The Triangle events calendar features free and cheap things to do every day in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and elsewhere in the Triangle. Think there's nothing to do? Look at this list to get some ideas. You'll find concerts, festivals, fitness events, 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 Triangle on the Cheap is 100% accurate.
However, sometimes things change without notice, and 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 things to do this week in the Triangle
- Free and cheap kids' events in the Triangle
- Live music around the Triangle
- Free museum days
- Triangle brewery calendar
Today: Friday, November 28, 2025
Tomorrow: Saturday, November 29, 2025
Sunday, November 30, 2025
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holiday Kiln Opening at Mark Hewitt Pottery | 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm | FREE | Hewitt Pottery (Pittsboro) |
| Free Santa photos and more at Bass Pro Shops Santa's Wonderland | All Day | FREE | Bass Pro Shops, multiple locations |
| The RINK: Outdoor skating at Red Hat Amphitheater (click for times) | All Day | $6.00-15.00 | Red Hat Amphitheater |
| Sheetz: Free coffee with any purchase Thanksgiving Week | All Day | FREE | Sheetz, multiple locations |
| Sculpture in the Garden (free with $5 suggested donation) | 9:00 am to 5:00 am | FREE | North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill |
| Visit Cow Sanctuary | 10:00 am to 2:00 pm | $0-25.00 | Brajboro Cow Sanctuary, Chapel Hill |
| Christmas Carousel Holiday Gift Market | 11:00 am to 5:00 pm | $0-10.00 | Jim Graham Building–NC State Fairgrounds |
| Live Jazz with Joseph Silvers and Hunter McDermut | 11:00 am to 1:00 pm | FREE | Lanza’s Cafe, Carrboro |
| Sunday NFL Football Watch Party | 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm | FREE | Crank Arm Brewing Company, Raleigh |
| Pages and Pints with Finn and Ollie | 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm | FREE | Bearded Bee Brewing Company, Wendell |
| Artspace Open Studio | 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm | FREE | Artspace, Raleigh |
| Beerded Lady Book Club | 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | The Beerded Lady Bottle Shop, Garner |
| Secret Cinema Sundays | 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm | FREE | Raleigh Brewing, Raleigh |
| Craft Club & Supply Swap | 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm | FREE | The Glass Jug Downtown Durham Taproom |
| Live Music: | 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm | FREE | Steel String Brewery, Carrboro |
| Bluegrass Open Jam | 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Bond Brothers Eastside, Cary |
| Piper Lights in Wake Forest | 5:30 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Piper Lights, Wake Forest |
| Contentnea Fire Department's Christmas Light Display | 5:30 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Contentnea Fire Department, Wilson |
| Lake Myra Christmas Lights in Wendell | 5:30 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Lake Myra Christmas Lights in Wendell |
| Lights on the Neuse -- take hayride to see Christmas lights | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | $11.00 | Boyette Family Farms, Clayton |
| North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival (price varies) | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | $16.74-30.64 | Koka Booth Amphitheatre |
| Christmas Lights on the Farm | 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm | $15.00 | Big Daddy’s Farms, Middlesex |
| Sunday Open Mic at Moon Dog Meadery | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Moon Dog Meadery and Bottle Shop, Durham |
| Drink and Draw: Pirates | 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Steel String Brewery, Carrboro |
Monday, December 1, 2025
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Santa photos and more at Bass Pro Shops Santa's Wonderland | All Day | FREE | Bass Pro Shops, multiple locations |
| Cheapskate Day at Skate the Square at Fenton: $3 off (check website for hours) | All Day | Discounted | Fenton, Cary |
| Total Tot Time: free play program for kids up to age 5 | 10:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | W.D. Hill Recreation Center, Durham |
| Free Food Distribution at Elizabeth Street United Methodist Church | 2:00 pm | FREE | Elizabeth Street United Methodist Church, Durham |
| Monday Night NFL Football Watch Party | 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Crank Arm Brewing Company, Raleigh |
| Durham Beer Garden: 75¢ wings (dine-in only) | 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm | $0.75 | Durham Beer Garden |
| Piper Lights in Wake Forest | 5:30 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Piper Lights, Wake Forest |
| Contentnea Fire Department's Christmas Light Display | 5:30 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Contentnea Fire Department, Wilson |
| Lake Myra Christmas Lights in Wendell | 5:30 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Lake Myra Christmas Lights in Wendell |
| A Jolly Evening with Santa | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Ruckus Pizza — Park West Morrisville |
| Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony at Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club | 6:00 pm | FREE | Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club, Durham |
| North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival (price varies) | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | $16.74-30.64 | Koka Booth Amphitheatre |
| Open Mic Night | 6:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Steel String Brewery, Carrboro |
| Sanford Christmas Parade | 7:00 pm | FREE | Downtown Sanford |
| Cosmic Chuckles: Weekly Comedy Show | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Flying Saucer Raleigh |
| Adult Coloring Night | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | KōMANA Brewing Company, Cary |
| Monthly Puzzle Challenge | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Hi-Wire Brewing at Golden Belt, Durham |
| Game Night | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Crank Arm Brewing Company, Raleigh |
| Board Game Night at Moon Dog Meadery | 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Moon Dog Meadery and Bottle Shop, Durham |
| Air Hockey Tournament | 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Boxcar Bar and Arcade, Raleigh |
| Carrboro Open Mic at Speakeasy | 8:00 pm to 11:59 pm | FREE | Speakeasy, Carrboro |
Tuesday, December 2, 2025
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Santa photos and more at Bass Pro Shops Santa's Wonderland | All Day | FREE | Bass Pro Shops, multiple locations |
| Walgreens Senior Day: 20% off for rewards members age 55+ | All Day | Walgreens (multiple locations) | |
| Blades and Badges Day at Skate Fenton: first responders and military get $3 off (check website for hours) | All Day | Discounted | Fenton, Cary |
| Sculpture in the Garden (free with $5 suggested donation) | 9:00 am to 5:00 am | FREE | North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill |
| Durham Community Day at Museum of Life + Science: free admission for Durham County residents | 10:00 am to 5:00 pm | FREE | Museum of Life+Science, Durham |
| Tequila Tuesday | 11:00 am to 8:00 pm | Discounted | bmc brewing, Pittsboro |
| Grand Menorah Lighting in The Pit at UNC | 11:30 am | FREE | The Pit UNC |
| Hayti Heritage Center's 50th Anniversary Open House | 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm | FREE | Hayti Heritage Center |
| Window on Animal Health | 1:30 pm | FREE | Nature Research Center (North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences), Raleigh |
| A Night with Santa -- free events with Raleigh Police and Raleigh Parks | 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Greystone Community Center |
| Piper Lights in Wake Forest | 5:30 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Piper Lights, Wake Forest |
| Contentnea Fire Department's Christmas Light Display | 5:30 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Contentnea Fire Department, Wilson |
| Lake Myra Christmas Lights in Wendell | 5:30 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Lake Myra Christmas Lights in Wendell |
| A Jolly Evening with Santa | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Ruckus Pizza, Costco Plaza Apex |
| Selma Tree Lighting | 6:00 pm | FREE | Downtown Selma |
| Physics From the Ground Up | 6:00 pm to 8:00 am | FREE | Lanza’s Cafe, Carrboro |
| Pints and Pups | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Ponysaurus Brewing Co., Raleigh |
| Tartar Sauce: Working Artist Drop-In | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | The Beerded Lady Bottle Shop, Garner |
| North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival (price varies) | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | $16.74-30.64 | Koka Booth Amphitheatre |
| Adult Coloring Night | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Hi-Wire Brewing at Golden Belt, Durham |
| Bond Brothers Run Club | 6:00 pm | FREE | Bond Brothers Beer Company |
| National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation Trivia | 6:30 pm | FREE | Ponysaurus, Durham |
| Beer & Banjos in Raleigh | 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Bowstring Pizza and Brewyard, Raleigh |
| Free Square Dance Open House with Capital Squares | 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | St. James United Methodist Church, Raleigh |
| Selma Christmas Parade | 7:00 pm | FREE | Downtown Selma |
| Music Bingo | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Gizmo Brew Works, Durham |
| Open Mic Night | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | The Williams House Craft Taproom, Cary |
| Beer & Banjos Carrboro | 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm | FREE | Speakeasy, Carrboro |
| Video Game Night at Moon Dog Meadery | 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Moon Dog Meadery and Bottle Shop, Durham |
| Tricycle Trivia | 7:00 pm | FREE | Crank Arm Brewing, Durham |
| Holiday Music with Ally J | 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | The Durham Hotel |
| Karaoke Night | 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Boxcar Bar + Arcade, Durham |
| Open Mic with a Live Band | 9:00 pm to 11:59 pm | FREE | Slims, Raleigh |
