Things to Do in Durham this Week

Weekly Events in Durham

(January 12- January 18)

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!

Even More Ways to Find Events in Durham

Discover Durham has an app! Now, you can access our event calendar, updated daily, plus curated itineraries, challenges and a handy map to help you find even more things to do, places to eat and drink and more, all from your phone.

Join the Love Durham Challenge

Show your Durham love your way: as a foodie, a family, a style icon or a creative, with the 2026 Love Durham Challenge on the Discover Durham app. Choose the challenge that matches your Durham love, then check in at ten participating businesses or events by February 28. You'll earn a branded tote and themed patches while supporting the small businesses that keep Durham's heartbeat strong during the slowest season. Some events will be additional Love Durham Challenge check-in opportunities. We will mark them with a 🫶 emoji.

How to Participate in the Challenges

Download the App to Join the Challenge

Noteworthy Events in Durham this Week

The Monti StorySLAM — Cabin Fever at Motorco Music Hall

• The depths of winter are here—the temperatures are frigid, the streets are icy, and the only time you spend outside are the few seconds when you’re rushing from your car to your house. It’s that time of the year when we all retreat inside to await spring. But something starts to happen when you’re stuck inside too long. Whether it’s a snowed-in weekend that went off the rails, forced togetherness that changed a relationship forever, or the quiet moments alone when your thoughts got a little too loud, cabin fever has a way of bringing buried truths to the surface. this night, share your stories about confinement, closeness, and what happens when there’s nowhere to run.
• About The Monti StorySLAM (18 & up event)
• The Monti StorySLAM is an open storytelling event, where anyone with a story on a certain theme has a chance to tell it. This is a competitive event, so there will be judges in the audience. At each event, there will be eight storytellers chosen at random; each story is five minutes long; one winner will be declared at the end of the night.
• Thursday, January 15
• 7:30 pm
• Admission: $14.64+

Killers of Kill Tony at DPAC, Durham Performing Arts Center

• Building upon the success and energy of “Kill Tony”, "Killers of Kill Tony" showcases the diverse talent pool of comedians who have graced the stage of the original podcast with their wit, humor, and unique comedic styles. “Killers of Kill Tony” will feature your favorite characters doing their longer standup sets, all in one night. Regulars and fan favorites from “Kill Tony”, one of the top live podcast in the world, bring their standup show on the road with “Killers of Kill Tony”.
• The current “Killers of Kill Tony” lineup includes David Lucas, Hans Kim, Timmy No Brakes, and Martin Phillips.
• Saturday, January 17
• Shows at 2 pm and 7:30 pm

Sherri Shepherd: Make It Make Sense Tour at Carolina Theatre of Durham

• Sherri Shepherd is a Daytime Emmy Award-winning talk show host, comedian, actress, and best-selling author. She hosts the nationally syndicated talk show “SHERRI,” where her warmth and fiery humor shine through her topical headlines, celebrity interviews, comedy, and uplifting stories. Recently, she co-starred in Tyler Perry’s acclaimed film “STRAW” and is preparing to release her first children’s book, “The Sunshine Queens.” A multiple NAACP Image Award winner, Sherri has also earned recognition for her hit podcast “Two Funny Mamas,” co-hosted with Kym Whitley. Her career spans three decades across television, film, Broadway, and stand-up comedy, with memorable roles in “30 Rock,” “Friends,” “Mr. Iglesias,” “Trial & Error,” “Everybody Loves Raymond,” “The Jamie Foxx Show” and “Beauty Shop.” On stage, she tours nationwide as a stand-up comic, both solo and alongside Whitley in their comedy show “Two Funny Mamas.” Beyond entertainment, Shepherd is a dedicated advocate for inclusivity, representation, and children with special needs.
• Saturday, January 17
• 7 pm

Duke Women's Basketball vs. Georgia Tech in partnership with Special Olympics at Cameron Indoor Stadium 🫶

• Duke Women’s Basketball is proud to partner with Special Olympics for a day of inspiration and celebration. Join us as we honor local athletes and highlight the power of community, inclusion and competition.
• Sunday, January 18
• 6 pm
• 
  

Third Friday

Third Friday in the Visitor Info Center - Artist Reception with Jordan Abdur-Ra’oof at Durham Visitor Info Center 🫶

• Celebrate Third Friday with an artist reception featuring photographer Jordan Abdur-Ra’oof at the Visitor Info Center. His exhibition, Life is Service, highlights community, connection, and hospitality, showcasing people from beloved local businesses. Stop by for a free slice of pizza and earn a check-in for the Love Durham as a Creative Challenge!
  
• Friday, January 16
• 6 pm
• Free

Third Friday - Guided Museum Tours at 21c Museum Hotels Durham

• Offered in conjunction with the Third Friday Durham Art Walk & Gallery Crawl, learn about 21c Durham’s current exhibition Truth or Dare: A Reality Show, our site specific artworks, and the artists behind it all. Meet us in the lobby every third Friday @ 5:00PM to explore!
• Tours are free and all are welcome.
• Friday, January 16
• 5 pm

3rd Friday: Mix & Mingle at Zeitgeist Gallery & Bar

• It's 3rd Friday at Zeitgeist! They are open at 5pm, meet and greet is from 6-10pm & then open until midnight! Swing by, meet some artists, make some friends, taste their infused liquor cocktails!
• All, any & every artists and art lovers are invited. Check out our Instagram @zeitgeist_durham for any & all updates!
• Friday, January 16
• 6 pm
• Free

Third Friday Art Opening - Anthony Garza Photography at Ment Beverage Co.

• “De La Calle (From the Street): Observations from Oaxaca” street photography.
• Show will be on display from Friday, Jan. 16 - Wednesday, Feb. 18.
• Friday, January 16
• 6 pm
• Free

Live Vinyl Spinning by PhDJ Every 1st & 3rd Friday! at Beer Study Durham

• A favorite local DJ comes to spin records every FIRST and THIRD Friday of the month with a variety of vinyl offerings. Anything from funk to hiphop to reggae and so on! PhDJ has a little bit of everything.
• Check in to Instagram for what will be featured that week!
• Friday, January 16
• 7 pm

Winter at 5 Points Gallery

• 5 Points Gallery is pleased to present Winter at 5 Points: Gallery Members Exhibit, bringing together new and recent works from the gallery’s member artists in a winter presentation shaped by distinct voices, materials, and ways of seeing. The exhibition moves from intuitive and outsider-influenced expressions to layered abstraction, imaginative figurative scenes, nature-inspired painting, fused glass work, and the refined craftsmanship of finely made furniture. Subtle threads of empowerment, heritage, connection to the natural world, and messages of peace and care for others emerge throughout, creating a sense of continuity across otherwise varied practices. Seen together, these works invite viewers to linger and experience the depth and richness of the artists’ creative worlds.
• Meet the artists and experience this seasonal exhibition. The exhibition runs from January 15 through February 14. Image: Anne Gregory, Radiant Blue, Mandala Series, acrylic, 22 x 22 inches
• Visit 5 Points Gallery in person or online. All work from the exhibition is available for shipping or pickup. Gallery hours are Thursdays and Fridays 5–9pm and Saturdays 1–9pm. Artists are available to talk about their work.
• Friday, January 16
• 6 pm
• Free

Multi-Day Events

There is a Ladder at Live at Bay 7

• There Is a Ladder is an interdisciplinary performance experience that pulls history forward while reimagining Black womanhood through choreography, video, photography, and sound.
• Directed by Chania Wilson, the work centers Black women’s embodied knowledge as a living archive, where movement becomes a way of remembering, reframing, and imagining futures. Through tightly composed choreography and layered media, There Is a Ladder explores lineage, inheritance, and the quiet labor of becoming.
• This event is pay what you can with a suggested donation of $25.
• January 16-17
• Shows at 2 pm and 7:30 pm

Best of MettleSketch at Mettlesome Theater 🫶

• MettleSketch is the sketch comedy team based out of Mettlesome Theater, and this is MettleSketch's greatest hits, all in one show!
• January 15-17
• Admission: $18

Zero Proof January at The Durham

• Visit the Coffee Bar or the heated Roof this January and beyond for thoughtfully crafted zero-proof cocktails. What began as Dry January has grown into a wider shift toward mindful drinking and alcohol-free options that still feel social and considered.
• At The Durham, mocktails are built with the same intention as every drink on the menu, focusing on balance, texture, and a sense of occasion. Whether you’re participating in Dry January or simply curious, these drinks are designed to feel just as satisfying as their spirited counterparts.
• This year’s menu also highlights Jabin, a locally made beverage inspired by Sekanjabin, an ancient Persian drink made with vinegar and honey and enjoyed for its cooling, restorative qualities.
• January 4-31

Guided Spirits Tasting Tour at Liberty & Plenty Distillery

• Join a brand ambassador from Liberty & Plenty Distillery for a guided tour of the production facility and Rickhouse in Downtown Durham to learn the basics of how spirits are made. Every tour includes a tasting of Liberty & Plenty Distillery's rums, vodkas, gins and whiskies.
• Every Friday at 5:00 PM and 6:30 PM and every Saturday at 2:00 PM and 3:30 PM
• Admission: $20

Pre-Theatre Menu at Alley Twenty Six

• Durham’s Alley Twenty Six offers a Pre-Theatre Menu from 4-5:30 p.m. Tuesdays-Sundays. The three-course menu includes appetizer, entree, and dessert. An example menu includes a mandatory green salad or chilled crab rangoon dip for the first course; ricotta gnocchi or shrimp roll for the second course; and for dessert, Mexican chocolate pot de crème or St. Angel Triple Crème Cheese. Price: $40. The menu and prices change based on season and ingredient availability.
• Through June 30th

$1.50 Oysters at Alley Twenty Six

• Durham’s Alley Twenty Six is now offering $1.50 raw oyster special from 4-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays. A selection of oysters are sourced from North Carolina and often Canada, Virginia or elsewhere along the East Coast and served with cocktail sauce, Mignonette sauce and lemon. Bar seats are available first come, first serve or make a reservation at alleytwentysix.com.
• Through June 30th

Monday, January 12

5 p.m.

Arts & Drafts at Beer Study Durham

6 p.m.

SIlent Reading Club at The Glass Jug Downtown

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

6:30 p.m.

Trivia Night at Ponysaurus Brewing Co.

Crunk Club DRM presents: Crank Arm Durham RUN at Crank Arm Brewing Durham

7 p.m.

Monday Night Trivia at Aloft Durham Downtown

Not Rocket Science Trivia at Fizzwerks

Board Game Night at Moon Dog Meadery

7:30 p.m.

The MOST Open Mic (Monday Moans) at West End Wine Bar

The Devines Intervention Comedy Open Mic at Devine's Restaurant and Bar

Tuesday, January 13

10 a.m.

Tuesday Moves at Live at Bay 7

5 p.m.

Yaki Tuesday at Dashi

Free Wine Tasting at Wine Authorities

6 p.m.

Silent Book Club at Letters Community Bookshop

Queer Craft Night at Arcana Bar and Lounge 🫶

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

Vinyl Night with DJ Deckades at Gizmo Brew Works

Adult Coloring Night at Hi-Wire Brewing

Gentle Yoga Flow at ReCity Network

Music Bingo Night at Glass Jug Downtown

Glass Jog Run Club - Spring Series at The Glass Jug Beer Lab

Women on the Wall at Triangle Rock Club - Durham

BYOV w/ Jaffar (Bring Your Own Vinyl Night) at Rubies on Five Points

6:30 p.m.

Pony Ride with Ponysaurus Brewing Co. at The Bull in CCB Plaza

7 p.m.

Monday Night Trivia at Aloft Durham Downtown

Karaoke Night at the bar @DBCo

Trivia at Beer Study Durham (back room)

Not Rocket Science Trivia at DSSOLVR Durham

Video Game Night at Moon Dog Meadery

8 p.m.

Fleshwater at Motorco Music Hall

Wednesday, January 14

11 a.m.

Guided Tour of Pauli Murray's Childhood Home at Pauli Murray Center for History and Social Justice

4 p.m.

Distortion Hemp Beverage 420 Happy Hour at The Glass Jug Beer Lab - RTP

5 p.m.

Wine Wednesday! Free Wine Tasting at Beer Study Durham

6:30 p.m.

Crank Arm DURHAM Wednesday Night Ride at Crank Arm Brewing Durham

Trivia Night at The Glass Jug Beer Lab - RTP

7 p.m.

Hammered Trivia at Hi Wire brewing

Signature Wine Tasting at Zinc House Winery & Brewery

Trivia Night at Mystic Farm & Distillery

Music Bingo at Ponysaurus Brewing Co.

Music Bingo at the bar @DBCo

Brett Chambers Open Mic at The Blue Note Grill

Old School Bingo Night – Every Wednesday Night at DSSOLVR

Music Mashup Trivia at Fizzwerks

8 p.m.

Air Hockey Tournament at Boxcar Arcade

Karaoke at Moon Dog Meadery

Jason Isbell at DPAC, Durham Performing Arts Center

Thursday, January 15

12 p.m.

Parish Brewing Ghost DIPA Tap Spotlight at The Glass Jug Beer Lab - RTP

3:30 p.m.

Donate Blood & Save a Life at The Glass Jug Beer Lab - RTP

5 p.m.

Bodega Soda Hemp Beverage Tasting at The Glass Jug Beer Lab - RTP

Winter at 5 Points Gallery

5:30 p.m.

Walking Club with Bull City Strollers at Glass Jug Downtown

6 p.m.

Vinyl Night with DJ Deckades at Gizmo Brew Works

6:30 p.m.

Pony Run at Ponysaurus Brewing Co.

Decolonizing Yoga at Duke Park

Sapphic Happy Hour at Zeitgeist Gallery & Bar

Boulders & Brews Meetup at Triangle Rock Club - Durham

7 p.m.

Thursday Trivia at Baryo

Crank Arm Durham Presents: Level up and Sip at Crank Arm Brewing Durham

Trivia Night at Beer Tooth Taproom

Board Game Night at Moon Dog Meadery

Hammered Trivia at Durty Bull Brewing

7:30 p.m.

The Monti StorySLAM — Cabin Fever at Motorco Music Hall

Trivia Night w/Big Slow Tom at Clouds Brewing Brightleaf Square

8 p.m.

Duke Women's Basketball v. UVA at Cameron Indoor Stadium

Music Trivia Bingo with Stormie Daie! at The Velvet Hippo

Queer-Eoke at Club ERA

Friday, January 16

Events at Club Era

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

10 a.m.

Tasting at Counter Culture Coffee 🫶

11 a.m.

Workforce In Action Business Luncheon at E. Havery Estes Center

12 p.m.

Discovering West Point: Historic Walking Tour at West Point on the Eno

2 p.m.

There is a Ladder at Live at Bay 7

5 p.m.

Third Friday - Guided Museum Tours at 21c Museum Hotels Durham

Food Truck Friday at The Glass Jug Beer Lab - RTP

Duke Men's Tennis v. Elon at Duke

6 p.m.

Third Friday in the Visitor Info Center - Artist Reception with Jordan Abdur-Ra’oof at Durham Visitor Info Center 🫶

Winter at 5 Points Gallery

3rd Friday: Mix & Mingle at Zeitgeist Gallery & Bar

The Duke Street Dogs at The Blue Note Grill

7 p.m.

Live Vinyl Spinning by PhDJ Every 1st & 3rd Friday! at Beer Study Durham

7:30 p.m.

There is a Ladder at Live at Bay 7

Baron Tymas Quartet at Sharp Nine Gallery

Kurt Crandall at The Blue Note Grill

8 p.m.

Boxcar Birthday Bash at Boxcar Bar + Arcade

Pass the Aux at Boricua Soul

Dance Blues Friday at Studio 5

Open Mic Comedy Night at Durty Bull Brewing Company

8:30 p.m.

Ally J and Kevin Clark at Arcana

9 p.m.

.andmoreagain presents: Club XCX at Motorco Music Hall

Hush Hush Improv Comedy at Mettlesome Theatre

Well Seasoned - comedy at Mettlesome Theatre

Karaoke at Flying Bull Beer Company Taproom

9:30 p.m.

Femme Friday DJ Dance Party! at The Velvet Hippo

Bachata Fixation – FREE Class & Latin Dance Party! at Flying Bull Restaurant & Brewery

10 p.m.

The [Friday] Night Shift at The Velvet Hippo

Saturday, January 17

Guided Walking Tours with Triangle Adventures

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

8 a.m.

Durham Farmers’ Market at Pavilion at Durham Central Park

parkrun Durham at Southern Boundaries Park

9 a.m.

South Durham Farmer's Market at Hub RTP

9:30 a.m.

Jazz Brunch at Lula & Sadie's 🫶

Made by You: Scratch Art at MAA Nixie

10 a.m.

Durham Grown: The Durham County Library Garden Club at Durham County Main Library Auditorium

Pauli Murray Center Open Saturday at Pauli Murray Center for History and Social Justice

Walk-In Saturday at Welcome Tattoo 🫶

11 a.m.

Storytime at Barnes and Noble New Hope Commons: Kids Stage

Girl Scout Cookie & Beer Pairing at Glass Jug Downtown

Girl Scout Cookie & Beer Pairing at The Glass Jug Beer Lab - RTP

Drop-In Make Your Own Body Fragrance at Bright Black. 🫶

Duke Swimming and Diving v. Georgia Tech at Taishoff Aquatic Center

12 p.m.

Hot Toddy Party at Mystic Farm & Distillery
No Judgment - N/A Fest! at Ment Beverage Co.

Crafternoons at Gizmo Brew Works

Free Wine Tasting at Wine Authorities

1:45 p.m.

Downtown Durham Food Tour with Taste Carolina at Visitor Info Center 🫶

2 p.m.

NCCU Women's Basketball v. Howard at NCCU

Reset: New Years Mini Retreat at Bulltánica

4:30 p.m.

NCCU Men's Basketball v. Howard at NCCU

7 p.m.

Killers of Kill Tony at DPAC, Durham Performing Arts Center

Unifier w/ Frontside, Treasure Pains, Long Relief at Stanczyks Music Bar

Carter Minor--Blues, R&B, Jazz Vocals at Succotash Southern & Creole Kitchen

Sherri Shepherd: Make It Make Sense Tour at Carolina Theatre of Durham

Ignition: Durham, an Ignite Fundraiser at The Fruit

7:30 p.m.

Nicole Mitchell Quintet at Sharp Nine Gallery

8 p.m.
Moon Dog Comedy Night at Moon Dog Meadery

Durham Ghost Walk at Fate & Folklore

9:30 p.m.

Saturday Night Dance Party at The Velvet Hippo

10 p.m.

Drink, Drag, Dance, Repeat! at Club ERA

Sunday, January 18

10 a.m.

Jazz Brunch at Lula & Sadie's 🫶

11 a.m.

Duke Wrestling v. Pitt at Card Gym

Duke Men's Tennis v. James Madison at Duke

11:30 a.m.

Yoga @ The Winery at Zinc House Winery & Brewer

12 p.m.

Sunday Dollar Bin Sale for Charity at Rumors Durham

12:15 p.m.

Public Tour of Duke Chapel at Duke University Chapel

1 p.m.

Savory Sunday - Bloody Marys with ALL the Fixins at Liberty & Plenty Distillery

2 p.m.

Hammered Trivia at Durty Bull Brewing Company

3 p.m.

Goal Setting Workshop & Vision Boarding at The Glass Jug Downtown

Craft Club & Supply Swap at Glass Jug Downtown

5 p.m.

Duke Men's Tennis V. NCCU at Duke

6 p.m.

Duke Women's Basketball vs. Georgia Tech in partnership with Special Olympics at Cameron Indoor Stadium 🫶

6:30 p.m.

Open Mic at Moon Dog Meadery

Running Art Exhibits

Art Exhibit — Sherman Fleming: Unsettled at Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University

• Known for his provocative performances, Sherman Fleming (b. 1953), is an influential multimedia artist based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This focused survey gathers works spanning forty years of Fleming’s career, presenting paintings, drawings, ephemera, and documentation of his performances made between 1978–2019.
• Fleming’s works are demonstrations of perseverance, self-control, and conviction. The artist’s main medium is his body, which he uses in myriad ways. His endurance performances span hours and even months and include walking through Philadelphia for a day while carrying an eight-foot-tall wooden phallus along with spending a year wearing a noose—objects purposely chosen as material reminders of racial and sexual stereotypes of Black masculinity as well as the ongoing trauma of racialized terrorism in the United States.
• The unsettling nature of his work pushes the boundaries of discomfort as the imagery features both difficult subjects and unresolved compositions. Overall, Fleming’s complex practice is connected through his relentless processes that consistently expand the horizons of what art can be and how it may be experienced on paper, canvas, in a gallery, in a theatre, or even live on the street. Through his innovative explorations of identity, the artist’s messaging continues to resonate in profound ways, many years after its making.
• Tu-Sa 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Su 12-5 p.m.
  
• September 29- January 18

Jordan Abdur-Ra’oof Exhibition: Life of Service at Durham Visitor Information Center 🫶

• Photographer Jordan Abdur-Ra’oof has transformed the Visitor Info Center to an ode to Durham hospitality. His exhibition, Life is Service, highlights community, connection, and hospitality, showcasing people from beloved local businesses. Add a stop to the Visitor Info Center to check off a Love Durham spot as part of the Creative Challenge!
• The Visitor Info Center is open every Tuesday-Saturday, 10am-5pm.
• Free
• Through Feb. 28

Art Exhibit — Dis/orient: Contemporary Art of the Asian Diaspora at Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University

• A focused exhibition that examines how artists of Asian descent confront long-standing stereotypes embedded in the word “Orient.” Rooted in Western imperialism, the term historically enforced a sense of distance and “otherness” that continues to shape cultural perceptions today. Dis/orient brings together artists who use humor, memory, tradition, and personal narrative to challenge this legacy and illuminate the richness and multiplicity of the Asian diaspora.
• “Dis/orient invites viewers to look beyond the flattened idea of a single ‘Orient’ and instead appreciate the complexity, humor, and emotional depth that define contemporary Asian diasporic art,” said Julianne Miao, curatorial associate at the Nasher Museum. “Each artist brings a distinct perspective, reminding us that identity is never monolithic. It is lived, questioned, and continually reshaped.”
• Tu-Sa 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Su 12-5 p.m.
  
• January 4- July 19

Art Exhibition — Labor&Materials and The Intuitionist at 21c Museum Hotel Durham

• 21c Durham is unveiling two new exhibitions with Labor & Materials and The Intuitionist. The exhibitions feature a thematic group exhibition of 67 multi-media artworks by 40 artists from across the globe exploring the evolution of industry and labor in the 21st century and a two-person exhibition of paintings by Atlanta-based artist Xavier Daniels and Toronto-based artist Natia Lemay.
  
• June 12- May 31
• Free