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, September 10, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drop-In Dance Class from Charlotte Ballet: Senior Dance Class | 11:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | Sugaw Creek Recreation Center |
| ArtBreak at Bechtler Museum -- free guided lunchtime tour | 12:00 pm to 12:30 pm | FREE | Bechtler Museum of Modern Art |
| 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 |
| Thursdays on Main: Jim Quick & The Coastline | 6:00 pm | FREE | Veterans Park (Kannapolis) |
| 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 |
| NFL Trivia | 7:00 pm | FREE | Neoteric Brewing Company |
| 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 Thursdays | 9:00 pm | FREE | Hattie’s Tap and Tavern |
Friday, September 11, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| OMB 2026 Mecktoberfest Weekend One | FREE | Olde Mecklenburg Brewery — LoSo | |
| Piedmont Music Therapy: Community Grooves for Seniors (registration required) | 9:30 am to 10:30 am | FREE | Marion Diehl Park |
| Move Beyond: Learn Contemporary and Cambodian Dance in free classes | 10:00 am to 11:30 am | FREE | Open Door Studios |
| Free Weekly Water Playgroup for Babies & Preschoolers at Charlotte Aquatics | 10:00 am to 10:30 am | FREE | Charlotte Aquatics |
| Mecktoberfest at OMB LoSo | 11:00 am to 11:00 pm | FREE | Olde Mecklenburg Brewery — LoSo |
| Free Public Tour of Innovation Barn | 11:00 am | FREE | Innovation Barn |
| Cabarrus County Fair | 4:00 pm to 11:59 pm | $6.00-8.00 | Cabarrus Arena and Events Center |
| 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 |
| Music on the Green at Promenade on Providence | 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm | FREE | Promenade on Providence |
| LaLaCaboosa Downtown Music Series in Huntersville -- Latino Night | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Veterans Park (Huntersville) |
| Mount Holly Nights: 20 Ride and drone show | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Downtown Mt. Holly |
| Car Cruise-In in Downtown Monroe | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Downtown Monroe |
| Friday Nights at Camp North End | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Camp North End |
| Opening celebration of Repossessions, Sown Together: New Voices in Contemporary Textile Art, and Yashua Klos: Cornerstones | 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture |
| Friday Live Music | 7:00 pm to 9:00 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: Coco | 7:30 pm | FREE | Fountain Park, Rock Hill |
| Friday Live Music | 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Old Armor Beer Company, Kannapolis |
| Karaoke Idol | 9:00 pm | FREE | Beer Lab by Ghostface Brewing |
Saturday, September 12, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMC theatre Sensory-Friendly Family Movie (price and time can vary by theater) | All Day | AMC Theatres, participating locations | |
| OMB 2026 Mecktoberfest Weekend One | FREE | Olde Mecklenburg Brewery — LoSo | |
| AutoBarn's Classic Cars & Coffee | 8:00 am to 10:00 am | FREE | Gibson Mill Market |
| Free Rabies Vaccination Clinic | 8:00 am to 10:45 am | FREE | Charlotte Vehicle Operations Center |
| Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Community Book Sale | 9:00 am to 1:00 pm | Mint Hill Library | |
| Safety Saturday at Birkdale Village -- Ninja course, emergency trucks, more... | 10:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | Birkdale Village |
| Lowe's DIY-U Kids' Workshop: Haunted House | 10:00 am to 1:00 pm | FREE | Lowe’s (multiple stores) |
| Open house at Hoyle Historic Homestead, the oldest house in Gaston County | 10:00 am to 2:00 pm | FREE | Hoyle Historic Homestead |
| 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 |
| 2nd Saturday Makers' Meet-Up (Free, but $5 donation suggested for materials) | 10:30 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | Charlotte Studio Artists |
| Charlemos Charlotte Language Exchange Program | 10:30 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | South Boulevard Library |
| Free "Learn to Ride" Bike Event (free helmets available) | 11:00 am to 1:00 pm | FREE | Arbor Glen Outreach Center |
| Cornelius Festival of Cultures | 11:00 am to 2:00 pm | FREE | Cain Park, Cornelius |
| Art Walk on Union in Concord | 11:00 am to 4:00 pm | FREE | Downtown Concord |
| Blocktoberfest | 11:00 am to 11:00 pm | FREE | Town Brewing |
| JCPenney Kids Zone: free crafts for kids | 11:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | JCPenney, participating locations |
| Second Saturdays in SouthPark Market | 11:00 am to 4:00 pm | FREE | Legion Brewing SouthPark |
| Mecktoberfest at OMB LoSo | 11:00 am to 11:00 pm | FREE | Olde Mecklenburg Brewery — LoSo |
| ASL Hike and Sign | 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm | FREE | Stevens Creek Nature Preserve and Center |
| 4th Annual Citizen Con -- Post-Apocalyptic Cosplay Event | 1:00 pm to 11:30 pm | FREE | District 57 |
| Cabarrus County Fair | 1:00 pm to 11:59 pm | $6.00-8.00 | Cabarrus Arena and Events Center |
| Free Public Tour of Innovation Barn | 1:00 pm | FREE | Innovation Barn |
| Robot Block Party | 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm | FREE | |
| Hopfly Bike and Brew | 1:30 pm | FREE | HopFly Brewing Company |
| Gastonia Concert Series: Finesse | 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Rotary Centennial Pavilion, Gastonia |
| Music on the Green at Promenade on Providence | 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm | FREE | Promenade on Providence |
| Davidson's Concerts on the Green: The Chain (Fleetwood Mac Tribute) | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Davidson Village Green |
| Live Music Saturdays | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Lore Brewing, Indian Land |
| VAPA Center Night Market | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | VAPA Center |
| Rockin' The Burg: Departure (Journey tribute band) | 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Harrisburg Park |
| Movies in the Park: Twisters (2024) | 6:30 pm | FREE | Wilmore Centennial Park at South End |
| Town of Dallas Summer Concert & Cruise-In: Daniel Jeffers | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | 210 N Holland Street, Dallas |
| Live Music at Patriots Park: Travis Powell as Elvis | 7:00 pm | FREE | Patriots Park (Kings Mountain, NC) |
| River Jam live music series (free admission; parking is $13) | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | U.S. National Whitewater Center |
| Outdoor Movie Night: Hidden Rivers of Southern Appalachia | 7:30 pm | FREE | Confluence, Cramerton |
| Saturday Live Music | 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Old Armor Beer Company, Kannapolis |
Sunday, September 13, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| OMB 2026 Mecktoberfest Weekend One | FREE | Olde Mecklenburg Brewery — LoSo | |
| Mecktoberfest at OMB LoSo | 11:00 am to 10:00 pm | FREE | Olde Mecklenburg Brewery — LoSo |
| Birkdale Village Commons Market: A Pop Up Market presented by Shop Local QC | 11:00 am to 4:00 pm | FREE | Birkdale Village |
| Figure Drawing | 11:00 am | FREE | Free Range Brewing |
| September Plant Swap & Shop | 12:00 pm | FREE | Traust Brewing Company, Mount Holly |
| Southern Resonance Roots Festival: Showcase on the Lawn | 12:30 pm to 5:30 pm | FREE | Heist Brewery & Barrel Arts |
| Women Rock for Women's Rights | 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm | $15.00 | Eleven Lakes Brewing, Cornelius |
| Cabarrus County Fair | 1:00 pm to 10:00 pm | $6.00-8.00 | Cabarrus Arena and Events Center |
| Free Tour at Torance House & Store | 2:00 pm | FREE | Hugh Torance House & Store |
| Free Live Music Sundays | 3:00 pm | FREE | Free Range Brewing |
| Common Table: Free dinner | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Hawthorne’s New York Pizza and Bar, 7th Street |
Monday, September 14, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Mountain Island Photography Club | 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm | FREE | Mountain Island Library |
| Drop-In Dance Class from Charlotte Ballet: Senior Ballet | 3:15 pm to 4:15 pm | FREE | Northern Regional Recreation Center |
| Senior Day at Cabarrus County Fair: Age 55+ get in for free an hour before general admission starts | 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm | FREE | Cabarrus Arena and Events Center |
| Cabarrus County Fair | 4:00 pm to 10:00 pm | $6.00-8.00 | Cabarrus Arena and Events 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 |
| 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 |
