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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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:
Today: Wednesday, October 8, 2025
Tomorrow: Thursday, October 9, 2025
Friday, October 10, 2025
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pumpkin Patch at Hodges Family Farm | 9:00 am to 5:30 pm | FREE | Hodges Family Farm |
| Friday Morning Hike | 9:00 am to 11:00 am | FREE | Latta Nature Preserve |
| Wing Haven's Fall Plant -- admission free to the garden | 9:00 am to 5:00 pm | FREE | Wing Haven |
| Free Public Tour of Innovation Barn | 9:00 am | FREE | Innovation Barn |
| Free Weekly Water Playgroup for Babies & Preschoolers at Charlotte Aquatics | 10:00 am to 10:30 am | FREE | Charlotte Aquatics |
| Cotton Ginning Days | 10:00 am to 5:00 pm | FREE | Dallas Park |
| Mecktoberfest at OMB Ballantyne | 11:00 am to 11:00 pm | FREE | The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery & Biergarten — Ballantyne |
| Food Truck Friday | 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Resident Culture Brewing Plaza Midwood |
| Free intermediate crochet class (must register and buy materials in the store) | 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Editions — Coffee and Bookstore (Kannapolis) |
| Matthews Beats 'n Bites Outdoor Concert: Robyn Springer | 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Stumptown Park, Matthews |
| University City Food Truck Friday | 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Armored Cow Brewing |
| Belmont Drive-In: Beetlejuice 1 and 2 (price is per car) | 6:00 pm | $25.00 | Belmont Drive-In |
| Mountaineer Days Heritage Festival kick-off concert with Rivermist | 6:00 pm | FREE | Patriots Park (Kings Mountain, NC) |
| Live Under the Oaks music series | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Birkdale Village |
| Friday Nights at Camp North End | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Camp North End |
| Free Live Music after United States Disc Golf Championship in Rock Hill | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Winthrop Arena Course, Rock Hill |
| South End Food Truck Friday | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Hi-Wire Brewing Charlotte |
| Wildcat Weekend Music Department Ensemble Showcase | 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Duke Family Performance Hall in Knobloch Campus Center (Davidson College) |
| Projecting Hope Film Festival | 6:30 pm to 10:00 pm | $0-1.00 | Ayrsley Grand Cinemas |
| Movie Night at the Ballpark: Toy Story 2 | 6:30 pm | FREE | Atrium Health Ballpark, Kannapolis |
| National Coming Out Day Sapphic Storytelling | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Divine Barrel Brewing |
| Friday Night Flicks: Hocus Pocus | 7:00 pm | FREE | Les Myers Park, Concord |
| Friday Night Live Music | 7:00 pm to 11:30 pm | FREE | Hi-Wire Brewing Charlotte |
| Ayrsley Retro Horror Series | 7:00 pm | $5.00 | Ayrsley Grand Cinemas |
| Haunted Dallas Ghost Tour | 7:00 pm | $10.00 | Gaston County Museum |
| Outdoor Movie Night at Triple C | 7:00 pm | FREE | Triple C Brewing Co. |
| Whitewater Film Series: Running For Good | 7:10 pm | FREE | U.S. National Whitewater Center |
| Movies in the Park: The Haunted Mansion | 7:30 pm | FREE | Fountain Park, Rock Hill |
| The Comedy Market: Open Mic | 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Common Market South End |
| Live Music: Lochlann Kilburn | 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Old Armor Beer Company, Kannapolis |
| Haunted Dallas Ghost Tour | 8:00 pm | $10.00 | Gaston County Museum |
| Brews & Views | 8:00 pm | FREE | Heist Brewery & Barrel Arts |
| Ayrsley Retro Horror Series | 9:00 pm | $5.00 | Ayrsley Grand Cinemas |
Saturday, October 11, 2025
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMC theatre Sensory-Friendly Family Movie (price and time can vary by theater) | All Day | AMC Theatres, participating locations | |
| Free Rabies Vaccination Clinic | 8:00 am to 10:45 am | FREE | Charlotte Vehicle Operations Center |
| Free Paper Shredding Day in Kannapolis | 9:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | Kannapolis Public Works Facility |
| Wing Haven's Fall Plant -- admission free to the garden | 9:00 am to 5:00 pm | FREE | Wing Haven |
| Sunset Farm Open House: garden-to-go workshop, farm-to-table demo, more... | 10:00 am to 1:00 pm | FREE | Sunset Farm (The Park CDC) |
| Pioneer Day at Camp T.N. Spencer Park in Concord: fishing, archery, shelter building, more | 10:00 am to 2:00 pm | $5.00 | Camp TN Spencer Park |
| Carolina Clay Matters Fall Pottery Festival | 10:00 am to 4:00 pm | FREE | McAlpine Business Park |
| St. Luke's Fall Festival | 10:00 am to 4:00 pm | FREE | St. Luke Catholic Church, Mint Hill |
| Fall for Matthews Festival | 10:00 am to 4:00 pm | FREE | Matthews Chamber of Commerce |
| Children's Theatre of Charlotte Costume Shop Sale | 10:00 am to 5:00 pm | FREE | ImaginOn |
| Charlotte Corgi Club Racing Championship | 10:00 am to 5:00 pm | FREE | Renaissance Park |
| Town of Waxhaw's Autumn Treasures | 10:00 am to 6:00 pm | FREE | Downtown Waxhaw |
| Lowe's gives away Dalmatian plush toy | 10:00 am | FREE | Lowe’s (multiple stores) |
| 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 |
| Cotton Ginning Days | 10:00 am to 5:00 pm | FREE | Dallas Park |
| Free Yoga | 10:00 am | FREE | Sycamore Brewing |
| Free Saturday Morning Cartoons at Independent Picture House (plus free milk and cookies!) | 10:30 am | FREE | Independent Picture House |
| Charlemos Charlotte Language Exchange Program | 10:30 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | South Boulevard Library |
| ImaginOn's Super Saturday 20th Anniversary Party | 11:00 am to 2:00 pm | FREE | ImaginOn |
| Charlotte Knights' Pumpkin Palooza | 11:00 am to 4:00 pm | FREE | Truist Field |
| Charlotte BookPalooza | 11:00 am to 4:00 pm | FREE | Urban District Market |
| East Side Sol: Free festival at Charlotte Museum of History, celebrating Charlotte's East Side | 11:00 am to 5:00 pm | FREE | Charlotte Museum of History |
| Projecting Hope Film Festival | 11:00 am to 10:00 pm | $0-1.00 | Ayrsley Grand Cinemas |
| McAdenville Oktoberfest | 11:00 am to 11:00 pm | FREE | 115 Craft, McAdenville |
| Fall Festival | 11:00 am | FREE | Middle James Brewing, Pineville |
| JCPenney Kids Zone: free crafts for kids | 11:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | JCPenney, participating locations |
| Outlaw Acres -- Immersive Western-Themed Fall Attraction | 11:00 am to 5:00 pm | $15.00 | Outlaw Acres, Monroe |
| 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 |
| Purrs & Pints Fundraiser | 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm | FREE | Model A Brewing, Tega Cay |
| 4th Annual Concord International Festival | 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm | FREE | Downtown Concord |
| Charlotte VegFest | 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm | FREE | Victoria Yards |
| Build Your Own Boat (free to watch; $12 for parking) | 12:00 pm to 7:30 pm | FREE | U.S. National Whitewater Center |
| Mountaineer Days Heritage Festival | 12:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Patriots Park (Kings Mountain, NC) |
| 5th Annual Fall Fest | 12:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Primal Brewery, Huntersville |
| Fall Fest | 12:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Primal Brewery Belmont |
| Fall Fest at Sycamore Brewing | 12:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Sycamore Brewing |
| Plaza Midwood Artists Studio Crawl | 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm | FREE | Wiloe Home & Gift, Plaza Midwood |
| Free Public Tour of Innovation Barn | 1:00 pm | FREE | Innovation Barn |
| Hopfly Bike and Brew | 1:30 pm | FREE | HopFly Brewing Company |
| Fogle Insurance Group's 2025 Pups and Pints Pet Food Drive | 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm | FREE | Lost Worlds Brewing, Cornelius |
| 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 |
| South End Fall Festival | 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm | FREE | Pritchard Memorial Baptist Church |
| Lake Norman Diwali Celebration | 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Veterans Park (Huntersville) |
| Hispanic Heritage Celebration at Compare Foods, South Blvd | 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Compare Foods, South Blvd |
| Kids Diwali Celebration | 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm | $5.00 | BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Matthews |
| Laketoberfest in Cornelius | 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Bailey Road Park |
| Old Town Oktoberfest in Rock Hill | 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Fountain Park, Rock Hill |
| Saturday Live Music | 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Triple C Brewing Co. |
| Nebel's Alley Night Market | 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Superica |
| Latin Night in Camp North End | 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Camp North End |
| Davidson's Concerts on the Green: Shelley Ruffin Band | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Davidson Village Green |
| Art Opening & Reception for "Absurdity" at the Charlotte Art League | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Charlotte Art League |
| Saturday Live Music | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Olde Mecklenburg Brewery — LoSo |
| Tega Cay Music in the Park: Queen Nation | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Catawba Park, Tega Cay |
| Cine en los Barrios: Encanto | 6:00 pm | FREE | Lake Mist Apartments |
| Live Music: Reece Brendle | 6:00 pm | FREE | Lost Worlds Brewing, Charlotte (Metropolitan) |
| Free Live Music after United States Disc Golf Championship in Rock Hill | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Winthrop Arena Course, Rock Hill |
| Live Music | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Muddy River Distillery, Mount Holly |
| VAPA Center: Night Market Studios | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | VAPA Center |
| Belmont Drive-In: Beetlejuice 1 and 2 (price is per car) | 6:00 pm | $25.00 | Belmont Drive-In |
| Live music: Red Dress Amy | 6:30 pm | FREE | Primal Brewery, Huntersville |
| Rockin' The Burg: The Docksiders | 6:30 pm | FREE | Harrisburg Park |
| Live Music | 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm | FREE | Primal Brewery Belmont |
| Live Music | 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm | FREE | Primal Brewery Belmont |
| Saturday Live Music | 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm | FREE | Primal Brewery Belmont |
| Museum of the Waxhaws Haunted Trail | 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm | $10.00 | Museum of the Waxhaws |
| Outdoor Movie Night: Ghostbusters | 7:00 pm | FREE | Carolina Beer Temple-Matthews |
| Ayrsley Retro Horror Series | 7:00 pm | $5.00 | Ayrsley Grand Cinemas |
| Piano Studio Recital — Wildcat Weekend | 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Tyler-Tallman Hall in Sloan Music Center (Davidson College) |
| 4rd Ward Movies: Nightmare Before Christmas | 7:30 pm | FREE | Fourth Ward Park |
| Live Music: 10 Feet Deep! | 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Old Armor Beer Company, Kannapolis |
| Ayrsley Retro Horror Series | 9:00 pm | $5.00 | Ayrsley Grand Cinemas |
Sunday, October 12, 2025
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cotton Ginning Days | 10:00 am to 3:00 pm | FREE | Dallas Park |
| Sunday Fundays | 10:00 am to 10:00 pm | Discounted | Gilde Brewery |
| Sunny's Market Pop-Up Market -- Halloween Show | 10:30 am to 4:30 pm | FREE | Atrium Health Ballpark, Kannapolis |
| Plant Shop & Swap | 11:00 am to 4:00 pm | FREE | NoDa Brewing North End |
| QC Fitness Games | 11:00 am to 12:15 pm | $5.00 | Pearl Street Park |
| Free Figure Drawing | 11:00 am to 1:30 pm | FREE | Free Range Brewing |
| Birkdale Village Commons Market: A Pop Up Market presented by Shop Local QC | 11:00 am to 4:00 pm | FREE | Birkdale Village |
| Mecktoberfest at OMB Ballantyne | 11:00 am to 10:00 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 |
| October Plant Swap & Shop | 12:00 pm | FREE | Traust Brewing Company, Mount Holly |
| Sunday Drink It | 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm | Discounted | Eleven Lakes Brewing, Cornelius |
| Outlaw Acres -- Immersive Western-Themed Fall Attraction | 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm | $15.00 | Outlaw Acres, Monroe |
| Projecting Hope Film Festival | 1:00 pm to 7:00 pm | $0-1.00 | Ayrsley Grand Cinemas |
| Something Brewing: Fusion Jam Sessions | 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Town Brewing |
| Sunday Live Music | 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Triple C Brewing Co. |
| Macabre Tales of Elmwood: Walking Tour of the Historic Elmwood/Pinewood Cemetery | 2:00 pm | $15.00 | Elmwood/Pinewood Cemetery |
| Free Tour at Torance House & Store | 2:00 pm | FREE | Hugh Torance House & Store |
| Free Concert with Stateline Community Orchestra: One World Many Dances | 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm | FREE | Pineville United Methodist Church |
| Hispanic Heritage Celebration at Compare Foods, N. Tryon | 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | |
| Charlotte Contra Dancers: Students dance free | 3:00 pm | $0-15.00 | Mecklenburg Shrine Club |
| Live Music Sunday | 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm | FREE | Free Range Brewing |
| Macabre Tales of Elmwood: Walking Tour of the Historic Elmwood/Pinewood Cemetery | 4:00 pm | $15.00 | Elmwood/Pinewood Cemetery |
| Blessing of the Animals at Mt. Olivet United Methodist Church | 4:00 pm | FREE | Mt. Olivet United Methodist Church, Concord |
| Soul Sundays (free, but donations accepted) | 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Starlight on 22nd |
| Free Live Music after United States Disc Golf Championship in Rock Hill | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Winthrop Arena Course, Rock Hill |
| Ayrsley Retro Horror Series | 7:00 pm | $5.00 | Ayrsley Grand Cinemas |
| Free Comedy Open Mic at The Royal Tot | 7:00 pm | FREE | The Royal Tot |
| Ayrsley Retro Horror Series | 9:00 pm | $5.00 | Ayrsley Grand Cinemas |
