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
Thursday, July 3, 2025
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Kids' Movies at Triangle Cinemas: Mario | 10:00 am | FREE | Triangle Cinemas @ Six Forks |
| 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 |
| Morrisville July 3rd Red, White & Boom! | 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Cedar Fork District Park, Morrisville |
| Garner Independence Day Celebration, including NC Symphony, fireworks | 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Lake Benson Park, Garner |
| Smithfield's Independence Day Celebration July 3 | 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Neuse River Amphitheatre, Smithfield |
| Apex Fireworks Frenzy | 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Hunter Park, Apex |
| Wake Forest 4th of July Fireworks | 5:30 pm | FREE | Heritage High School, Wake Forest |
| Vinyl Night | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Gizmo Brew Works, Durham |
| Game Night | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | The Beerded Lady Bottle Shop, Garner |
| Downtown Cary Park Movie series: Top Gun | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Downtown Cary Park |
| Carolina Mudcats Post-Game 4th of July Fireworks Show | 6:30 pm | $13.00-17.00 | Five County Stadium, Zebulon |
| Raleigh Uke Jam | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Church of the Nativity, Raleigh |
| Music Bingo | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Fortnight Brewing, Cary |
| Ruckus Open Mic with Brian Jones | 7:00 pm | FREE | Ruckus Pizza — Park West Morrisville |
| Karaoke with JV Jams | 7:00 pm | FREE | Red Moose Brewing Company, Pittsboro |
| Cary Town Center: On the Homefront | 7:30 pm | FREE | Cary Arts Center |
| Air Hockey Tournament | 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Boxcar Bar + Arcade, Durham |
| Jazz Jam Open Mic | 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 |
Friday, July 4, 2025
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Responders: Save 10% Every Friday | All Day | Discounted | Old North State Food Hall, Selma |
| Independence Day Fishing Tournament | 8:00 am to 11:00 am | FREE | Fred G. Bond Metro Park |
| Free Sensory Friendly Playtime and Movie at Marbles Kids Museum for kids with special needs | 9:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | Marbles Kids Museum, Raleigh |
| 4th of July celebration in Knightdale | 9:00 am to 1:00 pm | FREE | Knightdale Station Park |
| Apex Olde Fashioned Fourth of July | 9:00 am to 1:00 pm | FREE | Downtown Apex |
| Carrboro 4th of July Kickoff and People's Parade | 9:30 am | FREE | Weaver Street Market Carrboro |
| Community Reading of Frederick Douglass' 4th of July Speech | 10:00 am to 11:00 am | FREE | Historic Stagville – Horton Grove |
| Festival for the Eno | 10:00 am to 6:00 pm | $35.00 | West Point on the Eno, Durham |
| Watermelon Weekend (includes all the watermelon you can eat) | 10:00 am to 6:00 pm | $14.95 | Spring Haven Farm, Chapel Hill |
| Tasting at Ten: Free tasting at Counter Culture Coffee each week | 10:00 am | FREE | Counter Culture Coffee Headquarters and Training Center, Durham |
| 76th Annual Watts-Hillandale Fourth of July parade and Celebration in Durham | 10:00 am | FREE | Oval Drive Park, Durham |
| Wake Forest Independence Day: Children's Parade | 10:00 am | FREE | Wake Forest Historical Museum |
| Independence Day Parade in Roxboro | 10:00 am | FREE | Main Street, Roxboro |
| 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 |
| Free historical open house at Joel Lane Museum House on Independence Day | 11:00 am to 3:00 pm | FREE | Joel Lane Museum House, Raleigh |
| Independence Day Celebration at North Carolina State Capitol | 11:00 am to 3:00 pm | North Carolina State Capitol, Raleigh | |
| Calvin Jones House Guided Tour | 2:00 pm to 2:45 pm | FREE | Wake Forest Historical Museum |
| Annual Reading of Frederick Douglass' Essay | 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Carrboro Century Center |
| Town of Cary Independence Day Celebration -- NC Symphony, Fireworks | 3:30 pm | FREE | Koka Booth Amphitheatre |
| July 4th Food Truck Rodeo and Celebration at State Farmers Market | 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | State Farmers Market |
| Fridays on the Front Porch -- live music and food trucks | 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Carolina Inn, Chapel Hill |
| First Friday in Downtown Fuquay-Varina | 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Downtown Fuquay-Varina |
| First Friday Market & Movie Night: Top Gun: Maverick | 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Moore Square, Raleigh |
| Rolesville Fourth: 4th of July celebration with live music and fireworks | 5:00 pm | FREE | Redford Place Park, Rolesville |
| Bike Night | 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Red Moose Brewing Company, Pittsboro |
| DJ Night | 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm | FREE | Gizmo Brew Works, Durham |
| First Fridays at Eno Arts Mill -- studio tours, live music, kids' activities, more... | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Eno Arts Mill, Hillsborough |
| First Friday Gallery Walk in Raleigh | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Various locations |
| Clayton's Square to Square Independence Day Street Festival and Fireworks | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Clayton Town Square |
| City of Raleigh's 4th of July Fireworks | 6:00 pm to 10:30 pm | FREE | Carter-Finley Stadium |
| First Friday Cemetery Tours at Historic Oakwood Cemetery (free, with a suggested donation of $10) | 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm | FREE | Oakwood Cemetery, Raleigh |
| Weekly dance with Raleigh International Folk Dancers | 6:30 pm to 10:00 pm | $3.00 | Glen Eden Pilot Park, Raleigh |
| Free Live Music | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Compass Rose Brewery, Raleigh |
| Chapel Hill's 4th of July fireworks | 7:00 pm | FREE | Southern Community Park |
| Stand-up Comedy Open Mic | 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Durty Bull Brewing Company, Durham |
| Brier Creek Commons Star Spangled Block Party and Fireworks Show | 8:00 pm | FREE | Brier Creek Commons |
| Karaoke Fridays | 9:00 pm | FREE | Flying Bull Beer Company, Durham |
| Karaoke Bingo Nights | 9:00 pm | FREE | KōMANA Brewing Company, Cary |
| Durham 4th of July Fireworks at Durham Bulls Athletic Park (after baseball game) | 9:15 pm | FREE | Durham Bulls Athletic Park |
Saturday, July 5, 2025
| 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 | FREE | Brajboro Cow Sanctuary, Chapel Hill |
| Durham Craft Market | 9:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | Durham Central Park |
| Home Depot Kids' Workshop: Toucan Mobile | 9:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | The Home Depot, multiple locations |
| The Raleigh Market | 9:00 am to 5:00 pm | FREE | Raleigh Market (at N.C. State Fairgrounds) |
| Saturday Slowdown Market and Open Farm Day | 10:00 am to 2:00 pm | FREE | RambleRill Farm, Hillsborough |
| Open Farm Visit to Sunrise Community Farm | 10:00 am to 5:00 pm | $8.00 | Sunrise Community Farm Center, Chapel Hill |
| Community work days with Paperhand Puppet Intervention | 10:00 am to 5:00 pm | FREE | Paperhand Puppet Intervention, Saxapahaw |
| Festival for the Eno | 10:00 am to 6:00 pm | $35.00 | West Point on the Eno, Durham |
| Watermelon Weekend (includes all the watermelon you can eat) | 10:00 am to 6:00 pm | $14.95 | Spring Haven Farm, Chapel Hill |
| 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 |
| The Market at NCMA | 11:00 am to 4:00 pm | FREE | North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh |
| Free Guided Tour of North Carolina State Capitol | 11:00 am | FREE | North Carolina State Capitol, Raleigh |
| Carrboro Really Really Free Market | 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Carrboro Town Commons |
| Free Guided Tour of North Carolina State Capitol | 2:00 pm | FREE | North Carolina State Capitol, Raleigh |
| Raleigh Brewing Summer Music Series | 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm | FREE | Raleigh Brewing, Raleigh |
| Family Fun Day at Archer Lodge Community Center | 3:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Archer Lodge Community Center, (Johnston County) |
| Saturdays in Saxapahaw Outdoor Concert Series | 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Saxapahaw Post Office |
| Music on Main | 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | The Streets at Southpoint |
| Durham Nights -- market, music, performances | 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm | FREE | Golden Belt Campus, Durham |
| Holly Springs' July 5th Fireworks | 6:00 pm to 9:30 pm | FREE | Jefferson L. Sugg Farm at Bass Lake Park |
| Live Comedy | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | The Beerded Lady Bottle Shop, Garner |
| Karaoke Night | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Raleigh Brewing, Raleigh |
| Live DJ | 10:00 pm | FREE | Raleigh Beer Garden |
Sunday, July 6, 2025
| 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 |
| The Raleigh Market | 9:00 am to 5:00 pm | FREE | Raleigh Market (at N.C. State Fairgrounds) |
| Watermelon Weekend (includes all the watermelon you can eat) | 10:00 am to 6:00 pm | $14.95 | Spring Haven Farm, Chapel Hill |
| Sunday Yoga | 11:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | Compass Rose Brewery, Raleigh |
| Pop Up ARTernative Market | 11:00 am to 4:00 pm | FREE | Chapel of Bones Coffee, Raleigh |
| Cary Underground Market: Bands and Vendors | 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Bond Brothers Beer Company |
| Kanikapila: FREE Ukulele Lessons | 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm | FREE | KōMANA Brewing Company, Cary |
| Black Farmers' Market | 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Durham Technical Community College, main campus |
| 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 |
| Pittsboro Summer Fest | 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Downtown Pittsboro |
| Freeman Round House Summer Event Series: SSML Band | 6:00 pm | FREE | Oliver Nestus Freeman Round House and African-American Museum, Wilson |
| Sundays at Sundown Live Music | 7:00 pm | FREE | Southern Village, Chapel Hill |
Monday, July 7, 2025
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Military Monday: Save 10% Every Monday | 7:00 am to 9:00 pm | Discounted | Old North State Food Hall, Selma |
| 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 |
| Adult Coloring Night | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | KōMANA Brewing Company, Cary |
| Monthly Puzzle Challenge | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Hi-Wire Brewing at Golden Belt, Durham |
| Monday Karaoke Night | 8:00 pm | FREE | Raleigh Beer Garden |
