First Friday Raleigh
Friday, January 5th
6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Downtown Raleigh

Downtown Raleigh showcases its art, music and food at their monthly gallery walk. Dozens of venues will be hosting art receptions. You’ll also find lots of deals on food and drinks. Also, visit CAM Raleigh for free, and stop by the North Carolina Museum of History for beer samples, while they last.

Free food at The Fresh Market
Saturday, January 6th, and Sunday, January 7th
12 p.m. to 4 p.m.

All locations of The Fresh Market are offering extensive food sampling this weekend, with the emphasis on healthy eating. Some of the offerings are chicken fajita soup, savory swirl breads in three flavors, veggie noodles, cauliflower bacon salad and apple crisps. There are locations in Raleigh, Cary, Chapel Hill and Durham.

Three Kings Day Parade
Saturday, January 6th
1 p.m.
Page-Walker Art & History Center, 119 Ambassador Loop, Cary

The 13th Annual Dia de los Reyes Parade, or Three Kings Day Parade, will take place in Downtown Cary on Saturday. A parade of individuals, community groups and businesses, walking, driving vehicles or riding on floats, will precede the arrival of the Three Kings.

Free Yoga at City of Raleigh Museum
Saturday, January 6th
11:30 a.m.
City of Raleigh Museum, 220 Fayetteville Street, Raleigh

City of Raleigh Museum is holding free Yoga classes every Saturday through February 24th. They’re taught by local Yoga instructors and take place in the main gallery of the museum. Please bring your own mat and water.

Final Friday Cary Art Loop
Friday, December 29
6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

On the last Friday of the month, explore the artsy side of Cary. Various venues will be hosting artist receptions, exhibitions, live music and more. Visit the Cary Art Loop website for a map of participating venues.

23rd Annual Kwanzaa Celebration
Friday, December 29
11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cary Arts Center, 101 Dry Avenue, Cary

Also in Cary on Friday is the 23rd Annual Kwanzaa Celebration. There will be a performance by the African American Dance Ensemble, ethic food, a vendor market, children’s crafts and much more.

Sparkling Wine & Champagne Free Tasting Extravaganza
Saturday, December 30
12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Raleigh Wine Shop, 126 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh

This is your chance to make an educated decision about what champagne or sparkling wine to greet the New Year with. There will be free tastings going on all afternoon.

Night Lights: A Family New Year’s Eve at Morehead Planetarium
Sunday, December 31
2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, 250 East Franklin Street, Chapel Hill

Celebrate New Year’s Eve with the kids a little early with this free party. There will be games, a photo booth, an early New Year’s countdown, activities from Kidzu Children’s Museum, light and dance shows, and a couple of food trucks. There will also be a star show in the Planetarium, which costs $5. You’ll need to go to Morehead Planetarium’s website and sign up, but shows fill up quickly. Except for the star show, you can just show up, and the festivities are free.

New Year’s Eve Masquerade Party
Sunday, December 31
10 p.m.
Aloft Chapel Hill, 1001 South Hamilton Road, Chapel Hill

If you want to spend a lot of money on New Year’s Eve nobody will stop you, but if that doesn’t sound like a good time to you, there are actually quite a few New Year’s Eve parties going on in the Triangle that have no cover. Aloft Chapel Hill is hosting one and it includes free food and a DJ. You don’t have to be a guest of the hotel to attend. For more free and cheap New Year’s Eve parties, check out the list on TriangleOnTheCheap.com

Shakesbeer: The Bard Strikes Back
Friday, December 22nd | 9:30 p.m.
Oak & Dagger Public House, 18 Seaboard Avenue, Raleigh

Bare Theatre has been presenting their very unconventional take on Shakespeare at various breweries and other unconventional venues for a few weeks, and tonight is your last chance to see it. It’s free. They’ll pass the hat.

Shamu Garçon Cajun Dance Party
Friday, December 22nd | 8:30 p.m.
The Bullpen, 359 Blackwell Street, Durham

Arrive early for a 30-minute dance lesson before the music starts. You’ll learn the basic moves for the Cajun two-step, waltz, and swing. Then dance to live music by Shamu Garçon, a Cajun dance band bringing the sounds of Louisiana to North Carolina.

Christmas movies at Fullsteam
Sunday, December 24 | 3 p.m.
Fullsteam Brewery, 726 Rigsbee Avenue, Durham

Get into the Christmas spirit with two favorite movies.  Watch “A Charlie Brown Christmas” at 3 p.m. and “A Christmas Story” at 4 p.m.

Christmas Light tour

Check out some of the Triangle’s most spectacular Christmas light displays, most of them put on by regular people in the community, at their own expense. You can find a list of some of the best displays at TriangleOnTheCheap.com. Two standouts are Lake Myra Lights in Wendell and Piper Lights in Wake Forest.