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, May 12, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Document Shredding at Office Depot / Office Max | All Day | FREE | Various locations |
| 12-pack for $12 | All Day | $12.00 | Carolina Brewery Pittsboro |
| The Lumina Theater in Southern Village: All Tuesday tickets are $6.25 | All Day | $6.25 | The Lumina Theater, Chapel Hill |
| Coffee & Connection | 9:00 am to 11:00 am | FREE | The Williams House Craft Taproom, Cary |
| North Hills Kids: Twirls & Tunes | 9:30 am to 11:00 am | FREE | The Commons at North Hills, Raleigh |
| Senior Functional Fitness | 10:30 am to 11:30 am | FREE | USA Baseball National Training Complex, Cary |
| 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 |
| Monthly Reflections Tour For People with Dementia and Their Partners | 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm | FREE | Nasher Museum of Art, Durham |
| Evening Garden Stroll | 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm | FREE | JC Raulston Arboretum |
| Recipe Swap Night | 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Ment Beverage Co., Durham |
| Teen Science Cafe at the Museum of Life and Science | 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Museum of Life+Science, Durham |
| 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 |
| Pony Ride Biking Event | 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm | FREE | Ponysaurus, Durham |
| 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 |
| Square Dance Party | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | $5.00-10.00 | St. James United Methodist Church, Raleigh |
| Music Bingo | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Gizmo Brew Works, Durham |
| 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 |
| Live Music: 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 Jam | 9:00 pm | FREE | Slims, Raleigh |
Wednesday, May 13, 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 |
| Holly Springs Small Business Network | 9:00 am to 10:30 am | FREE | Bombshell Beer Company, Holly Springs |
| Chapel Hill Food Distribution Event | 9:30 am | FREE | Eubanks Road Park and Ride Lot, 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 |
| 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 |
| "Pay What You Can" Farm Stand at Raleigh City Farm | 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Raleigh City Farm |
| Free Sensory Friendly Playtime and Movie at Marbles Kids Museum | 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm | FREE | Marbles Kids Museum, Raleigh |
| Wine Down Wednesday -- live music, plus wine specials | 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | La Vita Dolce at Southern Village |
| 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 |
| Poetry at The Plant | 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Fair Game Beverage Co., Pittsboro |
| Wellness Wednesday: Pilates | 6:30 pm | FREE | Philip H. Kohn MOSAIC Family Commons, Pittsboro |
| Euchre Night | 6:30 pm | FREE | D’s Bottle Shop and Craft Beer College |
| 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 |
| “The Broadside” Presents: An Evening of Asian American Storytelling | 7:00 pm | $7.51 | The Cary Theater |
| 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 |
Thursday, May 14, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Document Shredding at Office Depot / Office Max | All Day | FREE | Various locations |
| Senior Functional Fitness | 10:30 am to 11:30 am | FREE | USA Baseball National Training Complex, Cary |
| Bootcamp fitness class | 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm | FREE | USA Baseball National Training Complex, Cary |
| Parktown Food Hub Open Distribution Day | 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm | FREE | Parktown Food Hub, Durham |
| Mini Med School -- monthly series from UNC School of Medicine | 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm | FREE | Chapel Hill Public Library |
| Durham Beer and Banjos | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Old Mill Farm, Durham |
| Midtown Beach Music Series | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | $8.73 | Midtown Park, Raleigh |
| Vinyl Nights | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Gizmo Brew Works, Durham |
| Open Mic Night | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Steel String Brewery, Pluck Farm (Mebane) |
| FM2FV Concert Series: Heads Up Penny | 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm | FREE | Centennial Square, Fuquay-Varina |
| New Neighbor Social | 6:30 pm | FREE | Bearded Bee Brewing Company, Wendell |
| Live After 5 Summer Concert Series: Fireside Collective | 7:00 pm | FREE | Moore Square, Raleigh |
| Music Bingo | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Fortnight Brewing, Cary |
| Public Domain Movie Night | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | bmc brewing, Pittsboro |
| Board Game Night at Moon Dog Meadery | 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Moon Dog Meadery and Bottle Shop, Durham |
| Thursday Jazz | 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Yonder: Southern Cocktails & Brew (Hillsborough) |
| Jazz: The Session | 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Bond Brothers Eastside, Cary |
| Thursday Karaoke | 9:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Tap Yard, Raleigh |
| 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, May 15, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Document Shredding at Office Depot / Office Max | All Day | FREE | Various locations |
| 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 |
| Hike with a Naturalist | 9:30 am to 11:00 am | FREE | Historic Yates Mill County Park |
| Tasting at Ten -- free coffee tasting at Counter Culture Coffee | 10:00 am | FREE | Counter Culture Coffee Headquarters and Training Center, Durham |
| Got to be NC Festival | 12:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | NC State Fairgrounds |
| Cary Night Market | 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Downtown Cary Park |
| Meet on Main -- outdoor concert series: The Blenders | 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Downtown Wendell |
| Durham Foodie Fare | 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm | FREE | Durham Central Park |
| Teen Science Cafe at Morehead Planetarium and Science Center | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Morehead Planetarium, Chapel Hill |
| Third Friday: Martin Molloy Collage Art Opening | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Ment Beverage Co., Durham |
| Exhibit Opening- To Love and Live Free: The 1986 Mayoral Recall Fight and the Origins of Durham Pride | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Museum of Durham History |
| Live Music: Tom Neuhauser | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | The Glass Jug Beer Lab, RTP |
| NCMA Outdoor Films at Moore Square: Poupelle of Chimney Town | 6:00 pm | FREE | Moore Square, Raleigh |
| Third Friday Durham -- art receptions, exhibits and performances | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Durham City Center |
| Pop Up Music at North Hills | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | The Commons at North Hills, Raleigh |
| Live Music | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Gizmo Brew Works, Raleigh |
| Freight Train Blues: Kelley Breiding, Gail Ceasar and Brenda Evans | 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm | FREE | Carrboro Town Commons |
| Live Music Fridays | 6:30 pm | FREE | Oaklyn Springs Brewery, Fuquay-Varina |
| Smithfield River Jam Concert Series: Jim Quick and Coastline Band | 7:00 pm | FREE | Neuse River Amphitheatre, Smithfield |
| Beach Music Series: Blackwater Band | 7:00 pm | FREE | Philip H. Kohn MOSAIC Family Commons, Pittsboro |
| Bynum Front Porch Friday Night Music Series | 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm | FREE | Bynum Front Porch, Pittsboro |
| Third Space Music Open Mic Night | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Lanza’s Cafe, Carrboro |
| 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 |
| Bread & Roses: Durham Labor Choir's Spring Concert (pay what you can, with a suggested amount of $19.19) | 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm | Eno River Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Durham | |
| 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, May 16, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Durham Greek Festival | 11:00 am to 8:00 pm | FREE | St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church |
| Free Document Shredding at Office Depot / Office Max | All Day | FREE | Various locations |
| Durham Craft Market | 8:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | Durham Central Park |
| Cars and Coffee Raleigh -- Exotic and Classic Car Show | 9:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | Boxyard RTP |
| 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 |
| NC History Between the Lines -- a local history book club | 9:30 am | FREE | Historic Chatham County Courthouse |
| Lowe's DIY-U Kids' Workshop: Garden Basket | 10:00 am to 1:00 pm | FREE | Lowe’s (multiple stores) |
| Wheels on Academy, including Touch-a-Truck | 10:00 am to 2:00 pm | FREE | Cary Town Hall |
| Felton Grove FFA May Market | 10:00 am to 2:00 pm | FREE | Felton Grove High School, Apex |
| Got to be NC Festival | 10:00 am to 10:00 pm | FREE | NC State Fairgrounds |
| 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 |
| Open House at Children's Art Classes | 10:00 am to 2:00 pm | FREE | Children’s Art Classes of Raleigh |
| Open Farm at Sunrise Community Farm Center | 10:00 am to 5:00 pm | $8.00 | Sunrise Community Farm Center, Chapel Hill |
| Triangle's Train: New Hope Valley Railway offering free rides for military service members on Armed Forces Day (2 start times) | 10:30 am to 1:00 pm | FREE | New Hope Valley Railway |
| Old Hillsborough Road Market | 11:00 am to 3:00 pm | FREE | Bennett Place State Historic Site |
| Artsplosure | 11:00 am to 7:00 pm | FREE | Fayetteville Street, Downtown Raleigh |
| Family Saturday Series: Charles and Jackson Pettee -- Catch the Bluegrass Bug | 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 |
| Spring Makers Market | 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Oak City Brewing Company, Knightdale |
| Durham Really Really Free Market | 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm | FREE | Orchard Park, Durham |
| Pop-Up Raleigh Art & Vintage Market | 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm | FREE | Trophy on Maywood |
| Corn Grinding Weekend | 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Historic Yates Mill County Park |
| 55th Annual Bimbé Cultural Arts Festival | 1:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Rock Quarry Park, Durham |
| Mill Open House | 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Historic Yates Mill County Park |
| Irish Music Jam | 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm | FREE | Moon Dog Meadery and Bottle Shop, Durham |
| Oak City Voices: Sing a Song of Shakespeare | 5:00 pm | $10.00-12.00 | Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Raleigh |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Raleigh Twilight Market | 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm | FREE | Smoky Hollow, Raleigh |
| Beer Garden Concert Series | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | The Glass Jug Beer Lab, RTP |
| Shakespeare in the Parks: Free professional productions of As You Like It | 6:00 pm | FREE | Fred Fletcher Park, Raleigh |
| Medieval Night | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Ment Beverage Co., Durham |
| Karaoke Nights: Classic Rock | 7:00 pm | FREE | Raleigh Brewing, 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 |
| Family Movie Nights at Joyner Park in Wake Forest: Shrek | 7:30 pm | FREE | E. Carroll Joyner Park, Wake Forest |
| Sacred Grounds Coffeehouse Concert: John Gillespie, Michael Paris, The Raven and the Remedy | 7:30 pm | FREE | Sacred Grounds Coffeehouse, Durham |
| Live Music: Danny Grewen, Brad Miani, and Brent Shields (Jazz) | 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Steel String Brewery, Carrboro |
| Pub's 80s Prom "Forever Young" | 8:00 pm to 11:59 pm | FREE | West 94th Street Pub, Durham |
| Open Mic/Karaoke Night | 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Compass Rose Brewery, Raleigh |
