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:
- Free and cheap things to do this week
- Free and cheap kids' events
- Concerts this week in Charlotte
- Trivia Nights in Charlotte
Wednesday, May 14, 2025
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students: buy one ticket get one free at Independent Picture House on Wednesdays | All Day | Discounted | Independent Picture House |
| AMC theatre Sensory-Friendly Movie for Mature Audiences (price and time can vary by theater) | All Day | AMC Theatres, participating locations | |
| Wine Wednesday -- half priced bottles of wine | All Day | Discounted | Olde Mecklenburg Brewery — LoSo |
| Birkdale Buds -- activities for preschool children | 10:30 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | Birkdale Village |
| Golden Bull Bite Wednesdays at the West Complex | 11:00 am to 7:00 pm | FREE | West Complex |
| East Charlotte Farmers' Market | 3:00 pm to 6:30 pm | FREE | McLawland Farms |
| Chess Club at Matthews Library | 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm | FREE | Matthews Library |
| Wednesday Night Live: Free admission to Uptown museums | 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Various locations |
| 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 |
| Chess Club at Allegra Westbrooks Regional Library | 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Allegra Westbrooks Regional Library (formerly Beatties Ford Regional Library) |
| QueerSpace Support Group with Creative Perspectives in Mt. Holly (age 18+) | 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm | $10.00 | Creative Perspectives, PLLC (Mt. Holly) |
| Eleven Lakes Book Club | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Eleven Lakes Brewing, Cornelius |
| Adult (Off)Color Coloring Night | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Red Clay Ciderworks |
| Charlotte Craft Circle | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Petty Thieves Brewing Co. |
| The OG Boot Camp | 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm | FREE | Lenny Boy Brewing Co. |
| Brewhouse Yoga | 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm | $5.00 | Sugar Creek Brewing |
| Yoga for Mental Health | 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm | FREE | HopeWay |
| Games with Glen | 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm | FREE | Eleven Lakes Brewing, Cornelius |
| Tianyu Lights Festival (promo code for 15% off) | 6:30 pm to 10:00 pm | Discounted | Concord Mills |
| Tommy's Trivia | 6:30 pm | FREE | Sycamore 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 |
| 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 |
| Wednesday Night Yoga | 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm | $5.00 | Lenny Boy Brewing Co. |
Thursday, May 15, 2025
| 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 |
| PGA Championship Watch Parties at Yancey | 11:00 am to 8:00 pm | FREE | Brewers at 4001 Yancey |
| ArtBreak at Mint Museum Uptown -- free guided 30-minute lunchtime tour | 12:00 pm to 12:30 pm | FREE | Mint Museum Uptown |
| Drop-In Dance Class from Charlotte Ballet: Senior Ballet | 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Northern Regional Recreation Center |
| Chess Free Play at Mountain Island Library | 4:00 pm to 4:45 pm | FREE | Mountain Island Library |
| Hope Street Food Pantry Food Distribution | 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Hope Street Food Pantry |
| The Square Table: Community Chess | 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm | FREE | Sugar Creek Library |
| SouthPark After 5: On the Border and Landslide | 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Symphony Park |
| St. Philip Neri Italian Festival | 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | St. Philip Neri Church–Fort Mill |
| Music at the Met | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Metropolitan |
| Weekly Ping Pong Club | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Hi-Wire Brewing Charlotte |
| HITS After Six: Trial by Fire | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Chestnut Square Park, Indian Trail |
| Anne Springs Close Greenway's Rooted Rhythm Concert Series: Smokey Jones and the 3 Dollar Pistols | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | $7.00 | Anne Springs Close Greenway |
| Charlotte Fit Fam | 6:00 pm | FREE | HopFly Brewing Company |
| Name the Music at Rhino Market & Deli South End | 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Rhino Market South End |
| LangTree Live Concert Series | 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | LangTree Lake Norman (Mooresville) |
| Live music: Colby Dobbs & The Matthews House Cats | 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Moo & Brew, Matthews |
| Board Game Night | 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm | FREE | Hi-Wire Brewing Charlotte |
| Tianyu Lights Festival (promo code for 15% off) | 6:30 pm to 10:00 pm | Discounted | Concord Mills |
| Bingo w/ Shane | 6:30 pm | FREE | Model A Brewing, Tega Cay |
| May Book Club: Say You'll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez | 6:30 pm | FREE | Neoteric Brewing Company |
| Open Mic Night | 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm | FREE | Cabarrus Brewing Company |
| River Jam live music series (free admission; parking is $12) | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | U.S. National Whitewater Center |
| Trivia at Pilot Brewing | 7:00 pm | FREE | Pilot Brewing |
| Line Dancing at The Rose, including a lesson for beginners | 8:30 pm to 11:59 pm | FREE | The Rose Honky Tonk |
Friday, May 16, 2025
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Public Tour of Innovation Barn | 9:00 am | FREE | Innovation Barn |
| PGA Championship Watch Parties at Yancey | 11:00 am to 8:00 pm | FREE | Brewers at 4001 Yancey |
| St. Philip Neri Italian Festival | 11:30 am to 1:30 pm | FREE | St. Philip Neri Church–Fort Mill |
| Food Truck Friday at Resident Culture Brewing | 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Resident Culture Brewing Plaza Midwood |
| Indian Trail Food Truck Fridays | 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Crossing Paths Park, Indian Trail |
| Black Food Truck Gastonia | 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Venue at 904, Gastonia |
| University City Food Truck Friday | 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Armored Cow Brewing |
| St. Philip Neri Italian Festival | 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | St. Philip Neri Church–Fort Mill |
| Live Under the Oaks music series | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Birkdale Village |
| Live Music: Heidi Sidelinker and Edan Aldridge | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Neoteric Brewing Company |
| Free Summer Concert Series at Field Day Park at Lake Wylie: Bourbon Sons | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Field Day Park, Clover, SC |
| Friday Nights at Camp North End: Thrift Pony After Dark Market | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Camp North End |
| Hot Glass Alley's Open Demo | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Hot Glass Alley |
| Belmont's Friday Night Live Concert Series: 20 Ride | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Stowe Park, Belmont |
| South End Food Truck Friday | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Hi-Wire Brewing Charlotte |
| Food Truck Friday at the Fountain in Rock Hill, with BMX Stunt Show and more... | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Fountain Park, Rock Hill |
| Drum, Sip, Repeat | 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm | $0-10.00 | Birdsong Brewing Co. |
| Tianyu Lights Festival (promo code for 15% off) | 6:30 pm to 10:30 pm | Discounted | Concord Mills |
| River Jam live music series (free admission; parking is $12) | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | U.S. National Whitewater Center |
| Friday Night Live at Moo & Brew Plaza Midwood | 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm | $7.18 | Moo & Brew – Plaza Midwood |
| Friday Night Live Music | 7:00 pm to 11:30 pm | FREE | Hi-Wire Brewing Charlotte |
| North Mecklenburg Community Chorus presents A Celtic Journey: Songs from the British Isles | 7:00 pm | $15.00 | Huntersville United Methodist Church |
| Friday Night Live Music Series | 7:00 pm | FREE | Piedmont Social House |
| Friday Night Live -- Unplugged | 7:00 pm | FREE | Moo & Brew, Matthews |
| The Comedy Market: Open Mic | 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Common Market South End |
| Outdoor Movie Night: My Neighbor Totoro | 7:30 pm | FREE | Seoul Food Meat Co., Mill District |
| Village Park Movie: Elemental | 8:45 pm | FREE | Village Park, Kannapolis |
Saturday, May 17, 2025
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pilates in the Park at Prosperity Village | 8:00 am to 9:00 am | FREE | The Green at Prosperity Village |
| Cars and Coffee Concord | 8:00 am to 11:00 am | FREE | Charlotte Motor Speedway |
| Blood Drive and Paper Shredding Event | 8:00 am to 1:00 pm | FREE | St. Nektarios Church |
| Free Tai Chi Class with Taiji Matthews | 9:00 am to 10:00 am | FREE | Stumptown Park, Matthews |
| Free paper shredding with Mecklenburg County (must reserve a time slot) | 9:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | Compost Central and Recycling Center |
| Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Community Book Sale | 9:00 am to 1:00 pm | FREE | Davidson Library |
| VESL Spring 2025 Championships: Gaming and STEM Competitions | 9:00 am to 8:00 pm | FREE | 1720 Galleria |
| Saturday Serve -- volunteer opportunity | 9:30 am to 12:30 pm | FREE | The Market at 7th Street |
| 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. |
| Free yoga class at Blakeney | 10:00 am to 11:00 am | FREE | Blakeney |
| Help with Rail Trail Clean-Up and get a free drink | 10:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | New Bern Light Rail Station |
| Lowe's DIY-U Kids Workshop: Spinning Trinket Box | 10:00 am to 1:00 pm | FREE | Lowe’s (multiple stores) |
| Children's Entrepreneur Market | 10:00 am to 2:00 pm | FREE | Rob Wallace Park, Midland |
| Roly Poly Fest | 10:00 am to 2:00 pm | FREE | Rob Wallace Park, Midland |
| Visit Eastern Cabarrus Historical Society Museum | 10:00 am to 3:00 pm | FREE | Eastern Cabarrus Historical Society & Museum |
| Cheerwine Festival | 10:00 am to 7:00 pm | FREE | Downtown Salisbury |
| Free Yoga | 10:00 am | FREE | Sycamore Brewing |
| Charlotte Dragon Boat Races and Asian Festival | 10:30 am to 5:00 pm | FREE | Ramsey Creek Park, Cornelius |
| 3rd Annual Earnhardt Outdoors Day: Full Throttle BBQ & Brews in Kannapolis | 11:00 am to 7:00 pm | FREE | Downtown Kannapolis |
| PGA Championship Watch Parties at Yancey | 11:00 am to 8:00 pm | FREE | Brewers at 4001 Yancey |
| St. Philip Neri Italian Festival | 11:00 am to 10:00 pm | FREE | St. Philip Neri Church–Fort Mill |
| Japan Fest | 11:30 am to 8:00 pm | FREE | Urban District Market |
| Ballantyne Village Pop-Up Market | 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Ballantyne Village |
| NoDa's 3rd Annual Arbor Day Celebration | 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Divine Barrel Brewing |
| Maker's Market CLT at Burial Beer Co. | 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Burial Beer Co., Charlotte |
| Hippie Festival at Dallas Lavender Lane | 12:00 pm to 7:00 pm | $10.00 | Dallas Lavender Lane Farm |
| Bitcoin Market | 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm | FREE | Great Wagon Road Distilling Co. |
| SE Rare Plant Market | 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm | FREE | Vaulted Oak Brewing |
| Starving Artist Market at Prosperity Village | 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm | FREE | Docia Crossing Road |
| Free Public Tour of Innovation Barn | 1:00 pm | FREE | Innovation Barn |
| Viva la Música CLT | 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | University City Regional Library (new location) |
| Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival (20% discount available) | 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm | $45.00 | Ballantyne’s Backyard |
| Maker's Market CLT at Primal Brewery Huntersville | 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Primal Brewery, Huntersville |
| Family Chess Club at Mint Hill Library | 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Mint Hill Library |
| Concerts @ the Circles: Those Meddling Kids | 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Clean Juice, Davidson |
| Cornelius Jazz Festival | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Smithville Park, Cornelius |
| Music and Brews in Mint Hill | 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Mint Hill Veterans Memorial Park |
| Tianyu Lights Festival (promo code for 15% off) | 6:30 pm to 10:30 pm | Discounted | Concord Mills |
| Music in the Park in Denver: Coming Up Brass | 6:30 pm | FREE | Rescue Squad Park, Denver |
| River Jam live music series (free admission; parking is $12) | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | U.S. National Whitewater Center |
| Comedy Open Mic at Queen City Grounds | 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Queen City Grounds |
| Outdoor Movie Night: Spirited Away | 8:00 pm | FREE | Seoul Food Meat Co., Mill District |
| Belmont Movies in the Park: Mary Poppins | 8:30 pm | FREE | Stowe Park, Belmont |
Sunday, May 18, 2025
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| VESL Spring 2025 Championships: Gaming and STEM Competitions | 9:00 am to 8:00 pm | FREE | 1720 Galleria |
| QC Fitness Games | 11:00 am to 12:15 pm | $5.00 | Veterans Park (Central Avenue) |
| PGA Championship Watch Parties at Yancey | 11:00 am to 8:00 pm | FREE | Brewers at 4001 Yancey |
| Japan Fest | 11:30 am to 8:00 pm | FREE | Urban District Market |
| Hippie Festival at Dallas Lavender Lane | 12:00 pm to 7:00 pm | $10.00 | Dallas Lavender Lane Farm |
| Free "Shop" Day for Children's Clothing | 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm | $1.00 | Smyrne French SDA Church, Midland |
| Party in the Park at Mint Museum Randolph | 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm | FREE | Mint Museum Randolph |
| Shakedown Sundays | 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm | FREE | Heist Brewery & Barrel Arts |
| Alpaca Farm Tours at Farm and Fleece Alpaca Ranch in Concord | 1:00 pm | $12.00 | Farm and Fleece Alpaca Ranch, Concord |
| Free Tour at Torance House & Store | 2:00 pm | FREE | Hugh Torance House & Store |
| Appalachian Folk Tunes by Charlotte Folk Society | 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm | FREE | Petty Thieves Brewing Co. |
| Captain James Jack Historical Bike Ride | 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm | FREE | Olde Mecklenburg Brewery — LoSo |
| North Mecklenburg Community Chorus presents A Celtic Journey: Songs from the British Isles | 3:00 pm | $15.00 | Community in Christ Lutheran Church, Cornelius |
| Tianyu Lights Festival (promo code for 15% off) | 6:30 pm to 10:00 pm | Discounted | Concord Mills |
| Outdoor Movie Night: Howl's Moving Castle | 8:00 pm | FREE | Seoul Food Meat Co., Mill District |
