Beauty samples, a little Pokémon fun, a spooky craft and a pancake stop? There are plenty of ways to enjoy September 26–27, 2026 without planning an expensive weekend. Here are five free store events, plus food freebies with purchase and low-cost restaurant offers.
Start with Target today: its Beauty Studio celebration runs Saturday from noon to 4 PM, with sample boxes at select locations. Use the store-list button below before making a special trip.
YOUR SEPTEMBER 26–27 WEEKEND PLANNER
Free fun first. Food deals after.
Choose your stops below. Store-event times are local. Giveaways can run out before the event ends, and restaurant offers have separate purchase requirements.
Your weekend calendar: free events & food deals
All times are local. Tap any calendar item to jump to its details and official button. Paid deals and purchase requirements are labeled.
Target is celebrating its new beauty destination with curated sample boxes at select stores. Its official page limits giveaways to one per guest, ages 16 and older. Boxes are limited to the first 100 guests at the listed locations.
Most participating stores have a separate Target Circle offer for $20 off a $50 purchase for the first 100 guests. That is a shopping discount—not a $20 gift card—and using it requires a qualifying purchase and membership. A coupon location is not necessarily a sample-box location.
Before you go: Search the official sample-box PDF for your city or ZIP code, then call that store to confirm. The giveaway listing does not state a purchase requirement for the sample box.
A little Halloween crafting to start the weekend! Michaels lists a free Fabric Ghosts event that introduces beginner sewing techniques. Its official class page lists ages 4+ and a two-hour session.
Check nearby availability on the class page and confirm the time with your store. This is the Saturday Kids Club project; it is different from Sunday’s sewing activity.
Pottery Barn Kids is hosting a free fall craft event for little ones. Its official calendar lists September 26 at 10 AM and says space is limited.
Open the event calendar, select your store and follow the RSVP option. Confirm that your chosen location has space and check its exact start time. The national listing does not specify the craft, so treat it as a seasonal activity rather than a promised take-home kit.
Bring your Pokémon fan for a draw-your-own Pokémon TCG card activity, themed photo opportunities and giveaways while supplies last. Target also lists a Pokémon Pokopia demo on Nintendo Switch 2 at select stores.
Know what to expect: The drawing activity is not a promise of a free retail trading-card pack. Target’s public event page does not guarantee a specific promotional card or giveaway item. Merchandise shopping is separate from the activities.
Use Target’s participating-store PDF to check your location, then call ahead about local setup and supplies.
Michaels’ official event schedule lists this Sunday project, and its class page describes it as free. The demonstration shows how to make a fabric potato zapper using Pellon Wrap-N-Zap.
The class page lists ages 13+ and all skill levels. A start time was not displayed on the public listing when checked, so contact your store before leaving. Do not assume the Saturday workshop’s hours apply.
These are not all no-purchase freebies. Purchase minimums and paid prices are shown below. Open the restaurant’s offer before ordering, choose a participating location and make sure the discount appears before you pay. Taxes, delivery fees and extras may increase your total.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26 ONLY · ALL DAY
Cracker Barrel: $5 all-you-can-eat pancakes
PAID DEAL · Dine-in · No sharing
Celebrate National Pancake Day with $5 all-you-can-eat buttermilk pancakes. The first serving has three pancakes, with refills of two. Syrup and butter are included.
The offer is for one person per order, dine-in only, while supplies last. Drinks, sides, toppings, taxes and gratuity cost extra. It is not available for takeout, delivery or online orders, and most other discounts cannot be combined.
AVAILABLE THIS WEEKEND · OFFERS RUN THROUGH OCTOBER 4
McDonald’s: free fries or a $2 breakfast sandwich
APP + REWARDS · Each offer once per week
Free medium fries: Make a qualifying purchase of at least $1 and redeem the app offer. $2 breakfast sandwich: A separate weekly app offer covers eligible breakfast sandwiches during breakfast service.
Both require opting in to Rewards, exclude tax and McDelivery, and are valid at participating restaurants through October 4, 2026. Check whether you have already used that week’s offer; do not assume both discounts can be stacked.
New-app-user bonus: McDonald’s also advertises free 10-piece McNuggets with a first $1+ purchase, but says it may take up to 48 hours to appear. Do not rely on it for an immediate weekend stop.
Wendy’s official offers page lists 10-piece nuggets for $1.99 with any purchase, with no minimum for that additional purchase. It is a limited-time daily digital offer at participating U.S. locations.
Open the Wendy’s app, find the nugget offer and add it before ordering. The official page does not give a fixed closing date; use the expiry and terms displayed in your account.
FREE WITH $10 QUALIFYING PURCHASE · Code CHICKENSUNDAY
Add a Chicken Shack or Chicken Shack Lettuce Wrap plus at least $10 of other qualifying food or drinks, then enter CHICKENSUNDAY in all caps. The free sandwich does not count toward the $10 minimum.
Valid through the Shack app, website or in-store kiosk at participating U.S. locations. Not valid at the drive-thru, through third-party delivery apps, or at excluded airport, stadium, arena, travel-plaza and museum locations.
Limit one free sandwich per order, up to $9.99 savings; paid add-ons and applicable fees are extra. The official terms run on Sundays through December 27, 2026 and prohibit combining with other promotions.
Check the exact location. A nearby store may offer something different from another branch across town.
Save your reservation or offer. Keep an RSVP confirmation handy and open app deals before ordering.
Keep freebies separate from shopping. A purchase coupon is not cash, and spending money does not guarantee an event giveaway.
Plan around availability. First-come giveaways can be gone well before the advertised finish time.
Weekend freebie questions
Are both Target events on Saturday?
No. The beauty celebration is Saturday, September 26. The Pokémon celebration is Sunday, September 27. Both are listed from noon to 4 PM; locations and activities differ.
Do I have to buy something for every offer?
No—the craft events are listed as free. Restaurant offers labeled “free with purchase” do require spending. Target’s beauty shopping coupon and the sample-box giveaway are separate offers.
Are these freebies guaranteed?
No. Store participation, event capacity, sample quantities and account-specific restaurant offers can vary. Use the official links in each section and confirm before making a special trip.
Checked September 26, 2026. This guide covers September 26–27, 2026, not an evergreen weekly schedule. Source buttons link directly to the organizers’ official pages or documents. Participation and availability can change. Featured image: official Target Beauty Studio event artwork; sample-box contents are not specified.
