Things to Do in Durham this Week

Weekly Events in Durham

(Oct 21-27)

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 launched 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.

Download the App

Noteworthy Events

NCCU Ultimate Homecoming Experience at Various Locations

• Parade, performances, vendors and more.
• Mon, Oct 21 - Sat, Oct 26
• Event cost varies.

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, Oct 24
• 5-9 p.m.
• Free admission

Trunk or Treat at Durham Central Park

• Test drive your Halloween costume with your Y family! All are invited for an evening of games and treats.
• Thu, Oct 24
• 5:30-7:30 p.m.
• Free admission

The 7th Annual Rocky Horror Picture Show Halloween Ball at The Carolina Theatre

• A Retro annual tradition! More than just a movie screening, Retro presents a full-theatrical, FX-driven, light show-blazing, fog-blowing, call-backing, motion picture extravaganza!  Fasten your garter belt and come up to the Carolina Theatre’s historic 1000-seat lab and see what’s on the slab!
• Thu, Oct 24 - Fri, Oct 25
• $15+

Halloween Phantasmagoria at Duke Homestead

• Phantasmagoria, noun: a bizarre or fantastic combination, collection or assemblage; a dreamlike state where real and imagined elements blur together; a magical event at Duke Homestead.
• You are invited to wander the property to see what wonders you can find. They won’t spoil the surprises, but can tell you that this will be unlike any other Halloween experience you will have.
• Fri, Oct 25
• 6:30-9:30 p.m.
• $15 (kids 3 & under are free)

Monster Mash Halloween Party at Boxcar Bar + Arcade

• Halloween is creeping ever closer, which means our must-not-miss Halloweekend main event is right around the corner 😱 Mark your calendars for Boxcar's Monster Mash Halloween Party - a fangtastic, monsterrific bash of a graveyard smash!
• Sat, Oct 26
• 12 p.m. - 1 a.m.
• Free admission

Handcrafted DURM Fall Fest & Halloween Market at Durty Bull Brewing Brewing Company

• Celebrate with fall fun, sweet and savory food trucks, and a costume contest!
• Shop fresh autumn decor and funky crafts of all sorts, fall candles and scents, spooktacular vendors, apparel, jewelry and accessories. Handcrafted DURM prioritizes minorities (incl. women)/vendors of color and small mom-and-pop businesses with seasonal offerings and custom crafts and gifts!
• Sat, Oct 26
• 3-7 p.m.
• Free admission

Barktoberfest at Durham Central Park

• Be part of a tail-wagging celebration for dogs and their humans, bringing the community together for a day of canine fun, festive activities, and delicious treats. This event features dog costume contests, agility courses, local vendors, and plenty of opportunities for pups to socialize and strut their stuff.
• Sat, Oct 26
• 3:30-6:30 p.m.
• Free admission

NCCU Football vs. Morgan State at O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium

• Sat, Oct 26
• 3:30 p.m.
• $10+

Duke Football vs. SMU at Wallace Wade Stadium

• Sat, Oct 26
• 8 p.m.
• $57+

Pumpkin Patch and Fall Festival at Museum of Durham History

• 🎃🍂 Enjoy a spooktacular day at the Museum of Durham History’s Pumpkin Patch! 🌟✨ Bring the whole family for free pumpkin decorating, face painting, and yummy refreshments! Plus, enjoy tons of fall fun and festive activities! Don’t miss out on this autumn adventure! 🍁🧡
• Sun, Oct 27
• 1-4 p.m.
• Free admission

Events Supporting Hurricane Helene Rescue and Relief Efforts

• Rock For Recovery: A Benefit for WNC at Motorco Music Hall

Multi-Day Events

ArtsMarket — Performing Arts Conference at Durham Convention Center, Carolina Theatre, Durham Armory

• Since 2000, NCPC has partnered with the North Carolina Arts Council to co-produce the biennial ArtsMarket performing arts showcase conference.
• Mon, Oct 21 - Wed, Oct 23
• Registration required

Pumpkin Patch at Holder Hill Farm

• Pick your own pumpkin straight from the vine, see and feel other crops, take a hay ride around the farm, visit with farm animals, take a stroll through the nature trail, enjoy some time in the different play areas! Pack a lunch and enjoy the picnic area before getting lost in the corn maze!
• Mon, Oct 21 - Sun, Nov 27
• Mon-Sat, 9 a.m - Dusk and Sun, 10 a.m. - Dusk
• $16 per person for all farming activities and a pumpkin (under 2 years old free)

Bird-Watching: Pik-Kei Wong at von der Heyden Studio Theater

• Originally from Hong-Kong, Scotland-based choreographer Pik-Kei Wong explores gender, bodily-autonomy, and women’s desire, questioning eastern and western censorship of the female form in her striking and sometimes provocative work.
• Fri, Oct 25 - Sat, Oct 26
• 8-9:30 p.m.
• Free but registration required

Pumpkin Patch Express at Museum of Life and Science

• All Aboard! Celebrate Fall with a trip to the Museum’s pumpkin patch! Pick the perfect pumpkin to decorate and enjoy a variety of games and activities inspired by autumn. Then, climb aboard the train for a ride back to the station on the Ellerbe Creek Railway!
• Sat, Oct 26 - Sun, Oct 27
• 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
• $15 per person

BooFest at Museum of Life and Science

• Join the Halloween BooFest celebration at the Museum of Life and Science, if you dare! Guests can celebrate the season with hands-on activities in the Lab, a pumpkin-party station with take-home goodies (as supplies last), themed enrichment and encounters around campus, and more. Don your costumes and visit us for this spooky celebration of the season!
• Sat, Oct 26 - Thu, Oct 31
• 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
• Free with museum admission or membership

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, Oct 26 and Sun, Oct 27
• 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, Oct 21 - Sat, Nov 30
• $12+; $40+ for series

Monday, Oct 21

Events at DSSOLVR Durham

• 6:30-8:30 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.

Arts & Drafts at Fullsteam Brewery

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

8 p.m.

Girls Night Out The Show at Bull City Ciderworks Durham

Dave Chappelle at DPAC

John Early: the Album Tour at Motorco Music Hall

Lung / Pink Peugeot / The Softeners at The Pinhook

Tuesday, Oct 22

5 p.m.

Free Wine Tasting at Wine Authorities

6 p.m.

Queer Talent Show 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

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

Classical Open Mic at Huron Stage Music Venue

Duke Men's Soccer vs. Queens at Koskinen Stadium

Film Night: Round Midnight at Sharp 9 Gallery

8 p.m.

Jeremy 'Bean' Clemons Trio at Kingfisher

No Love Open Mic and Costume Party at The Pinhook

Wednesday, Oct 23

5 p.m.

Free Wednesday Wine Tasting at Beer Study Durham

Wine Down Wednesday at Missy Lane's Assembly Room

5:30 p.m.

Down South Dirt: Lecture and Reception at Nasher Museum of Art

6 p.m.

Figure Drawing and Tarot with Joy at Arcana

7 p.m.

Pinball Tournament at Boxcar Bar + Arcade

Hammered Trivia at Hi-Wire Brewing

Karaoke Night at Mavericks Smokehouse

Trivia Night at Mystic Farm & Distillery

Music Bingo at Ponysaurus Brewing Company

Maxine Gordon on Sophisticated Giant: the Life and Legacy of Dexter Gordon at Sharp 9 Gallery

Brett Chambers Open Mic at The Blue Note Grill

Trivia Night with Pickle at The Glass Jug Beer Lab in RTP

Signature Wine Tasting at ZincHouse Winery & Brewery

7:30 p.m.

Wednesday Night Jam w/ Al Strong at Congress Social Bar

The Life and Music of George Michael at DPAC

Queer Latin Dance Night at Fullsteam Brewery

The Henley Mansion Murder Mystery Game at The Glass Jug Beer Lab in Downtown Durham

8 p.m.

Trivia Night at Bull McCabe's

Karaoke at Moon Dog Meadery

Rock For Recovery: A Benefit for WNC at Motorco Music Hall

Thursday, Oct 24

Events at Weldon Mills Distillery

• 7-9 p.m. - Halloween Singles Event
• 7:30-9:30 p.m. - Trivia Night

1 p.m.

Meet the Keepers at Sarah P. Duke Gardens

5 p.m.

Durham Night Market at American Tobacco Campus

Thirsty Thursdays at Dashi

5:30 p.m.

Trunk or Treat at Durham Central Park

6 p.m.

Jacqueline Hackett and Tarot with Rene at Arcana

(RE)IMAGINE at Bright Black

Disney Jr. Live On Tour: Let's Play at DPAC

Dungeons n' Drafts at DSSOLVR Durham

Vinyl Night with DJ Deckades at Gizmo Brew Works

6:30 p.m.

Candlelight: A Tribute to Adele at Hayti Heritage Center

AfterHours: Science of Fear at Museum of Life and Science

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

Duke Women's Soccer vs. Notre Dame at Koskinen Stadium

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

Community Board Game Night at Moon Dog Meadery

Remember My Name Candlelight Vigil at StandUp- SpeakOut NC Home for Healing

7:30 p.m.

Trivia Night with Big Slow Tom at Clouds Brewcade + Kitchen

8 p.m.

QueerEoke at Club Era

Trivia at Fullsteam Brewery

Rozwell Kid / Rodeo Boys at The Pinhook

9 p.m.

Candlelight: A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics at Hayti Heritage Center

9:30 p.m.

Karaoke Night at The Tavern

Friday, Oct 25

Events at Duke University

• 4 p.m. - Swimming & Diving vs. South Carolina at Taishoff Aquatics
• 5 p.m. - Field Hockey vs. Boston College at Jack Katz Stadium
• 6:30 p.m. - Volleyball vs. Miami at Cameron Indoor Stadium

Events at Mettlesome

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

Events at The Fruit

• 8-10 a.m. - Creative Mornings
• 9 p.m. - LP Giobbi Presents: Way Back Home Tour

Events at The Glass Jug Beer Lab in RTP

• 5-8 p.m. -Food Truck Friday!
• 5-8 p.m. - Scott Bouldin Music

Events at The Pinhook

• 6:30 p.m. - Early Critter Theater All Ages Drag Show!
• 10:30 p.m. - Late Critter Theater Drag Performance / Dance Party!

8 a.m.

Beginning Birding for Adults at Sarah P. Duke Gardens

10 a.m.

Tasting at Ten at Counter Culture Coffee

5:30 p.m.

Sunset Float at Falls Lake

6 p.m.

Goth Prom and Tarot with Kathleen at Arcana

Live Music Nights on the Lawn at Bull McCabe's Irish Pub

Chicken Wednesday "A Premium Fashion Experience" at Proximity Brewing

The Duke Street Dogs at The Blue Note Grill

6:30 p.m.

Halloween Phantasmagoria at Duke Homestead

7 p.m.

Sob Dog Sings Songs at Fullsteam Brewery

Swing Dance Class at Mystic Farm & Distillery

Rahsaan Barber and Everyday Magic at Sharp 9 Gallery

8 p.m.

Witches Brew at Boxcar Bar + Arcade

Lewis Black at DPAC

Stereo Reveries at DSSOLVR Durham

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

Saturday, Oct 26

Events at Fullsteam Brewery

• 2-5 p.m. - Fall Fest at Seeds
• 7-10 p.m. - Tea Cup Gin Tribute To Fullsteam

Distillery Tours and Tastings at Liberty & Plenty

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

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.

Durham Farmers' Market at Durham Central Park

South Durham Farmers' Market at Hub RTP

parkrun Durham at Southern Boundaries Park

9 a.m.

World Relief Durham's Run for Refugees 5k at Duke University East Campus

Little Leapers Playtime at Sky Zone Trampoline Park

9:30 a.m.

Guide Supported Canoeing, Kayaking, and Standup Paddleboarding at Eno River

The Journey of Land Relationship: Growing Your Bond at Sarah P. Duke Gardens

10 a.m.

Bahama Day at Bahama Ruritan Club

DPS Hub Farm Fall Festival at DPS Hub Farm

11 a.m.

Halloween Party at Rumors Durham

12 p.m.

Monster Mash Halloween Party at Boxcar Bar + Arcade

Continuando Mi Camino at Emily K Center

Crafternoons at Gizmo Brew Works

Free Wine Tasting at Wine Authorities

1 p.m.

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

Eno River Rugby vs Cape Fear at Neal Middle School

2 p.m.

Fall Festival at Seeds

3 p.m.

Music on Mangum at Durham Beer Garden

Handcrafted DURM Fall Fest & Halloween Market at Durty Bull Brewing Brewing Company

3:30 p.m.

Barktoberfest at Durham Central Park

NCCU Football vs. Morgan State at O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium

Hallow-Eno at West Point on the Eno River

4 p.m.

Ghouls Just Wanna Have Fun Art Market at The Glass Jug Beer Lab in RTP

5 p.m.

Farm Fall Contra Dance at Duke Campus Farm

Open Mic at Huron Stage Music Venue

5:15 p.m.

Storytelling Paddle at Falls Lake

6 p.m.

Tarot with Joy at Arcana

7 p.m.

Brett Young at DPAC

Les Trois Chats, Hot Club Jazz at Succotash Southern & Creole Kitchen

Tenderlash / Summore / Halovox at The Pinhook

7:30 p.m.

Gaspard & Dancers — 15th Anniversary at Reynolds Industries Theater

Stephan Crump Solo Bass at Sharp 9 Gallery

8 p.m.

Halloween Hoedown at Bull McCabe's Irish Pub

Fire Spinning Night at Moon Dog Meadery

Duke Football vs. SMU at Wallace Wade Stadium

9:30 p.m.

GAG To Death: Part 3 at The Fruit

Sunday, Oct 27

Events at Duke University

• 1 p.m. - Volleyball vs. Florida State at Cameron Indoor Stadium
• 7 p.m. - Men's Basketball vs. Arizona State at Cameron Indoor Stadium (Exhibition)

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

Neighborhood History Hike with John Schelp at Ninth & Green

11 a.m.

Triangle Terror Con at Durham Armory

Witchy Thangs Drag Brunch at Durham Food Hall

12 p.m.

Bull City Block Party and Vintage Market at Durham Central Park

Sunday Dollar Bin Sale for Charity at Rumors Durham

12:15 p.m.

Public Tour at Duke Chapel

1 p.m.

Pumpkin Patch and Fall Festival at Museum of Durham History

2 p.m.

Soul Sunday w/ DJ Soul at Congress Social Bar

3 p.m.

Straight No Chaser at DPAC

SONAM Fall Concert for Families Moving Forward at St. Luke's Episcopal Church of Durham

3:30 p.m.

Halloween Party at Wonder Lab

4 p.m.

Gospel Melodies Day Party at Missy Lane's Assembly Room

6 p.m.

Mike Grigoni & David Landes and Tarot with Heiltje at Arcana

Last Dance at Rigsbee: Songs For Humans Sing at Fullsteam Brewery

7 p.m.

Modigliani Quartet at Baldwin Auditorium

7:30 p.m.

The Onlies at The Pinhook

Running Art Exhibits

The Nature of Things - Golden Belt Artists at Golden Belt Artists

• The artworks of Golden Belt Art Studio artists fill The Great Hall. The show aims to display the diverse talents of the individual artists and what it means to be a Golden Belt artist collectively. Artist hail from Chapel Hill, Cary, Raleigh and of course Durham (and surrounding areas).
• Sat, Sept 7 - Wed, Oct 30
• Free admission

Artful Expressions - The Way We See The World - Art Show & Sale at Golden Belt Artist Studios Main Gallery

• Don’t miss this contemporary art show of realism and abstraction as seen through the eyes of three accomplished artists, Kerry Burch, Soonja Cook and Paul Gala! Kerry, Soonja, and Paul are professional artists with working studios and gallery space at Golden Belt Arts in Durham, NC.
• They have different styles and are drawn together by a common thread. Inspired by the natural world, their art expresses how each sees and feels everything around them.
• Fri, Oct 18 - Thu, Oct 31
• Free admission

Día de los Muertos Ofrenda at Duke Chapel

• Honor the dead with Día de los Muertos Ofrenda, a Day of the Dead altar piece, at Duke Chapel. Visitors are invited to contribute to this sacred Mexican tradition by adding an offering in the form of photographs or objects that represent a departed loved one, or by adding a link to a paper chain that drapes over the Ofrenda.
• Thu, Oct 10 - Thu, Nov 7
• Free admission

Teddy Devereux: Vitreous Humor at 5 Points Gallery

• 5 Points Gallery in downtown Durham is pleased to announce an exhibit of new works by Teddy Devereux. In Vitreous Humor, Teddy invites you to explore the intersection of science and artistry through her sculptural and pictorial fused glass creations. Drawing inspiration from her long research career in Research Triangle Park, NC, these works embody the fluid, glassy nature of both the eye and her artistic medium.
• Thu, Oct 17 - Sat, Nov 9
• Free admission

Portraits, Botanicals and Other Stories at Through This Lens

• Wet-plate collodion exhibition by Willie Osterman.
• Frederick Gardner invented the Wet-Plate Collodion process in 1852. It is a hand-applied process where an emulsion is poured onto a plate of glass (ambrotype) or blackened aluminum. (tintype or ferrotype), sensitized, exposed, developed, rinsed, and fixed before the emulsion dries.
• Wed, Oct - Sun, Nov 10
• Tue-Fri, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Sat, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
• 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

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