Meet the Chef: Vivian Howard at Science of Eats – Thursday, 5-6:30pm – For an evening with wine, light hors d’oeuvres and conversation with Chef Vivian Howard, check out this event at the Museum of Life and Science. Vivian is the star of “A Chef’s Life” on PBS and the head chef of Chef & the Farmer in Kinston. Tickets to the event include admission to the Science of Eats, which features samples from local food vendors and demonstrations on the latest in food science research.
Gallery Talk: Artist Burk Uzzle – Thursday, 6-7pm – Meet photographer and Southern native Burk Uzzle at this talk at the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University.
Artifact Care 101 – Thursday, 6-8pm – Learn how to take care of family heirlooms and preserve photographs at Duke Homestead State Historic Site. The evening starts with a tour through the Tobacco Museum and an exclusive viewing of Duke Homestead museum artifacts. Bring one or two personal pieces you’d like to speak to experts about. Light snacks will be provided by Juju.
“Anytown, USA” Screening – Thursday, 7pm – The people and places of the small town of Roseboro will be spotlighted at Full Frame Theater through short documentary films produced by students at the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University.
Movies on the Plaza: The Princess Bride – Thursday, 7:30pm – Catch this classic film on the big screen during Northgate Mall’s first flick of its free outdoor movie series this summer. The venue opens at 7:30 and the movie begins at dusk. Popcorn and soda will be available for purchase. Plus, Bull City Burger and Brewery will sell beer and wine. Bring a blanket or chairs to enjoy the movie. In case of rain, the movie will be shown in a Stadium 10 at Northgate theater.
“The New Colossus” – Thursday through Saturday, 8:15pm –
The Little Green Pig Theatrical Concern is presenting “The New Colossus,” a new play inspired by Anton Chekhov’s “The Seagull.” This play explores the pitfalls of making art and making love in modern day America. The New Colossus is presented as part of Manbites Dog Theater’s Other Voices Series.
“Useful Work: Photographs of Hickory Nut Gap Farm” – Thursday-September 10 – This traveling exhibit opens Thursday at the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University featuring photographer Ken Abbott’s images of Hickory Nut Gap Farm, where five generations have lived and worked the land in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Farm to Fork – Friday through Sunday, times vary – Pamlico Sound shellfish salad and roast whey-fed pork are a few of the items on the five-course dinner menu Saturday night at The Durham Hotel. Former White House Assistant Chef Sam Kass and James Beard Award-winning chef Andrea Reusing prepare the meal. The event begins at 6pm on Saturday with a discussion about encouraging healthier lifestyles for children with Sam Kass, President Obama’s former Senior Policy Advisor for Nutrition Policy. Other Farm to Fork events include Sustainable Supper & Square Dance in Saxapahaw on Friday and the ninth Farm to Fork Picnic at Breeze Farm in Hurdle Mills on Sunday. The picnic features more than three dozen chefs producing bite-size dishes featuring local, seasonal ingredients grown by a local farm paired with that chef.
WillFest VI – Friday through Sunday – A three-day music festival honoring blues rock guitarist Will McFarlane and The Blue Note Grill’s 6th birthday takes place this weekend. There will be no cover charge on Sunday, which features an open jam session with equipment provided. Musicians are welcome to bring instruments and sign up to play.
Doggone Good Time Potluck – Friday, 11am-2pm – Adults over the age of 55 are invited to socialize over hot dogs with all the fixings at Forest Hills Park.
Rev. Rebekah McLeod Hutto – Friday, 4:30pm – The Duke Divinity School graduate and Presbyterian minister in New York City reads from and sign copies of her children’s book, “The Day When God Made Church: A Child’s First Book About Pentecost” at The Regulator Bookshop.
Coaches Corner – Friday, 6:30-9:30pm – Join Communities in Schools of Durham for an evening at The Rickhouse that will benefit its Graduation and Success Coaches, who help Durham’s youth reach their potential. Don’t miss special guest, Steve Wilks, assistant head coach of the Carolina Panthers, as well as food, drinks and a cornhole challenge.
JT Parrothead at Spartacus Restaurant – Friday, 6:30pm – Relax with some Jimmy Buffet tunes Friday night. Call 919-489-2848 for reservations.
Blues on the Plaza – Friday, 6:30-9:30pm – Bring a lawn chair and revel in the tunes of the Beauty Operators at Northgate Mall. Bull City Burger and Brewery will have beer and wine for purchase and Big C Waffles food truck will be on hand for eats.
Bars, Blues and Booze – Friday, 7pm – Celebrate the release of Emily D. Edwards’ “Bars, Blues and Booze: Stories from the Drink House,” with an acoustic jam session at The Regulator Bookshop. Meet the professor of media studies at the UNC-Greensboro, an independent filmmaker as well as musical guests Mel Melton and Max Drake.
Clay Date Night – Friday, 7-9pm – All you’ll need is a dose of creativity and a significant other or good friend for this event at Durham Arts Council Clay Studio at Northgate Mall. Participants can create and paint a functional piece of pottery that will be glazed and fired by the instructor. Two to three weeks after the event, participants can pick up their works of art.
Impact! Free Teen-Only Party – Friday, 7-10pm – Know any teens interested in collaborating with other artists and participating in live music, spoken word and open mic? Check out this event specifically for teenagers at the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University.
The Bipeds and Curtis Eller – Friday and Saturday, 8pm – “Never, Enough, Better, Nothing,” is a collaboration between The Bipeds Dance Company and Curtis Eller’s American Circus at The Shed.
Bull City Blues – Friday, 8pm – This serial improv show at the Common Ground Theatre follows the officers of the Bull City Police Department as they fight crime in Durham.
Film Screening – Friday, 8pm – For the month of June, UNEXPOSED Microcinema focuses on filmmakers living and working in the U.S. plains region. This showing of “Corporeal Candidates,” curated by Anna Kipervaser, kicks off this programming. Doors open at 7:30pm.
Arthur Murray Durham Summer Dance Showcase – Friday, 8pm – More than 20 student performers present their skills in styles ranging from Rumba and Bachata to Lindy Hop and Hustle at The Carolina Theatre.
Mint Julep Jazz Band – Friday, 8-11pm – Travel through time to the 1920s and ’30s at the Beyú Caffé and delight in the hot jazz sounds of the era.
Dreaming of the ’90s Dance Party – Friday, 9pm – Need some Spice Girls in your life? Relive the ’90s at The Pinhook.
Reed Turchi and The Caterwauls – Friday, 9pm – Check out the band for a blend of blues and rock combined with a bit of soul, funk, rock, country and gospel at Motorco Music Hall.
Running of the Bulls 8K – Saturday, 7:15am – Winding through the historic and revitalized neighborhoods of downtown, American Tobacco Campus, Trinity Park and Old North Durham, this road race – now in it’s eighth year – is a great way to test your endurance and get to know your city. Finish with a lap around the warning track inside the historic Durham Athletic Park.
Bull City BBQ Classic – Saturday, 11am-2pm – Cooks are invited to show off their grilling skills at the fifth annual barbecue and rib competition at The Scrap Exchange. Even kids can join the fun with their own rib competition.
St. Barbara’s Greek Festival – Saturday and Sunday, 11am-9pm – Delight in the tastes and traditions of Greece without leaving Bull City at St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church. This annual event features Greek food, wine, pastries, folk dance performances, church tours and kids’ activities. Admission is free. Opa!
The Patchwork Market – Saturday, 12-4pm – Local vintage vendors will showcase a diverse selection of original goods at Fullsteam Brewery.
Discovery Nook: Interactive African Drumming – Saturday, 12:30-2pm – Move to the beat of African drums and learn traditional African dance moves at this free, kid-friendly, educational presentation at Northgate Mall.
Archaeology for Kids – Saturday, 1-4pm – Children have the chance to make history come alive by digging to find replica artifacts and learn about how people lived 200 years ago. This is a free program at West Point on the Eno.
Road Trip – Saturday, 1pm and 7pm – Dance Theatre South presents its annual recital at the The Carolina Theatre.
Meet the Author: Dr. Kennetta Perry – Saturday, 3-4pm – Meet the assistant professor at East Carolina University and author of “London is the Place for Me: Black Britons, Citizenship and the Politics of Race” – which explores how Black people in Britain fought for social justice and equal rights during the 1950s and 1960s, and also looks at the role that the Black freedom struggle in the U.S. played in shaping debates about race and citizenship in Britain following World War II – at the South Regional Library.
2016 Beaver Queen Pageant – Saturday, 4-7pm – This is no ordinary pageant. Come on out to the meadow at Duke Park for this uniquely Durham event that started in 2005. (Theme: Dam! It’s the 80s!) The free, family-friendly event benefits the Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association, with WUNC’s Frank Stasio emceeing for the fifth year. Food trucks will be on site, including Locopops, Mama’s Hot Chicken, OnlyBurger and Sympathy for the Deli. The pageant starts at 5.
Lemurpalooza – Saturday, 5-8pm – Bring a blanket, enjoy live music and a picnic-style dinner from NOSH (or bring your own picnic basket), and meet the cute creatures at the Duke Lemur Center all while supporting the conservation of endangered animals.
Kirk Franklin – Saturday, 7:30pm – Don’t miss Grammy Award-winner Kirk Franklin and his fusion of hip hop, R&B, pop and gospel at the Durham Performing Arts Center.
Third Date Improv – Saturday, 8pm – The group’s first show of the summer at the Common Ground Theatre features a four-person cast creating an hour-long improvised piece focused on one suggested topic.
“Sotol Rag” – Saturday, 8-10pm – Carley McCready and Brittany Price use photography, found sound and movement in their exhibit at The Carrack Modern Art.
Reader’s Party – Sunday, 2-4:30pm – Spend the afternoon at the Durham County Library with fellow reading fans in a celebration presented by the Triangle Readers Theatre Ensemble. Participants are invited to bring reading materials of poetry, prose, monologues, short stories and original works for an open mic session. Refreshments will be provided.
Cassilhaus Closing Reception – Sunday, 2-5pm – Celebrate “20 Years of Horse & Buggy Press (and friends)” one last time at Cassilhaus before the traveling exhibit moves to its next spot. The exhibit features press book collaborations as well as exhibit catalogues designed for museums and galleries and over 40 pieces of framed art.
Yoga Reads and Deeds – Sunday, 3-4pm – For an introduction to the eight principles of yoga and basic yoga poses, don’t miss Yoga Reads and Deeds at North Regional Library. There will be some yoga mats and blankets, but feel free to bring your own supplies.
