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:
Tuesday, April 21, 2026
Wednesday, April 22, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Come See Me Festival (various locations in Rock Hill -- click for details) | All Day | FREE | Old Town Rock Hill |
| Students: buy one ticket get one free at Independent Picture House on Wednesdays | All Day | Discounted | Independent Picture House |
| Greater Charlotte Book Crawl | All Day | FREE | Various locations |
| Subway: Buy One Get One Free Footlong Sub | All Day | Subway — Multiple locations | |
| AMC theatre Sensory-Friendly Movie for Mature Audiences (price and time can vary by theater) | All Day | AMC Theatres, participating locations | |
| North Carolina Science Festival (events all month -- click for schedule) | All Day | FREE | Various locations |
| Children's Theatre of Charlotte: Life Skills Through Theatre Skills -- Creative Movement | 10:00 am to 11:00 am | FREE | Tuckaseegee Recreation Center |
| Children's Theatre of Charlotte: Life Skills Through Theatre Skills -- Creative Drama | 10:00 am to 11:00 am | FREE | Mallard Creek Recreation Center |
| Birkdale Buds -- free children's activities | 10:30 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | Birkdale Village |
| Flutter By Earth Day | 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm | FREE | McGee Park, Concord |
| Puzzle & Pint Night | 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm | FREE | Sugar Creek Brewing |
| 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 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 | |
| Open Mic Night | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Muddy River Distillery, Mount Holly |
| Wednesday Crafting Circle | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Petty Thieves Brewing Co. |
| The Gaming Lounge Video Gaming Pop-Up | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Divine Barrel Brewing |
| Weekly Bluegrass Jam | 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm | FREE | Gibson Mill Market |
| 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 |
| Bark in the Ballpark at Charlotte Knights game (ticket price varies) | 6:35 pm | Truist Field | |
| Heated Rivalry Trivia Night | 7:00 pm | FREE | Wooden Robot Brewery (South End) |
| 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 |
| Wednesday Jazz Jam with The Lovell Bradford Trio and Guests at VisArt Video (suggested $10 donation) | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | VisArt Video | |
| 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 |
| The Happening -- Collaborative arts/music/dance event | 8:00 pm | FREE | Jackalope Jack’s |
Thursday, April 23, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Come See Me Festival (various locations in Rock Hill -- click for details) | All Day | FREE | Old Town Rock Hill |
| Greater Charlotte Book Crawl | All Day | FREE | Various locations |
| Subway: Buy One Get One Free Footlong Sub | All Day | Subway — Multiple locations | |
| North Carolina Science Festival (events all month -- click for schedule) | All Day | FREE | Various locations |
| Children's Theatre of Charlotte: Life Skills Through Theatre Skills -- Creative Drama | 10:00 am to 11:00 am | FREE | Waymer Park, Huntersville |
| Children's Theatre of Charlotte: Life Skills Through Theatre Skills -- Creative Movement | 10:00 am to 11:00 am | FREE | Eastway Recreation Center |
| Drop-In Dance Class from Charlotte Ballet: Senior Dance Class | 11:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | Sugaw Creek Recreation Center |
| ArtBreak at Mint Museum Randolph: Free lunch-time tour | 12:00 pm to 12:30 pm | FREE | Mint Museum Randolph |
| Drop-In Dance Class from Charlotte Ballet: African Drumming | 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm | FREE | West Charlotte Recreation Center |
| Hope Street Food Pantry Food Distribution | 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Hope Street Food Pantry |
| SouthPark After 5: Bourbon Sons | 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Symphony Park |
| Live Music Thursdays | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Lore Brewing, Indian Land |
| Charlotte Fit Fam | 6:00 pm | FREE | HopFly Brewing Company |
| Plaza Midwood Chess Club Meetup | 6:00 pm | FREE | Common Market Plaza Midwood |
| Music on Main in Pineville | 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm | FREE | Historic Downtown Pineville |
| Board Game Night | 6:30 pm | FREE | Hi-Wire Brewing Charlotte |
| North Mecklenburg Community Chorus presents Of Thee We Sing | 7:00 pm | FREE | Cain Center for the Arts, Cornelius |
| FREE Tango Class | 7:00 pm | FREE | Free Range Brewing |
| Karaoke Contest | 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Seoul Food Meat Co., South End |
| Mooreoke Karaoke w/ KJ Notorious J.A.M. | 8:00 pm | FREE | Tommy’s Pub |
| Karaoke Thursdays | 9:00 pm | FREE | Hattie’s Tap and Tavern |
Friday, April 24, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Come See Me Festival (various locations in Rock Hill -- click for details) | All Day | FREE | Old Town Rock Hill |
| Greater Charlotte Book Crawl | All Day | FREE | Various locations |
| Subway: Buy One Get One Free Footlong Sub | All Day | Subway — Multiple locations | |
| North Carolina Science Festival (events all month -- click for schedule) | All Day | FREE | Various locations |
| Endwar convention | 10:00 am to 4:00 pm | Mallard Creek Recreation Center | |
| Tuck Fest | 10:00 am to 11:00 pm | FREE | U.S. National Whitewater Center |
| Free Weekly Water Playgroup for Babies & Preschoolers at Charlotte Aquatics | 10:00 am to 10:30 am | FREE | Charlotte Aquatics |
| Children's Theatre of Charlotte: Life Skills Through Theatre Skills -- Creative Movement | 10:00 am to 11:00 am | FREE | Mallard Creek Recreation Center |
| Waxhaw Sk8 Night | 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Waxhaw Downtown Park |
| Matthews Beats 'n Bites: Darren Deese | 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Stumptown Park, Matthews |
| 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 |
| Downtown Oakboro Cruise-In | 5:00 pm to 9:30 pm | FREE | Downtown Oakboro, NC |
| Adult Recess, including free pizza | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Huntersville Athletic Park |
| Good Nature Festival in the Yard -- an Earth Day Celebration | 6:00 pm to 11:00 pm | $15.46 | The Music Yard |
| Live Under the Oaks music series | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Birkdale Village |
| Live Music Friday | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Lost Worlds Brewing, Cornelius |
| Friday Night Live Music: Coughing Dove with Shaun B + more | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | The Spoke Easy |
| Lake Norman Philharmonic's Spring Concert | 7:00 pm | FREE | Charles Mack Citizen Center |
| Star Party at Discovery Place -- stargazing from rooftop deck, and activities inside | 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm | FREE | Discovery Place Science |
| The Comedy Market: Open Mic | 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Common Market South End |
| Live music: Beyond The Portal // Sewer // Broadslab | 8:00 pm | FREE | Tommy’s Pub |
| Karaoke Idol | 9:00 pm | FREE | Beer Lab by Ghostface Brewing |
Saturday, April 25, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Come See Me Festival (various locations in Rock Hill -- click for details) | All Day | FREE | Old Town Rock Hill |
| Greater Charlotte Book Crawl | All Day | FREE | Various locations |
| Subway: Buy One Get One Free Footlong Sub | All Day | Subway — Multiple locations | |
| AMC theatre Sensory-Friendly Family Movie (price and time can vary by theater) | All Day | AMC Theatres, participating locations | |
| North Carolina Science Festival (events all month -- click for schedule) | All Day | FREE | Various locations |
| Endwar: Humans vs. Zombies | 7:00 am to 11:00 pm | FREE | UNC Charlotte |
| Tuck Fest | 8:00 am to 11:00 pm | FREE | U.S. National Whitewater Center |
| Move It! Walk -- fundraising event for Parkinson Association of the Carolinas | 8:30 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | Symphony Park |
| Free class: Beneficial Bugs & Organic Gardening | 9:00 am to 10:00 am | FREE | Pike Nurseries, multiple locations |
| Treetops & Tombstones: Free Tour at Elmwood Cemetery (registration required) | 9:00 am to 11:00 am | FREE | Elmwood/Pinewood Cemetery |
| Caffeine and Chrome | 9:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | Gateway Classic Cars, Concord |
| Día de los niños / Día de los libros -- storytelling, music, book giveaway, more... | 9:00 am to 12:30 pm | FREE | ImaginOn |
| The Spoke Easy Community Yard Sale April 25 -- free to sell your stuff! | 9:00 am to 2:00 pm | FREE | The Spoke Easy |
| Second Chance at Innovation Barn: Thousands of pounds of free design samples | 9:00 am to 3:00 pm | FREE | Innovation Barn |
| Lydia's Prom Closet: open for free prom dresses, suits, shoes, accessories | 9:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | First Baptist Church Huntersville |
| Earth Day Festival at Sardis Presbyterian Church | 10:00 am to 1:00 pm | FREE | Sardis Presbyterian Church |
| Historic Heart Cooking Demonstration: Spring Sweets | 10:00 am to 2:00 pm | FREE | President James K. Polk Historic Site |
| Paws in the Park | 10:00 am to 3:00 pm | FREE | Pineville Lake Park |
| Visit Eastern Cabarrus Historical Society Museum | 10:00 am to 3:00 pm | FREE | Eastern Cabarrus Historical Society & Museum |
| Community Fun Day at University Church of Christ: free food, train rides, clothing giveaways, more... | 11:00 am to 2:00 pm | FREE | University Church of Christ |
| Lake Norman BookPalooza | 11:00 am to 4:00 pm | FREE | Liberty Park, Mooresville |
| 2nd Annual Carolinas Community Band Festival | 11:00 am to 4:00 pm | FREE | Kannapolis Performing Arts Center |
| CBC SpringFest Craft Vendor Market | 11:00 am to 5:00 pm | FREE | Cabarrus Brewing Company |
| We Rock CLT Yard Sale and Show | 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm | FREE | We Rock Charlotte |
| Community Heroes Festival | 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Carolina Beer Temple-Matthews |
| International Circus & Dance Celebration | 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Berewick Recreation Center |
| Recycle the Runway Fashion Show | 1:00 pm | FREE | Northlake Mall |
| Free Public Tour of Innovation Barn | 1:00 pm | FREE | Innovation Barn |
| Hopfly Bike and Brew | 1:30 pm | FREE | HopFly Brewing Company |
| 'Tawba Walk Arts & Music Festival | 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Oak Street Mill |
| Sugar Creek's Spring Concert Series: Anna Holloway | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Sugar Creek Brewing |
| Live Music: Brown Mountain Lightning Bugs | 6:00 pm | FREE | Neoteric Brewing Company |
| Live Music Saturdays | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Lore Brewing, Indian Land |
| Charlotte Comedy Theater | 6:00 pm | $12.00-15.00 | VAPA Center |
| “Prime Bingo” w/ The Primes, Jason & Steph | 7:00 pm | FREE | Tommy’s Pub |
| Karaoke Night | 7:00 pm | FREE | Lore Brewing, Indian Land |
| Davidson College Star Party -- astronomy activities and stargazing | 8:00 pm to 10:30 pm | FREE | Davidson College |
| Charlotte Comedy Theater | 8:00 pm | $12.00-15.00 | VAPA Center |
| UNC Charlotte Star Party | 9:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | UNC Charlotte Observatory |
