7 free and cheap things to do in Lake Norman: Rock the Park, meet vultures, ice cream party
This list is curated by Charlotte on the Cheap, where you’ll find even more free and cheap things to do every day, and detailed by Denise Casalez.
Friday, Sept. 1
Location: Liberty Park, 255 E. Iredell Avenue, Mooresville NC, 28115
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Cost: Free
Celebrate the end of the summer with Rock the Park in Mooresville. The concert series is wrapping up for the season by bringing back the ‘70s. Take a time machine back to the disco decade and enjoy some tunes from The Groove Machine. Food and drink trucks will be on site.
Saturday, Sept. 2
International Vulture Awareness Day at Carolina Raptor Center
Location: 6000 Sample Rd, Huntersville NC 28078
Time: 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Cost: Anyone bald gets free admission; otherwise it’s $12 for ages 3-13, $14 for 14-22; $16 for 23-65 and seniors, military members, teachers and students are $14.
If you’re bald, this is the event for you: The Carolina Raptor Center is hosting international vulture awareness day, which celebrates nature’s clean up crew. There will be fun activities like the Meet a Raptor program and carcass feeding. Did we mention that anyone bald gets free admission?
Sunday, Sept. 3
Battle of Charlotte at Historic Rural Hill
Location: 4431 Neck Road, Huntersville NC 28078
Time: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Cost: $6-13
Take a time machine to the past, commemorating the Battle of Charlotte. You can expect historical re-enactments of the Battle of Charlotte and a wide variety of activities like living history, camp life and civilian life.
Monday, Sept. 4
Monday Trivia at Lucky Dog Bark and Brew Lake Norman
Location: 19607 Statesville Rd, Cornelius, NC 28031
Time: 7-9 p.m.
Cost: Free admission
Play some trivia at Lucky Dog and Brew every Monday starting at 7 p.m. This Drinkin’N’Thinkin’ Trivia includes four rounds of general knowledge, true or false, a visual quiz and a bonus round. The top three teams take the prizes home — and even if you don’t win, enjoy a drink from Lucky Dog.
Tuesday, Sept. 5
Grab a bite or drink at Rio 150
Location: 482 River Hwy, Mooresville, NC 28117
Time: 11-9:30 p.m.
Cost: <$10
This local Mexican restaurant is soon to be featured on “America’s Best Restaurants,” so take a chance to see what Rio 150 is all about. Known for the largest margarita in Lake Norman and tasty bites, Rio 150 has over 200 menu items. Spend your lunch hour by grabbing a Speedy Gonzales, which includes one enchilada, taco and a choice of rice or beans, or carnitas tacos. Grab drink favorites like Jarritos or a horchata with your meal.
Wednesday, Sept. 6
Meet Jerry at Ben & Jerry Davidson’s 30th Birthday Party
Location: 202 S Main St, Davidson, NC 28036
Time: 6-7 p.m.
Cost: Free entry
Join Ben and Jerry’s Davidson for its big 30 birthday celebration. You’ll get a chance to meet the one and only Jerry Greenfield, get a signed T-shirt, take photos at the photo booth and get some free hugs from Woody at the ice cream shop.
Thursday, Sept. 7
LIVE! At The Lake: HC Oakes acoustic duo
Location: Lake Norman YMCA, 21300 Davidson St, Cornelius NC 28031
Time: 6-8 p.m.
Cost: Free admission
Spend your Thursday night listening to some live music at Live! At The Lake. Listen to some tunes by HC Oakes Acoustic Duo during this free outdoor-lakeside concert series. You can also check out a free yoga class or play some pickleball before the concert.
Visit Charlotte on the Cheap for an expanded list of things to do in the Lake Norman area, as well as a big list of things to do in the whole Charlotte region. You’ll find festivals, kids’ activities, date night ideas, art, trivia and much more.
