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
Friday, July 3, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tasting at Ten -- free coffee tasting at Counter Culture Coffee | 10:00 am | FREE | Counter Culture Coffee Headquarters and Training Center, Durham |
| Cary Independence Day Celebration at Downtown Cary Park, including the movie Top Gun and airplane-themed activities | 4:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Downtown Cary Park |
| Apex Fireworks Frenzy, also including drone show | 4:30 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Hunter Park, Apex |
| First Friday Market & Movie: Hamilton | 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Moore Square, Raleigh |
| Garner Independence Day Celebration, including NC Symphony, fireworks | 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Lake Benson Park, Garner |
| Artspace First Friday: Live Art-Making and more | 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Artspace, Raleigh |
| Movie Night: Independence Day | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Downtown Cary Park |
| First Friday Gallery Walk in Raleigh | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Various locations |
| Live Music | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Gizmo Brew Works, Raleigh |
| Bounce and Brews DJ Night | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Gizmo Brew Works, Durham |
| Video Game Night at Moon Dog Meadery | 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Moon Dog Meadery and Bottle Shop, Durham |
| Karaoke Bingo Nights | 7:00 pm to 11:55 pm | FREE | KōMANA Brewing Company, Cary |
| Cary Town Band Concert: America's 250's Anniversary Patriotic Celebration | 7:30 pm | FREE | Cary Arts Center |
| Stand-up Comedy Open Mic | 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Durty Bull Brewing Company, Durham |
| Karaoke with Mega Mike | 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Crank Arm Brewing Company, Raleigh |
| Pub Karaoke | 10:00 pm to 11:59 pm | FREE | West 94th Street Pub, Durham |
Saturday, July 4, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Museums on Us: Free admission to Marbles Kids Museum first weekend of month for Bank of America customers and employees | All Day | FREE | Marbles Kids Museum, Raleigh |
| City of Raleigh's 4th of July Fireworks (check back soon for details) | All Day | FREE | Dorothea Dix Park |
| Independence Day Fishing Tournament | 8:00 am to 11:00 am | FREE | Fred G. Bond Metro Park |
| Cars and Coffee Morrisville | 8:00 am to 11:00 am | FREE | Imperial Center, Durham |
| Visit Cow Sanctuary | 8:00 am to 12:00 pm | $0-25.00 | Brajboro Cow Sanctuary, Chapel Hill |
| Durham Craft Market | 8:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | Durham Central Park |
| Carrboro 4th of July Kickoff and People's Parade | 9:30 am to 10:50 am | FREE | Weaver Street Market Carrboro |
| Capitol 250: North Carolina Freedom Fest | 10:00 am to 4:00 pm | FREE | North Carolina State Capitol, Raleigh |
| Fourth of July Celebration in Hillsborough: Together We Are America | 10:00 am to 9:00 pm | FREE | Downtown Hillsborough |
| 77th Annual Watts-Hillandale Fourth of July parade and Celebration in Durham | 10:00 am | FREE | Oval Drive Park, Durham |
| Wake Forest Independence Day: Childrens's Parade | 10:00 am | FREE | Wake Forest Historical Museum |
| Frederick Douglass Community Reading | 10:00 am | Stagville State Historic Site | |
| Saturday Slowdown Market and Open Farm Day | 10:00 am to 2:00 pm | FREE | RambleRill Farm, Hillsborough |
| Open Farm at Sunrise Community Farm Center | 10:00 am to 5:00 pm | $8.00 | Sunrise Community Farm Center, Chapel Hill |
| Wake Forest Independence Day: Art in the Park | 11:00 am to 1:00 pm | FREE | Wake Forest Community House |
| Carrboro 4th of July Celebration | 11:00 am to 1:30 pm | FREE | Carrboro Town Commons |
| Historic Raleigh Trolley Tours (1-hour long; 4 start times) | 11:00 am to 3:00 pm | $6.00-10.00 | Mordecai Historic Park, Raleigh |
| Free Guided Tour of N.C. State Capitol (three start times: 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m.) | 11:00 am to 4:00 pm | FREE | North Carolina State Capitol, Raleigh |
| Annual Reading of Frederick Douglass' Essay | 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Carrboro Century Center |
| Carrboro Really Really Free Market | 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Carrboro Town Commons |
| Irish Music Jam | 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm | FREE | Moon Dog Meadery and Bottle Shop, Durham |
| Cary Presents: Independence Day Celebration | 3:30 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Koka Booth Amphitheatre |
| Rolesville Fourth: 4th of July celebration with live music and fireworks | 5:00 pm | FREE | Redford Place Park, Rolesville |
| Saturdays in Saxapahaw Outdoor Concert Series | 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | The Haw River Ballroom, Saxapahaw |
| Live Music | 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Gizmo Brew Works, Raleigh |
| Live Music Saturdays | 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Gizmo Brew Works, Durham |
| Wake Forest Fireworks Spectacular | 5:30 pm | FREE | Heritage High School, Wake Forest |
| Chapel Hill July 4th Drone Show | 7:00 pm to 9:45 pm | FREE | Chapel Hill High School |
| Live Music | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Bombshell Beer Company, Holly Springs |
| Live Music | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | The Williams House Craft Taproom, Cary |
| Open Mic/Karaoke Night | 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Compass Rose Brewery, Raleigh |
| Durham 4th of July Fireworks at Durham Bulls Athletic Park (after baseball game) | 9:15 pm | FREE | Durham Bulls Athletic Park |
Sunday, July 5, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Museums on Us: Free admission to Marbles Kids Museum first weekend of month for Bank of America customers and employees | All Day | FREE | Marbles Kids Museum, Raleigh |
| Visit Cow Sanctuary | 8:00 am to 12:00 pm | $0-25.00 | Brajboro Cow Sanctuary, Chapel Hill |
| Pop Up ARTernative Market | 10:00 am to 3:00 pm | FREE | Chapel of Bones Coffee, Raleigh |
| Sunday Morning Yoga | 11:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | Compass Rose Brewery, Raleigh |
| Phone-Free Fun | 11:00 am to 9:00 pm | FREE | The Glass Jug Downtown Durham Taproom |
| Cary Underground Market: Bands and Vendors | 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Bond Brothers Beer Company |
| Kanikapila Ukulele Meetup | 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm | FREE | KōMANA Brewing Company, Cary |
| Sunday Board Games at Guildhall Games | 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm | FREE | Boxyard RTP |
| Free air hockey tournament | 1:00 pm | FREE | Super Rad Retro Lounge Arcade Bar, Raleigh |
| Open Mic Jam | 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm | FREE | Oaklyn Springs Brewery, Fuquay-Varina |
| Open Mic Night | 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm | FREE | Gizmo Brew Works, Raleigh |
| Family Fun Day at Archer Lodge Community Center | 4:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Archer Lodge Community Center, (Johnston County) |
| Bluegrass Open Jam | 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Bond Brothers Eastside, Cary |
| Holly Springs' July 5th Fireworks | 6:00 pm to 9:30 pm | FREE | Jefferson L. Sugg Farm at Bass Lake Park |
| Sundays at Sundown Live Music | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Southern Village, Chapel Hill |
| Sunday Open Mic at Moon Dog Meadery | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Moon Dog Meadery and Bottle Shop, Durham |
Monday, July 6, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coloring Vinyl Night | 2:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | KōMANA Brewing Company, Cary |
| Free Food Distribution at Elizabeth Street United Methodist Church | 2:00 pm | FREE | Elizabeth Street United Methodist Church, Durham |
| Open Mic Night | 6:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Steel String Brewery, Carrboro |
| Early Karaoke | 6:00 pm | FREE | The Northside District |
| Tap Yard Yoga -- pay what you can | 6:30 pm | Tap Yard, Raleigh | |
| Cosmic Chuckles: Weekly Comedy Show | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Flying Saucer Raleigh |
| Board Game Night at Moon Dog Meadery | 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Moon Dog Meadery and Bottle Shop, Durham |
| Carrboro Open Mic | 7:30 pm | FREE | Speakeasy, Carrboro |
| Air Hockey Tournament | 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Boxcar Bar and Arcade, Raleigh |
Tuesday, July 7, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walgreens Senior Day: 20% off for rewards members age 55+ | All Day | Walgreens (multiple locations) | |
| The Lumina Theater in Southern Village: All Tuesday tickets are $6.25 | All Day | $6.25 | The Lumina Theater, Chapel Hill |
| Free kids' movies at Marquee Cinemas | 9:30 am | FREE | Marquee Cinemas Wakefield 12 |
| Free Kids' Movie at Triangle Cinemas: Sing | 10:00 am | FREE | Triangle Cinemas @ Six Forks |
| Tequila Tuesday | 11:00 am to 8:00 pm | Discounted | bmc brewing, Pittsboro |
| Free line dancing class | 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | The Snow Approach, Hillsborough |
| Bond Brothers Run Club | 6:00 pm | FREE | Bond Brothers Beer Company |
| Chess Club | 6:00 pm | FREE | Bearded Bee Brewing Company, Wendell |
| Craft and Draft | 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm | FREE | Crank Arm Brewing Company, Raleigh |
| Pints and Pups Adoption Event with Hope Animal Shelter | 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm | FREE | Ponysaurus Brewing Co., Raleigh |
| Beer & Banjos in Raleigh | 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Bowstring Pizza and Brewyard, Raleigh |
| Craft & Draft Tuesdays | 6:30 pm | FREE | Crank Arm Brewing, Durham |
| Music Bingo | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Gizmo Brew Works, Durham |
| Jeopardy Bar League | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Compass Rose Brewery, Raleigh |
| Jeopardy! Bar League Trivia | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Edit Beer Co., Raleigh |
| 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 |
| Karaoke Night | 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Boxcar Bar + Arcade, Durham |
| Open Mic Night | 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Slims, Raleigh |
