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).
Have you subscribed to Triangle on the Cheap yet? Subscribers get (at most) one email a day. It's free to subscribe.
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, October 6, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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: Tuts & Trucks | 9:30 am to 11:00 am | FREE | The Commons at North Hills, Raleigh |
| Durham Chess Enthusiasts | 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm | FREE | Der Nachbar Bottleshop & Taps, Durham |
| Outdoor movie at Pullen Park: Toy Story 5 | 6:00 pm | FREE | Pullen Park, Raleigh |
| 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 |
| Beer & Banjos in Raleigh | 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Bowstring Pizza and Brewyard, Raleigh |
| Square Dance Party with Capital Squares | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | $5.00-10.00 | St. James United Methodist Church, Raleigh |
| Astronomy on Tap | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Fullsteam Brewery ATC, Durham |
| 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, October 7, 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 |
| 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 |
| Line Dancing Classes | 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm | FREE | Compass Rose Brewery, Raleigh |
| "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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 8, 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 |
| 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 |
| Stroll Through History: Free Cemetery Tours at Historic Oakwood Cemetery | 10:00 am to 11:00 am | FREE | Oakwood Cemetery, Raleigh |
| Parktown Food Hub Open Distribution Day | 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm | FREE | Parktown Food Hub, Durham |
| Jazz in the Square: Enloe Jazz Ambassadors & Moore Square Middle School Jazz Band | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Moore Square, Raleigh |
| 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 |
| Live in the District Concert Series | 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | B&B Theatres, Park West 14, Morrisville |
| Music Bingo | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Fortnight Brewing, Cary |
| PineCone Old-Time Music Jam at Riparian Provision Company | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Riparian Provision Co., Raleigh |
| Opinionation | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Gizmo Brew Works, Raleigh |
| Thursday Jazz | 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Yonder: Southern Cocktails & Brew (Hillsborough) |
| 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 |
| 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 9, 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 |
| Tasting at Ten -- free coffee tasting at Counter Culture Coffee | 10:00 am | FREE | Counter Culture Coffee Headquarters and Training Center, Durham |
| Scented Storytime | 11:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | North Regional Library, Durham |
| The Witch's Haunted Barn (No actor version) | 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm | $13.00 | Firefly Farm, Hillsborough |
| Reflections: Virtual Tour | 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm | FREE | Nasher Museum of Art, Durham |
| Free Wine Tastings | 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm | FREE | Bottle Theory, Apex |
| Fridays on the Front Porch | 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Carolina Inn, Chapel Hill |
| Ackland Art Museum: Extended hours during 2nd Friday ArtWalk | 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Ackland Art Museum, Chapel Hill |
| Salsa at the Park with live music by Orquesta K'che | 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm | FREE | Knightdale Station Park |
| Wilson Jazz Festival (Events this day are free) | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Various locations in Wilson, NC |
| Chime In Open Mic (poetry, storytelling songwriting) | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Lanza’s Cafe, Carrboro |
| 2nd Friday ArtWalk in Chapel Hill and Carrboro | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | |
| 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 |
| Front Porch Friday at Haven Farm | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Haven Farm, Knightdale |
| Dance with Raleigh International Folk Dancers | 6:30 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Glen Eden Pilot Park, Raleigh |
| Family Feud: House Party Edition | 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm | FREE | The Common Market, Durham |
| 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 10, 2026
| Event | Time | Price | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Taste of Greece | 11:00 am to 7:00 pm | FREE | St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church |
| Kids in Nature Day | 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Lake Benson Park, Garner |
| 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 |
| Hum Sub Diwali (free admission, $10 parking) | 9:00 am to 9:00 pm | FREE | Koka Booth Amphitheatre |
| Sculpture in the Garden (free with $5 suggested donation) | 9:00 am to 5:00 am | FREE | North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill |
| Lowe's DIY-U Kids' Workshop: Firefighting Plane | 10:00 am to 1:00 pm | FREE | Lowe’s (multiple stores) |
| Millbrook United Methodist Church Food Pantry | 10:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | Millbrook United Methodist Church, Raleigh |
| Visit Raleigh Fire Museum 2nd Saturday of month (for free) | 10:00 am to 2:00 pm | FREE | Raleigh Fire Museum |
| Open Farm at Sunrise Community Farm Center | 10:00 am to 5:00 pm | $8.00 | Sunrise Community Farm Center, Chapel Hill |
| Wilson Jazz Festival (Main stage is ticketed and the rest is free) | 11:00 am to 11:30 pm | Various locations in Wilson, NC | |
| JCPenney Kids Zone: free crafts for kids | 11:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | JCPenney, participating locations |
| 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 |
| Apex Underground Market | 11:00 am to 3:00 pm | FREE | Sweetwater Apex |
| 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 Raleigh Iron Works | 11:00 am to 4:00 pm | FREE | Raleigh Iron Works |
| The Witch's Haunted Barn | 11:00 am to 7:00 pm | $13.00 | Firefly Farm, Hillsborough |
| Smithfield Oktoberfest | 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Historic Downtown Smithfield |
| Second Saturday Plant Swap | 12:30 pm to 3:30 pm | FREE | Durham Beer Garden |
| Live Music: Loon & Crow | 2:00 pm | FREE | Slims, Raleigh |
| The Irish Session | 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm | FREE | Bond Brothers Eastside, Cary |
| Glow Market | 5:00 pm to 9:00 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 |
| Live Music | 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Southern Peak Brewery, Apex |
| A Stand-Up Comedy Game Show | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | The Beerded Lady Bottle Shop, Garner |
| Karaoke | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Crank Arm Brewing, Durham |
| Open Mic/Karaoke Night | 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm | FREE | Compass Rose Brewery, Raleigh |
