Things to Do in Durham this Week

Weekly Events in Durham

(January 19- January 25)

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

Carolina Blaze Fan Event at Tobacco Road Sports Cafe

• Don’t miss your chance to meet Carolina Blaze coaches and players at the fan event on Wednesday, January 21 at Tobacco Road. Help us welcome the Blaze to the Bull City!
• 5:30 pm
• Free

Brandee Younger at Hayti Heritage Center 🫶

• Harpist Brandee Younger is redefining what her instrument can do—and who it’s for. On Gadabout Season, her latest release for Impulse!, she plays Alice Coltrane’s own harp, offering a powerful tribute that’s as much about joy and self-discovery as sound. Deeply rooted in spiritual jazz, hip-hop, and classical tradition, Younger’s music is emotionally direct and rhythmically alive. Whether whispering or wailing, her playing defies cliché—birthing a genre-defying earth tones that AllMusic declares “could only be born in the 21st century.” A singularity exploring uncharted musical territory for a new generation of listeners.
• Wednesday, January 21
• 7 pm
• Admission: $25

The Rare & Vintage Beer Tasting at Historic Durham Athletic Park

• The Rare & Vintage Beer Tasting offers an intimate space to enjoy beers and engage with brewers.
• Featuring 50+ breweries for an annual tasting of rare &/or vintage beers. Brewery representatives pour in an intimate environment, allowing attendants the opportunity to learn what makes these beers so special by those that brewed them.
• This year's non-profit partner is the Michael James Jackson Foundation, which funds scholarship awards to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color within the brewing and distilling trades.
• Appetizers, bottled water, sodas and specialty glassware will be included in the ticket price.
• Saturday, January 24
• 3 pm
• Admission: $103.22

Film Screening — The Love That Remains at Rubenstein Arts Center, Film Theater

• Hlynur Pálmason, 2025, 109 min, Iceland, Icelandic with English subtitles, DCP
• Anna, an artist, and Magnús, a fisherman, live with their three children and charismatic sheepdog in the quiet grandeur of the Icelandic countryside. As the fractures in their marriage come to the surface, the couple try to hold onto the afterimages of a life together and make sense of a deep and lingering devotion. Filmmaker Hlynur Pálmason (Godland) brings surprising humor and emotional weight to this gorgeous, intimate, and brilliantly expansive scenes from a marriage, amidst the majestic backdrop of the changing seasons.
• Thursday, January 22
• 7 pm
• Free

Brett Young at DPAC, Durham Performing Arts Center

• From his self titled debut in 2017, Brett Young has captured the hearts of fans everywhere through his honest lyrics and West Coast meets Southern sound, aptly dubbed his “Caliville” style. With more than 8.5 billion global streams and seven consecutive No. 1 singles, Rolling Stone has called him “one of Country’s most consistent radio stars,”.
• Friday, January 23
• 8 pm

Multi-Day Events

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

• Have you ever wondered about the lives of the people who were here before you? At West Point on the Eno, explore the complex histories of our own backyard. West Point on the Eno is not your typical historical site. It's not a battleground for major wars, nor the birthplace of presidents. Instead, it's a vivid tapestry of everyday yet extraordinary lives from Durham's past. Here, the routine of mill workers, the creativity of people like photographer Hugh Mangum, and the stories within the historic house are discovered and shared. These are tales of ordinary people whose lives, like yours, are extraordinary in their own right. Discover a different kind of history at West Point on the Eno, where the extraordinary is found in the ordinary. Take a guided walking tour of West Point on the Eno's historic park.
• Tours leave on the hour at 12 pm, 1 pm, 2 pm, and 3 pm. Registration is required. Dogs are allowed on hikes but are not permitted inside historic buildings unless a registered service animal.
• Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday through May 31
• Free

"Rhinoceros" - Play Live On Stage at PSI Theatre at the Durham Arts Council

• Switch Theatre Company kicks off their four-show 2026 season with Eugene Ionesco’s classic allegory, Rhinoceros. The play follows reluctant hero/everyman Berenger as he decides whether to join the overwhelming tide of friends, coworkers, and loved ones who inexplicably transform into rhinoceroses - or to endure the terrifying solitude of remaining himself.
• Dates and Times:
• Thursday, 1/22 (7:00pm)
• Friday, 1/23 (7:00pm)
• Saturday, 1/24 (7:00pm)
• Sunday, 1/25 (2:00pm)
• Thursday, 1/29 (7:00pm)
• Friday, 1/30 (7:00pm)
• Saturday, 1/31 (7:00pm)
• Sunday, 2/1 (2:00pm)
• Admission: General admission: $20, Center seating: $25, Preferred VIP seating: $35

Fatherland, presented by Bulldog Ensemble Theater at Mettlesome Theater

• When a father gets swept up in political conspiracy theories and turns to violent insurrection, his son must make an impossible choice to bring him to justice. A thrilling courtroom drama based on real-life trial transcripts.
• January 22-25, January 29-February 1
• Admission: $21 general admission; $19 military and senior (over 65); $11 young (under 35)

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 19

7:30 a.m.

Annual Triangle Martin Luther King, Jr. Interfaith Prayer Breakfast at Sheraton Imperial Hotel

10:30 a.m.

Martin Luther King, Jr. March at Tower at Mutual Plaza

1 p.m.

Book Harvest's 15th Annual Dream Big Celebration at Boxyard RTP

2 p.m.

Pints at The Glass Jug Downtown

5 p.m.

Arts & Drafts at Beer Study Durham

6 p.m.

SIlent Reading Club at The Glass Jug Downtown

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.

FREE Fun da’MENTal Trivia with “Just Dave” at Ment Beverage Co.

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 20

10 a.m.

Tuesday Moves at Live at Bay 7

5 p.m.

Bring One, Take One - Winter Swap at Ment Beverage Co.

Yaki Tuesday at Dashi

Free Wine Tasting at Wine Authorities

6 p.m.

Pints & Pups Adoption Event at Ponysaurus Brewing Co.

Silent Book Club at Letters Community Bookshop

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.

Documentary Screening — Heightened Scrutiny at Carolina Theater

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

Wednesday, January 21

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

5:30 p.m.

Carolina Blaze Fan Event at Tobacco Road Sports Cafe

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.

Collage Club at The Fruit

Brandee Younger at Hayti Heritage Center 🫶

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

7:30 p.m.

Nolen Durham and Skylar Gudasz at Live at Bay 7

8 p.m.

Blends With Friends (Open Decks) at The Pinhook

Sip & Sketch: Shibari Figure Drawing Edition at Zeitgeist Gallery & Bar

An Intimate Acoustic Evening with Gregory Alan Isakov at DPAC, Durham Performing Arts Center

Air Hockey Tournament at Boxcar Arcade

Karaoke at Moon Dog Meadery

Thursday, January 22

12 p.m.

Reclaiming Durham's Narrative: Scholarship, Service, and the Spirit of Dr. Moore at Ahmadieh Family Lecture Hall (C105, Bay 4, Smith Warehouse)

NC Rare & Vintage Breweries Tap Spotlight at The Glass Jug Beer Lab - RTP

5:30 p.m.

Walking Club with Bull City Strollers at Glass Jug Downtown

6 p.m.

Silent Book Club at Letters Community Bookshop

Dungeons n' Drafts at DSSOLVR Durham

Girly Pop Magic at The Glass Jug Downtown

Vinyl Night with DJ Deckades at Gizmo Brew Works

6:30 p.m.

NCCU Women's Basketball v. Maryland Eastern Shore at NCCU

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.

Film Screening — The Love That Remains at Rubenstein Arts Center, Film Theater

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.

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

8 p.m.

Music Trivia Bingo with Stormie Daie! at The Velvet Hippo

Queer-Eoke at Club ERA

Friday, January 23

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 🫶

5 p.m.

Food Truck Friday at The Glass Jug Beer Lab - RTP

5:30 p.m.

Kids Night Out at Museum of Life and Science

7 p.m.

SunSets Evening Rooftop DJ Sets! at The Velvet Hippo

Live Music: Elora Dash at Redhead Hemp

Iterations at Live at Bay 7

Curfew Club at Motorco

The Ethics of Now with Jens Ludwig — Reducing Gun Violence at Durham County Main Library

Algorhythm Trio--Cool Jazz at Succotash Southern & Creole Kitchen

7:30 p.m.

Akropolis Reed Quintet at Baldwin Auditorium

8 p.m.

Brett Young at DPAC, Durham Performing Arts Center

Open Mic Comedy Night at Durty Bull Brewing Company

9 p.m.

Deep Space Disco at The Fruit

Hush Hush Improv Comedy at Mettlesome Theatre

Well Seasoned - comedy at Mettlesome Theatre

Karaoke at Flying Bull Beer Company Taproom

10 p.m.

The [Friday] Night Shift at The Velvet Hippo

Saturday, January 24

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.

parkrun Durham at Southern Boundaries Park

9 a.m.

Durham Farmers’ Market at Pavilion at Durham Central Park

South Durham Farmer's Market at Hub RTP

10 a.m.

Jazz Brunch at Lula & Sadie's 🫶

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

Walk-In Saturday at Welcome Tattoo 🫶

Duke Women's Tennis v. Miami at Duke

11 a.m.

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

12 p.m.

Bourbon & Charcuterie at Mystic Farm & Distillery

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

1:45 p.m.

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

2 p.m.

NCCU Women's Basketball v. Delaware State at NCCU

3 p.m.

The Rare & Vintage Beer Tasting at Historic Durham Athletic Park

4 p.m.

Chocolate & Bourbon Pairing Class at Mystic Farm & Distillery

Opening Reception - Dan Gottlieb "Before the Wind" and Donna Wesley Spencer "Shared Space" at Craven Allen Gallery

4:30 p.m.

NCCU Men's Basketball v. Delaware State at NCCU

5:45 p.m.

Duke Men's Basketball v. Wake Forest at Cameron Indoor Stadium

6 p.m.

Mettlesome Theater - Sing-a-ma-jig: musical improv comedy for kids at Mettlesome Theater

7 p.m.

Seth Meyers: Live at DPAC, Durham Performing Arts Center

Iterations at Live at Bay 7

Harry Potter Trivia Night at Mystic Farm & Distillery

The Djam: Swingin' Gyspsy Jazz & More at Succotash Southern & Creole Kitchen

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

Durham Ghost Walk at Fate & Folklore

9 p.m.

Mettlesome Theater - Show & Tell / Golden Age - Improv Comedy at Mettlesome Theater

9:30 p.m.

Saturday Night Dance Party at The Velvet Hippo

10 p.m.

Drink, Drag, Dance, Repeat! at Club ERA

Sunday, January 25

10 a.m.

Jazz Brunch at Lula & Sadie's 🫶

11:30 a.m.

Yoga @ The Winery at Zinc House Winery & Brewer

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.

Bourbon & Cheese Pairing at Mystic Farm & Distillery

Hammered Trivia at Durty Bull Brewing Company

3 p.m.

Craft Club & Supply Swap at Glass Jug Downtown

4:30 p.m.

Sunday Supper at The Durham

7 p.m.

Zones at Rubies on Five Points

8 p.m.

Beer Study Film Club: Featuring The Weird World Of Cult Cinema at Beer Study Durham

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

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.
• Join in for the Third Friday Reception on January 16 from 6–9pm as part of Durham’s Third Friday Art Walk. Meet the artists and experience this seasonal exhibition.
• 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.
• Free
• January 16-Feb 14

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