Boxcar Bar + Arcade in Downtown Raleigh is closing out Oktoberfest season with a Bavarian-style patio party packed with competitions, prizes, and beer garden vibes from start to finish.
📍 330 W. Davie St., Raleigh
💸 Free to attend
🗓 Saturday, October 25 • 3–8 p.m.
Test your strength in the Stein Hoisting Competition at 4 p.m., grab a pretzel for the 5 p.m. eating contest, and enjoy $1 off Wicked Weed beers plus $5 green tea shots throughout the afternoon.
Bowstring Brewyard hosts local favorite Bring Out Yer Dead for a night of Grateful Dead tunes under the lights. Grab a drink, bring your friends, and enjoy a free show packed with jam-band energy.
📍 1930 Wake Forest Rd., Raleigh
💸 Free show
🗓 Saturday, October 25 • 6:30 p.m.
Expect great brews, good vibes, and plenty of dancing room at this outdoor Raleigh favorite.
Send this one to your favorite shopping partners, y’all! One of Raleigh’s best-kept traditions returns for its 51st year in November. The Visions of Sugarplums Holiday Art and Gift Show at Quail Hollow Swim Club features three days of local makers, festive finds, and one-of-a-kind gifts from women-owned small businesses.
📍 800 Orleans Pl., Raleigh
💸 Free admission + free parking
🗓 Thursday–Friday, November 6–7 • 9 a.m.–6:30 p.m.
🗓 Saturday, November 8 • 9 a.m.–2 p.m.
Skip the mall crowds, bring a friend, and start your holiday shopping early while supporting local artisans and women in business.
Our first-ever Raleigh Dream Homes Trolley Tour rolled through Midtown and ITB on Sunday, Oct. 19, in true Raleigh Weekend fashion—complete with sunshine, new friends, and four stunning custom homes everyone’s been talking about this fall.
We know it’s a stretch right now—wallets are tighter and every little splurge adds up. That’s why today’s round-up is all about five can’t-miss Raleigh events that cost you nothing.
From music to veggies to sports to family-friendly outings, you can still pack your calendar without spending a dime. Scroll on and snag the details—your weekend plans (and your budget) just got easier.
Before we dive into this week’s free finds, don’t miss your shot at a complimentary ride through some of Raleigh’s most stunning homes—trolley style! We’re giving away two tickets to the first-ever Raleigh Dream Homes Trolley Tour on Sunday, Oct. 19, from 1–4 p.m.
Hop aboard The Great Raleigh Trolley for a guided ride through four custom-built Midtown and ITB homes. Along the way, enjoy trivia, bingo, and chances to win prizes. Seats are limited to just 24, so this event will sell out fast—but why wait to buy them in October when you could win your way in this month?
📍 Event day: Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 • 1–4 p.m.
💲 Cost: 🆓 Two free tickets if you’re the lucky winner
🎟 How: Register here for a chance to win before the deadline of Tuesday, Sept. 30.
Watch the Canes gear up for the 2025–26 season—free of charge—at their open training camp practices. Note: Only practices at Invisalign Arena at Wake Competition Center (111 Competition Ctr Dr, Morrisville) are open to the public; Lenovo Center sessions are closed.
No outside food or drinks, no autographs inside or outside, and no recording unless you’re accredited press. Times can change—always check https://twitter.com/CanesPR before you go.
📍 Invisalign Arena at Wake Competition Center — 111 Competition Ctr Dr, Morrisville, NC 27560
💸 FREE
🗓 Fri., Sept. 19 · 9 a.m. (C2) & 11 a.m. (C1); Sat., Sept. 27 · 9 a.m. (C1) & 11 a.m. (C2); Mon., Sept. 29 · 10:30 a.m. (Non-Game Group); Tue., Sept. 30 · 11 a.m.; Sat., Oct. 4 · 10 a.m. (Non-Game Group)
Celebrate Raleigh’s own area-code holiday as 919 Day turns Friday, Sept. 19, into a full-on local music fest. Two outdoor stages set the soundtrack while food trucks, yard games, and an arts market keep the party going.
📍 The Corner at NC State’s Centennial Campus — 941 Main Campus Drive, Raleigh, NC 27606
💸 FREE
🗓 Friday, Sept. 19 · Gates open 5 p.m.; music 6 p.m.
🎶 Live lineup: Chatham County Line, The Old Ceremony, Jason Adamo, and Pakiet Dźwiękowy (The Wolfpack Sound Polka Band)
👉 Bring picnic blankets, lawn chairs, or personal coolers. No pets or outside alcohol allowed. 95.7 FM That Station is helping to put it all together—so you know it’ll be good.
