Things to Do in Durham this Week

Weekly Events in Durham

(Nov 18-24)

Welcome to a comprehensive guide of weekly events in Durham – from Broadway shows to intimate performances, serene river paddles to art exhibits, dance parties, food tours and more. Start here to plan your perfect week.

If you’d like to add an event to our calendar, submit an event here. Please check with the event organizers to see if events change due to weather. Have a great week!

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Noteworthy Events

Preservation Durham 50th Anniversary Celebration at The Fruit

• Preservation Durham is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year! They will be hosting an anniversary celebration, highlighting 50 years of Preservation Durham history. Attendees will be taken along a timeline of some of Preservation Durham's most important projects and collaborations, as we commemorate the preservation of historic sites throughout Durham. There will be food and drinks, as well as a silent auction for fundraising.
• Tue, Nov 19
• 6-8 p.m.
• Free, with a suggested donation of $25 per attendee.

A Concert Celebrating a Century of Theater at Duke: Then and Now at Reynolds Auditorium

• A concert celebration of theater at Duke starring current students alongside alumni stars of stage and screen - back on campus and on stage for one night only!
• Heidi Blickenstaff (Broadway's the Little Mermaid and Jagged Little Pill), Kerry O’Malley (David Fincher’s The Killer, Broadway's Into the Woods), Martavius Parrish (Broadway's Into the Woods and Once Upon a Mattress), and Grammy nominee Brian Charles Rooney (Broadway’s Threepenny Opera) will perform alongside current Duke Theater Studies students and student groups.
• Tue, Nov 19
• 8 p.m.
• $15; $10 Non-Duke Students; $10 Seniors 65+; Free Duke Students and Employees

Southern Smoke Foundation Fundraising Dinner at Cheeni Durham

• Dean Neff, chef & owner of Seabird (Wilmington, NC), and Preeti Waas, chef & owner of Cheeni (Durham, NC) will prepare a multi-course, family-style meal benefitting SSF. Cheeni will host the dinner.
• The dinner will draw from the chefs' cuisines and their mutual passion for good food & hospitality.
• Southern Smoke Foundation is a nonprofit founded and powered by current and past F+B workers to support hospitality industry workers in crisis nationwide by providing emergency relief funding and addressing everything from mental health needs to paying medical bills and hurricane relief funding.
• Wed, Nov 20
• 6-9 p.m.
• Ticketed on RESY/$150 per ticket, $50 tickets for food & bev industry peers.

Durham Night Market at American Tobacco Campus

• Visit the American Tobacco Campus for a Night Market including local handmade artists, food trucks, games on the lawn, entertainment, and fun for the whole family!
• Friendly dogs are welcome on leash.
• Thu, Nov 21
• 5-9 p.m.
• Free admission

Women's Soccer vs. Texas Tech at Koskinen Stadium

• NCAA Women's Soccer Tournament
• 2nd Round
• Fri, Nov 22
• 6:30 p.m.
• $9

The Durham Presents: An Evening with Top Chef Finalist Savannah Miller at The Durham Hotel Restaurant

• Join The Durham Hotel for an exclusive six-course culinary evening with Savannah Miller, Top Chef Season 21 finalist and Chef de Cuisine at M Tempura. Chef Miller returns home to present a limited-seat, multi-course menu that showcases her unparalleled expertise and creativity.
• Fri, Nov 22
• 5-9 p.m.
• Reservations Required

Downtown Durham Tree Lighting at CCB Plaza

• Enjoy a day of holiday fun, shopping and entertainment!
  • Peppermint Place Pop-Up Market
  • Performances: House of Coxx, Azul Zapata, Powell House, Poetry Fox, Nina’s School of Dance and more…
  • Kid Zone
    • Visit with Santa
    • Durham County Library Bookmobile
    • Fun with Durham Parks & Rec
  • Grand Finale
    • The lighting of the tree! The countdown is set for 6:30 p.m.
• Presented by Downtown Durham, Inc. in partnership with the City of Durham and Discover Durham.
• Free admission

Duke Football vs. Virginia Tech at Wallace Wade Stadium

• Sat, Nov 23
• 8 p.m.
• $42+

The Triangle Vintage Market at Bull McCabe's Irish Pub

• Featuring a wide variety of men's and women's vintage clothing.
• This market is free to the public and will have music as well as food and drinks available at Bull McCabe's.
• Sun, Nov 24
• 12-7 p.m.
• Free admission

Multi-Day Events

Changing Same: The Cold-Blooded Murder of Booker T. Spicely at Brody Theater

• Local theater auteur Mike Wiley’s latest solo work is based on the true 1944 Durham event. On July 8th,1944, Private Booker T. Spicely was headed back home to Camp Butner after enjoying an evening in the Hayti neighborhood of Durham. He was unaware it would be his last. In the darkness of that night, he would become yet another victim of Jim Crow “justice.”
• The play examines the racial tensions still found in Durham, the region, and the nation today. In addition, the play reminds contemporary audiences of the vibrant Hayti neighborhood and thriving Black businesses and community that have sustained Durham.
• Mon, Nov 18 - Sun, Nov 24
• Thu - Sat, 7:30 p.m. and Sun, 2 p.m.
• $20, $10 Students/Seniors

Play — "The Producers" at NCCU University Theatre

• A zany musical comedy about two guys trying to create a Broadway flop, in order to over-sell shares in the production and keep the money. Unfortunately their plan backfires in a hilarious way.
• 2 hours with intermission.
• Thu - Sat, 8 p.m. and Sun, 3 p.m.
• $20, $15 senior, $5 student

33rd Annual Pasca Pottery Studio Show and Sale at American Village

• The 33rd Annual Pasca Pottery Show and Sale will feature over 900 handmade items. The event will be held outside under tents. Watch for "Pasca Pottery Sale" signs to help direct your way.
• Stoneware and Porcelain high-fired contemporary pottery will be on display and for sale. Enjoy the fire pit and sip some wine while shopping!
  
• Fri, Nov 22 - Sun, Nov 24
• Free admission

Historic Buildings Open House at West Point on the Eno Park

• Enjoy a look inside the historic McCown-Mangum House, Photography Museum, and Mill.
• Sat, Nov 23 and Sun, Nov 24
• 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
• Free admission

Studio Ghibli Film Series at The Carolina Theatre

• For decades, Studio Ghibli has created breathtakingly beautiful movies that have captivated and inspired audiences for generations through masterful storytelling and stunning visuals. Experience the wonder of these groundbreaking, beloved animated films.
• Mon, Nov 18 - Sat, Nov 30
• $12+; $40+ for series

Monday, Nov 18

Events at DSSOLVR Durham

• 6 p.m. - Maker Mondays
• 6:30-8:30 p.m. - Silent Book Club

2 p.m.

Board Game Night at The Glass Jug Beer Lab in Downtown Durham

5 p.m.

Herbs for Coughs and Colds with Monica Rivera at Bulltánica

6 p.m.

Disc Golf Putting League at The Glass Jug Beer Lab in RTP

6:30 p.m.

Trivia Night at Ponysaurus Brewing Company

7 p.m.

Community Board Game Night at Moon Dog Meadery

7:30 p.m.

Intervention Comedy Open Mic at Devine's Restaurant and Bar

Tuesday, Nov 19

4 p.m.

$1.50 Oysters at Alley Twenty Six

5 p.m.

Free Wine Tasting at Wine Authorities

6 p.m.

Queer Craft Night at Arcana

Movement and breath with Holly DeVries at Bulltánica

Poetry, Prayer, and Public Healing at Duke Chapel

Adult Coloring Night at Hi-Wire Brewing

Gentle Yoga Flow at ReCity Network

Bring Your Own Vinyl with Jaffar at Rubies on Five Points

Run Club - Winter Series at The Glass Jug Beer Lab in RTP

Women on the Wall at Triangle Rock Club

6:30 p.m.

Trivia at Durham Food Hall

Preservation Durham 50th Anniversary Celebration at The Fruit

7 p.m.

Trivia at Beer Study Durham

Not Rocket Science Trivia at DSSOLVR Durham

Blood on the Clock Tower at Moon Dog Meadery

7:30 p.m.

Bonnie Raitt at DPAC

Gabriel Kahane & Caroline Shaw: Hexagons at Motorco Music Hall

8 p.m.

Jeremy 'Bean' Clemons Trio at Kingfisher

A Concert Celebrating a Century of Theater at Duke: Then and Now at Reynolds Auditorium

Hayden Pedigo / Rod Smoth at The Pinhook

Wednesday, Nov 20

10 a.m.

Durham Community Day at Museum of Life and Science

4 p.m.

$1.50 Oysters at Alley Twenty Six

5 p.m.

Free Wednesday Wine Tasting at Beer Study Durham

VIN: A Wine, Food and Music Experience at Missy Lane's Assembly Room

5:30 p.m.

Poets' Playground: THIS IS REST at Boxyard RTP

6 p.m.

Tarot with Joy at Arcana

SSF Fundraising Dinner at Cheeni Durham

Umbrella Dry Bar Class at JB Duke Hotel

Wine Down Wednesday at Nailed It DIY Studio Durham

RTP Business Rockstar Connect Networking Event at Sheraton Imperial Hotel

7 p.m.

Hammered Trivia at Hi-Wire Brewing

Karaoke Night at Mavericks Smokehouse

Trivia Night at Mystic Farm & Distillery

Music Bingo at Ponysaurus Brewing Company

Jazz Jam with the Michael DeVito Trio at Succotash Southern & Creole Kitchen

Brett Chambers Open Mic at The Blue Note Grill

Signature Wine Tasting at ZincHouse Winery & Brewery

7:30 p.m.

Wednesday Night Jam w/ Al Strong at Congress Social Bar

8 p.m.

Trivia Night at Bull McCabe's

Dan and Phil at DPAC

Karaoke at Moon Dog Meadery

Blends With Friends at The Pinhook

Thursday, Nov 21

10 a.m.

Finish your Prototype By Lunch! Develop your MVP with AI at Durham County Main Library, Conference Room #3214

1 p.m.

Meet the Keepers at Sarah P. Duke Gardens

2 p.m.

Deviation Imperial Stout Release at The Glass Jug Beer Lab in Downtown Durham + RTP

4 p.m.

$1.50 Oysters at Alley Twenty Six

5 p.m.

Durham Night Market at American Tobacco Campus

Thirsty Thursdays at Dashi

RTP180: History Behind It at Frontier RTP

5:30 p.m.

Walking Club with Bull City Strollers at The Glass Jug Beer Lab in Downtown Durham

6 p.m.

Hannah Unsalted + Emily Stewart and Tarot with Virginia at Arcana

Vinyl Night with DJ Deckades at Gizmo Brew Works

6:30 p.m.

Space Code Youth Open Mic at NorthStar Church of the Arts

Boulders & Brews Meetup at Triangle Rock Club

7 p.m.

Trivia Night at Beer Tooth Taproom

Women's Basketball vs. Belmont at Cameron Indoor Stadium

Bring Your Own Vinyl Night at Congress Social Bar

NCCU Eagles' Nest Jazz Jam at Missy Lane's Assembly Room

Community Board Game Night at Moon Dog Meadery

7:30 p.m.

Trivia Night with Big Slow Tom at Clouds Brewcade + Kitchen

8 p.m.

Queer-Eoke at Club Era

Ric Robertson / Dori Freeman at The Pinhook

9:30 p.m.

Karaoke Night at The Tavern

Friday, Nov 22

Events at Club Era

• 7-10 p.m. - Pregame Fridays!
• 10 p.m. - 2 a.m. - Freaky Fridays

Events at Duke University

• 6:30 p.m. - Women's Soccer vs. Texas Tech at Koskinen Stadium
• 6:30 p.m. - Volleyball vs. Stanford at Cameron Indoor Stadium
• 7 p.m. - Wrestling vs. Michigan at Card Gym

Events at Mettlesome

• 9-10 p.m. - Hush Hush
• 9-10 p.m. - Well Seasoned

Events at Missy Lane's Assembly Room

• 7-8:30 p.m. - Miguel Zenón & Luis Perdomo, el arte del bolero
• 9 p.m. - 1 a.m. - DJ Deluxe Presents Love & Happiness: A Funk, Soul, Disco, Classic, R&B Experience

Events at The Blue Note Grill

• 6-8 p.m. - The Duke Street Dogs
• 9:15 p.m. - The Spoonbenders

Events at The Carolina Theatre

• 7 p.m. - Retro Film Series — Die Hard & Lethal Weapon
• 8-9:30 p.m. - Craig Ferguson: Pants on Fire
  

Events at The Pinhook

• 7 p.m. - Twen / Erik Slick
• 10 p.m. - Prince + Friends Karaoke

10 a.m.

Tasting at Ten at Counter Culture Coffee

4 p.m.

$1.50 Oysters at Alley Twenty Six

5 p.m.

The Durham Presents: An Evening with Top Chef Finalist Savannah Miller at The Durham Hotel Restaurant

Food Truck Friday! at The Glass Jug Beer Lab in RTP

6 p.m.

Jacob Boss Trivia and Tarot with Joy at Arcana

Duke Teaching Observatory Open House at Duke Observatory

Distilled Deceptions at Mystic Farm & Distillery

7 p.m.

Live Vinyl Spinning by PhDJ at Beer Study Durham

7:30 p.m.

Community Concert with Shana Tucker at First Presbyterian Church

8 p.m.

Mannheim Steamroller Christmas at DPAC

Stereo Reveries at DSSOLVR Durham

Open Mic Stand-up Comedy at Durty Bull Brewing Brewing Company

Adrianne Lenker with special guest Suzanne Vallie at Page Auditorium

9 p.m.

Matroda at The Fruit

Saturday, Nov 23

Distillery Tours and Tastings at Liberty & Plenty

• Every Saturday, 10-10:30 a.m. and 11-11:30 a.m.

Events at Mettlesome

• 7:30 p.m. - Bull City Press Presents
• 8-9 p.m. - Golden Age

Events at The Pinhook

• 7 p.m. - Mariee Siou / Donnie Coco
• 10:30 p.m. - Queer Lingerie Dance Party!

Guided Walking Tours with Triangle Adventures

• 2 p.m. - Downtown Durham Walking Tour
• 4 p.m. - Durham African American History Tour
• 6 p.m. - Downtown Durham True Crime Tour

8 a.m.

parkrun Durham at Southern Boundaries Park

9 a.m.

Durham Farmers' Market at Durham Central Park

South Durham Farmers' Market at Hub RTP

Little Leapers Playtime at Sky Zone Trampoline Park

10 a.m.

Durham Grown: the Durham County Library Garden Club at Durham County Main Library

11 a.m.

Drop-In Make Your Own Body Fragrance at Bright Black

12 p.m.

Crafternoons at Gizmo Brew Works

Free Wine Tasting at Wine Authorities

1 p.m.

Downtown Durham Tree Lighting at CCB Plaza

Lower Eno River Discovery Paddle at Eno River

Nailed It DIY - Build It Event at Nailed It DIY Studio Durham

Botanist & Barrel Cider Tasting at The Glass Jug Beer Lab in Downtown Durham

3 p.m.

Common Woman Chorus Fall Concert: Generations at Eno River Unitarian Universalist Fellowship

6 p.m.

DJ Maury and Tarot with Emily at Arcana

7 p.m.

Shamu Garcon at Succotash Southern & Creole Kitchen

7:30 p.m.

The Illusionists at DPAC

8-Track Minds at The Blue Note Grill

8 p.m.

The Monti: Guilty Pleasures at The Carolina Theatre

Duke Football vs. Virginia Tech at Wallace Wade Stadium

8:30 p.m.

Jontavious Willis Presented by Sonic Pie Productions at Missy Lane's Assembly Room

9 p.m.

Friends + Family: A 2000s Party at The Fruit

10 p.m.

Drink, Drag, Dance, Repeat at Club Era

Sunday, Nov 24

Events at Durty Bull Brewing Company

• 12-2:30 p.m. - NC Air Hockey Players Air Hockey Tournament
• 2-4 p.m. - Hammered Trivia with Casey

Events at Moon Dog Meadery

• 12:30-6 p.m. - TTRPG Open Table Day
• 6:30-9 p.m. - Open Mic Night

Events at ZincHouse Winery & Brewery

• 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. - Yoga
• 12-3 p.m. - Farmers Market

10 a.m.

Fleet Feet Ninth Street bRUNch Club at Fleet Feet Ninth Street

Jazz Brunch at Lula & Sadie's

11 a.m.

Durham Underground Market at Durham Central Park

12 p.m.

The Triangle Vintage Market at Bull McCabe's Irish Pub

Sunday Dollar Bin Sale for Charity at Rumors Durham

12:15 p.m.

Public Tour at Duke Chapel

2 p.m.

Duke Volleyball vs. California at Cameron Indoor Stadium

Soul Sunday w/ DJ Soul at Congress Social Bar

Durham Branch NAACP Freedom Fund at Hilton Durham

Downtown Durham Treasure Hunt - Walking Team Scavenger Hunt! at Pour Taproom

6 p.m.

Sonder and Tarot with Rene at Arcana

8 p.m.

The Devine Feminine Comedy Showcase at Devine's Restaurant and Bar

Running Art Exhibits

Art Exhibition — "Wild Harmony" at Golden Belt Arts

• Deco, nouveau, and nature, by Matt Tomko and Maureen Dunlap.
• Fri, Nov 1 - Sat, Nov 30
• Free admission

Art Exhibit — Art of the Andes at Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University

• Art of the Andes features ceramics, textiles, metalwork, and carvings produced by cultures across the Andes region, a 4,500-mile-long mountain range on the Pacific Coast of South America.
• These objects, many on view for the first time, reveal the diverse and sophisticated artmaking techniques through which ancient Andeans expressed ancestral beliefs and personal and political identities.
• Wed, July 24 - Wed, Dec 11
• Tue-Sat, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., and Sun, 12-5 p.m.
• Free admission

Art Exhibit — Inscrutable Objects at Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University

• This installation brings together sculptures, drawings and photographs that might be hard for most of us to comprehend. They challenge convention and encourage close viewing.
• Reminiscent of an ancient and official text, Ion Bitzan’s Old Document of Ownership is comprised of a vaguely recognizable but invented and indecipherable language.
• Wed, July 24 - Wed, Dec 11
• Tue-Sat, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., and Sun, 12-5 p.m.
• Free admission

King Nobuyoshi Godwin: World Beyond Words at 5 Points Gallery

• King’s art is a vibrant expression of his neurodiversity, shaped by the unique gifts of autism and synesthesia. His combined sensory experiences manifest in the scattered numbers that fill his paintings, intricately woven into the imagery, allowing him to convey emotions and ideas beyond verbal expression. For King, art is a space of renewal, where creation transcends language, offering a glimpse into his world beyond words.
• Thu, Nov 14 - Sat, Nov 21
• Thu and Fri, 5-9 m. and Sat, 1-9 p.m.
• Free admission

"Picking up the Pieces" by Barbara Lee Smith at Horse & Buggy Press and Friends

• "Picking up the Pieces" features 18 fiber-based works that focus on nature, the strength and fragility of land and sea, and the cycle of decay and growth.
• These pieces are created from a treasure trove of remnants saved over several decades of making work. The focus is patching, mending, remembering, constructing . . . working with the vestiges of experience.
• Ten percent of sales will be donated to the NC Arts Disaster Relief Fund which is administering assistance to artists and art organizations impacted by Helene.
• Fri, Nov 1 - Mon, Dec 23
• Free admission

Art Exhibit — Second Nature: Photography in the Age of the Anthropocene at Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University

• Just over twenty years ago, scientists introduced a term to denote a new geological epoch in which human activity has had a marked impact on the global climate: the Anthropocene.
• Since that time, the concept of the Anthropocene has been exposed to a wider public audience through expanding environmental studies and scholarship, increasing coverage in the popular press, widespread and fervent activism, and a variety of artistic responses.
• Thu, Aug 29 - Sun, Jan 5
• Tue-Sat, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sun, 12-5 p.m.
• Free admission

Art Exhibition — Beverly McIver: Painters I Love at Craven Allen Gallery

• Featuring works by: Michael Dixon, Richard Garrison, Clarence Heyward, Pedro Lasch, William Paul Thomas and Lamar Whidbee.
• Mon - Fri, 9:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. and Sat, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
• Free admission

Art Exhibit — Maya Freelon: Whippersnappers at Historic Stagville

• Maya Freelon: Whippersnappers will premiere large-scale sculptures, archival photographs, paintings, and collages that transform the former plantation. Whippersnappers, Freelon’s first large-scale installation featuring portraiture, was born from her research of enslaved children highlighted in the Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Online Catalog.
• Sat, Nov 16 - Sat, Jan 25
• Wed and Sat, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. and by appointment
• For viewings by appointment, contact stagville@dncr.nc.gov
• Free admission

Art Exhibition: “Visible Spectrum: Portraits from the World of Autism” at Center for Documentary Studies

• Mary Berridge’s award-winning series of photographs is paired with narratives written primarily by the subjects or their parents. The exhibition, “Visible Spectrum: Portraits from the World of Autism,” offers an intimate view of life with autism, as told from within an autism community, which includes Berridge and her son. It encourages an alternate way of seeing the condition, in which the diverse and unconventional perspectives of the autistic are valued.
• Sat, Nov 16 - Fri, Feb 28
• Mon through Fri, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., excluding holidays
• Free admission

Art Exhibit — By Dawn’s Early Light at Nasher Museum of Art

• The years 2024 and 2025 mark the sixtieth anniversaries of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The two Acts transformed life in the United States for many marginalized individuals, including people of color, women, people with disabilities, elders, and others who had not had equal rights in the nation’s history. This legislation was the culmination of nearly a century of work by activists and advocates.
• Fri, Nov 8 - Sun, May 11
• Tue - Sat, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Sun, 12-5 p.m.
• Free admission