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

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.

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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.

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

Featured Events

Bourbon Sensory Training

Take a professionally led course on the process of tasting and evaluating bourbon. In this immersive experience, you'll have the opportunity to savor an array of Mystic bourbons. Typically, bourbons are evaluated on five characteristics: color, aroma, mouth-feel, flavor, and finish.Learn the process of training your pallet to recognize the common smells and tastes of bourbon whiskey. They will guide you through a spectrum of flavors and aromas, from the smooth and caramel-infused notes to...

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Summer Cocktail Class

Participants get a tour of the distillery, free tastings, and learn hands-on how to make some of your favorite summer cocktails. Must be 21+

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Full Moon Fever Bike Ride

Experience the American Tobacco Trail at night with the Durham Community Trail Watch group. Please note: the ride has two starting times and locations. 7:30 p.m. - Early Start Time: the early start is at 7:30 p.m. in front of Mellow Mushroom (410 Blackwell Street) in downtown Durham. That group will ride down the American Tobacco Trail and meet up with the late group that meets at 8:30 p.m. in front of Bean Traders. 8:3...

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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.

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Champions for Children Golf Tournament

Now in its 5th year, the Champions for Children Golf Tournament is more than just a day on the green—it's a powerful fundraiser that directly supports youth in underserved communities throughout Durham and beyond. Hosted by the 5K Foundation, this annual event raises critical funds for year-round programming, including mentorship initiatives, academic support, and the Legacy League 7v7 Football League.This tournament brings together professionals from all walks of life—from former NFL and college athletes to...

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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.

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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...

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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...

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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.

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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...

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Quilting Class

6 week quilting classes. Small class of 6 or less students. Details

Art Exhibition — Labor&Materials and The Intuitionist

21c Durham is unveiling two new exhibitions with Labor & Materials and The Intuitionist. The exhibitions feature a thematic group... Details

American Dance Festival Performance Season

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... Details

Photography Exhibit: Works by Aaron Canipe & Jim DiCiaccio

Backyard, and Other Worlds: photographs by Aaron Canipe, Black and White portraits by Jim DiCiaccio. Details

Art Exhibition — Summer

Summer brings together the work of Peg Bachenheimer, Kathryn DeMarco, Paul Hrusovsky and Judy Keene, four of Craven Allen Gallery’s most... Details

Islands in the Alley

Durham's Alley Twenty Six kicks off its annual summertime cocktail pop-up on July 1. For two months, the James Beard-nominated craft... Details

GenAI Adoption (GAIA) for Professionals

Join ReCity Network for an exciting in-person gathering where professionals across industries can ground themselves in the practical and... Details

Old School Bingo Night – Every Wednesday Night

Think you’ve got the winning card? Join FREE-TO-PLAY BINGO, every Wednesday at 7pm, where the prizes are real, the drinks are flowin’, and... Details

King Nobuyoshi Godwin: Artist to Have a Good Day Exhibition Featuring American Animals

5 Points Gallery is thrilled to present King Nobuyoshi Godwin’s 2025 Artist to Have a Good Day Exhibition Featuring American Animals, where... Details

Oyster Fest at The Durham

Shuck and slurp your way through Oyster Fest 2025: The Durham’s fourth annual summer celebration of North Carolina oysters, seasonal... 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

Baroque to the Beatles: Summer Strings of Soul@ Missy Lane's by Mallarme Music

From Bach to Abbey Road, join Mallarme’s String Quartet in a musical journey from the music of J.S. Bach to songs by the Beatles. By... Details

Durham Events Calendar

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Featured Events