Events
January
Kwanzaa Celebration with
the African American Ensemble (formerly KwanzaaFest)
919-683-1709
Durham Armory
Call for date and time.
Admission Free.
A full day of cultural festivities, entertainment, and educational activities,
including an African style marketplace, a variety of live poetry readings,
dance, music, and children's activities.
Nevermore Horror and
Gothic Film Festival
Carolina Theatre
919-560-3030
Call for date, time and
admission charges.
Created in 1999, the Nevermore Horror and Gothic Film Festival is dedicated to
screening audience-requested horror flicks as well as brand-new films from
around the world.
February
Native American Powwow
North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics
919-416-2730
Call for date, time and
admission charges.
Full day of traditional Native American dancing, singing, crafts, food, and
socializing.
North Carolina Jewish
Film Festival
Carolina Theatre of Durham, Royall Center for the Arts
919-560-3030
Call for date, time and
admission charges.
A celebration of Jewish history and culture through internationally acclaimed
films and short features from around the globe, including motion pictures direct
from theatrical release in Israel.
March
Annual Bike Show –
Harley-Davidson
Durham Harley-Davidson, Inc.
919-682-6695
Call for date and time.
Admission Charged.
Events include a chili cook-off, Harley-Davidson motorcycle show, door prizes,
and lots of food and fun for the whole family.
Annual Durham Spring
Carnival
Durham County Stadium
Admission Charged.
Games, rides, prizes, music, food and entertainment for the entire family.
April
Annual Grady Tate Jazz
Festival
B.N. Duke Auditorium, North Carolina Central University Campus
Two nights of Jazz greats featuring the NCCU Jazz Vocal Ensemble, Grady Tate,
and various jazz vocalists.
Earth Day
Festival and Celebration
Durham Central Park
919-560-4100
The Triangle’s largest Earth Day celebration featuring an eclectic mix of music,
educational booths and events.
“Getting a Jump on
Easter” Egg Hunt
Durham Central Park,
Downtown
919-682-2800
Admission Free.
Features a traditional egg
hunt and also educational activities with farmyard and domestic animals.
Bennett Place Living
History Civil War Surrender Reenactment
Bennett Place State Historic Site
Reenactment of negotiations and surrender between Generals Sherman and Johnston
that ended the Civil War. Occurs bi-annually in odd years.
Full Frame Documentary
Film Festival
Carolina Theatre of Durham, Royall Center for the Arts
The only international festival of its kind celebrating strictly the power and
artistry of documentary cinema. Formerly Doubletake Documentary Film Festival.
May
May Day Music at Durham
Central Park
Durham Central Park,
Downtown
919-560-2788
Admission: donation
suggested. Children and students free.
Classical Music is
performed in the park. Also includes an orchestral instrument petting zoo, cake
walk, May pole, instrument-making session, and other activities.
June
Alive After Five Concert
Series (summer months)
Durham Bulls Athletic Ball
Park
Admission Free.
FREE concerts and outdoor fun for the entire family. Concerts are normally held
on the last Thursday of the month. Musical entertainment provided by various
artists.
Durham Arts Council’s
Edible Arts Festival
Durham Civic Center
Admission Charged.
Sample gourmet creations and signature dishes by Durham's finest culinary
artists and nationally acclaimed chefs.
American Dance Festival
Various locations on Duke University West Campus
The largest and most influential modern dance festival in the world, featuring
more than two dozen modern dance companies and hundreds of choreographers,
writers, and students participating in classes, seminars, and performances.
Duke Homestead Herb,
Garden and Craft Festival
Duke Homestead State Historic Site
Admission Free.
Enjoy this historical outdoor herb festival, which features traditional
herbal-use displays and a wide variety of herb and craft vendors. Musical
entertainment, guided tours of the Homestead and food are available.
July
Children’s Independence
Day Parade & Family Fun Day
Durham Central Park, Corner
of Hunt St. and Foster St.
919-682-2800
July 4
Admission Free.
This July 4 event has been
expanded to include a family picnic and ice-cream social following the parade.
Children decorate their bikes and scooters using patriotic colors and will then
follow a police escort around the block. Afterwards, everyone can enjoy a tasty
lunch and additional entertainment.
Festival for the Eno
West Point on the Eno City Park
Admission Free.
One of the region's premier
Independence Day celebrations with exhibits, displays, arts, crafts, and live
entertainment on the banks of the Eno River to benefit efforts to preserve this
beautiful natural area.
Durham Music Festival
Various Downtown Durham
locations.
919-560-2730
Call for information.
Admission Charged.
Come out and enjoy the
music, artists, exhibits and activities. Past festivals have featured more than
35 live bands!
Bimbe Cultural Arts
Festival
Durham Central Park, Downtown
919-560-4965
African-American music and arts festival. One of the oldest cultural festivals
in the country and one of the region's most comprehensive celebrations of music,
art and dance, from African and Caribbean to reggae and rap.
August
Bull City Chili
Challenge
Durham Central Park
919-682-2800
Call for exact date and
time.
Admission Charged.
The Bull City Chili
Challenge is an annual event featuring sampling and judging of a wide selection
of tasty chili showcasing local restaurants and produce. The area's first
cook-off is sanctioned by the Chili Appreciation Society International! Tasting
kits will be sold and you will be able to sample chilies in 5 categories:
Vegetarian, Youth, Restaurant, Free Style, and Texas Style. All proceeds will
benefit Durham Special Olympics. Also features live music, a raffle and special
activities for children.
North Carolina Gay and
Lesbian Film Festival
Carolina Theatre of Durham, Royall Center for the Arts
919-560-3030
One of the nation's premier gay and lesbian film festivals, with more than 100
films screened (including world-premiere showings) and more than 10,000 tickets
sold each year.
September
Bull Durham Blues
Festival
Historic Durham Athletic Park
919-683-1709
A celebration in the birthplace of the Piedmont Blues, featuring national,
regional, and local blues, from the mournful sounds of the Mississippi Delta to
the fine finger-picking and ragtime exuberance of the Piedmont Blues.
Durham Arts Council’s
Centerfest
Five Points Plaza, Downtown Durham
919-560-2723
One of North Carolina's oldest and one the Southeast's largest street-arts
fairs. The streets of Downtown Durham come alive with arts, crafts,
entertainment, food, and fun.
North Carolina Gay Pride
Parade
Duke East Campus and Ninth Street District
The largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, & transgender event in a five-state area,
attracting 6,000 festival participants.
World Beer Festival
Historic Durham Athletic Park
500 West Corporation Street
919-530-8160
Featuring more than 300 beer vendors from all over the country as well as local
restaurant vendors, family entertainment, and great music by local and regional
artists.
October
Broadway at Duke Series
Page Auditorium, Duke West Campus
Since 1968, Broadway at Duke has brought the best of Broadway, off-Broadway, and
major national and international repertory companies to Durham.
Oktoberfest
Main Quad, Duke University West Campus
Admission Free.
Oktoberfest is a day-long party on the main quad featuring craft and food
vendors as well as a large variety of local artists.
November
Durham Art Guild’s
Annual Juried Art Show
Durham Arts Council, Royall Center for the Arts
Admission Charged.
Durham's more than 100 working artists join with regional artists to compete and
display in a variety of media.
December
Christmas by Candlelight
at Duke Homestead
Duke Homestead State Historic Site
Call for exact date and
time.
Admission Free.
A celebration of an 1870 Christmas with evening candlelight tours of the
Homestead featuring period decorations, caroling, hot apple cider, and other
goodies.
Light Up Durham
Downtown Durham
Call for exact date and
time.
919-687-6561
Admission Free.
Seasonal music, performers, tree lighting, food and fun, including a parade that
brings Santa to town.
