Looking for things to do in Charlotte this weekend? You came to the right place! This list contains free and cheap things to do from Friday to Sunday (or Monday if it’s a holiday weekend.)

You’ll find festivals, live music and dance, kids’ activities, organized hikes, seasonal activities, learning opportunities and so much...

Read the whole entry»

On National Alpaca Farm Days, September 24th and 25th, 2022, alpaca farms and ranches across the country invite the public in to meet the alpacas, shop for alpaca fleece products, and learn about the animals.

There are several places within driving distance of Charlotte where you can meet alpacas on National Alpaca...

Read the whole entry»

The Schiele Museum of Natural History, the excellent museum at 1500 E. Garrison Blvd. in Gastonia, is probably familiar to many kids, who visit it for school field trips. If your child hasn’t visited it yet (or if they have!) it’s more than worth the short trek to Gastonia.

Read on to see some pictures of the outdoor exhibits,...

Read the whole entry»

If you’re seeking North Carolina fall colors, there are many beautiful, scenic drives in North Carolina, especially Western North Carolina, where you can experience vibrant fall foliage as part of a stunning landscape. ...

Read the whole entry»

Food Truck season is in full swing in Charlotte!

Somehow food just seems to taste better when it comes from a truck. It can’t be explained. It’s even better when there are lots of trucks to choose from.

Do you love outdoor concerts? They’re not just for summer! Make sure to check out HUGE day-by-day list of outdoor...

Read the whole entry»

There are three drive-in theaters fairly close to Charlotte, and they are a great source of affordable family entertainment.

Check out this big list of outdoor movies coming up around Charlotte!

Hound’s Drive-In, in Kings Mountain, and Badin Road Drive-In, in Albemarle, are both operating. Sunset Drive-In, in Shelby, is not open for...

Read the whole entry»

The Independent Picture House is partnering with CIAF (Charlotte International Arts Festival) to bring FREE movies to The Green, 425 S Tryon Street, Charlotte, NC.

Check out this big list of outdoor movies coming up around Charlotte!

Watch award-winning animated films on The Green in the evening during CIAF. The films will be shown every...

Read the whole entry»

UPDATE: We are starting a 4th contest. This one is for 8 tickets again! This contest ends on September 26th.

Carolina Renaissance Festival is making the Charlotte area more festive and fun! It is...

Read the whole entry»

Manhattan Short Film Festival is a worldwide event that takes place in more than 400 cities across six continents during a one week period. The Final Ten films are screened simultaneously, with the Best Film and Best Actor awards determined by ballots cast by the audiences in each participating venue. Each short film is automatically...

Read the whole entry»

Matthews Playhouse is presenting Princess Fearless from September 23rd to October 2nd, 2022, at Matthews Playhouse, 100 E McDowell Street, Matthews, North Carolina.

This bright, colorful play, based on the children’s book by local writer Lakeetha Blakeney, tells the story of Louise Miller, a fourth grader who must overcome her fears and...

Read the whole entry»

Plaza Midwood is hosting the Plaza Midwood Art Crawl on Saturday, September 24th, 2022, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Artists will be set up on Commonwealth Avenue between Pecan and The Plaza.

Come on out and support local artists and businesses.

Read the whole entry»

Get ready for an expansive and interactive art experience, with the inaugural Charlotte International Arts Festival. This festival will take place September 16th to October 2nd, 2022, in locations in Uptown Charlotte and Ballantyne. It’s going to be an annual event.

Fall is looking great around Charlotte, whether you’re looking...

Read the whole entry»

El Puente Hispano and the City of Concord are presenting the second Concord International Festival on Saturday, October 1st, 2022, from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., on Union Street S., in Downtown Concord.

The goal of the free festival is to promote an inclusive community where residents embrace and celebrate their differences.

Fall is looking great...

Read the whole entry»

Don’t pay full price for concerts if you don’t have to! We will update this page as frequently as we can, but there will still be times when you events on this page have sold out, or the discount is no longer available, or the event is over.

We also include tickets for sports events, when there’s a discount.

Please note...

Read the whole entry»

Learn about Davidson’s history, legends and ghosts on a 90-minute Ghosts of Davidson Walking Tour.

The tour takes place on Thursdays and Saturdays in October, 2022, starting at 7 p.m. Tickets are $12 on weekdays and $15 on weekdays.

The tour is “creepy and meant to scare,” but is suitable for all ages, as long as they...

Read the whole entry»

Best of Charlotte Bridal Show is taking place on November 6th, 2022, from 1 to 4 p.m., at Lenny Boy Brewing, 3000 S Tryon Street, Charlotte.

Tickets are $5, but if you use the promo code charlotteonthecheap tickets are free.

This event features unique wedding and event vendors, interactive experiences, food and drinks.

Read the whole entry»

The 14th Annual Charlotte Film Festival is taking place September 28th to October 2nd, at The Independent Picture House, 4237 Raleigh Street, Charlotte, NC.

This is the first time that Charlotte Film Festival will take place in Charlotte’s new Independent Picture House.

The film festival will feature more than 100 films from around the...

Read the whole entry»

Johnston YMCA and NoDa Church are hosting a free Community Cookout and Movie on the Lawn on Friday, September 23rd, 2022, at 6:15 p.m.

Check out this big list of outdoor movies coming up around Charlotte!

The event is on the lawn of Johnston YMCA, 3025 N. Davidson Street.

Grab a burger or hot dog at 6:15 p.m. and stick around for the...

Read the whole entry»

Cabarrus Brewing Company, 329 McGill Avenue NW in Concord, will be holding its 7th Annual Oktoberfest in 2022, and, as they’ve done it the last couple years, they’re spreading it out over two weekends.

The Oktoberfest celebration will take place from September 23rd to October 2nd, 2022. We’ll update soon when we learn what...

Read the whole entry»

Lowe’s Annual Pajama Walk will take place on Sunday, November 13th, 2022, from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., at McAlpine Park, 8711 Monroe Road, Charlotte.

This event will raise funds and awareness for ZABS Place and Friendship Circle, two local non-profits that offer social opportunities, training and employment for individuals with special...

Read the whole entry»

Enjoy art and music in downtown Cornelius at the ‘Tawba Walk Music & Arts Festival Saturday, September 24th, 2022, from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.

There are some recent updates on the Facebook event.

Head to Oak Street Mill, 19725 Oak Street, Cornelius, for this family-friendly event.

The event features several bands, street performances, a...

Read the whole entry»

Hodges Family Farm, at 3900 Rocky River Road, is one of the oldest farms in Charlotte that’s still operating, serving the community for over 100 years.

Many children have visited their famous pumpkin patch over the years. Many are now bringing their own children to visit.

Photo courtesy of Hodges...

Read the whole entry»

The Charlotte area is ready for fall and Halloween! Here’s a list of haunted trails, corn mazes, fall farm activities and more, for the 2022 season.

Some of these are a little bit of a drive, and are in areas that we don’t typically include in Charlotte on the Cheap, but are worth checking out.

If you have questions about safety...

Read the whole entry»

Fall festivals are back in Charlotte!

The fall is the perfect time in Charlotte for outdoor events, and there are plenty planned. Read on for a big (and growing) list of Halloween festivals, harvest festivals, apple festivals, cultural festivals, food festivals and more.

We will be adding to this list all the time, so please keep checking...

Read the whole entry»

Thumbs, a mystery comedy thriller by Rupert Homes, is full of twists and turns, taking the audience on a fun-filled, thought-provoking journey. Playwright-songwriter Homes (widely known for his hit single “The Piña Colada Song”) called Thumbs “not just a whodunnit, but a whydunnit.”

It reverses traditional thriller...

Read the whole entry»

Pineville Parks and Recreation Department is once again offering a full summer entertainment schedule of free live music and movies. Pineville Rockin’ and Reelin’ Summer Concert and Movie Series will take place on various dates from June to September, 2022.

Concerts start at 7 p.m. In the case of the Charlotte Symphony concert, the...

Read the whole entry»

The 19th Annual Dogs’ Day Out Festival will take place on Saturday, October 15th, 2022, from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Les Myers Park, 338 Lawndale Avenue SE, Concord.

This is a free event. All dogs must show proof of rabies vaccination to enter the festival.

There will be an off-leash area for dogs to play.

Read the whole entry»

Cornelius’ annual Halloween Treat Trail will take place Saturday, October 29th, 2022, from 5:30 to 10 p.m., at Bailey Road Park, 11536 Bailey Road, Cornelius.

Fall is looking great around Charlotte, whether you’re looking for something spooky or totally kid-friendly! Check out our HUGE list of fall festivals,...

Read the whole entry»

St. Simeon Serbian Orthodox Church, 7609 Mallard Creek Road, is hosting Serb Fest on Saturday, September 24th and 25th, 2022.

• Saturday: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Sunday: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

On Saturday, the tournament starts at 3 p.m. and live music starts at 3 p.m.

Admission and parking are free.

Fall is looking great around Charlotte, whether...

Read the whole entry»

Olde Mecklenburg Brewery, 4150 Yancey Road, is hosting Mecktoberfest for two weekends in September, 2022. It will take place September 16th to 18th and September 23th to 25th. This event is always one of the biggest Oktoberfest events in Charlotte.

We’ve put together a big list of Oktoberfest celebrations in the Charlotte area! Check it...

Read the whole entry»

St. Giles Presbyterian Church, at 2027 Emerywood Drive, Charlotte, NC, is hosting Music on the Lawn on Friday, September 23rd, 2022, from 5 to 8:30 p.m.

Do you love outdoor concerts? They’re not just for summer! Make sure to check out HUGE day-by-day list of outdoor concerts around Charlotte. Most are free.

This is a free event. A food...

Read the whole entry»

Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from September 15th to October 15th in the United States. It recognizes the rich and varied cultures of Hispanic and Latino Americans, and the contributions that they have made to the United States.

In Charlotte, there are several ways to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. Do you know of others that...

Read the whole entry»

In September and October, Charlotte is bursting with Oktoberfest celebrations. You’ll find them at breweries, restaurants, music venues and more.

At some of these celebrations you can enjoy beer that’s not available other times of years. At some you can enjoy beer stein hoisting competitions, and more. One of the biggest...

Read the whole entry»

Celebrate Halloween in Downtown Concord for the Candy Crawl!

On Monday, October 31st, 2022, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., merchants will be hosting trick-or-treating on Union Street in Downtown Concord.

There will also be family-friendly entertainment to enjoy.

Fall is looking great around Charlotte, whether you’re...

Read the whole entry»

Sycamore Brewing, 2161 Hawkins Street, in the South End, hosts frequent events, many of which are free to attend.

Here are a few upcoming events. You can see more on their Facebook page or on their website calendar.

Coming Up

Read the whole entry»

Brewers at 4001 Yancey is a group of like-minded brewers from Victory Beer Co. & Southern Tier Brewing Co. The taproom features well-known varieties, as well as exciting new offerings designed for the local market. There is also a full-service kitchen and dining spaces.

Keep an eye on Brewers at 4001 Yancey’s Facebook page for...

Read the whole entry»

Pineville Church, at 8614 Pineville-Matthews Road, Charlotte, is hosting HalloFEST — a Trunk or Treat Festival on Sunday, October 30th, 2022, from 3 to 5 p.m.

This free festival will feature lots of candy, and fun, decorated trunks.

Fall is looking great around Charlotte, whether you’re looking for something spooky or totally...

Read the whole entry»

Black Power Rangers is a comedy show featuring Black comedians from the south. The show is coming to Charlotte on October 20th, 2022.

Headliner Wills Maxwell Jr. is headlining the show, which also features Deshawn Mason, Brandi Roberts and Jarrod Fortune.

See the show at Urban Reader Bookstore, 440 East McCullough Drive, Charlotte, NC, on...

Read the whole entry»

Camino Fiesta and Futbol is a free festival at American Legion Memorial Stadium, 310 N Kings Drive, Charlotte, on Saturday, September 24th, 2022, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Camino invites you to a fun night with food, family, and Soccer! They’re partnering with Charlotte Independence and Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina to deliver...

Read the whole entry»

Matthews Playhouse is presenting its Halloween Haunted Trail from Friday, October 28th, to Sunday, 30th, 2022.

The trail is on Four Mile Creek Trail, behind the Matthews Community Center, 100 McDowell Street, Matthews.

Fall is looking great around Charlotte, whether you’re looking for something spooky or totally kid-friendly! Check...

Read the whole entry»

The U.S. National Whitewater River Center’s popular River Jams are free concerts take place every Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening in the warm months.

They take place Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from May to September, 2022.

The music will go from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. The schedule might be a...

Read the whole entry»

Charlotte Wildlife Stewards present Kids in Nature Day on Sunday, October 9th, 2022, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., at Reedy Creek Park, 2900 Rocky River Road, Charlotte.

This is a free event and takes place at Shelter 4.

Follow Charlotte Wildlife Stewards on Facebook for updates on the event.

Read the whole entry»

Cramerton Parks and Recreation is hosting a Youth Fishing Derby on Saturday, September 24th, 2022, from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Find all the best (and cheapest) kids’ activities on our list of upcoming kids’ events in Charlotte!

The event, which is for ages 18 and under, will take place on Goat Island, 141 8th Avenue, Cramerton, NC.

...

Read the whole entry»

Blk Prnt CLT provides a space for Black women to connect and build friendships in Charlotte. They organize events throughout the year with the goal of encouraging the mental health and wellness of Black women. You can visit @blkprnt.clt on Instagram to see some of the events that have taken place in the past.

On...

Read the whole entry»