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:
Tuesday, September 30, 2025
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte International Arts Festival | All Day | FREE | Various locations |
| Pumpkin Patch at Hodges Family Farm | 9:00 am to 5:30 pm | FREE | Hodges Family Farm |
| Library Mobile Food Pantry with Hope Street Food Pantry (click to see location each week) | 10:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | Various locations |
| 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 |
| Free Public Tour of Innovation Barn | 1:00 pm | FREE | Innovation Barn |
| Tortilla making workshop for teens | 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | ImaginOn |
| Bring your own mug (any size) and get it filled for $6 | 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm | $6.00 | Sugar Creek Brewing |
| Duolingo Live! Spanish | 4:15 pm to 5:00 pm | FREE | Steele Creek Library |
| Bring Your Own Vinyl Night | 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Divine Barrel Brewing |
| Hike For Your Health | 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm | FREE | Reedy Creek Nature Center and Preserve |
| Silent Book Club | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Divine Barrel Brewing |
| Be Well Birkdale: Free workout series | 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Birkdale Village |
| Social Paddle Club | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | King Canary Brewing, Mooresville |
| Ayrsley Retro Horror Series | 6:30 pm | $5.00 | Ayrsley Grand Cinemas |
| Dart League | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Primal Brewery, Huntersville |
| Dart League at Primal Belmont | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Primal Brewery Belmont |
| Name the Music at Wobbly Butt Tap Room & Eatery | 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm | FREE | Victory Lanes, Mooresville |
| Comedy Open Mic at Starlight on 22nd | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Starlight on 22nd |
| Davidson College Symphony Orchestra Show Day | 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Duke Family Performance Hall in Knobloch Campus Center (Davidson College) |
| Ayrsley Retro Horror Series | 8:00 pm | $5.00 | Ayrsley Grand Cinemas |
| Ayrsley Retro Horror Series | 9:45 pm | $5.00 | Ayrsley Grand Cinemas |
Wednesday, October 1, 2025
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students: buy one ticket get one free at Independent Picture House on Wednesdays | All Day | Discounted | Independent Picture House |
| Learning for Littles Story Time at Stowe's Trailhead Store | 9:00 am to 9:45 am | FREE | Trailhead Store at Daniel Stowe Conservancy, Belmont |
| Wellness Wednesday Fitness Hike | 9:00 am to 11:00 am | FREE | Latta Nature Preserve |
| Pumpkin Patch at Hodges Family Farm | 9:00 am to 5:30 pm | FREE | Hodges Family Farm |
| Birkdale Buds -- activities for preschool children | 10:30 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | Birkdale Village |
| Free Art Kits at Mint Museum Randolph: Shoe Sculpture | 11:00 am to 9:00 pm | FREE | Mint Museum Randolph |
| Golden Bull Bite Wednesdays at the West Complex | 11:00 am to 7:00 pm | FREE | West Complex |
| Radical Raccoons | 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Latta Nature Preserve |
| East Charlotte Farmers' Market | 3:00 pm to 6:30 pm | FREE | McLawland Farms |
| 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 |
| Free Yoga at Hindu Center of Charlotte | 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Hindu Center of Charlotte |
| The OG Boot Camp | 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm | FREE | Lenny Boy Brewing Co. |
| Ayrsley Retro Horror Series | 6:30 pm | $5.00 | Ayrsley Grand Cinemas |
| 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 |
| Jazz Night with DJam Collective at Camp North End | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Camp North End |
| Bunco! | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Eleven Lakes Brewing, Cornelius |
| 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 |
| Wednesday Night Yoga | 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm | $5.00 | Lenny Boy Brewing Co. |
| The Happening -- Collaborative arts/music/dance event | 8:00 pm | FREE | Jackalope Jack’s |
| Ayrsley Retro Horror Series | 8:00 pm | $5.00 | Ayrsley Grand Cinemas |
| Ayrsley Retro Horror Series | 9:45 pm | $5.00 | Ayrsley Grand Cinemas |
Thursday, October 2, 2025
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Learning for Littles Story Time at Stowe's Trailhead Store | 9:00 am to 9:45 am | FREE | Trailhead Store at Daniel Stowe Conservancy, Belmont |
| Birding at Stevens Creek | 9:00 am to 10:30 am | FREE | Stevens Creek Nature Preserve and Center |
| Pumpkin Patch at Hodges Family Farm | 9:00 am to 5:30 pm | FREE | Hodges Family Farm |
| Animal Meet and Greet | 10:00 am to 11:00 am | FREE | Reedy Creek Nature Center and Preserve |
| Trails and Tales: free monthly event for kids at Cabarrus County parks | 10:00 am to 11:00 am | FREE | Rob Wallace Park, Midland |
| Trails and Tales: free monthly event for kids at Cabarrus County parks | 10:00 am to 11:00 am | FREE | Frank Liske Park |
| Free Art Kits at Mint Museum Randolph: Shoe Sculpture | 11:00 am to 6:00 pm | FREE | Mint Museum Randolph |
| UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens Fall Plant Sale (members and campus community only) | 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Lot 5, UNC Charlotte (near Botanical Gardens) |
| ArtBreak at the Gantt: Free lunchtime tour | 12:00 pm to 12:30 pm | FREE | Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture |
| Endangered Rivers | 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm | FREE | McDowell Nature Center and Preserve |
| Free "Explore Creative Art" classes for adults and teens | 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm | FREE | Berewick Recreation Center |
| 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 |
| Family Hammock Hike | 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Reedy Creek Nature Center and Preserve |
| Sock Lab -- get help with sock knitting projects | 2:00 pm | FREE | Editions — Coffee and Bookstore (Kannapolis) |
| Hope Street Food Pantry Food Distribution | 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Hope Street Food Pantry |
| SouthPark After 5: Y2K Kids, plus free mobile library, more | 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Symphony Park |
| Yappy Hour Thurstdays | 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Southern Strain Brewing Company, Plaza Midwood |
| Biketober Block Party | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Neoteric Brewing Company |
| Plaza Midwood Chess Club Meetup | 6:00 pm | FREE | Common Market Plaza Midwood |
| Weekly Ping Pong Club | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Hi-Wire Brewing Charlotte |
| Bluegrass Jam | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Birdsong Brewing Co. |
| Charlotte Fit Fam | 6:00 pm | FREE | HopFly Brewing Company |
| Nature Trivia | 6:00 pm | FREE | Free Range Brewing |
| 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 |
| Ayrsley Retro Horror Series | 6:30 pm | $5.00 | Ayrsley Grand Cinemas |
| Open Mic Night | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Cabarrus Brewing Company |
| Crossroads Cinema at Camp North End: Halloweentown | 8:00 pm | FREE | Camp North End |
| Ayrsley Retro Horror Series | 8:00 pm | $5.00 | Ayrsley Grand Cinemas |
| Ayrsley Retro Horror Series | 9:45 pm | $5.00 | Ayrsley Grand Cinemas |
Friday, October 3, 2025
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bandcamp Friday: Bandcamp waives its revenue share and artists keep all the revenue | All Day | Virtual | |
| UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens Fall Plant Sale | 9:00 am to 3:00 pm | FREE | Lot 5, UNC Charlotte (near Botanical Gardens) |
| Learning for Littles Story Time at Stowe's Trailhead Store | 9:00 am to 9:45 am | FREE | Trailhead Store at Daniel Stowe Conservancy, Belmont |
| Free Birding Walks on trails of Stowe Conservancy | 9:00 am to 10:00 am | FREE | Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden |
| Pumpkin Patch at Hodges Family Farm | 9:00 am to 5:30 pm | FREE | Hodges Family Farm |
| Free Public Tour of Innovation Barn | 9:00 am | FREE | Innovation Barn |
| Mecktoberfest at OMB Ballantyne | 11:00 am to 11:00 pm | FREE | The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery & Biergarten — Ballantyne |
| Free Art Kits at Mint Museum Randolph: Shoe Sculpture | 11:00 am to 6:00 pm | FREE | Mint Museum Randolph |
| Oktoberfest at Gilde Brewery | 11:00 am to 10:00 pm | FREE | Gilde Brewery |
| Food Truck Friday | 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Resident Culture Brewing Plaza Midwood |
| St. Sarkis Armenian Fall Food Festival | 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Saint Sarkis Armenian Church of Charlotte |
| First Fridays Pineville | 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Historic Downtown Pineville |
| University City Food Truck Friday | 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Armored Cow Brewing |
| Asian Night Market | 5:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Urban District Market |
| Salisbury's 11th Annual Buskers' Bash | 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Downtown Salisbury |
| First Friday at Clayworks | 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm | FREE | Clayworks |
| Adult Recess | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Huntersville Athletic Park |
| Kannapolis Fire Truck Parade | 6:00 pm | FREE | Kannapolis 911 |
| Live Under the Oaks music series | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Birkdale Village |
| South End Gallery Crawl | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Historic South End |
| Maker's Market CLT at Primal Brewery Huntersville | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Primal Brewery, Huntersville |
| Friday Nights at Camp North End | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Camp North End |
| South End Food Truck Friday | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Hi-Wire Brewing Charlotte |
| Open Mic at 21 | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Access 21 |
| Taylor Swift Trivia | 7:00 pm | FREE | NoDa Brewing North End |
| Ayrsley Retro Horror Series | 7:00 pm | $5.00 | Ayrsley Grand Cinemas |
| Friday Night Live Music | 7:00 pm to 11:30 pm | FREE | Hi-Wire Brewing Charlotte |
| Outdoor Movie Night at Triple C | 7:00 pm | FREE | Triple C Brewing Co. |
| Mint 2 Move Cultural Dance Night: Hispanic Heritage Month | 7:30 pm to 11:30 pm | $15.00-19.00 | Mint Museum Uptown |
| FabFest: Tosco Music Beatles Tribute | 7:30 pm | $22.50-56.50 | Knight Theater |
| 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 |
| Ayrsley Retro Horror Series | 9:00 pm | $5.00 | Ayrsley Grand Cinemas |
Saturday, October 4, 2025
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free museum admission first weekend of month for Bank of America/Merrill customers | All Day | FREE | Various locations |
| Free Paper Shredding Day in York | 8:00 am to 12:00 pm | York County Public Works | |
| Home Depot Kids' Workshop: Haunted Candy Box | 9:00 am to 12:00 pm | Discounted | The Home Depot, multiple locations |
| UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens Fall Plant Sale | 9:00 am to 2:00 pm | FREE | Lot 5, UNC Charlotte (near Botanical Gardens) |
| Fall Artisan Market at Anne Springs Close Greenway (cost is per car) | 9:00 am to 4:00 pm | $5.00-1.00 | Anne Springs Close Greenway |
| Learning for Littles Story Time at Stowe's Trailhead Store | 9:00 am to 9:45 am | FREE | Trailhead Store at Daniel Stowe Conservancy, Belmont |
| Free Tai Chi Class with Taiji Matthews | 9:00 am to 10:00 am | FREE | Stumptown Park, Matthews |
| Streetside Classics -- Charlotte Caffeine and Classics | 9:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | Streetside Classics Charlotte |
| Free recycling class for kids | 10:00 am to 11:30 am | FREE | Innovation Barn |
| Kids in Nature Day | 10:00 am to 1:00 pm | FREE | Squirrel Lake Park |
| Historical Hearth Cooks: Apples & Pumpkins Cooking Demonstration | 10:00 am to 2:00 pm | FREE | President James K. Polk Historic Site |
| Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day | 10:00 am to 2:00 pm | FREE | Col. Francis Beatty Park |
| Fabfest Daytime: Immersive Beatles Festival | 10:00 am to 5:00 pm | FREE | CPCC Central Campus: The Parr Center |
| 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 |
| Touch a Truck | 11:00 am to 3:00 pm | FREE | Carolina Place Mall |
| Charlotte Kids Fest | 11:00 am to 4:00 pm | FREE | Shoppes at University Place |
| Burgtoberfest | 11:00 am to 6:00 pm | FREE | Percent Tap House, Harrisburg |
| Southern Soul Music Festival | 11:00 am to 8:00 pm | FREE | Royal Giants Park, East Spencer |
| St. Sarkis Armenian Fall Food Festival | 11:00 am to 8:00 pm | FREE | Saint Sarkis Armenian Church of Charlotte |
| Bowl Street Pop Up Market presented by Shop Local QC | 11:00 am to 3:00 pm | FREE | The Bowl at Ballantyne |
| Outlaw Acres -- Immersive Western-Themed Fall Attraction | 11:00 am to 5:00 pm | $15.00 | Outlaw Acres, Monroe |
| Free Art Kits at Mint Museum Randolph: Shoe Sculpture | 11:00 am to 6:00 pm | FREE | Mint Museum Randolph |
| Oktoberfest at Gilde Brewery | 11:00 am to 10:00 pm | FREE | Gilde Brewery |
| Mecktoberfest at OMB Ballantyne | 11:00 am to 11:00 pm | FREE | The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery & Biergarten — Ballantyne |
| Bard at the Barn: Free outdoor, family-friendly performance of The Tempest | 11:00 am | FREE | The Barn at MoRA |
| 4th Annual Oktoberfest at Optimist Hall | 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Fonta Flora Brewery at Optimist Hall |
| Elevate Shops Market | 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm | FREE | Heist Brewery & Barrel Arts |
| Hola Charlotte Festival | 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm | FREE | Center City Charlotte–festival area |
| Primal in Pink: Breast Cancer Awareness Fundraiser | 12:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Primal Brewery, Huntersville |
| Lore Brewing Company’s 6th Anniversary Celebration | 12:00 pm | FREE | Lore Brewing, Indian Land |
| VAPA Center: Open Studios -- art market, music, more... | 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm | FREE | VAPA Center |
| Halloween Barktacular | 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Cabarrus Brewing Company |
| Free Public Tour of Innovation Barn | 1:00 pm | FREE | Innovation Barn |
| Mid-Autumn Festival Cultural Fair | 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm | FREE | Charlotte Mecklenburg Library — Pineville |
| Hopfly Bike and Brew | 1:30 pm | FREE | HopFly Brewing Company |
| Pickin' on the Porch -- free acoustic music series at Stowe Conservancy Trailhead Store | 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Trailhead Store at Daniel Stowe Conservancy, Belmont |
| Live Music: Bluegrass from Crystal Fountains | 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Triple C Brewing Co. |
| Kelly's Knights Market & Drag Show | 4:00 pm to 8:30 pm | FREE | The Chamber by Wooden Robot (NoDa) |
| Concerts @ the Circles: Petty Rewind | 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Clean Juice, Davidson |
| Festival of Food Trucks in Mooresville | 5:00 pm to 8:30 pm | FREE | Downtown Mooresville |
| Maker's Market at Pilot Brewing | 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Pilot Brewing |
| Karaoke Night | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Primal Brewery Belmont |
| Karaoke Night | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Primal Brewery Belmont |
| Karaoke Night | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Primal Brewery Belmont |
| Belmont Movies in the Park: The Addams Family | 7:00 pm | FREE | Stowe Park, Belmont |
| Taylor Swift Silent Disco Album Release Party | 7:30 pm | $14.58-17.95 | Hi-Wire Brewing Charlotte |
