With the free things to do in Winston-Salem, you can have a very fun time without spending a dime!
Winston-Salem is a great city to visit with a lot of things to do and see. Even if you don’t want to spend anything, you can choose from a large variety of activities in the city. From attending an event to seeing art at a museum to seeing a movie, you’ll be surprised by everything you can do that won’t cost you a penny.
In this Winston-Salem free things to do guide, I included the best free activities you shouldn’t miss out on.
Free Things To Do in Winston-Salem
Go to a Free Event at the Reynolda House Museum of American Art
The Reynolda Hosue Museum of American Art is a museum with a collection of American Art that ranges from the colonial period to the present day. In total, you can find more than 6,000 objects at the museum. Going to the museum is one of the best things to do in Winston-Salem.
The museum has a rotating selection of works from its collection on display, and you can see works by Andy Warhol, Stuart Davis, and other famous artists at the museum.
Although the museum doesn’t have free admission, sometimes you can attend an event at the museum that is free for the public.
For example, sometimes there are workshops related to plants during which you can learn new skills.
You can also go to the museum during a “Community Day”. During such a day, the museum has free admission for all.
In addition to that, you can enjoy hands-on art activities, live music, and other entertainment during these days.
Address: 2250 Reynolda Rd, Winston-Salem, NC 27106
Go to the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art
The Southern Center for Contemporary Art is an art gallery that you can visit for free in Winston-Salem as there is free admission for everyone.
At SECCA, you can learn about contemporary art, and the museum focuses on local contemporary art and art, craft, and design in particular.
Lots of exhibitions take place at the center throughout the year, including exhibitions of works by regional, national, and international artists.
In addition to that, many different types of events take place at the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art that all relate to contemporary art, such as film screenings and talks.
Address: 750 Marguerite Dr, Winston-Salem, NC 27106
Attend an Event at the Historic Bethabara Park
The Historic Bethabara Park is an area in Winston-Salem with many historic buildings that remain from a Moravian settlement that dates back to the year 1753.
This settlement was the first European settlement in the Piedmont. Nowadays, the park is a National Historic Landmark.
There are free events that take place at the Historic Bethabara Park throughout the year. For example, there are free events during certain holidays of the year, such as during Christmas.
During these events, you can often attend performances and learn about history through demonstrations.
Besides that, although not free, it is possible to do a guided tour at the park for a low fee during which a guide shows you some of the rooms of the buildings and gives you information about the history of the buildings.
See a Free Film Screening at A/perture
A/perture is a movie theater that is located in downtown Winston-Salem. This movie theater has 231 seats in total and it has an intimate atmosphere where you can see art house films.
Each year, there are more than 200 different films shown at a/perture, and there are more than 4,000 film screenings in total.
Sometimes you can also go to a free film screening at the a/perture and this is very fun if you’re looking for free things to do in Winston-Salem. There are special film events at the movie theater during which you can see a film for one night only. These usually have a special price, but sometimes the film screenings are free for the public to see.
Keep in mind that you need a ticket if you want to attend a free film screening.
This movie theater also makes for one of the most fun date ideas in Winston-Salem.
Address: 311 W 4th St, Winston-Salem, NC 27101
Visit the Lam Museum of Anthropology
The Lam Museum of Anthropology is a museum that belongs to Wake Forest University. The museum has free admission, but donations are accepted.
This is a museum that is dedicated to global cultures. At the museum, you can learn about many stories of humanity. For example, you can learn about archaeological sites, celebrations, and much more at the museum.
The museum’s collection includes all kinds of objects, including everyday objects, visual arts, and ceremonial artifacts.
In addition to that, a variety of events take place at the Lam Museum of Anthropology. For example, sometimes you can attend a free lecture at the museum and learn about a specific topic of human history or culture.
Go to a Free Event at the Central Library
The Central Library is the public library of Winston-Salem, and it is located in downtown Winston-Salem.
Besides being a place where you can borrow books, the Central Library is also a place where you can attend events. Throughout the year, there are all kinds of events that you can attend for free at the library.
For example, there are free storytime events for children, which can also be great if you’re looking for things to do with kids in Winston-Salem.
Another type of event at the library is an event for children between 12 and 18 who can play all kinds of board, card, and video games with other children at the library.
Besides these examples, lots of other types of free events take place at the library.
Address: 660 W 5th St, Winston-Salem, NC 27101
Attend an Event at Reynolda Village
Reynolda Village is an area in Winston-Salem with historic buildings that used to belong to the estate of the R.J. Reynolds family. The buildings were modeled after an English village and the estate dates back to the start of the 20th century.
Reynolda Village is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
You can find all kinds of shops at Reynolda Village, from art galleries to furniture stores to apparel shops. There are also several restaurants that serve great food and drinks.
Throughout the year, there are many free events that take place at the buildings of Reynolda Village and these can be great to check out if you’re looking for free activities in Winston-Salem. For example, sometimes there are storytime events for children, and sometimes you can attend talks.
Explore the Cooks Flea Market
The Cooks Flea Market is the largest indoor flea market in North Carolina and it dates back to the year 1982 when it began in the Cooks Tobacco Warehouse. Later, a new building was added.
The Cooks Flea Market is home to more than 500 vendors who sell all sorts of items. From collectibles to antiques to handmade crafts, there’s much to see at the market. You can also find items from all around the world at the market.
You can visit the market for free on the weekends, and explore the offerings of the vendors.
For a small fee, you can have a more enjoyable experience by getting food and drinks from the different food vendors of the market who sell all kinds of international foods.
Enjoy Music by the Winston-Salem Symphony during the Annual Concert for Community
The Winston-Salem Symphony is one of the oldest arts organizations in the Triad. The symphony started in 1946.
The full orchestra of the Winston-Salem Symphony performs about 40 concerts each year.
These events usually require a fee, but once every year you can attend an event for free.
This event is called the “Concert for Community”. During this event, you can enjoy great live music by a large orchestra that is led by members of the Youth Symphony as well as members of the Winston-Salem Symphony. The event starts with the world premiere of a new work by a young local composer.
Go to a Free Event at Bookmarks NC
Bookmarks Winston-Salem is an independent and non-profit bookstore that opened in 2004.
This bookstore has a diverse selection of books, which includes nonfiction, cookbooks, sci-fi, and many other genres. The bookstore is a great place to go if you want to buy a book.
In addition to offering a wide variety of books, Bookmarks also organizes interesting events throughout the year that are free to attend.
One of these free events is the annual Festival of Books & Authors. During this festival, there are many different types of events, from storytime events to workshops to many other types of events.
Address: 634 W 4th St #110, Winston-Salem, NC 27101
Enjoy Live Music for Free During the Summer Music Series
The Summer Music Series is an annual series of concerts that makes for a great free thing to do in Winston-Salem.
This is an event that takes place in downtown Winston-Salem and that takes place on Friday and Saturday nights from the month of June to through the month of August.
The concert series consists of several different concert series. One of these is a free concert series during which you can listen to jazz music.
You can find the schedule of events on the website of Winston-Salem’s downtown area.
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Winston-Salem Free Things To Do Tips
The activities on this list are a great way to have fun in the city without spending anything. I am sure that you will have a great time using this list, but you can often have an even better time by spending a small amount.
One example is when you go to a free event at the Historic Bethabara Park. For a small fee of a few dollars, you can do a guided tour of the park and learn even more about history.
Also, there are many places near the activities on this Winston-Salem free things to do guide where you can get food or drinks. For example, by getting a cup of coffee at a nearby coffee shop, you can often have a more fun time.
Free Things To Do in Winston-Salem Map
This was my list of free things to do in Winston-Salem. I hope I helped you decide what to do!