Compiled by Lindsay Rusczak
‘(en)compass: Photo-based Storytelling’ – Thursday-Saturday, 11am-3pm – Explore the works of Lori Vrba and Dawn Surratt in their newest exhibit on individual and collective life experiences at Horse & Buggy Press and Friends. A reception for the exhibit will be held on Thursday, 6-8pm.
Modern Makers Pop-Up – Thursday-Sunday, noon-5pm – Peruse handcrafted furniture, textiles, dinnerware, lighting and more from local North Carolina artisans Haand, Nolan Provost and the Elijah Leed Studio.
Mark Anthony Neal Gallery Talk – Thursday, 6-7pm – Listen to the artist behind the “Cosmic Rhythm Vibrations” exhibit at The Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University. Mark is the author of several books and is the James B. Duke Professor of African American Studies at Duke University.
Science of Beer – Thursday, 6:30-10pm – Sip on your favorite North Carolina beers as scientists explain the science behind beer making and drinking at the Museum of Life and Science. Enjoy local beers from Fullsteam Brewery, Hi-Wire Brewing, Ponysaurus Brewing and more, along with food from Chirba Chirba Dumpling, American Meltdown, Wingskis and Cocoa Forte.
‘Starstruck in the Promised Land: How the Arts Shaped American Passions About Israel’ Reading and Book Signing – Thursday, 7pm – Listen to author Shalom Goldman at The Regulator Bookshop as he discusses his book, which chronicles how the creative class has both expressed and influenced the American relationship with Israel.
‘The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari’ Film and Live Music – Thursday, 7:30-9pm – The German Expressionist film depicting a series of ghastly murders will be presented with live music by Mallarmé Chamber Players at The Carolina Theatre.
Disney’s ‘Aladdin’ – Thursday, 7:30pm; Friday, 8pm; Saturday, 2pm and 8pm; Sunday, 1pm and 7pm – DPAC presents the national tour of this Disney and Broadway classic, featuring popular songs from the animated film and new numbers as well. Come discover a whole new world, as this revamped musical presents creative new sets, costumes and lighting.
NC Dance Festival – Friday, 5-8pm, and Saturday, 8pm – NCDF celebrates its 29th season with shows in traditional and non-traditional venues across the state. The NC Dance Festival, coming this weekend to The Fruit, brings together professional modern dance choreographers to share innovative and moving dance works and present a wide variety of North Carolina dance.
Happy Hour Speaker Series – Friday, 5:30-6:30pm – Hear from Mayor Steve Schewel at Vert & Vogue as he speaks about his journey, from founding a music festival to serving as the mayor of Durham during this Third Friday Durham event.
AfroPop! Durham: The Block Party at Hayti Heritage Center – Friday, 6pm-midnight – Experience an original block party at the Hayti Heritage Center, celebrating Durham’s 150th year. This event will showcase the history of Durham’s black arts scene through music and dance, with live drumming and dancing, vendors and food trucks.
100+ Years of Earth and Fire: A Retrospective of Four Women Working in Clay – Friday, 6-8pm – Join ceramic artists Cynthia Aldrich, Natalie Boorman, Carmen Elliott and Marilyn Palsha for the opening celebration of their exhibit in the Sun Trust Gallery at the Durham Art Guild. The exhibit presents the development of each artist’s work over their extensive careers and highlights their diverse choices in techniques, firing methods and designs.
(Sandy) Alex G at Motorco – Friday, 7pm – Listen to inventive guitar pop from Philadelphia-based musician Alex G with Tomberlin and ARTHUR opening the show at Motorco Music Hall.
Vocal Ensemble Series – Friday, 8pm – Listen to the music of Bach, performed by Belgian vocal ensemble Vox Luminis, in the Duke Chapel. In its sophomore appearance at Duke Performances, Vox Luminis entwines Lutheran chorales with new music.
Third Friday – Friday, 6-8pm – Enjoy the Museum of Durham History after hours and listen to live entertainment as part of Third Friday Durham.
Xtreme Haunt – Friday and Saturday, 7-11pm – Get ready for the ultimate, real-life zombie shooting experience at Xtreme Park Adventures. The park features zombie hunting with paintballs, escape rooms, a ropes course and more.
E-Waste, Textile Recycling and Paper Shredding – Saturday, 8am-2pm – The City’s Solid Waste Management Department offers residents a chance to recycle electronic waste and old clothing as well as shred confidential documents at this free event held at the Durham County Memorial Stadium.
Pumpkin Patch Express – Saturday and Sunday, 9:30am-4pm – The Museum of Life and Science hosts its ninth annual pumpkin-picking festival throughout October. Ride the Ellerbe Creek Railway to the pumpkin patch, pick a pumpkin, and spend the day playing carnival games and exploring the hay maze.
Smitten for CCFH Fashion Show & Brunch – Saturday, 10am-12:30pm – The Center for Child & Family Health’s annual fashion show returns this year at the Washington Duke Inn for a morning of friends, local models on the runway and more in support of CCFH’s work addressing childhood trauma in the community.
Harvest Forage Feast – Saturday, noon-5pm – Discover the flavors and history of African American foodways at Historic Stagville. The “Harvest, Forage, Feast” program explores the history of food, cooking and foraging for enslaved people on one of the state’s largest plantations. The slave dwellings at Horton Grove will feature hands-on activities for all ages.
World Beer Festival – Saturday, noon-4pm, and 6-10pm – Back for its 25th year, this international beer celebration features a selection from some of the best breweries around the world, from Unibroue to Hi-Wire Brewing. Hosted at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park, the event will have live music from The Sunday Special and Garland Mason, and plenty of food vendors, including Chirba Chirba Dumpling, Taco Grande and Qspresso.
5th Annual Ms. Full-Figured NC Pageant – Saturday, 5-10pm – Enjoy a night of pageantry and competition that celebrates and inspires women of all sizes in North Carolina, held at Catch the Fire.
Rumours of Fleetwood Mac: 50th Anniversary Tour – Saturday, 8pm – This tribute to Fleetwood Mac comes to DPAC to perform a brand new show celebrating 50 years of the very best of Fleetwood Mac, including a special blues set paying tribute to Fleetwood Mac’s legendary Peter Green era.
Jerusalem Quartet – Saturday, 8pm – Firmly established as one of the top international chamber ensembles, this quartet returns to Duke Performances with a program of masterpieces spanning three centuries. The quartet will perform little-known music by Jewish composers of inter-war Central Europe.
Bull City Race Fest and Food Truck Rodeo – Sunday, 7:30am – The seventh annual race takes to the streets with a half-marathon, 5-mile and 1-mile race option through downtown Trinity Park and Duke’s campus. All races begin at American Tobacco Campus and end at Diamond View Park. After crossing the finish line, stick around to receive a medal and enjoy a pop-up Oktoberfest beer garden, plus eats from 454 Grill, Rockin Moroccan, Thang’s Wangs & Waffles and more.
‘What is Jazz?’ Family Concert – Sunday, 1-2pm – Faculty and students from the NCCU Jazz Department show how jazz is constructed and demonstrate the variety of styles in this entertaining, educational and free performance at Sarah P. Duke Gardens.
Harvest Festival – Sunday, 1-4pm – Celebrate the fall season at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens with fun and informative activities for all ages, which includes tasting international tropical produce, making corn necklaces and playing with mud.
Make Shift Happen – Sunday, 2-5pm – Meet local wildlife, learn about sustainability and celebrate people and organizations working to make Durham a greener place at this pop-up party at The Durham Hotel.
‘Harpsichord Diaries: A Musical Journey’ Book Launch and Reading – Sunday, 2pm – Join author Elaine Funaro at The Regulator Bookshop for a reading and signing of her newly-released children’s book on time travel and magic.
Leap of Faith: A Tribute to Durham Then and Now’– Sunday, 4pm – The Durham Savoyards, Durham’s oldest presenting theatre troupe, will perform music which reflects the changing identity of the city throughout the ages at the Durham Friends Meeting House.
Jeanne Robertson: The Rocking Humor Tour – Sunday, 4pm – The 1963 Miss North Carolina and professional speaker specializes in hilarious humor based on life experiences. Speaking to thousands of people annually, she will come to DPAC to illustrate that a sense of humor is much more than a laughing matter.
The Bad Plus – Sunday, 7pm – Reconfigured and reinvigorated following last year’s critically acclaimed album “Never Stop II,” this celebrated jazz trio returns to Baldwin Auditorium. Following the departure of co-founder Ethan Iverson after two decades, bassist Reid Anderson and drummer Dave King are joined by the group’s newest addition: 2010 Pew Fellowship winner Orrin Evans.
