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
Tuesday, September 29, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Lumina Theater in Southern Village: All Tuesday tickets are $6.25 | All Day | $6.25 | The Lumina Theater, Chapel Hill |
| Tuesday Toss: Roll the dice to decide your $5 draft fate | All Day | Discounted | Der Nachbar Bottleshop & Taps, Durham |
| Sculpture in the Garden (free with $5 suggested donation) | 9:00 am to 5:00 am | FREE | North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill |
| North Hills Kids: Fall, Fun & Fitness | 9:30 am to 11:00 am | FREE | The Commons at North Hills, Raleigh |
| Computer Refresher for Mature Adults -- free course (registration is required and space is limited) | 10:30 am to 11:30 am | FREE | W.D. Hill Recreation Center, Durham |
| Durham Chess Enthusiasts | 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm | FREE | Der Nachbar Bottleshop & Taps, Durham |
| Book Club: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRoue | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Southern Peak Brewery, Apex |
| Free line dancing class | 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | The Snow Approach, Hillsborough |
| Plant-y Hour Plant Swap | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Hi-Wire Brewing at Golden Belt, Durham |
| Run, Sweat, Beers RUN CLUB | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Growler Grlz, Durham |
| Adult Coloring Night | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Hi-Wire Brewing at Golden Belt, Durham |
| Poker Night | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | KōMANA Brewing Company, Cary |
| Bond Brothers Run Club | 6:00 pm | FREE | Bond Brothers Beer Company |
| Artist in Residence Series at JB Duke Hotel: Live artmaking | 6:00 pm | FREE | JB Duke Hotel, Durham |
| Chess Club | 6:00 pm | FREE | Bearded Bee Brewing Company, Wendell |
| Craft and Draft Tuesdays | 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm | FREE | Crank Arm Brewing Company, Raleigh |
| Beer & Banjos in Raleigh | 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Bowstring Pizza and Brewyard, Raleigh |
| Bounce and Brews DJ Night | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Gizmo Brew Works, Durham |
| 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 |
| Karaoke Night | 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Boxcar Bar + Arcade, Durham |
Wednesday, September 30, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sculpture in the Garden (free with $5 suggested donation) | 9:00 am to 5:00 am | FREE | North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill |
| 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 |
| Centennial SoundBites | 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm | FREE | 321 Coffee, NC State Centennial Campus |
| Board Game Night | 12:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Gizmo Brew Works, Durham |
| Market Bunch Kids' Activities | 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm | FREE | Carrboro Farmers’ Market |
| "Pay What You Can" Farm Stand at Raleigh City Farm | 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Raleigh City Farm |
| Wine Down Wednesday -- live music, plus wine specials | 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | La Vita Dolce at Southern Village |
| Sunset Music Series at Waverly Place: 8 Track Minds | 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm | FREE | Waverly Place, Cary |
| Free Acro Yoga at Pullen Park | 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm | FREE | Pullen Park, Raleigh |
| Wine + Weed (learn about plants and farming) | 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Raleigh City Farm |
| Play chess with Durham Chess Club (all ages and levels) | 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm | FREE | Durham Food Hall |
| The Oak City Salsa Social -- Live Band Music and Dance Series | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Gipson Play Plaza, Dix Park, Raleigh |
| Pride Bike Ride | 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm | FREE | Crank Arm Brewing, Durham |
| Duke Arts at American Tobacco: Madison Cunningham | 6:30 pm | FREE | American Tobacco Campus |
| Bring Your Own Craft Night | 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm | FREE | Raleigh Brewing, Raleigh |
| Crank Arm Durham Wednesday Night Ride | 6:30 pm | FREE | Crank Arm Brewing, Durham |
| Bluegrass Jam (pay what you can) | 7:00 pm to 11:00 am | Sonark Farms, Hillsborough | |
| Raleigh Drum Circle and Hoop Jam | 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm | FREE | Pullen Park, Raleigh |
| Ballroom Dancing Social with Pullen Dance | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | $5.00 | Pullen Community Center |
| Wednesday Singer/Songwriter Sessions | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Speakeasy, Carrboro |
| Stitch N' Bitch Craft Night | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Steel String Brewery, Carrboro |
| DSSOLVR Durham Bingo Night | 7:00 pm | FREE | DSSOLVR Durham |
| Trivia Night | 7:00 pm | FREE | Raleigh Beer Garden |
| Salsa Night: Dance Lessons and Social | 7:30 pm to 11:30 pm | $10.00 | KōMANA Brewing Company, Cary |
| Weekly Skee Ball Tournament | 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Boxcar Bar + Arcade, Durham |
| Live Music: Tan & Sober Unplugged | 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Yonder: Southern Cocktails & Brew (Hillsborough) |
| City Soul Cafe Open Mic | 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm | $10.00 | Terminal 8 Bar & Lounge, Raleigh |
| Open Mic Night | 8:00 pm | FREE | Abbey Road Cary |
| Beer Pong Tournament | 8:30 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Boxcar Bar and Arcade, Raleigh |
Thursday, October 1, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stammtisch (German community night) with steins of German beers for pint prices | All Day | Der Nachbar Bottleshop & Taps, Durham | |
| Sculpture in the Garden (free with $5 suggested donation) | 9:00 am to 5:00 am | FREE | North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill |
| Bilingual Storytime | 10:30 am to 11:00 am | FREE | Nasher Museum of Art, Durham |
| Wendell Market | 5:30 pm | FREE | Bearded Bee Brewing Company, Wendell |
| Jazz in the Square: NCCU Jazz Collective | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Moore Square, Raleigh |
| Raleigh Wide Open Kickoff Celebration | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | The Corner, NC State Centennial Campus |
| Durham Beer and Banjos | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Old Mill Farm, Durham |
| Vinyl Nights | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Gizmo Brew Works, Durham |
| NC Run Club | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Bottle Theory, Apex |
| “We Belong” Multi-Faith Service | 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm | FREE | Eno River Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Durham |
| Oktoberfest at West 94th Street Pub | 6:30 pm | FREE | West 94th Street Pub, Durham |
| Raleigh Uke Jam | 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm | FREE | Church of the Nativity, Raleigh |
| Science Trivia | 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Nature Research Center (North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences), Raleigh |
| Music Bingo | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Fortnight Brewing, Cary |
| Opinionation | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Gizmo Brew Works, Raleigh |
| Air Hockey Tournament | 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Boxcar Bar + Arcade, Durham |
| Jazz: The Session | 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Bond Brothers Eastside, Cary |
| Cosmic Cantina Karaoke | 8:00 pm to 11:59 pm | FREE | Cosmic Cantina, Chapel Hill |
| Skee Ball Tournament | 9:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Boxcar Bar and Arcade, Raleigh |
| Karaoke hosted by Empress | 9:00 pm | FREE | Speakeasy, Carrboro |
Friday, October 2, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sculpture in the Garden (free with $5 suggested donation) | 9:00 am to 5:00 am | FREE | North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill |
| Día de Muertos Ofrenda at Duke Chapel | 10:00 am to 8:00 pm | FREE | Duke University Chapel |
| Tasting at Ten -- free coffee tasting at Counter Culture Coffee | 10:00 am | FREE | Counter Culture Coffee Headquarters and Training Center, Durham |
| Catalog Cupping -- Taste Counter Culture's menu | 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm | FREE | Counter Culture Coffee Headquarters and Training Center, Durham |
| Raleigh Wide Open Music Festival | 3:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | 100 Fayetteville Street, Raleigh |
| First Friday: Artist Interviews with Raleigh Wide Open | 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm | FREE | City of Raleigh Museum |
| Free Wine Tastings | 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm | FREE | Bottle Theory, Apex |
| Bands, Bites and Boats Concert Series: Amanda Peach Duo | 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Fred G. Bond Metro Park |
| First Friday Market & Movie: Ghostbusters | 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Moore Square, Raleigh |
| Triangle Oktoberfest at Booth Amphitheatre (free if you bring a wiener dog) | 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm | $0-37.57 | Koka Booth Amphitheatre |
| Fridays on the Front Porch | 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Carolina Inn, Chapel Hill |
| For Friday's Sake -- live music and food truck | 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | For Garden’s Sake, Durham |
| First Friday in Downtown Fuquay-Varina | 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Downtown Fuquay-Varina |
| Artspace First Friday: Live Art-Making and more | 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Artspace, Raleigh |
| First Friday: Pumpkin Patch | 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm | FREE | Oak City Brewing Company, Knightdale |
| One Tribe Drum Circle | 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Stone Houses at Dix Park, Raleigh |
| Fall Fundraiser for West End Community Foundation | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Community Family Life & Recreation Center, Lyon Park, Durham |
| Movie Night: Frankenweenie | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Downtown Cary Park |
| PLAYlist concert series at Durham Central Park: Natural Wonder (Stevie Wonder tribute) | 6:00 pm | FREE | Durham Central 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 |
| Pop Up Music at North Hills | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | The Commons at North Hills, Raleigh |
| First Friday at Eno Arts Mill -- studio tours, live music, kids' activities, more... | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Eno Arts Mill, Hillsborough |
| Front Porch Friday at Haven Farm | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Haven Farm, Knightdale |
| First Friday Cemetery Tours | 6:00 pm | $10.00 | Oakwood Cemetery, Raleigh |
| Dance with Raleigh International Folk Dancers | 6:30 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Glen Eden Pilot Park, Raleigh |
| First Friday Under the Stars -- Skywatching Event | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Three Bears Acres, Creedmoor |
| Stand-up Comedy Open Mic | 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Durty Bull Brewing Company, Durham |
| Pub Karaoke | 10:00 pm to 11:59 pm | FREE | West 94th Street Pub, Durham |
Saturday, October 3, 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 |
| 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 |
| Home Depot Kids Workshop: Witch Candy Box | 9:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | The Home Depot, multiple locations |
| Wendell Harvest Festival | 9:00 am to 9:00 pm | FREE | J. Ashley Wall Towne Square, Wendell |
| Dance Gumbo: Free outdoor dance fitness at NCMA Museum Park | 9:00 am | FREE | North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh |
| Sculpture in the Garden (free with $5 suggested donation) | 9:00 am to 5:00 am | FREE | North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill |
| Holly Springs Diwali | 9:30 am to 9:30 pm | FREE | Bass Lake Park, Holly Springs |
| Wake Forest Free Market | 10:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | Olive Branch Baptist Church |
| Youth Aviation Academy Program (registration required) | 10:00 am to 12:30 pm | $10.00 | John Chavis Memorial Park (Raleigh) |
| Celebrate Fuquay-Varina Festival | 10:00 am to 4:00 pm | FREE | Downtown Fuquay-Varina |
| Lowe's gives away FREE Halloween Trick-or-Treat tote bags (must be rewards member) | 10:00 am | FREE | Lowe’s (multiple stores) |
| Millbrook United Methodist Church Food Pantry | 10:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | Millbrook United Methodist Church, Raleigh |
| 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 |
| Animal Festival | 10:30 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | Christus Victor Lutheran Church, Durham |
| Falling for Local at Dix Park: live music, free hayrides, free pumpkins, more... | 11:00 am to 6:00 pm | FREE | Dorothea Dix Park |
| Taste of Asia | 11:00 am to 6:00 pm | FREE | Moore Square, Raleigh |
| The Witch's Haunted Barn | 11:00 am to 7:00 pm | $13.00 | Firefly Farm, Hillsborough |
| Duke Homestead Vintage Base Ball Game, featuring historic uniforms, equipment and rules | 11:00 am | $10.00 | Durham Athletic Park |
| Family Saturday Series: Heartland Marimba | 11:00 am | $5.00 | The Carolina Theatre, Durham |
| 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 |
| The Market at NCMA | 11:00 am to 4:00 pm | FREE | North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh |
| Pride Community Protest and Parade | 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm | FREE | Duke University–East Campus Main Quad |
| Wake Forest Diwali Festival | 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm | FREE | E. Carroll Joyner Park, Wake Forest |
| Duke Regional Cares Community Day | 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Durham County Memorial Stadium |
| Oktoberfest at The Plant in Pittsboro | 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm | FREE | The Plant, Pittsboro |
| Oktoberfest | 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | bmc brewing, Pittsboro |
| Triangle Oktoberfest at Booth Amphitheatre (free if you bring a wiener dog) | 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm | $0-37.57 | Koka Booth Amphitheatre |
| Oktoberfest | 12:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Steel String Brewery, Pluck Farm (Mebane) |
| Raleigh Wide Open Music Festival | 12:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | 100 Fayetteville Street, Raleigh |
| Oktoberfest | 12:30 pm to 11:59 pm | FREE | PourWorks Beer and Wine Shop, Raleigh |
| Oktoberfest at Lafayette Village in Raleigh, including the Annual Wiener Dog Races | 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Lafayette Village Raleigh |
| Free pumpkin painting (with purchase of pumpkin) | 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm | For Garden’s Sake, Durham | |
| Hymns for Salted Bones: A Re-membering of Hayti Walking Tour (space is limited and registration is required) | 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm | FREE | 1201 Fayetteville Street, Durham |
| Carrboro Really Really Free Market | 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Carrboro Town Commons |
| Stein-Holding Competition | 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm | FREE | Crooked Hammock Brewery, Raleigh |
| 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 |
| Beer Garden Concert Series | 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | The Glass Jug Beer Lab, RTP |
| Live Music | 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm | FREE | Carolina Brewery Pittsboro |
| Live Music | 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Southern Peak Brewery, Apex |
| Deadford Manor -- animatronic singing skeleton show in a Raleigh front yard | 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm | FREE | Deadford Manor, Raleigh |
| Live Music Saturdays | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Bombshell Beer Company, Holly Springs |
| Karaoke | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Crank Arm Brewing, Durham |
| Fall Film Series: Beetlejuice | 7:30 pm | FREE | Durham Central Park |
| Sacred Grounds Coffeehouse Concert | 7:30 pm | FREE | Sacred Grounds Coffeehouse, Durham |
| Open Mic/Karaoke Night | 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Compass Rose Brewery, Raleigh |
