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: Thursday, July 16, 2026
Tomorrow: Friday, July 17, 2026
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 |
| 3rd Saturday Music: Jazz performance by Jonah Bechtler-Teixeira and Noah Kilbonge | 10:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | Summit Coffee, NoDa |
| 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 |
| World Cup Watch Party | 4:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Cabarrus Brewing Company |
| 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 |
Monday, July 20, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| World Cup Watch Parties (every game; time varies) | All Day | FREE | Old Armor Beer Company, Kannapolis |
| Vision to Learn: Free eye exams for kids (registration is required) | 9:00 am to 1:00 pm | FREE | Embrace All Latino Voices |
| Nature Book and Look | 10:00 am to 11:00 am | FREE | McDowell Nature Center and Preserve |
| Ben & Jerry's Scooper Olympics | 10:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | Ben & Jerry’s Davidson |
| Disney's "Camp Rock 3" bus tour | 10:00 am to 2:00 pm | FREE | Commonwealth Plaza Midwood |
| Insomnia Cookies Happy Hour: Buy One Get One Free | 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm | Discounted | Insomnia Cookies, multiple locations |
| Student discount at The Percantile and Creamery: 15% off | 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm | Discounted | The Percantile and Creamery, Concord |
| Mindful Mondays: 20% off N/A beers and alcohol free drinks | 2:00 pm to 9:00 pm | Discounted | Pilot Brewing |
| Drop-In Dance Class from Charlotte Ballet: Senior Ballet | 3:15 pm to 4:15 pm | FREE | Northern Regional Recreation Center |
| Dance With Me: Line Dancing -- beginning lesson and open dance | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | $5.00 | The Barrel Room at Triple C, South End |
| Game Night | 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm | FREE | Urban District Market |
| World Tavern Poker | 6:30 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Old Armor Beer Company, Kannapolis |
| Karaoke at Starlight on 22nd | 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Starlight on 22nd |
| Nerd Night: games and free pizza | 7:00 pm | FREE | Resident Culture Brewing Plaza Midwood |
| Bill Hanna Legacy Jazz Session | 7:30 pm to 10:00 pm | $7.00-10.00 | Petra’s |
| Find Your Muse Open Mic | 7:30 pm | $8.24 | The Evening Muse |
