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).
Have you subscribed to Charlotte on the Cheap yet? Subscribers get one email a day. It's free to subscribe.
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:
Thursday, August 20, 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 | |
| $8 well made cocktails | Discounted | Monarch Market | |
| Drop-In Dance Class from Charlotte Ballet: Senior Dance Class | 11:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | Sugaw Creek Recreation Center |
| Mission City Church's Food Pantry Distribution Event | 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm | FREE | Mission City Church |
| Piedmont Music Therapy: Community Grooves for Elementary School Youth (registration required) | 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm | FREE | Berewick Recreation Center |
| Hope Street Food Pantry Food Distribution | 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Hope Street Food Pantry |
| LaLaCaboosa Downtown Music Series in Huntersville | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Veterans Park (Huntersville) |
| 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 |
| Board Game Night | 6:30 pm | FREE | Hi-Wire Brewing Charlotte |
| Meck Sounds: Boz Biz Band | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Park Road Park |
| The Lost Years Movie Series: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest | 7:00 pm | $5.00-16.05 | Carolina Theatre, Charlotte |
| Music Bingo | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Percent Tap House, Harrisburg |
| 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 Chess Center Meet-up at Resident Culture Brewing | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Resident Culture Brewing Plaza Midwood |
| 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, August 21, 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 |
| 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 |
| Hot Glass Alley's Open Demo | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Hot Glass Alley |
| Gothic Punk Night Market | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | NoDa Brewing North End |
| Jammin' On the 1 -- jam session at Access 21 Studios | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Access 21 |
| River Jam live music series (free admission; parking is $13) | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | U.S. National Whitewater Center |
| Karaoke Idol | 9:00 pm | FREE | Beer Lab by Ghostface Brewing |
Saturday, August 22, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMC theatre Sensory-Friendly Family Movie (price and time can vary by theater) | All Day | AMC Theatres, participating locations | |
| World Cup Watch Parties (every game; time varies) | All Day | FREE | Old Armor Beer Company, Kannapolis |
| $6 mimosas, High Noon, and vodka Redbull | Discounted | Monarch Market | |
| Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Community Book Sale | 9:00 am to 1:00 pm | Charlotte Mecklenburg Library — Pineville | |
| 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 |
| Saturday Swap: Back to School Book Swap | 11:00 am to 4:00 pm | FREE | Innovation Barn |
| Free Public Tour of Innovation Barn | 1:00 pm | FREE | Innovation Barn |
| Hopfly Bike and Brew | 1:30 pm | FREE | HopFly Brewing Company |
| Live Music Saturdays | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Lore Brewing, Indian Land |
| The Lost Years Movie Series: Wall-E | 7:00 pm | $5.00-16.05 | Carolina Theatre, Charlotte |
| 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 23, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| World Cup Watch Parties (every game; time varies) | All Day | FREE | Old Armor Beer Company, Kannapolis |
| $6 kombucha-mosas | Discounted | Lenny Boy Brewing Co. | |
| $6 Mimosas | Discounted | Birdsong Brewing Co. | |
| Birkdale Village Farmers Market presented by Shop Local QC | 10:00 am to 3:00 pm | FREE | Birkdale Village |
| Figure Drawing | 11:00 am | FREE | Free Range Brewing |
| Silent Cinema Café (suggested donation is $5) | 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm | VisArt Video | |
| Something's Brewing: A Fusion Jam Session | 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Town Brewing |
| Free Tour at Torance House & Store | 2:00 pm | FREE | Hugh Torance House & Store |
| Davidson's Concerts on the Green: Gospelfest | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Davidson Village Green |
Monday, August 24, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| World Cup Watch Parties (every game; time varies) | All Day | FREE | Old Armor Beer Company, Kannapolis |
| 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 |
| Open Mic Night | 6:30 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Old Armor Beer Company, Kannapolis |
| Karaoke at Starlight on 22nd | 7:00 pm to 10:00 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 |
