A Weekend in Durham with Dasan Ahanu Part 4

A great place to live is a wonderful place to visit, and there are no better ambassadors for Durham than our most engaged and prominent residents. We've worked with Piedmont Poet Laureate and community organizer Dasan Ahanu to reveal the places he likes to go and the things he likes to do with his friends and loved ones when they visit The Bull City. Lucky for us, he has great taste and is willing to share his secrets. For more of Dasan's seasonal guides to hosting friends and family in Durham, read Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.

Well hello kind traveler. My name is Dasan Ahanu. I am a Durham based poet, performing artist, playwright, and cultural organizer who also helps organizations and institutions strategize and develop creative approaches to realizing goals internally and externally. I have been here for two decades doing imagination work with whoever needs an effective thought partner to make ideas tangible. That is, when I am not bringing my own artistic ideas to life. I love the Bull City and I truly believe it loves me back.

In this realm known as Bull City, you are a curious wanderer entering the expanse of Durham, NC. In your satchel (isn’t that a good word?): hunger, curiosity and a longing for adventure. The weekend ahead will unfold like a map of magic stones—each stop a mark on a legend, each flavor its own incantation (see what I did there?). May you be equipped with appetite and an open spirit as I take you on a bountiful escapade.

A Durham Love - Book Four

Durham is an adventure that will shape you for a lifetime. Each instance here is full of flavor, characters, plot twists, and lessons learned. This place, affectionately known as the Bull City, is a pick your own adventure where each decision impacts your next step and your choices determine the impact of the final outcome. There is no end to what you can gain, what you can explore, or what you can come to understand. All you have to do is be open to the possibilities. Soon, you will realize that Durham is your favorite novel. Not one that you can sit with at home under a blanket, sipping a drink, glasses on, with text in hand. No, never that. It is one that requires curious exploration. You have to get out and feel Durham. I promise you, it’s more than worth it.

Chapter One: The Feast of the Tides

It’s Friday night and as dusk drapes over Durham we step into Alley Twenty Six, an East Chapel Hill Street fortress of flavor. Inside is a cacophony of joy accompanied by full stomachs and satisfied palettes. After a glance at the menu, a Louisiana-style crab cake and an order of deviled eggs are ordered to start. Alley Twenty Six also makes one of the best goldrush cocktails I have had in the city. (As I mentioned before, my other go to for a goldrush is The Waiting Room.) I always ask for it made with Larceny bourbon. Tonight’s entree is an Alley Burger cooked medium well. I get mine without the jam and the arugula, but the chipotle aioli blends well with the Black Truffle Cheddar. While it’s well known as the craft cocktail bar that cemented Durham’s cocktail scene, this eatery is also a testament to Durham’s culinary alchemy.

After, beneath the streetlight’s glow, we take a short walk to sit at a table in CCB Plaza and discuss the wonders of life. We will also “people watch,” taking in the distinctiveness of each character and guessing what brings them downtown. It will be an opportunity to laugh and revel in the beauty of the city.

Chapter Two: A Smoothie Morning

At first light on Saturday, we meet to discuss the energy we will need for the day. We agree to do this over a frozen potion made with the finest of fruits. We rendezvous at Jamba Juice on 9th street to confab. I recommend a medium Caribbean Passion smoothie. A sip of this elixir and you are ready for all that is to come.

Chapter Three: A Fest at the Center

A grand assembly awaits us. Taking over downtown is Centerfest! The annual festival is celebrating its 50th anniversary September 20-21, 2025, and we must be there for the fantastic activities. There will be visual art showcased and stages of performances by vocalists, musicians, and dancers. Vendors will be aplenty with all kinds of amazing goods and wares. Food Trucks will be parked and ready to serve. Not to mention the variety of restaurants that anchor the downtown five points area. Street performers will be engaging with attendees young and old. Young ones get to play in the Creative Kids Zone. Information is provided by service providers across Durham.

If you're planning to visit on another weekend, check out all of Durham's great events on the community event calendar.

There is so much to take in. It must be done with pace and intention. This is a full day worth of exploration.

Chapter Four: Revelry & Jazz

Night crowns at Sharp 9 Gallery. Here, music and vibes blaze like firelight—summoning smiles, hand claps and astonishment throughout the venue. It is a virtuosic spell cast here. The blend of instrumentation with gripping vocals puts everyone in the audience in a trance. The sounds encompass us and we lose ourselves for the rest of the night in the melodies.

Chapter Five: Art, History, and Farewell

Slumber holds us until midmorning on Sunday. When it lets us go, we are rested and ready for a final adventure. There are two quests on our minds. One is a visit to the Nasher Museum of Art and another is a stop by the Museum of Durham History. At Nasher we drink in visual epics: paintings, sculptures and tales that resonate across time. The cafe opens at noon and they serve their brunch menu until 2:30 p.m. I recommend the Southwestern Omelette. At the Museum of Durham History, we allow the breadth of stories that represent different perspectives and experiences to help us understand the magic of Durham. This day is one where wisdom and insight is gained. It is where we are taken through space and time on a curated excursion intended to touch our hearts and shape our minds. It is a way of helping us understand why we are here and why we must continue pushing forward.

Epilogue

So concludes our weekend—a tale of fruits and cityscapes, stage lights and musical wizardry, rare trinkets and storied exhibitions. We ventured into the land of the bull and discovered the wild heart of Durham’s legend. Return soon, traveler. Know that every weekend spent here is but a chapter—and this city’s myth has many pages left to unfold.