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:
Monday, April 27, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Tuckaseegee Recreation Center |
| Nature Book and Look | 10:00 am to 11:00 am | FREE | McDowell Nature Center and Preserve |
| Drop-In Dance Class from Charlotte Ballet: Dance for All Abilities | 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm | FREE | Marion Diehl Park |
| Drop-In Dance Class from Charlotte Ballet: Senior Ballet | 3:15 pm to 4:15 pm | FREE | Northern Regional Recreation Center |
| Drop-In Dance Class from Charlotte Ballet: Afro-Brazilian Fitness | 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Ivory Baker 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 | Triple C Brewing Co. Taproom, South End |
| Open Mic Night | 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm | FREE | Town Brewing |
| Game Night | 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm | FREE | Urban District Market |
| Karaoke at Starlight on 22nd | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Starlight on 22nd |
| Nerd Night: games and free pizza | 7:00 pm | FREE | Resident Culture Brewing Plaza Midwood |
| Open Mic Mondays | 7:00 pm | FREE | OpenTap |
| Find Your Muse Open Mic | 7:30 pm | $8.24 | The Evening Muse |
Tuesday, April 28, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 Movement | 10:00 am to 11:00 am | FREE | Waymer Park, Huntersville |
| Children's Theatre of Charlotte: Life Skills Through Theatre Skills -- Creative Drama | 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 |
| Free Public Tour of Innovation Barn | 1:00 pm | FREE | Innovation Barn |
| Board Game Night | 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | NoDa Brewing North End |
| Silent Book Club | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Divine Barrel Brewing |
| Speed Puzzles ($15 per team) | 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm | $15.00 | Pilot Brewing |
| Comedy Open Mic at Starlight on 22nd | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Starlight on 22nd |
| Pub Trivia | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Petty Thieves Brewing Co. |
| Arts at the Abbey: Spring Concert | 8:00 pm | FREE | Belmont Abbey College |
Wednesday, April 29, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 | |
| Gaston Draws: The Figure Series (Portrait 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 |
| 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 |
| Free wine tasting at 115 Craft | 6:00 pm | FREE | 115 Craft, McAdenville |
| Weekly Bluegrass Jam | 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm | FREE | Gibson Mill Market |
| Brewhouse Yoga (includes a free beer taster) | 6:30 pm | $6.00 | Sugar Creek Brewing |
| 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 |
| Left Right Center Game Night | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Eleven Lakes Brewing, Cornelius |
| 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 |
| Open Shag Dancing | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | $5.00 | Swanee Theatre, Kannapolis |
| 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 30, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greater Charlotte Book Crawl | All Day | FREE | Various 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 |
| Hope Street Food Pantry Food Distribution | 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Hope Street Food Pantry |
| SouthPark After 5: Java Band | 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 |
| Bark in the Ballpark at Charlotte Knights game (ticket price varies) | 7:04 pm | Truist Field | |
| Karaoke Thursdays | 9:00 pm | FREE | Hattie’s Tap and Tavern |
Friday, May 1, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| QDOBA Offers Free Chips & Queso for Every Full Moon | All Day | FREE | Qdoba, participating locations |
| Free Birding Walks on trails of Stowe Conservancy | 9:00 am to 10:00 am | FREE | Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden |
| Free Fun Fridays with YScholars at Johnston YMCA | 10:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | Johnston YMCA |
| Free Weekly Water Playgroup for Babies & Preschoolers at Charlotte Aquatics | 10:00 am to 10:30 am | FREE | Charlotte Aquatics |
| Free Public Tour of Innovation Barn | 11:00 am | FREE | Innovation Barn |
| South Carolina Strawberry Festival | 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Walter Elisha Park, Fort Mill SC |
| 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 |
| Asian Night Market | 5:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Urban District Market |
| Mount Holly Nights: Buffet and Beyond | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Downtown Mt. Holly |
| BOOM Charlotte Fringe Festival | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Shoppes at University Place |
| 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 |
| Friday Night Live Music: Zach Reader DJ set | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | The Spoke Easy |
| The Comedy Market: Open Mic | 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Common Market South End |
| Karaoke Idol | 9:00 pm | FREE | Beer Lab by Ghostface Brewing |
