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:
Sunday, August 30, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rita's ice: Buy custard cone, get free Italian ice | All Day | Rita’s Ice — participating locations | |
| Free car washes for teachers and school staff all August | All Day | FREE | The RipTide Car Wash, multiple locations |
| Smooth Monkey's Grand Opening: 20% off your whole order | 9:00 am to 6:00 pm | Discounted | Smooth Monkey, Uptown |
| Grand Opening of City Thrift | 10:00 am to 7:00 pm | FREE | City Thrift |
| LEGO Formula 1 Off Track Experience -- family event in Charlotte | 10:00 am to 6:00 pm | FREE | Symphony Park |
| Neighborhood Clean Up | 10:30 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | Pilot Brewing |
| Figure Drawing | 11:00 am | FREE | Free Range Brewing |
| Makers' Market CLT at The Boardwalk | 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm | FREE | Boardwalk at University City |
| Sip & Stitch | 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm | FREE | Town Brewing |
| Free Tour at Torance House & Store | 2:00 pm | FREE | Hugh Torance House & Store |
| Back to School celebration at Compare Foods with free school supplies | 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Compare Foods, South Blvd |
| Free Live Music Sundays | 3:00 pm | FREE | Free Range Brewing |
| Celebration: Independencia de Uruguay | 4:00 pm | FREE | Aldersgate UMC Charlotte |
| Animal Ambassador Meet 'n' Greet | 4:00 pm to 4:30 pm | FREE | McDowell Nature Center and Preserve |
| Stu's Barrel House: Open Funk & Blues Jam Session | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Stu’s Barrel House, NoDa |
Monday, August 31, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rita's ice: Buy custard cone, get free Italian ice | All Day | Rita’s Ice — participating locations | |
| Back to School Special: Free kids' meal with adult purchase | All Day | Discounted | The Improper Pig, multiple locations |
| Free car washes for teachers and school staff all August | All Day | FREE | The RipTide Car Wash, multiple locations |
| Kids eat free at Sonny's BBQ (with adult entrée purchase) | 11:00 am to 9:00 pm | Sonny’s BBQ, various 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 |
| Free line dancing lesson | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Swanee Theatre, Kannapolis |
| 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 |
| Comedy Open Mic: Heckle Edition | 7:00 pm | FREE | Triple C Brewing Co. Taproom, South End |
| 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 |
| Karaoke at Starlight on 22nd | 7:30 pm to 11:30 pm | FREE | Starlight on 22nd |
| Find Your Muse Open Mic | 7:30 pm | $8.24 | The Evening Muse |
Tuesday, September 1, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walgreens Senior Day: 20% off for rewards members age 55+ | All Day | Walgreens (multiple locations) | |
| Back to School Special: Free kids' meal with adult purchase | All Day | Discounted | The Improper Pig, multiple locations |
| Tickets go on sale for Reed GLOW Mine | 12:01 am | Reed Gold Mine | |
| Hope Street Food Pantry Food Distribution at University City Regional Library | 10:30 am to 12:30 pm | FREE | University City Regional Library (new location) |
| Drop-In Dance Class from Charlotte Ballet: Senior Dance Class | 11:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | Sugaw Creek Recreation Center |
| Kids eat free at Sonny's BBQ (with adult entrée purchase) | 11:00 am to 9:00 pm | Sonny’s BBQ, various locations | |
| Free Public Tour of Innovation Barn | 1:00 pm | FREE | Innovation Barn |
| Student discount at The Percantile and Creamery: 15% off | 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm | Discounted | The Percantile and Creamery, Concord |
| Taster Tuesdays: half off beer flights, 20% off top shelf bourbon, $4 shooters, and 20% off snacks | 2:00 pm to 9:00 pm | Discounted | Pilot Brewing |
| BYO Craft Night | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | NoDa Brewing North End |
| Gamer's Social | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | The Market at 7th Street |
| Tosco Music Open Mic | 6:30 pm | $8.24 | The Evening Muse |
| 7th Street Concerts: The Day the Music Didn't Stop: 9/11 at 25 Years (discounted tickets) | 7:00 pm | Discounted | St. Peter’s Episcopal Church |
| Dart League | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Primal Brewery, Huntersville |
| Taps & Tiles Mahjong Open Play | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Triple C Brewing Co. Taproom, South End |
| Comedy Open Mic at Starlight on 22nd | 7:00 pm to 11:30 pm | FREE | Starlight on 22nd |
Wednesday, September 2, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students: buy one ticket get one free at Independent Picture House on Wednesdays | All Day | Discounted | Independent Picture House |
| Back to School Special: Free kids' meal with adult purchase | All Day | Discounted | The Improper Pig, multiple locations |
| Kids eat free at Sonny's BBQ (with adult entrée purchase) | 11:00 am to 9:00 pm | Sonny’s BBQ, various locations | |
| 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 | |
| Su Casa featuring Jasiatic Usher | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Mint Museum Uptown |
| Gaston Draws: The Figure Series (Adult session; registration required) | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Anne Biggers Furr Learning Station, Dallas |
| Open Mic Night | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Muddy River Distillery, Mount Holly |
| Stitch N' Bitch | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Petty Thieves Brewing Co. |
| 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 |
| Left Right Center Game Night | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Eleven Lakes Brewing, Cornelius |
| Trivia in the courtyard of Optimist Hall | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Optimist Hall |
| 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 |
| Bluegrass Jam | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Birdsong Brewing Co. |
| Hella Spell: A Team-Based Spelling Event | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Gilde Brewery |
| Open Mic | 7:00 pm to 11:30 pm | FREE | Starlight on 22nd |
| Free Bingo at The Percantile and Creamery (win prizes!) | 7:00 pm | FREE | The Percantile and Creamery, Concord |
| Ted Lasso Season 2 Watch Party | 7:00 pm | FREE | NoDa Brewing North End |
| The Happening -- Collaborative arts/music/dance event | 8:00 pm | FREE | Jackalope Jack’s |
Thursday, September 3, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Back to School Special: Free kids' meal with adult purchase | All Day | Discounted | The Improper Pig, multiple locations |
| Birding at Stevens Creek | 9:00 am to 10:30 am | FREE | Stevens Creek Nature Preserve and Center |
| 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 |
| Hope Street Food Pantry Food Distribution | 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Hope Street Food Pantry |
| Piedmont Music Therapy: Community Grooves for Adolescents (registration required) | 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm | FREE | West Boulevard Library |
| Night Market at Pascuales' Farm, including vendors, farm tours, scavenger hunt, more | 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Pascuales’ Farm |
| Concerts in the Garden: Common Wealth | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Glencairn Garden, Rock Hill |
| Free recycling class for kids | 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm | FREE | Innovation Barn |
| 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 |
| Music Bingo | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Middle James Brewing, Pineville |
| Charlotte Chess Center Meet-up at Wooden Robot Brewery | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Wooden Robot Brewery (South End) |
| River Jam live music series (free admission; parking is $13) | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | U.S. National Whitewater Center |
| Karaoke Thursdays | 9:00 pm | FREE | Hattie’s Tap and Tavern |
