Events in Durham, NC | Find Festivals, Concerts & Sporting Events

Pictured:

CenterFest - Credit Samantha Everette

Every day in the Bull City, there’s a wide variety of events happening to help you get involved in our vibrant community. If you're already here or planning a trip, use our search function below to find events suited to all interests and ages.

Durham is home to many homegrown festivals and events that happen annually and are easy to plan a trip around. From beats to barbecue and everything in between, check out our seasonal events page to find the perfect time to visit the Bull City.

Submit an Event to our Calendar

If you're a Durham-based venue or organization and you'd like us to include your event on our calendar, follow the link below to find our submission guidelines and submit your information.

Submit an Event

If you have any questions, please email eventcalendar@discoverdurham.com.

Featured Events

OUTSOUTH Queer Film Festival

OUTSOUTH Queer Film Festival celebrates a worldwide glimpse of today’s LGBTQ+ life, helps bring the community together and features entertaining and sophisticated films and filmmaking.

Details

Third Friday in the Visitor Info Center - End-of-Summer Bucket List

Stop by the Visitor Info Center on Third Friday to gain inspiration for your end-of-summer bucket list and enjoy a free hot dog from QueDogs! Staff from OC Aerial, Durham’s ultimate all-in-one indoor adventure park for all ages, will be on-site to share about their attractions. Continue your night visiting downtown art galleries and other Third Friday events! Looking for more summer inspiration? Check out our Family-Friendly End-of-Summer Bucket List blog for additional recommendations. **Hot...

Details

Cigar & Bourbon Pairing

Join a professionally led course on the art of pairing cigars and bourbon. This class is for new cigar smokers and seasoned cigar smokers alike. Get ready to indulge in a unique pairing experience that will tantalize your taste buds and elevate your senses. This course will demonstrate hand-rolling techniques along with proper cutting, lighting and smoking. Then move to the porch to indulge in a guided pairing journey including a trio of bourbons to...

Details

Chocolate & Bourbon Pairing

This luxury class will take you through different Mystic Bourbons and the chocolate pairing that brings out the amazing flavors. Learn about, and taste, all of their spirits along with a classic chocolate pairing.

Details

CenterFest Arts Festival

Celebrate Centerfest's 50th anniversary! Since 1974, Durham Arts Council has brought the Durham community together with an annual arts festival in the fall. As Durham’s signature fine arts festival, CenterFest showcases juried visual artists from across the country and fills multiple stages with stand-out local performers. Art shoppers are dazzled by world-class ceramics, paintings, photography, jewelry, fiber art, woodwork, glass, and more. Creators are based in Durham, the Triangle and across the country. CenterFest also...

Details

The Promise of Peace: Slavery's End in North Carolina

The close of the American Civil War with military surrenders at sites like Bennett Place assured the end of legal slavery in America. On the evening before the 160th anniversary of the Bennett Place surrender, join us as we commemorate and recognize the lives of over 330,000 North Carolinians enslaved during the Civil War. This program highlights experiences of enslaved and newly freed people through storytelling, music, and luminaries.

Details

Raphael Saadiq: No Bandwidth!

Fresh off back-to-back sold-out nights at the legendary Apollo Theater in New York City, Los Angeles’ historic United Theater on Broadway, and two homecoming nights at Oakland’s Fox Theater, Raphael Saadiq’s No Bandwidth Tour will see him extending his run after garnering widespread acclaim. Praised by NPR’s KQED as “a masterclass in intimacy, vulnerability, and musical excellence,” the one-man-show offers a powerful blend of storytelling and emotionally evocative experience, with Saadiq guiding audiences through his...

Details

Bull City Race Fest and Food Truck Rodeo

Experience the brand NEW 2025 Race Routes! This festival has something for the fastest runners and families alike. Start and Finish at Diamond View Park at the American Tobacco Campus and choose from the Half Marathon, Five Miler or 1 Mile distances. Enjoy a fall morning of running through downtown Durham, Duke University and surrounding Historic Neighborhoods. After you cross the finish line, enjoy delicious eats from a variety of delicious food trucks! The Bull...

Details

Diana Ross

Diana Ross is a consummate performer, as well as one of the most iconic female singers of all time and one of the most prominent women in popular music history and pop culture of the late 20th century. Diana Ross’ famed and remarkable career spanning almost five decades has resulted in major awards, accolades and music history milestones. Her international achievements were acknowledged by the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors in December 2007 in Washington DC...

Details

Softball Carnival

Classic carnival games with a softball theme. Food trucks, Wiffle bat drawing contest, dunk tank, and games! Details

Outdoor Movie Series @Crank Arm Durham Saturdays at Dark

Every Saturday for 12 weeks Crank Arm will have outdoor movies playing on their 16 foot screen on the patio / side yard area. Plenty of... Details

Scrap Paper Shakespeare presents: Love's Labor's Lost

This show is recommended for ages 11+ due to some suggestive humor. Fri. Aug 8th 2025, 7:30 pmSat. Aug 9th 2025, 2:00 pmSat. Aug 9th 2025,... Details

Storytime at Barnes and Noble

All ages are welcome! Brief activity to follow. Usually 11 a.m.- 11:30 a.m. Call or check the schedule. Details

Guided Spirits Tasting Tour

Join a brand ambassador from Liberty & Plenty Distillery for a guided tour of the production facility and rickhouse in Downtown Durham to... Details

BOOM Club: The Rail Residency

Durham, NC — BOOM Club, a new Arts Organization dedicated to providing resources for electronic musicians, is excited to announce the... Details

parkrun Durham

What is Durham NC parkrun? A free, fun, and friendly weekly 5k community event. Walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate – it's up to you!... Details

Durham Farmers’ Market

The Durham Farmers’ Market offers locally grown fruits and vegetables, meats, eggs, cut flowers, artisanal cheeses and breads, home-baked... Details

Brightleaf Harvest Day

Experience North Carolina farming culture and history at Duke Homestead! They’ll be harvesting their tobacco out of the field and... Details

Intergalactic Bead & Jewelry Show

Love vintage beads? How about Chinese crystal or Ethiopian Opal? Find all this as well as large selection of rare beads, findings, tools... Details

Drop-In Make Your Own Body Fragrance

Bright Black invites you to a drop-in perfume making experience every Saturday, from 11a - 5p. Experiment with dope scents and great vibes,... Details

Doggie Pool Party

They will have doggie pools setup, Pup & paint area to make a masterpiece with your pup, a bubble machine, Doggie broth cubes for cooling... Details

Durham Events Calendar

Submit an Event to our Calendar

Featured Events