteredNC — Tortoise and Turtle Rescue |
| Community Day of Love at Second Calvary Baptist Church: free food, clothes, diapers, more... | 10:00 am to 2:00 pm | Second Calvary Baptist Church | |
| Brickapolis: LEGO Fan Event | 10:00 am to 5:00 pm | FREE | Swanee Theatre, Kannapolis |
| 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 |
| Creek Crawl | 10:30 am to 11:30 am | FREE | Stevens Creek Nature Preserve and Center |
| Charlotte Flow Arts in the Park | 11:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | Veterans Park (Central Avenue) |
| Queen City Questival: Free gaming festival | 11:00 am to 4:00 pm | FREE | University City Regional Library (new location) |
| Saturday Swap: Kitchen & Cookware Swap | 11:00 am to 4:00 pm | FREE | Innovation Barn |
| Ballantyne Village Pop-up Market | 11:00 am to 3:00 pm | FREE | Ballantyne Village |
| People of the World: Argentina | 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm | FREE | International House |
| Family First: Symbols of Us | 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm | $13.54 | Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture |
| Christmas in July | 12:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Confluence, Cramerton |
| 11th Anniversary Celebration | 12:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | The Chamber by Wooden Robot (NoDa) |
| Pageland Watermelon Festival | 12:00 pm to 11:59 pm | FREE | Downtown Pageland |
| Santa at Unsheltered Tortoise and Turtle Sanctuary (Registration is required!) | 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm | $10.00 | UnshelteredNC — Tortoise and Turtle Rescue |
| Screening of The Extraordinary Caterpillar, with reception and Q&A (registration is required) | 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Independent Picture House |
| Free Public Tour of Innovation Barn | 1:00 pm | FREE | Innovation Barn |
| Hopfly Bike and Brew | 1:30 pm | FREE | HopFly Brewing Company |
| Pints & Progress | 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Pilot Brewing |
| Wag Fest for a Cause | 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Zoom Room Huntersville |
| 36th Street Market | 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm | FREE | The Chamber by Wooden Robot (NoDa) |
| Live Music Saturdays | 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm | FREE | Hi-Wire Brewing Charlotte |
| Live Music Saturdays | 4:00 pm | FREE | Frank’s Beer Shop |
| Concerts @ The Circles: Buffett & Beyond (Jimmy Buffett Tribute) | 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Clean Juice, Davidson |
| Gatito Night Market | 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | 4410 N Tryon Street |
| Live Music Saturdays | 5:00 pm | FREE | Lost Worlds Brewing, Charlotte (Metropolitan) |
| Live Music Saturdays | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Lore Brewing, Indian Land |
| Live Music Saturdays | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | Lost Worlds Brewing, Cornelius | |
| Live Music Saturdays | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Model A Brewing, Tega Cay |
| Mint Hill Family Fun Night Concert: Vinyl Live | 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Mint Hill Veterans Memorial Park |
| Stories Under the Stars: B-Rad Kids Magicians | 7:00 pm | FREE | Cabarrus County Library, Kannapolis Branch |
| River Jam live music series (free admission; parking is $13) | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | U.S. National Whitewater Center |
| Movies in the Park: The Sandlot | 7:30 pm | FREE | Fourth Ward Park |
| Saturday Live Music | 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Old Armor Beer Company, Kannapolis |
Sunday, July 19, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free mini-cup of Dippin' Dots (2-hour window, hours differ by store) | All Day | FREE | Dippin’ Dots, participating locations |
| Free Dilly Bar with $1 purchase (can redeem one time) | All Day | FREE | DQ (Multiple locations) |
| World Cup Watch Parties (every game; time varies) | All Day | FREE | Old Armor Beer Company, Kannapolis |
| Showing All World Cup Matches (times vary) | All Day | FREE | Charlotte Beer Garden |
| Happy Sundays Vintage Market | 11:00 am to 5:00 pm | FREE | The Happy Camper NoDa Lounge and Dispensary |
| Figure Drawing | 11:00 am | FREE | Free Range Brewing |
| Plant Swap & Shop | 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Sugar Creek Brewing |
| Southern Appetizer Showdown and World Cup Watch Party | 1:00 pm | Crafty Beer Guys Taproom & Bottle Shop, Huntersville | |
| Classic Cruisers of Monroe Cruise-In | 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Poplin Place Shopping Center, Monroe |
| Something's Brewing: A Fusion Jam Session | 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Town Brewing |
| Whimsical Nature Crafts | 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm | McDowell Nature Center and Preserve | |
| Free Musical Theatre Workshop with material from SHREK (registration required) | 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm | FREE | Charlotte Academy of Music |
| Free Tour at Torance House & Store | 2:00 pm | FREE | Hugh Torance House & Store |
| Gatito Night Market | 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | 4410 N Tryon Street |
| Live Music: David Childers | 3:00 pm | FREE | Free Range Brewing |
| Love, Compassion & Comedy: Four short plays (pay what you can) | 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm | FREE | Providence Presbyterian Church |
| American Guild of Organists Summer Recital Series: Matthew Noonan | 4:00 pm | FREE | Messiah Lutheran Church |
| Animal Ambassador Meet 'n' Greet | 4:00 pm to 4:30 pm | FREE | McDowell Nature Center and Preserve |
| NASCAR Cup Series Race Days | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Eleven Lakes Brewing, Cornelius |
| Free Comedy Open Mic at The Royal Tot | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | The Royal Tot |
