Things to Do in Durham this Week

Weekly Events in Durham

(Nov 25-Dec 1)

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

Derek Hough's Dance for the Holidays Tour at DPAC

• Derek Hough's Dance for the Holidays Tour is an all new joyous celebration of the most festive time of the year! With jingle bells and sleigh bells, holiday carols and cheer, Hough’s latest dance spectacular is a show stopping event for the whole family.
• Mon, Nov 25
• 8-10 p.m.
• $39.50+

Thanksmissin at The Fruit

• Thanksmissin (verb) Where one parties so hard on Thanksgivin eve, that one misses the big day itself!
• Brad Cray, Sepi, and Ian Stewart will be conducting the vibe. It will be a festive night of deep cuts, art, absurdity, and more.
• Wed, Nov 27
• 9 p.m.
• $10+

Vegetarian Thanksgiving Feast at Parizade

• Triangle Vegetarian Society (TVS) has a decades-long history of having a large vegan Thanksgiving, the largest in the country since 2004. This year we return to a Thanksgiving Day feast at Parizade in Durham.
• We will have inside seating as well as outside seating available. On the reservation request form, you will rank the available seating times in order of preference, including the inside and outside options. You will also identify the seating times/options that will not work for your party. The event concludes at approximately 4 p.m.; stay as long as you like after you arrive.
• Thu, Nov 28
• 11:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
• Adult TVS Member: $48.50, Adult Non-Member: $56, Child (5-10 years old): $20, Child (under 5 years old): Free

Smashfest at The Scrap Exchange

• An annual opportunity for a cathartic community ritual releasing collective frustration. Featuring:
  • Bands
  • Beer
  • Community Tabling
  • Screenprinting
  • Food Trucks
  • Smashing Contraptions
• The funds raised at this event are invested back into fulfilling Scrap’s mission of “promoting creativity, environmental awareness and community through reuse."
• Fri, Nov 29
• 3-8:30 p.m.
• Free admission, but donations accepted.

Holiday Music on the Roof: United Strings of Color at The Durham Hotel

• This holiday season, celebrate with a series of festive performances on the Roof. Join in on the heated rooftop for a holiday-themed performance from United Strings of Color, a classical string quartet comprised of young African American musicians.
• Enjoy festive drinks and seasonal bites from the holiday menu as their beautiful music sets the tone for a warm and memorable evening.
• Fri, Nov 29
• 7:30 p.m.
• Free admission

Holiday Drag Show at Boxcar Bar + Arcade

• Sashay into holiday and get up to snow good at Boxcar's Holiday Drag Show
  • 👠Heels high, spirits higher! Enjoy a holiday-themed drag show hosted by D Luca Valentine, starring queens Karma Killz, Wynter C Valentine, and Jada J Agave.
  • ⛄Get dressed in your holiday best! Festive fits encouraged.
  • 💃All the jingle ladies hit the dance floor! DJ Mike performing.
  • 🍸Sip on holiday spirits - fuel your fun with merry and bright-themed cocktails.
• Fri, Nov 29
• 9 p.m.
• Free admission

The Durham Craft Market Shop Small Saturday at Durham Central Park

• Outdoor market featuring over 50 local artisans and makers! With members of the Durham Craft Market collective as well as selected guest artists for these events.
• Sat, Nov 30
• 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
• Free admission

Shop Small Saturday: Lakewood Passport Event at Lakewood Shopping Center Stores

• A Shop Small Saturday event in partnership with eight Lakewood neighborhood businesses! Each business will have specials for the day and they’re also hosting a giveaway worth over $200!
• Visit each small business tagged on the Passport card on Shop Small Saturday to get a stamp. Folks who visit all eight retailers and fill their card will be entered into the giveaway drawing. Folks can submit their completed stamp cards at any participating business and do not need to make a purchase to get a stamp.
• Sat, Nov 30
• 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 25 - Sun, Dec 1
• 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

Black Friday at Mystic Farm and Distillery

• Celebrate the season with live music, food trucks and free bourbon tastings. Cocktails for $3, and half-price tours.
• Tours all day at 12 p.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Book online.
• Fri, Nov 29 - Sat, Nov 30
• 12-5 p.m.
• $10+

Shop Small, Big Magic: Rivtak x Magick Makers at Observable Universe

• Looking for a different kind of Black Friday experience? Step into a space of creativity, peace, and community at Observable Universe Pop-Up's Shop Small, Big Magic event. They're creating an oasis of calm during the busiest shopping weekend of the year, where you can find unique gifts while nurturing your creative spirit.
• 🎁 Special Offer: First 10 customers each day receive a free gift with purchase!
• Fri, Nov 29 - Sat, Nov 30
• 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.
• Free admission

Hadestown at DPAC

• Welcome to Hadestown, where a song can change your fate. Winner of eight 2019 Tony Awards® including Best Musical and the 2020 Grammy® Award for Best Musical Theater Album, this acclaimed new show from celebrated singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell and original director Rachel Chavkin (Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812) is a love story for today... and always.
• Intertwining two mythic tales — that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of King Hades and his wife Persephone — Hadestown is a haunting and hopeful theatrical experience that grabs you and never lets go.
• Fri, Nov 29 - Sun, Dec 1
• $39.50+

Holidays in the Park at Museum of Life + Science

• Enjoy a memorable stroll with your loved ones through some of the Museum of Life + Science outdoor and indoor spaces on evenings in December. Follow shimmering pathways and glowing trees through the garden, Farmyard, and Dinosaur Trail. Enjoy the tropical temperatures inside the Magic Wings Butterfly House or stop by Sprout Café for a night-time snack. Take an illuminating train ride on the Ellerbe Creek Railway, passing colorful light displays along the way!
• Sat, Nov 30 - Sun, Dec 1
• $20, $17 without train ride. Children 2 and under free.

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 30 and Sun, Dec 1
• 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 25 - Sat, Nov 30
• $12+; $40+ for series

Mangum Family Christmas Lights at 7510 Guess Rd

• A drive-in synchronized light show through the holidays until New Year's Eve. Get cozy in your car, tune in to 90.3 FM on your radio to hear the Christmas music, and sing along as you watch over 100,000 dancing lights.
• Sat, Nov 23 - Tue, Dec 31
• Free admission

Monday, Nov 25

2 p.m.

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

6 p.m.

Maker Mondays at DSSOLVR Durham

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.

Music Trivia With Meg at Durty Bull Brewing Company

NCCU Men's Basketball vs. Carolina University at McDougald-McLendon Arena

Community Board Game Night at Moon Dog Meadery

7:30 p.m.

Intervention Comedy Open Mic at Devine's Restaurant and Bar

8 p.m.

Derek Hough's Dance for the Holidays Tour at DPAC

Tuesday, Nov 26

4 p.m.

$1.50 Oysters at Alley Twenty Six

5 p.m.

Free Wine Tasting at Wine Authorities

6 p.m.

Book & Plant Swap at Arcana

Adult Coloring Night at Hi-Wire Brewing

Gentle Yoga Flow at ReCity Network

Bring Your Own Vinyl with Jaffar at Rubies on Five Points

Music Bingo Night at The Glass Jug Beer Lab in Downtown Durham

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

7 p.m.

Trivia at Beer Study Durham

Not Rocket Science Trivia at DSSOLVR Durham

8 p.m.

Jeremy 'Bean' Clemons Trio at Kingfisher

Wednesday, Nov 27

Events at Boxcar Bar + Arcade

• 5 p.m. - Friendsgiving
• 7-9 p.m. - Pinball Tournament

3 p.m.

Duke Volleyball vs. Wake Forest at Cameron Indoor Stadium

4 p.m.

$1.50 Oysters at Alley Twenty Six

5 p.m.

Free Wednesday Wine Tasting at Beer Study Durham

6 p.m.

Figure Drawing and Tarot with Emily at Arcana

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

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

Air Supply at DPAC

Karaoke at Moon Dog Meadery

Dance with the Dead at Motorco Music Hall

9 p.m.

Thanksmissin at The Fruit

Thursday, Nov 28

12 p.m.

Thanksgiving at The Durham Hotel Restaurant (sold out)

Thanksgiving Buffet at Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club (sold out)

4 p.m.

$1.50 Oysters at Alley Twenty Six

5 p.m.

Thirsty Thursdays at Dashi

5:30 p.m.

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

6 p.m.

Dungeons n' Drafts at DSSOLVR Durham

Vinyl Night with DJ Deckades at Gizmo Brew Works

6:30 p.m.

Boulders & Brews Meetup at Triangle Rock Club

7 p.m.

Trivia Night at Beer Tooth Taproom

Bring Your Own Vinyl Night at Congress Social Bar

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

9:30 p.m.

Karaoke Night at The Tavern

Friday, Nov 29

Events at Club Era

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

10 a.m.

Tasting at Ten at Counter Culture Coffee

Black Friday Barrel-Aged Stout Day at The Glass Jug Beer Lab in RTP

11 a.m.

Green Friday at Rumors Durham

3 p.m.

Smashfest at The Scrap Exchange

4 p.m.

$1.50 Oysters at Alley Twenty Six

6 p.m.

Tarot with Kathleen at Arcana

The Duke Street Dogs at The Blue Note Grill

7 p.m.

Duke Men's Basketball vs. Seattle at Cameron Indoor Stadium

7:30 p.m.

Holiday Music on the Roof: United Strings of Color at The Durham Hotel

8 p.m.

Stereo Reveries at DSSOLVR Durham

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

9 p.m.

Holiday Drag Show at Boxcar Bar + Arcade

Hush Hush at Mettlesome

Ballads and Bangers Karaoke Fam Night at The Pinhook

Saturday, Nov 30

Events at Bright Black.

• 11 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. - Hunter Photography Photo Sessions
• 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. - Drop-In Make Your Own Body Fragrance

Events at Durham Central Park

• 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. - Durham Farmers' Market
• 9 a.m. 3 p.m. - The Durham Craft Market Shop Small Saturday

Distillery Tours and Tastings at Liberty & Plenty

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

Events at The Fruit

• 9 p.m. - Bass Bunker
• 10 p.m. - 2 a.m. - Peaches & Cream: An RNB & Hip-Hop Throwback Party

Events at The Pinhook

• 7 p.m. - Blankstate. / Cuffing Season / Mush Puppy
• 10:30 p.m. - Studio 54 Disco 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.

South Durham Farmers' Market at Hub RTP

Little Leapers Playtime at Sky Zone Trampoline Park

Grace + Gratitude: A Flow For a Thankful Heart with Kate Waitzkin at Yoga Off East

10 a.m.

Healthy Heritage Lifestyle Sisters' Day of Wellness Durham 2024 at Durham Arts Council

Shop Small Saturday: Lakewood Passport Event at Lakewood Shopping Center Stores

12 p.m.

Herb Shop Open House at Bulltánica

Crafternoons at Gizmo Brew Works

Free Wine Tasting at Wine Authorities

3 p.m.

NCCU Men's Basketball vs. Lynchburg at McDougald-McLendon Arena

Friendsgiving Cigar Holiday Market & Food Drive at Weldon Mills Distillery

6 p.m.

Ben Lassiter and Tarot with Virginia at Arcana

7 p.m.

Matt Vorzimer & Friends at Succotash Southern & Creole Kitchen

7:30 p.m.

Individually Twisted at The Blue Note Grill

Holiday Music on the Roof: Bell Durham at The Durham Hotel

8 p.m.

The Setup: An Improvised Play at Mettlesome

Fire Spinning Night at Moon Dog Meadery

9 p.m.

Groove Me: The Holiday Pajama Jam at Missy Lane's Assembly Room

10 p.m.

Drink, Drag, Dance, Repeat at Club Era

Sunday, Dec 1

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 The Scrap Exchange

• 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. - Learn to Draw - Still Life
• 2-4 p.m. - Barn to Yarn

9 a.m.

Breakfast With Santa at Maggiano's

10 a.m.

Fleet Feet Ninth Street bRUNch Club at Fleet Feet Ninth Street

Jazz Brunch at Lula & Sadie's

11 a.m.

Fruit Flea at The Fruit

11:30 a.m.

Yoga at ZincHouse Winery & Brewery

12 p.m.

Duke Women's Basketball vs. Columbia at Cameron Indoor Stadium

Sunday Dollar Bin Sale for Charity at Rumors Durham

12:15 p.m.

Public Tour at Duke Chapel

1 p.m.

Black Farmers' Market at Durham Tech

2 p.m.

Holiday Cocktail Class at Mystic Farm and Distillery

5 p.m.

Eric Hirsh Trio Performs Vince Guaraldi's A Charlie Brown Christmas at Missy Lane's Assembly Room

6 p.m.

Ann Arader at Arcana

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 Nobuyoshi Godwin’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.
• Sat, Nov 23 - Sat, Dec 21
• Thu and Fri, 5-9 p.m. and Sat, 1-9 p.m.
• Free admission

Art Exhibition – Freedom: Forward March at Ella West Gallery

• Wed - Sat, 12-5 p.m. and by appointment
• 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