Guide to CenterFest Arts Festival

Fall festival season in the Bull City is prime time for meeting new people, exploring new interests and experiencing the creative, diverse and welcoming community in Durham. It all kicks off with the 49th annual CenterFest, presented by the Durham Arts Council. It's not your average arts festival – it's the longest-running fine arts festival in North Carolina, named number one in the state and 22 nationally by Sunshine Artists Magazine. Even more than that, it's the perfect opportunity to mingle with Durham locals and take home an inspiring piece or two to adorn your home or surprise a loved one with the perfect gift.

Each year, the festival takes over downtown, with stages and vendors centered around the Five Points intersection and covering a walkable area between Foster and Great Jones Streets. View and purchase art by local and national artists, stroll the shops and restaurants lining the festival grounds, get to know the Durham community and more at this weekend full of arts and culture.

CenterFest Arts Festival Highlights

Experience a pedestrian-friendly fine art festival in the heart of downtown, where more than 100 local and national juried visual artists set up booths among food vendors, a beer garden, performances at four stages, a family fun zone and more.

Location: Downtown Durham; Main, Chapel Hill and Market Streets between Great Jones and Corcoran Streets

Date: September 21-22, 2024

Time: Saturday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Admission: Free; $5 suggested donation

Parking: There are numerous city parking facilities near the site which will be free of charge through the festival weekend. All users of city decks will have to pull a ticket to enter but will not be charged upon exit. This map of Park Durham decks will assist you in finding a spot. Street parking will also be available outside of the festival site.

The festival is kid-friendly and welcomes well-behaved pets.

CenterFest Artists and Performers

More than 100 visual artists gather to show and sell their work across fourteen mediums, from painting and photography to ceramics, jewelry, leather goods and more. You can look at their list of vendors beforehand or surprise yourself when you peruse the stands.

Check the List of Artists

Live performances are scheduled throughout the two-day festival on four stages, and performers range from the legendary African American Dance Ensemble founded by Baba Chuck Davis to the showstopping Brazilian drumming of Batalá Durham to the La Fiesta Latin Jazz Quintet, Durham Jazz Ensemble, a full lineup of singer/songwriters on the North Carolina Songwriters Co-op stage and hand selected musicians on the Duke Arts stage.

See the Performance Schedule

Other Attractions

CenterFest’s food vendors, Creative Kids Zone and other downtown businesses make it easy to spend a whole day – or two – enjoying the site. Several nonprofit and government services sector booths are also on hand to provide information, and you won’t want to miss a booth from The Scrap Exchange, Durham’s creative reuse center, which always delights with materials and inspiration for a crafty project.

Be sure to stop by the Visitor Info Center during festival hours on Saturday, where you can pick up maps and guides, talk with destination experts, enjoy a bit of air conditioning, snap a pic in the photo booth and fuel with a slice from Pie Pushers.

Things to do in Durham During Centerfest

CenterFest may be the main attraction downtown, but there’s still lots to do during your weekend downtown. If you’d like to rest your feet while you enjoy the outdoors, take a stroll down to American Tobacco Campus where you can sprawl on the lawn and enjoy lunch, dinner, drinks and shopping at the restaurants and retail spots in the campus.

Durham Central Park is also only a few minutes’ walk from the festival site. A playground, interactive public art and a skatepark make it a perfect place to blow off some steam with the kids. There’s plenty of lawn space for a picnic from Durham Food Hall and, for the adults, to-go drinks from The Glass Jug.

Since Durham Central Park, City Center and American Tobacco Campus are all within The Bullpen, Durham’s social district, visitors 21+ are welcome to order cocktails to go from participating businesses and enjoy them while strolling around the city and festival grounds, provided they are served in the special social district cups. Learn more about making the most of the social district in our blog.

Durham Events During CenterFest

Before and after you attend the festival, be sure to take advantage of a beautiful fall weekend of events in Durham. Consult our events calendar to find gallery exhibits, trivia nights, live music and more. Here are a few highlights:

• Durham Farmers' Market – Saturday morning beginning at 8 a.m., check out beautiful locally grown produce and flowers, specialty food items, baked goods, crafts and more from makers and producers from within 50 miles.

• Durham Oktoberfest – Raise a glass to a Durham-style celebration of the season with yard games, bounce houses, food trucks, live music and, of course, beer on Saturday beginning at 5 p.m.
  

• Bull Durham, The Musical – Make your way over to Reynolds Industries Theater on Duke University campus to see this new musical based on the classic film about The Durham Bulls, written by the film’s original screenwriter, Ron Shelton.

• NCCU Football vs North Carolina A&T – Saturday night, get tickets to see one of the biggest rivalries in HBCU sports.

Where to Stay in Durham During CenterFest

Since CenterFest takes place in the heart of City Center, there are several great options where you can stay all weekend without having to move your car.

• Durham Marriott City Center – Marriott City Center is on the north side of CCB Plaza, right in the middle of the CenterFest action.
  
  
• 21c Museum Hotel – Explore the hotel’s 24/7 art collection until the wee hours before stepping out of one of Durham’s most historic buildings and into the heart of downtown.
  
  
• The Durham Hotel – A locally-owned, mid-century boutique hotel with a celebrated restaurant and rooftop bar.
  
  
• Aloft Durham Downtown – Located in the American Tobacco Campus only a half mile from the festival, Aloft offers a modern aesthetic, heated pool and proximity to plenty of dining and entertainment options.
  
  
• Residence Inn Durham McPherson/Duke University Medical Center – The Residence Inn has apartment-style suites, heated pool and fitness center near the Brightleaf District, just a few blocks west on Main Street from the festival.
  
  
• Unscripted Durham – An eclectic hotel with a rooftop deck, pool and unique cocktail and cuisine options, just east of CCB Plaza.