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
Saturday, May 2, 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 |
| Free Comic Book Day | All Day | FREE | Various locations |
| Free Document Shredding at Office Depot / Office Max | All Day | FREE | Various locations |
| Carrboro Farmers' Market: Strawberry Jamboree | 7:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | Carrboro Farmers’ Market |
| Grace Filled Free Market | 7:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | Ernest Myatt Presbyterian Church, Raleigh |
| Cars and Coffee Morrisville | 8:00 am to 11:00 am | FREE | Imperial Center, Durham |
| Durham Craft Market | 8:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | Durham Central Park |
| Lulu Lemon Fenton & Pilates Addiction Cary — National Pilates Day Pop Up | 9:00 am to 10:00 am | FREE | The Backyard (Fenton, Cary) |
| Feathered Fun in the Park -- free "bird bash" | 9:00 am to 11:30 am | FREE | Red Maple Park, Durham |
| Home Depot Kids' Workshop: Keepsake Box | 9:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | The Home Depot, multiple locations |
| Family Field Day at Marbles Playway and Moore Square | 9:00 am to 1:00 pm | FREE | Marbles Kids Museum, Raleigh |
| Apex PeakFest | 9:00 am to 4:00 pm | FREE | Apex Town Hall |
| Smithfield Ham & Yam Festival | 9:00 am to 9:00 pm | FREE | Historic Downtown Smithfield |
| Spring Open Nursery and Garden Days at Plant Delights Nursery and Juniper Level Botanic Garden | 9:00 am to 5:00 pm | FREE | Plant Delights Nursery |
| Wake Forest HerbFest | 9:00 am to 6:00 pm | FREE | The Loading Dock, Wake Forest |
| Get Wild: Creek Critters with Triangle Land Conservancy | 10:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | Johnston Mill Nature Preserve, Chapel Hill (secondary entrance) |
| Raleigh Historic Bike Ride | 10:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | Exchange Plaza, Raleigh |
| Saturday Slowdown Market and Open Farm Day | 10:00 am to 2:00 pm | FREE | RambleRill Farm, Hillsborough |
| Open House at Children's Art Classes | 10:00 am to 2:00 pm | FREE | Children’s Art Classes of Raleigh |
| Meet in the Street Festival | 10:00 am to 4:00 pm | FREE | White Street in Wake Forest |
| 8th Annual Spring Chicken Festival | 10:00 am to 4:00 pm | FREE | Downtown Siler City |
| 31st Annual Art in the Garden Sculpture Exhibition in Hillsborough | 10:00 am to 5:00 pm | FREE | Garden Art Gallery, Hillsborough |
| The Little Pagan Faire at Eno River Unitarian Universalist Fellowship | 10:00 am to 6:00 pm | FREE | Eno River Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Durham |
| Free Yoga for Durham Residents | 10:00 am to 11:00 am | FREE | Holton Career and Resource Center, Durham |
| Millbrook United Methodist Church Food Pantry | 10:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | Millbrook United Methodist Church, Raleigh |
| Visit Cow Sanctuary | 10:00 am to 2:00 pm | $0-25.00 | Brajboro Cow Sanctuary, Chapel Hill |
| Plant Sale: Rare & Heirloom Chrysanthemums rooted for planting now | 10:00 am to 4:00 pm | FREE | State Farmers Market |
| Open Farm at Sunrise Community Farm Center | 10:00 am to 5:00 pm | $8.00 | Sunrise Community Farm Center, Chapel Hill |
| Central Park School for Children's Strawberry Festival | 11:00 am to 3:00 pm | FREE | Old North Durham Park |
| Apex Underground Market | 11:00 am to 3:00 pm | FREE | Sweetwater Apex |
| Burn Boot Camp | 11:00 am | FREE | Oak City Brewing Company, Knightdale |
| 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 |
| Raleigh Geek and Grub Market (Cottagecore Edition) | 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | LeRoy Martin Magnet Middle School, Raleigh |
| Mother's Day Market | 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Sneaky Penguin Brewing Company, Raleigh |
| Raleigh Retro Gamer's Triangle Town May Daze Market | 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm | FREE | Triangle Town Center |
| Gizmo's 13th Anniversary Party | 12:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Gizmo Brew Works, Raleigh |
| Cinco de Derby Block Party | 12:00 pm to 11:45 pm | FREE | Bearded Bee Brewing Company, Wendell |
| Spring Plant Swap at Durham Main Library | 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm | FREE | Durham County Main Library |
| Catalog Cupping -- Taste Counter Culture's menu | 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm | FREE | Counter Culture Coffee Headquarters and Training Center, Durham |
| Mill Open House | 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Historic Yates Mill County Park |
| Carrboro Really Really Free Market | 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Carrboro Town Commons |
| Live Music: John Ford | 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm | FREE | Blackbird Brewery, Wake Forest |
| Live Music: Peak City Band | 3:00 pm | FREE | Raleigh Brewing, Raleigh |
| Irish Music Jam | 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm | FREE | Moon Dog Meadery and Bottle Shop, Durham |
| Haw River Festival | 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | The Haw River Ballroom, Saxapahaw |
| Wands and Wonder: Celebrating Worlds of Wizardry | 4:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Downtown Cary Park |
| Folklore Class and Trivia | 5:00 pm to 8:30 pm | FREE | PourWorks Beer and Wine Shop, 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 8:00 pm | FREE | Carolina Brewery Pittsboro |
| Shakespeare in the Parks: Free professional productions of As You Like It | 6:00 pm | FREE | Sertoma Amphitheatre at Bond Park, Cary |
| Kentucky Derby Potluck | 6:00 pm | FREE | PourWorks Beer and Wine Shop, Raleigh |
| Raleigh Concert Band'ss Spring Concert -- Movement! | 7:00 pm | FREE | Broughton Magnet High School, Raleigh |
| Live Music | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Bombshell Beer Company, Holly Springs |
| Live Music Saturdays | 7:00 pm | FREE | Oaklyn Springs Brewery, Fuquay-Varina |
| Sacred Grounds Coffeehouse Concert: Kent Dixon | 7:30 pm | FREE | Sacred Grounds Coffeehouse, Durham |
| Kentucky Derby Garden Party | 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Tap Yard, Raleigh |
| Open Mic/Karaoke Night | 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Compass Rose Brewery, Raleigh |
Sunday, May 3, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Durham Craft Market Spring Fling | 10:00 am to 3:00 pm | Durham Central Park | |
| Free Document Shredding at Office Depot / Office Max | All Day | FREE | Various locations |
| 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 |
| Spring Open Nursery and Garden Days at Plant Delights Nursery and Juniper Level Botanic Garden | 9:00 am to 5:00 pm | FREE | Plant Delights Nursery |
| Visit Cow Sanctuary | 10:00 am to 2:00 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 |
| Wake Forest HerbFest | 10:00 am to 4:00 pm | FREE | The Loading Dock, Wake Forest |
| Spring Cleaning Swap Party | 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm | FREE | The Glass Jug Downtown Durham Taproom |
| 31st Annual Art in the Garden Sculpture Exhibition in Hillsborough | 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm | FREE | Garden Art Gallery, Hillsborough |
| Strawberry Social at The Plant | 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm | FREE | The Plant, Pittsboro |
| 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 |
| Black Farmers' Market in Durham | 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Durham Technical Community College, main campus |
| Mill Open House | 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Historic Yates Mill County Park |
| Free air hockey tournament | 1:00 pm | FREE | Super Rad Retro Lounge Arcade Bar, Raleigh |
| Artspace Open Studio | 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm | FREE | Artspace, Raleigh |
| After Brunch Market | 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm | FREE | Blackbird Brewery, Wake Forest |
| Shakespeare in the Parks: Free professional productions of As You Like It | 2:00 pm | FREE | Sertoma Amphitheatre at Bond Park, Cary |
| Hillsborough Classic Film Society: Gospel According to St. Matthew | 2:00 pm | FREE | Jerry M. Passmore Senior Center, Hillsborough |
| Pop Up Music at Midtown Park | 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm | FREE | Midtown Park, Raleigh |
| Open Mic Jam | 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm | FREE | Oaklyn Springs Brewery, Fuquay-Varina |
| Out of This World: Planet Hopping with Durham Medical Orchestra | 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm | FREE | Duke University–Baldwin Auditorium |
| Open Mic Night | 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm | FREE | Gizmo Brew Works, Raleigh |
| Live Music: Roxanne Fortney | 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 |
| Six Sundays in Spring concert: The Soul Psychedelique Orchestra | 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm | FREE | E. Carroll Joyner Park, Wake Forest |
| 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, May 4, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Document Shredding at Office Depot / Office Max | All Day | FREE | Various locations |
| Letterland Days | 10:00 am to 6:00 pm | FREE | Pullen Park, Raleigh |
| Vinyasa Yoga Flow -- All Levels (registration required) | 10:00 am to 11:00 am | FREE | USA Baseball National Training Complex, 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 |
| Coloring Vinyl Night | 2:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | KōMANA Brewing Company, Cary |
| Letterland Activity Nights | 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Pullen Park, Raleigh |
| Free yoga at Dix Park (registration required) | 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Harvey Hill at Dix Park |
| Silent Reading Club | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | The Glass Jug Downtown Durham Taproom |
| 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 | |
| Star Wars Trivia Night | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | PourWorks Beer and Wine Shop, 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, May 5, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Document Shredding at Office Depot / Office Max | All Day | FREE | Various locations |
| 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 |
| Plant-Lover's Tour: Mexican Plants | 9:00 am to 10:00 am | $5.00 | JC Raulston Arboretum |
| Coffee & Connection | 9:00 am to 11:00 am | FREE | The Williams House Craft Taproom, Cary |
| North Hills Kids: Movers & Groovers | 9:30 am to 11:00 am | FREE | The Commons at North Hills, Raleigh |
| 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 |
| Letterland Days | 10:00 am to 6:00 pm | FREE | Pullen Park, Raleigh |
| Senior Functional Fitness | 10:30 am to 11:30 am | FREE | USA Baseball National Training Complex, Cary |
| Cinco de Mayo Party | 11:00 am to 10:00 pm | FREE | The Glass Jug Beer Lab, RTP |
| Tequila Tuesday | 11:00 am to 8:00 pm | Discounted | bmc brewing, Pittsboro |
| Bootcamp fitness class | 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm | FREE | USA Baseball National Training Complex, Cary |
| Cinco de Mayo Fiesta -- drink specials | 4:00 pm | Discounted | PourWorks Beer and Wine Shop, Raleigh |
| Cinco de Mayo Fiesta at The Plant | 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | The Plant, 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 |
| 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 |
| Open Mic Night | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | KōMANA Brewing Company, Cary |
| Beer & Banjos Carrboro | 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm | FREE | Speakeasy, Carrboro |
| Game Night and $6 drafts | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | The Williams House Craft Taproom, Cary |
| 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 Jam | 9:00 pm | FREE | Slims, Raleigh |
Wednesday, May 6, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Document Shredding at Office Depot / Office Max | All Day | FREE | Various locations |
| Lagree Fitness | 7:30 am to 8:30 am | FREE | USA Baseball National Training Complex, 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 |
| Letterland Days | 10:00 am to 6:00 pm | FREE | Pullen Park, Raleigh |
| Yoga for Seniors (registration required) | 10:45 am to 11:45 am | FREE | USA Baseball National Training Complex, Cary |
| Shuffle: Lunch break music series -- Mellow Swells | 11:30 am to 1:30 pm | FREE | Horseshoe at Hub RTP |
| Yoga for Athletic Recovery | 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm | FREE | USA Baseball National Training Complex, Cary |
| 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 |
| Oaks and Spokes Kids Bike Rodeo | 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm | FREE | John Chavis Memorial Park (Raleigh) |
| Magic the Gathering Group Meet Up | 4:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Oaklyn Springs Brewery, Fuquay-Varina |
| "Pay What You Can" Farm Stand at Raleigh City Farm | 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Raleigh City Farm |
| G + F Artisan Market | 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Old North State Food Hall, Selma |
| Wine Down Wednesday -- live music, plus wine specials | 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | La Vita Dolce at Southern Village |
| Book Club at Bird's Nest | 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Blackbird Brewery, Wake Forest |
| 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 |
| Wellness Wednesday: Sunset Yoga | 6:30 pm | FREE | Philip H. Kohn MOSAIC Family Commons, Pittsboro |
| 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 |
| Astronomy on Tap | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Durty Bull Brewing Company, Durham |
| 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 Local Artist 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 |
| 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 10:30 pm | FREE | Boxcar Bar + Arcade, Durham |
| City Soul Cafe Open Mic | 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm | $10.00 | Terminal 8 Bar & Lounge, Raleigh |
| Karaoke at Moon Dog Meadery | 8:00 pm to 11:45 pm | FREE | Moon Dog Meadery and Bottle Shop, Durham |
| 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 |
