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, November 6, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Durham Fringe Festival (multiple free and ticketed performances, art installations, and more, around Durham) | All Day | Various Locations, Durham | |
| Birds & Breakfast: Birdwatching | 8:30 am to 10:30 am | FREE | Hub RTP |
| Sculpture in the Garden (free with $5 suggested donation) | 9:00 am to 5:00 am | FREE | North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill |
| Visions of Sugarplums 52nd Annual Holiday Art & Gift Show | 9:00 am to 6:30 pm | FREE | Quail Hollow Swim Club |
| Tasting at Ten -- free coffee tasting at Counter Culture Coffee | 10:00 am | FREE | Counter Culture Coffee Headquarters and Training Center, Durham |
| CARI Food Pantry Free Food Giveaway | 10:30 am to 11:30 am | FREE | Church of the Apostolic Revival International, Durham |
| Lunch for the Brave -- free lunch for veterans in Cary (registration required) | 11:00 am to 1:00 pm | FREE | |
| Festival of Fabulous Mums | 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Sarah P. Duke Gardens |
| EgyptFest | 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | St. Mary Coptic Orthodox Cathedral |
| First Friday Market & Movie: Fantastic Mr. Fox | 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Moore Square, Raleigh |
| A Celebration of Diwali | 5:00 pm | FREE | North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh |
| Free Wine Tasting with Michael Bostick of 3 Keys Dist. | 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm | FREE | Taylor’s Wine Shop |
| 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 |
| One Tribe Drum Circle | 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Stone Houses at Dix Park, Raleigh |
| First Friday Under the Stars -- Skywatching Event | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Three Bears Acres, Creedmoor |
| Movie Night: Minions | 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 |
| 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 |
| Annual Day of the Dead Celebration at City of Raleigh Museum | 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | City of Raleigh Museum |
| Dance with Raleigh International Folk Dancers | 6:30 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Glen Eden Pilot Park, Raleigh |
| Movies on the Bloc: Zootopia 2 | 7:00 pm | FREE | 321 Coffee, Downtown Raleigh |
| UNC Music: “To BEethoven Rather Than To Seem”: Part II | Gut Instinct Chamber Music Project | 7:30 pm | FREE | Person Recital Hall at UNC Chapel Hill |
| Pub Karaoke | 10:00 pm to 11:59 pm | FREE | West 94th Street Pub, Durham |
Saturday, November 7, 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 |
| Durham Fringe Festival (multiple free and ticketed performances, art installations, and more, around Durham) | All Day | Various Locations, Durham | |
| Cars and Coffee Morrisville | 8:00 am to 11:00 am | FREE | Imperial Center, Durham |
| Durham Craft Market | 9:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | Durham Central Park |
| Root Fest at Carrboro Farmers' Market | 9:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | Carrboro Farmers’ Market |
| Home Depot Kids Workshop: Dump Truck | 9:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | The Home Depot, multiple locations |
| Visions of Sugarplums 52nd Annual Holiday Art & Gift Show | 9:00 am to 2:00 pm | FREE | Quail Hollow Swim Club |
| Community Baby Shower (pre-registration required) | 9:00 am to 2:00 pm | FREE | Apex Friendship High School |
| Military Appreciation Week at North Carolina Zoo - free admission for military member plus a guest | 9:00 am to 4:00 pm | FREE | North Carolina Zoo |
| NC Collector's Roadshow | 9:00 am to 4:00 pm | $0-5.00 | Jim Graham Building–NC State Fairgrounds |
| 42nd Annual Raleigh Fall Train Show | 9:00 am to 5:00 pm | $10.00 | Jim Graham Building–NC State Fairgrounds |
| Sculpture in the Garden (free with $5 suggested donation) | 9:00 am to 5:00 am | FREE | North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill |
| Youth Aviation Academy Program (registration required) | 10:00 am to 12:30 pm | $10.00 | John Chavis Memorial Park (Raleigh) |
| Orange County Artists Guild 32nd Annual Open Studio Tour | 10:00 am to 5:00 pm | FREE | Various locations |
| North Carolina Whirligig Festival | 10:00 am to 5:00 pm | FREE | Historic Downtown Wilson |
| Christmas Open House at Collected Treasures | 10:00 am to 5:00 pm | FREE | Collected Treasures, Garner |
| Love Raleigh Festival & Market | 10:00 am to 6:00 pm | FREE | Moore Square, Raleigh |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Kickball for Kids (registration required) | 10:30 am to 11:30 am | FREE | Piney Wood Park, Durham |
| 10th Annual Autism Acceptance Day in Holly Springs | 11:00 am to 2:00 pm | FREE | Jefferson L. Sugg Farm at Bass Lake Park |
| First Grateful Harvest Festival at Beech Bluff County Park | 11:00 am to 2:30 pm | FREE | Beech Bluff County Park, Willow Spring |
| Festival of Fabulous Mums | 11:00 am to 4:00 pm | FREE | Sarah P. Duke Gardens |
| Taste of China Festival | 11:00 am to 5:00 pm | FREE | Downtown Cary |
| Family Saturday Series: North Carolina Youth Tap Ensemble | 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 |
| EgyptFest | 11:00 am to 8:00 pm | FREE | St. Mary Coptic Orthodox Cathedral |
| Festifall Arts Market | 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm | FREE | Parking lot at Rosemary and Columbia, Chapel Hill |
| The Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo | 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm | FREE | Fayetteville Street, Downtown Raleigh |
| Wanted: Forever Homes PIPs Adoption Event | 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm | FREE | Lonerider Wake Forest Hideout & Distillery |
| Fall Harvest Festival | 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Epworth United Methodist Church, 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 |
| More Than War: Staged Reading and Community Conversation | 2:30 pm | FREE | Burning Coal Theater Company, Raleigh |
| Concerts on the Creek: Rissi Palmer | 3:00 pm to 5:30 pm | FREE | Hub RTP |
| Carolina Roller Derby Match: Fall Double Header | 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm | $8.00-20.00 | SoFive Soccer and Sports Center, Apex |
| Glow Market | 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | PourWorks Beer and Wine Shop, Raleigh |
| Santa Arrival Parade and Tree Lighting | 5:00 pm | FREE | Bass Pro Shops, multiple locations |
| 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 |
| Sufi Roots & Rhythms: Free concert at Boxyard RTP with Diali Cissokho Trio | 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm | FREE | Boxyard RTP |
| Live Music | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Fortnight Brewing, Wake Forest |
| Karaoke | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Crank Arm Brewing, Durham |
| Fall Film Series: Best in Show | 7:30 pm | FREE | Durham Central Park |
| Sacred Grounds Coffeehouse Concert | 7:30 pm | FREE | Sacred Grounds Coffeehouse, Durham |
| UNC Opera presents Fall Scenes Program | 8:00 pm | FREE | Hill Hall at UNC Chapel Hill |
Sunday, November 8, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Santa photos and more at Bass Pro Shops Santa's Wonderland | All Day | FREE | Bass Pro Shops, multiple 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 |
| Durham Fringe Festival (multiple free and ticketed performances, art installations, and more, around Durham) | All Day | Various Locations, Durham | |
| Sculpture in the Garden (free with $5 suggested donation) | 9:00 am to 5:00 am | FREE | North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill |
| Military Appreciation Week at North Carolina Zoo - free admission for military member plus a guest | 9:00 am to 4:00 pm | FREE | North Carolina Zoo |
| NC Collector's Roadshow | 10:00 am to 4:00 pm | $0-5.00 | Jim Graham Building–NC State Fairgrounds |
| 42nd Annual Raleigh Fall Train Show | 10:00 am to 4:00 pm | $10.00 | Jim Graham Building–NC State Fairgrounds |
| 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 |
| Sunday Morning Yoga | 10:00 am to 11:00 am | FREE | Compass Rose Brewery, Raleigh |
| Visit Cow Sanctuary | 10:00 am to 2:00 pm | $0-25.00 | Brajboro Cow Sanctuary, Chapel Hill |
| EgyptFest | 11:00 am to 7:00 pm | FREE | St. Mary Coptic Orthodox Cathedral |
| Raleigh Really Really Free Market | 11:00 am to 1:00 pm | FREE | Eliza Pool Park, Raleigh |
| Raleigh Underground Market | 11:00 am to 3:00 pm | FREE | Midtown Park, Raleigh |
| Festival of Fabulous Mums | 11:00 am to 4:00 pm | FREE | Sarah P. Duke Gardens |
| Bull City Treasure Hunt | 11:00 am to 5:00 pm | FREE | Durham Bottling Company |
| Orange County Artists Guild 32nd Annual Open Studio Tour | 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm | FREE | Various locations |
| North Carolina Whirligig Festival | 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm | FREE | Historic Downtown Wilson |
| Bazaar Craft & Art Market in Carrboro | 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm | FREE | Carrboro Town Commons |
| Morgan Street Sessions | 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Morgan Street Food Hall & Market, Raleigh |
| Oak & Ink Bookish Boutique | 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Botanist and Barrel, Cedar Grove |
| Second Sundays: Open Studio | 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm | FREE | Nasher Museum of Art, Durham |
| Open Play American Mahjong | 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm | FREE | Hops & Flower, Durham |
| Black Farmers' Market in Raleigh | 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Southeast Raleigh YMCA |
| Panthers Watch Party | 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Tap Yard, Raleigh |
| Free air hockey tournament | 1:00 pm | FREE | Super Rad Retro Lounge Arcade Bar, Raleigh |
| Instrument Petting Zoo | 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Gipson Play Plaza, Dix Park, Raleigh |
| Knightdale Veterans Day Tribute | 2:00 pm | FREE | Knightdale Station Park |
| Veterans Day Celebration Concert with Durham Community Concert Band | 2:00 pm | FREE | Southern Village, Chapel Hill |
| Open Mic | 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm | FREE | Oaklyn Springs Brewery, Fuquay-Varina |
| UNC Opera presents Fall Scenes Program | 3:00 pm | FREE | Hill Hall at UNC Chapel Hill |
| Open Mic Night | 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm | FREE | Gizmo Brew Works, Raleigh |
| Bluegrass Open Jam | 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Bond Brothers Eastside, Cary |
Monday, November 9, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Santa photos and more at Bass Pro Shops Santa's Wonderland | All Day | FREE | Bass Pro Shops, multiple locations |
| Military Appreciation Week at North Carolina Zoo - free admission for military member plus a guest | 9:00 am to 4:00 pm | FREE | North Carolina Zoo |
| 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 |
| Coloring Vinyl Night | 2:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | KōMANA Brewing Company, Cary |
| Mahjong Socials at Apex Senior Center | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | $5.00 | Apex Senior Center |
| Silent Reading Club | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | The Glass Jug Downtown Durham Taproom |
| Board Game Night | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Bottle Theory, Apex |
| Open Mic Night | 6:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Steel String Brewery, Carrboro |
| Early Karaoke | 6:00 pm | FREE | The Northside District |
| Smut Book Club | 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm | FREE | Raleigh Brewing, Raleigh |
| Cosmic Chuckles: Weekly Comedy Show | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Flying Saucer Raleigh |
| Open Mic Night | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | KōMANA Brewing Company, Cary |
| 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, November 10, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Santa photos and more at Bass Pro Shops Santa's Wonderland | All Day | FREE | Bass Pro Shops, multiple locations |
| 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 |
| Military Appreciation Week at North Carolina Zoo - free admission for military member plus a guest | 9:00 am to 4:00 pm | FREE | North Carolina Zoo |
| Free Veterans Brunch at John Chavis Memorial Park (free for veterans, $5 for guests, registration required) | 11:00 am to 1:00 pm | FREE | John Chavis Memorial Park (Raleigh) |
| Reflections: Public Tour | 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm | FREE | Nasher Museum of Art, Durham |
| Durham Chess Enthusiasts | 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm | FREE | Der Nachbar Bottleshop & Taps, Durham |
| Free line dancing class | 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | The Snow Approach, Hillsborough |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| BEERthoven: Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle with guest artists (optional donation) | 7:30 pm | Atomic Clock Brewing Co., Durham | |
| University Chamber Players | 7:30 pm | FREE | Hill Hall at UNC Chapel Hill |
| Karaoke Night | 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Boxcar Bar + Arcade, Durham |
