Things to Do in Durham this Week

Weekly Events in Durham

(July 7- July 13)

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.

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Noteworthy Events in Durham this Week

Tobacco Road FC vs Salem City at Durham County Memorial Stadium

• Tuesday, July 8
• Games at 4pm and 7pm

Summer Nights at Museum of Life and Science

• Bring your family for an evening of exploration! Let nature guide you through some of the most popular outdoor spaces, from the treehouses in Hideaway Woods to the lands of Explore the Wild, where you’ll visit the animals (& wolf pups!) who call the Museum home.
• Enjoy nature-themed crafts and activities, hop on the Ellerbee Creek Railway for a sunset train ride, then finish the evening with a Dance Party in the Plaza. Wherever you wander, there’s sure to be summer fun for everyone!
• Sprout Cafe will be open with a select “Barbeque” themed menu for purchase, along with beer and wine for purchase at pop-up bars for guests 21+.
• Thursday, July 10
• 6-9pm
• Admission: $20, free for kids 2 and under

PLAYlist Concert Series: Sam Fribush Organ Trio at Durham Central Park

• Sam Fribush has rapidly made a name for himself as one of the hottest young bandleaders in the country, blending crispy, wah-wah-driven funk, hip-hop beats, and sultry Hammond organ ballads. His music sits at the crossroads of jazz legends like Dr. Lonnie Smith and modern funk pioneers like Sly Stone, creating a fresh and boundary-pushing sound.
• Each evening starts with DJ Travis Gales spinning his Friday Night Mix live at the park at 7 p.m. Then the band takes the stage at 7:30 p.m. sharp. All the music is simulcast live through WNCU.
• Local food trucks will be on site, as well as craft beer and other vendors.
• Friday, July 11
• 7 pm
• Free

Broadway Rave at Motorco

• Calling all Musical Theatre nerds, drama geeks, actors, actresses, theatre lovers, and more! Welcome to Broadway Rave, a Broadway Dance Party celebrating the best in show-tunes and musical theatre. Sing along to all of your favorite broadway hits while dressed up as your favorite character. They’ll have surprise guests from some of your favorite Broadway stars! Live out your Broadway fantasies at Broadway Rave — the most POPULAR Broadway Dance party around.
• Friday, July 11
• 9 pm
• Admission: $20

WeRun Durham Fitness Festival at Durham Central Park

• Join in for the ultimate day of movement, music, and community at the Fitness Festival in Downtown Durham! They’re taking over Central Park with a full lineup of workouts—including 5K, Yoga, Step Cardio, Line Dancing, and MixxedFit—plus vendors, and good vibes all day long. Sweat, connect, and celebrate wellness with WeRun Durham!
• Saturday, July 12
• 3-8pm
• Admission: $20 for 5K Entry Only, $30 for Festival Admission, $45 for 5K + Festival Admission

Husbandos and Counterclockwise String Band — Summer Concert Series at Duke Park

• Sit back, relax and enjoy family and friends while grooving to music. Food vendors will be on site and food will be available for purchase. Please bring blankets and lawn chairs. No alcohol or smoking allowed.
• Saturday, July 12
• 6pm
• Free

Giant Robot Fight Club at Common Market

• Giant Robot Fight Club is exactly what it sounds like. Regular people suit up in cardboard Robot outfits and fight. Travel to the year 2525 after the great computer war and Join hosts HotDog Henley and Zeppo Shemp in the 9th installment of this cult hit show.
• Saturday, July 12
• 7 pm
• Free, reservations required

Carolina Flyers Ultimate Disc vs. Atlanta Hustle at Durham County Memorial Stadium

• Military & 1st Responder Appreciation Night
• Enjoy tunes from DJ Mista Illz and fun filled games on the field between quarters. Kids will love the bounce house and will have the opportunity to participate in a free kids clinic during the second quarter.
  
• Concessions available including beer and food from R&J's Fish, Wings & Things--home of the world famous FRISBEE COOKIE! And cold treats served up by Mighty Frozen.
• Saturday, July 12
• 7 pm

DPW Tag Festival at Durham Convention Center

• Eight tag teams compete with only 1 team being crowned the winner & earning a guaranteed DPW World Tag Team Championship match contract! Signed to the card: Violence Is Forever, Miracle Generation, and so many more!
• Sunday, July 13
• 6 pm
• Admission: $10-$60+

Multi-Day Events

Durham Bulls vs. Nashville at Durham Bulls Athletic Park

• 7/8 Tendies and Tall Boys Tuesday
• 7/9 Educator Appreciation
• 7/10 Dollar Dog Thursday
• 7/11 & 7/12 Fireworks
• 7/13 Kids Run the Bases

Miguel Gutierrez at von der Heyden Studio Theater at Duke University

• Wednesday, July 9 at 7:30 pm *Post-Performance Discussion
• Thursday, July 10 at 7:30 pm *Post-Performance Discussion
• Friday, July 11 at 7:30 pm *Post-Performance Discussion
• What can a dance do to confront the constant grief that we experience in our lives? Super Nothing presents four dancers whose explorations are analogs for how people support each other to survive. Interdependence takes multiple forms, as the performers move through representations of the past to create a blueprint for a new future. This piece extends Gutierrez’s interest over the past few years in creating “choreography for the end of the world.”
• Admission: $27 (discounts available!)

Footprints at Reynolds Industries Theater at Duke University

• The Footprints program bridges ADF’s performance and education series, featuring three ADF-commissioned world premieres by renowned choreographers and performed by ADF students. This year’s choreographers are Ravid Abarbanel, Michelle N. Gibson, and Tú Hoàng. Abarbanel, an Israeli/Portuguese dancer and choreographer, teaches dynamic floorwork and improvisational classes worldwide. Gibson, an ADF alum and 15-year faculty member, specializes in African Diaspora dance styles and her own New Orleans Second Line Aesthetic. Hoàng, the founder of Hangtho Creatives, blends ballet, modern dance, kung fu, tai chi, and Hip-hop, reflecting his Vietnamese heritage and European experiences in his choreography.
• Saturday, July 12 at 7:30 pm
  Sunday, July 13 at 3:00 pm
• Admission: $30–$45 (discounts available!)

BOOM Club: The Rail Residency at American Tobacco Campus: The Rail Car

• Durham, NC — BOOM Club, a new Arts Organization dedicated to providing resources for electronic musicians, is excited to announce the launch of its pop-up Synthesizer Clubhouse at the Rail Car–a historic train car at American Tobacco Campus, reimagined as a unique space for sound, creativity and community. Open every weekend from May 2nd through July 27th, the Clubhouse will provide a hands-on space for music lovers to explore high-quality electronic music instruments, participate in free workshops, and enjoy free live performances from local and visiting artists.
• Synthesizer Exploration Stations – Try out a variety of synthesizers and music production gear
• Free Workshops – Learn synthesis, beat-making, and live performance techniques from expert artists
• July 4-6
• Free

American Dance Festival Performance Season at Various Locations

• The American Dance Festival (ADF), with a 91-year legacy, is celebrating its 2025 season this summer from June 12 to July 26. This season features 40 performances by 22 renowned dance companies and choreographers from around the world, including 10 world premieres, 13 ADF commissions, and 11 company debuts. The 2025 season is dedicated to ADF Alumni and highlights the diversity and brilliance of modern dance. A key feature of the season is a special program celebrating the collaborations between iconic choreographers like Trisha Brown, Merce Cunningham, and Paul Taylor, and visual artist Robert Rauschenberg. The season promises a mix of joyful, athletic performances, immersive experiences, and thought-provoking works, while also spotlighting the ongoing contributions of ADF alumni to the future of dance.
• June 12- July 26

Open House at The Rickhouse

• Visit for Open House Days at The Rickhouse, happening every Wednesday and Saturday throughout July! These special days line up perfectly with the Durham Farmers Market—just down the road—making it the perfect summer outing.
• No reservation needed!
• Stop by at your leisure to: Meet with an event specialist, Tour our stunning venue, Explore displays from some of our favorite local vendors, Envision your next unforgettable event at The Rickhouse
• Wednesday 3-6 p.m. and Saturdays 8 a.m.-12 p.m.
• Free

Islands in the Alley at Alley Twenty Six

• Durham's Alley Twenty Six kicks off its annual summertime cocktail pop-up on July 1. For two months, the James Beard-nominated craft cocktail bar is bedecked with vacation-themed decor and offers an evolving food and drink menu celebrating far flung destinations and adventure.
• June 30-August 31

Lutra Brunch Pop-up at Cheeni

• Lutra Cafe and Bakery, the popular Durham-based bakery known for its sweet and savory buns, will host a weekly Sunday brunch at Durham's Cheeni restaurant. The brunch pop-up at Cheeni will give diners a chance to taste Lutra's expanded cafe menu months before chef-owner Chris McLaurin opens Lutra's counter-service restaurant at American Tobacco Campus by the end of 2025. Sunday brunch will be offered from 8-11 a.m. The brunch menu includes the sweet and savory buns, breakfast sandwich, biscuits and gravy, bread pudding, granola bowl, 100-layer hash browns and more.
• Sunday Brunch | June 8- September 28
• 8am-11am

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

Monday, July 7

5 p.m.

Arts & Drafts at Beer Study Durham

6 p.m.

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

6:30 p.m.

Crank Arm Run Club at Crank Arm Brewing Company

Trivia Night at Ponysaurus Brewing Co.

7 p.m.

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, July 8

5 p.m.

Nic Cage Film Discussion Group Family Fun Night! at Durham County Main Library

Yaki Tuesday at Dashi

Free Wine Tasting at Wine Authorities

5:30 p.m.

Cocktails and Cornices Walking Tour at Ticket Pickup at Preservation Durham Headquarters

6 p.m.

Alex Berr and Tarot with Heiltje at Arcana

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

Trivia at Durham Food Hall

7 p.m.

Barrelhouse Blues: A Jook Joint Revue at Missy Lane's Assembly Room

Trivia at Beer Study Durham (back room)

Not Rocket Science Trivia at DSSOLVR Durham

Video Game Night at Moon Dog Meadery

Wednesday, July 9

10:30 a.m.

Storytime on the Roof with Durham County Library at The Durham

3 p.m.

Durham Farmers’ Market at Pavilion at Durham Central Park

5 p.m.

Wine Study: Free Wine Tasting at Beer Study Durham

6 p.m.

Something Wild is Brewing Opening Night at Atomic Clock Brewing Company - Taproom

Figure Drawing and Tarot with Joy at Arcana

Dice & Drafts at Ment Beverage Co.

6:30 p.m.

Crank Arm DURHAM Wednesday Night Ride at Crank Arm Brewing Durham

Game Night at Glass Jug Downtown

7 p.m.

Karaoke Night at Mavericks Smokehouse

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

Pinball Tournament at Boxcar Arcade

8 p.m.

Air Hockey Tournament at Boxcar Arcade

Thursday, July 10

4 p.m.

Tripping Animals Tap Night at The Glass Jug Beer Lab - RTP

6 p.m.

Summer Nights at Museum of Life and Science

Date Night DIY at Nailed It DIY Studio Durham

Art Swap at Ment Beverage Co.

Triangle DSA + Open Mic Fundraiser at Arcana

Vinyl Night with DJ Deckades at Gizmo Brew Works

6:15 p.m.

Pony Run with Fleet Feet at Ponysaurus Brewing Co.

6:30 p.m.

Sapphic Happy Hour at Zeitgeist Gallery & Bar

Decolonizing Yoga at Bullitanica

Boulders & Brews Meetup at Triangle Rock Club - Durham

7 p.m.

Sonder at Kingfisher

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

Eagles Nest Jam featuring NCCU Jazz at Missy Lanes

7:30 p.m.

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

8 p.m.

Frank Meadows at Rubies on Five Points

Queer-Eoke at Club ERA

Music Trivia Bingo with Stormie Daie! at The Velvet Hippo

Friday, July 11

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

12 p.m.

Friday Co-Working Social at The Glass Jug Downtown

6 p.m.

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

Daniel DeLorenzo Trio at Arcana

The Duke Street Dogs at The Blue Note Grill

6:30 p.m.

DJ in the Beer Garden at The Glass Jug Beer Lab - RTP

7 p.m.

Rebecca Porter at Rubies on Five Points

Medieval Night at Ment Beverage Co

PLAYlist Concert Series: Sam Fribush Organ Trio at Durham Central Park

7:30 p.m.

Andy Kush Band at The Blue Note Grill

Chris Brydge Quartet at Sharp Nine Gallery

8 p.m.

Open Mic Comedy Night at Durty Bull Brewing Company

9 p.m.

Well Seasoned - comedy at Mettlesome Theatre

Broadway Rave at Motorco

Hush Hush Improv Comedy at Mettlesome Theatre

Karaoke at Flying Bull Beer Company Taproom

Saturday, July 12

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

7 a.m.
Pick Your Own Blueberries at Herndon Hills Farm

8 a.m.

Durham Farmers’ Market at Pavilion at Durham Central Park

parkrun Durham at Southern Boundaries Park

10 a.m.
Durham Grown: The Durham County Library Garden Club at Durham County Main Library

Jazz Brunch at Lula & Sadie's

11 a.m.

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

12 p.m.

Historic Exhibits Tour at Carolina Theatre Lobby

Crafternoons at Gizmo Brew Works

Free Wine Tasting at Wine Authorities

12:30 p.m.

Kayaking 101 at Falls Lake Durham

1:30 p.m.

Brett's Open Mic presents The Michael Bennett Project at The Blue Note Grill

3 p.m.

WeRun Durham Fitness Festival at Durham Central Park

5 p.m.

Cosmic Jam: Beer Garden Concert Series at The Glass Jug Beer Lab - RTP

6 p.m.

Husbandos and Counterclockwise String Band — Summer Concert Series at Duke Park

6:30 p.m.

NuBeing Collective at Missy Lane's Assembly Room

7 p.m.

Bourbon & Belly Laughs at Mystic Farm & Distillery

Play it Forward for the Tammy Lynn Center at The Blue Note Grill

W. Kamau Bell: Who’s With Me? at The Carolina Theatre

Janna Badalian--Jazz Singer & Songwriter at Succotash Southern & Creole Kitchen

Bull City Press Presents at Mettlesome Theatre

Giant Robot Fight Club at Common Market

7:30 p.m.

Full Moon Fever Bike Ride at In front of Mellow Mushroom

9 p.m.

Trio Factual at Arcana (entrance on Ramseur)

9:30 p.m.

Debí Tirar Más Fiestas | The Bad Bunny Party at Motorco

Saturday Night Dance Party at The Velvet Hippo

10 p.m.

Sun's out, buns out: Queer Dance Party at The Pinhook

Drink, Drag, Dance, Repeat! at Club ERA

Sunday, July 13

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

9:30 a.m.

Women's Introduction to Standup Paddleboarding at Falls Lake Durham

10 a.m.

Sunday Surrender Yoga Series at The 360 Approach

11:30 a.m.

Yoga @ The Winery at Zinc House Winery & Brewery

12 p.m.

Dungeons & Drafts at Glass Jug Downtown

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.

The Sunday Chill with Carter: Carter Minor & Lindsay Rosebrock at The Blue Note Grill

2 p.m.

Chocolate & Bourbon Pairing at Mystic Farm and Distillery

Hammered Trivia w/ Thor at Durty Bull Brewing Company

5 p.m.

Jasme Kelly Birthday Bash/EP Release Party at The Blue Note Grill

6 p.m.

DPW Tag Festival at Durham Convention Center

J Candeed at Arcana

7 p.m.

Karaoke Night at the bar @DBCo

Running Art Exhibits

Todd Levins: Big Curves, No Brakes at 5 Points Gallery

• Big Curves, No Brakes showcases Todd Levins’ handcrafted furniture, where graceful curves and fine craftsmanship take center stage. Todd is creating minimalist furniture using modern industrial tools, which naturally favor straight lines and right angles, to re-infuse the curves that existed before the wood was milled as lumber. Working with walnut, oak, maple, and southern yellow pine, he builds pieces that attract the hand as well as the eye.
• Visit 5 Points Gallery in person or online. All work from the exhibition is available for shipping or pickup. Gallery hours: Thursdays & Fridays 5–9pm, Saturdays 1–9pm. Artists are available to talk about the works.
• June 19- July 12
• Free

Pfc. Booker T. Spicely: Citizen, Soldier, Martyr, Hero at Hayti Heritage Center

• In 1944, Pfc. Spicely, in uniform and unarmed, was shot and killed by a Durham bus driver just three blocks east of Watts Hospital, after a brief exchange in which Spicely protested the segregated seating on the bus. The Pfc. Booker T. Spicely Exhibition will also be on display at Hayti Heritage Center as a part of the DCAB-supported Pfc. Booker T. Spicely Committee's banner and research, funded by the City's Cultural & Public Art Program.
• May 16-July 13

Something Wild is Brewing at Atomic Clock Brewing Company - Taproom

• Something Wild is Brewing features the bold and imaginative work of Christopher Freeman, whose art radiates energy, color, and layered visual storytelling. His paintings combine surreal landscapes, abstract forms, and pop-culture fragments to create scenes that are both disorienting and oddly familiar. Freeman’s work invites viewers to look closer, cultivating reverence for the animals he depicts and reminding us that the wild places they inhabit are fragile and worth protecting.
• July 9- July 21
• Free

Photography Exhibit: Works by Aaron Canipe & Jim DiCiaccio at Through This Lens

• Backyard, and Other Worlds: photographs by Aaron Canipe, Black and White portraits by Jim DiCiaccio.
• July 23- August 9
• Free

Art Exhibition — Summer at Craven Allen Gallery

• Summer brings together the work of Peg Bachenheimer, Kathryn DeMarco, Paul Hrusovsky and Judy Keene, four of Craven Allen Gallery’s most popular artists. Working in a variety of mediums, including oil paint, collage and encaustic, they create pieces that range from complete abstraction to representational and figurative. Each artist pays special attention to the interactions of color and texture in their pieces, manipulating these elements in their own ways.
• Monday–Friday 9:30 – 6, Saturday 10 – 4
• June 29-August 23
• Free

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