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:
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| QDOBA Offers Free Chips & Queso for Every Full Moon | All Day | FREE | Qdoba, participating locations |
| Students: buy one ticket get one free at Independent Picture House on Wednesdays | All Day | Discounted | Independent Picture House |
| World Cup Watch Parties (every game; time varies) | All Day | FREE | Old Armor Beer Company, Kannapolis |
| Wednesday Wine Nights: 15% off all bottles of wine | Discounted | Primal Brewery, Huntersville | |
| $3 Pilsener Wednesdays | Discounted | Gilde Brewery | |
| Birkdale Buds -- free children's activities | 10:30 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | Birkdale Village |
| Short Pour Wednesdays: $3 12 oz pours of select beers | 2:00 pm to 9:00 pm | Discounted | Pilot Brewing |
| Disc Golf League | 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Heist Brewery & Barrel Arts |
| 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 | |
| Open Mic Night | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Muddy River Distillery, Mount Holly |
| Live Music Saturdays | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery & Biergarten — Ballantyne |
| Live Music Fridays | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery & Biergarten — Ballantyne |
| The Gaming Lounge Video Gaming Pop-Up | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Divine Barrel Brewing |
| Free wine tasting at 115 Craft | 6:00 pm | FREE | 115 Craft, McAdenville |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| The Happening -- Collaborative arts/music/dance event | 8:00 pm | FREE | Jackalope Jack’s |
Thursday, July 30, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| World Cup Watch Parties (every game; time varies) | All Day | FREE | Old Armor Beer Company, Kannapolis |
| Throwback Thursdays $6 Pints | Discounted | Primal Brewery, Huntersville | |
| 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 |
| Gem Theatre's Summer Matinee | 12:30 pm | $2.00 | Gem Theatre, Kannapolis |
| Live Music Thursdays | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Lore Brewing, Indian Land |
| Live Music Saturdays | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery & Biergarten — Ballantyne |
| Live Music Fridays | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery & Biergarten — Ballantyne |
| Plaza Midwood Chess Club Meetup | 6:00 pm | FREE | Common Market Plaza Midwood |
| Board Game Night | 6:30 pm | FREE | Hi-Wire Brewing Charlotte |
| The Lost Years Movie Series: Mean Girls | 7:00 pm | $5.00-16.05 | Carolina Theatre, Charlotte |
| Music Bingo | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Percent Tap House, Harrisburg |
| Drag Trivia Night | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Pilot Brewing |
| 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 |
| 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 31, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| World Cup Watch Parties (every game; time varies) | All Day | FREE | Old Armor Beer Company, Kannapolis |
| Friday Flight Day: $10 flights | Discounted | Primal Brewery, Huntersville | |
| $18 beer pitchers and $10 beer growler fills | Discounted | Lenny Boy Brewing Co. | |
| 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 |
| $2 Franks on Fridays | 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm | Discounted | Gilde Brewery |
| 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 |
| Live Under the Oaks music series | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Birkdale Village |
| Live Music Saturdays | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery & Biergarten — Ballantyne |
| Live Music Fridays | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery & Biergarten — Ballantyne |
| 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: Super Mario Brothers Galaxy | 8:45 pm | FREE | Village Park, Kannapolis |
| Karaoke Idol | 9:00 pm | FREE | Beer Lab by Ghostface Brewing |
Saturday, August 1, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free museum admission first weekend of month for Bank of America/Merrill customers | All Day | FREE | Various locations |
| World Cup Watch Parties (every game; time varies) | All Day | FREE | Old Armor Beer Company, Kannapolis |
| Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Community Book Sale | 9:00 am to 1:00 pm | SouthPark Regional Library | |
| Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Back to School Celebration: Free haircuts, school supplies, lunch, more... | 9:00 am to 1:00 pm | Truist Field | |
| Caffeine and Classics Car Show at Streetside Classics | 9:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | Streetside Classics Charlotte |
| 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 |
| Bowl Street Market presented by Shop Local QC | 11:00 am to 3:00 pm | FREE | The Bowl at Ballantyne |
| Front Porch | 11:00 am to 4:00 pm | FREE | 2200 Thrift Road, Charlotte |
| VAPA Center Open Studios | 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm | FREE | VAPA Center |
| Free Public Tour of Innovation Barn | 1:00 pm | FREE | Innovation Barn |
| Hopfly Bike and Brew | 1:30 pm | FREE | HopFly Brewing Company |
| Concerts @ The Circles: Rock the 90s (90s Tribute) | 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Clean Juice, Davidson |
| Concerts @ The Circles: Chasing Phoenix (Rock / Variety) | 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Clean Juice, Davidson |
| Harmony Nights: The Hitmen | 6:00 pm | FREE | Historic County Courthouse, Concord |
| 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 | FREE | The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery & Biergarten — Ballantyne |
| Live Music Fridays | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery & Biergarten — Ballantyne |
| Game Night | 6:00 pm to 10:00 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 |
| Movies in the Park | 7:30 pm | FREE | Fourth Ward Park |
Sunday, August 2, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free museum admission first weekend of month for Bank of America/Merrill customers | All Day | FREE | Various locations |
| World Cup Watch Parties (every game; time varies) | All Day | FREE | Old Armor Beer Company, Kannapolis |
| Sunday Funday: $5 drafts and mimosas | Discounted | Gilde Brewery | |
| $6 kombucha-mosas | Discounted | Lenny Boy Brewing Co. | |
| Sensory-friendly hours at Discovery Place Science | 10:30 am to 1:30 pm | $18.00-23.00 | Discovery Place Science |
| Shop Local Sundays Pop-Up Market | 11:00 am to 7:00 pm | Camp North End | |
| Figure Drawing | 11:00 am | FREE | Free Range Brewing |
| Mint Hill Car Show -- Hot Rods on the Lawn | 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm | FREE | Chick-fil-A Mint Hill |
| Something's Brewing: A Fusion Jam Session | 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Town Brewing |
| Sensory-Friendly Hours at Discovery Place Kids | 2:00 pm to 4:30 pm | $15.00 | Discovery Place Kids |
| Free Tour at Torance House & Store | 2:00 pm | FREE | Hugh Torance House & Store |
| Downtown Jazz Jam | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Slow Play Brewing, Rock Hill |
| Live Music Saturdays | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery & Biergarten — Ballantyne |
| Live Music Fridays | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery & Biergarten — Ballantyne |
