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, December 10, 2025
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students: buy one ticket get one free at Independent Picture House on Wednesdays | All Day | Discounted | Independent Picture House |
| AMC theatre Sensory-Friendly Movie for Mature Audiences (price and time can vary by theater) | All Day | AMC Theatres, participating locations | |
| Ice Skating at The Bowl at Ballantyne (time varies by day) | All Day | $12.00-20.00 | |
| EXPLORE: Community Concert Series: Amanda Hampton | 11:00 am | FREE | Mallard Creek Recreation Center |
| Disc Golf League | 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Heist Brewery & Barrel Arts |
| Free Wednesday Evening at Museum 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 | |
| Free Yoga | 5:30 pm | FREE | Sycamore Brewing |
| Chess Time! At West Boulevard Library | 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | West Boulevard Library |
| Chess Club at Allegra Westbrooks Regional Library | 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Allegra Westbrooks Regional Library (formerly Beatties Ford Regional Library) |
| Free Yoga at Hindu Center of Charlotte | 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Hindu Center of Charlotte |
| Eleven Lakes Book Club | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Eleven Lakes Brewing, Cornelius |
| Vinyl Wednesday | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Confluence, Cramerton |
| Kannapolis Celebration of Lights and Winterland Express (free admission, charge for train ride) | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Village Park, Kannapolis |
| 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 |
| Open Hearts Open Mic | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Starlight on 22nd |
| Puzzle Race and Half-Priced Wine | 7:00 pm | Discounted | Middle James Brewing, Pineville |
Thursday, December 11, 2025
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Polar Express Train Ride (various start times; prices vary) | All Day | $42.00-49.00 | North Carolina Transportation Museum |
| Ice Skating at The Bowl at Ballantyne (time varies by day) | All Day | $12.00-20.00 | |
| ArtBreak at Bechtler Museum -- free guided lunchtime tour | 12:00 pm to 12:30 pm | FREE | Bechtler Museum of Modern Art |
| 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 |
| Hope Street Food Pantry Food Distribution | 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Hope Street Food Pantry |
| 5th Annual Tree Festival at Chickadee Hill Farms | 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm | $10.00-15.00 | Chickadee Hill Farms |
| Yappy Hour Thurstdays | 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Southern Strain Brewing Company, Plaza Midwood |
| Weekly Ping Pong Club | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Hi-Wire Brewing Charlotte |
| Kannapolis Celebration of Lights and Winterland Express (free admission, charge for train ride) | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Village Park, Kannapolis |
| Charlotte Fit Fam | 6:00 pm | FREE | HopFly Brewing Company |
| Name the Music at Rhino Market & Deli South End | 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Rhino Market South End |
| 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 |
| Open Mic Night | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Cabarrus Brewing Company |
Friday, December 12, 2025
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Skating at The Bowl at Ballantyne (time varies by day) | All Day | $12.00-20.00 | |
| Free Public Tour of Innovation Barn | 9:00 am | FREE | Innovation Barn |
| Friday Fire and S'mores | 10:30 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | Stevens Creek Nature Preserve and Center |
| 5th Annual Tree Festival at Chickadee Hill Farms | 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm | $10.00-15.00 | Chickadee Hill Farms |
| University City Food Truck Friday | 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Armored Cow Brewing |
| Friday Nights at Camp North End | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Camp North End |
| Kannapolis Celebration of Lights and Winterland Express (free admission, charge for train ride) | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Village Park, Kannapolis |
| South End Food Truck Friday | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Hi-Wire Brewing Charlotte |
| Friday Night Live Music | 7:00 pm to 11:30 pm | FREE | Hi-Wire Brewing Charlotte |
| The Comedy Market: Open Mic | 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Common Market South End |
| Brews & Views | 8:00 pm | FREE | Heist Brewery & Barrel Arts |
Saturday, December 13, 2025
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMC theatre Sensory-Friendly Family Movie (price and time can vary by theater) | All Day | AMC Theatres, participating locations | |
| Ice Skating at The Bowl at Ballantyne (time varies by day) | All Day | $12.00-20.00 | |
| 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 |
| Free Yoga | 10:00 am | FREE | Sycamore Brewing |
| Charlemos Charlotte Language Exchange Program | 10:30 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | South Boulevard Library |
| Free Bilingual Holiday Concert with Café Amaretto | 11:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | Charlotte Mecklenburg Library — Pineville |
| JCPenney Kids Zone: free crafts for kids | 11:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | JCPenney, participating locations |
| People of the World: Philippines | 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm | FREE | International House |
| Holiday-themed Repair Cafe at Innovation Barn -- partner with volunteers to repair your stuff | 12:00 pm 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 |
| 5th Annual Tree Festival at Chickadee Hill Farms | 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm | $10.00-15.00 | Chickadee Hill Farms |
| Outdoor Movie Night: Elf | 6:00 pm | FREE | Carolina Beer Temple-Matthews |
| Kannapolis Christmas Parade | 6:00 pm | FREE | Downtown Kannapolis |
| Kannapolis Celebration of Lights and Winterland Express (free admission, charge for train ride) | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Village Park, Kannapolis |
| VAPA Center: Night Market Studios | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | VAPA Center |
| Live Music: Dan Staton | 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm | FREE | Primal Brewery, Huntersville |
Sunday, December 14, 2025
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Skating at The Bowl at Ballantyne (time varies by day) | All Day | $12.00-20.00 | |
| Sunday Fundays | 10:00 am to 10:00 pm | Discounted | Gilde Brewery |
| Free Health Clinic | 10:30 am to 12:30 pm | FREE | Hindu Center of Charlotte |
| Sunny's Market Pop-Up Market -- Christmas Show | 10:30 am to 4:30 pm | Atrium Health Ballpark, Kannapolis | |
| QC Fitness Games | 11:00 am to 12:15 pm | $5.00 | Pearl Street Park |
| Free Figure Drawing | 11:00 am to 1:30 pm | FREE | Free Range Brewing |
| Shop the Lot | 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm | FREE | Beer Lab by Ghostface Brewing |
| December Plant Swap and Shop | 12:00 pm | FREE | Traust Brewing Company, Mount Holly |
| Maker's Market CLT at Burial Beer Co. | 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm | FREE | Burial Beer Co., Charlotte |
| Something Brewing: Fusion Jam Sessions | 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Town Brewing |
| 5th Annual Tree Festival at Chickadee Hill Farms | 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm | $10.00-15.00 | Chickadee Hill Farms |
| Soul Sundays (free, but donations accepted) | 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Starlight on 22nd |
| Kannapolis Celebration of Lights and Winterland Express (free admission, charge for train ride) | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Village Park, Kannapolis |
