So and So: Poetry and Art – Thrusday, 7pm – Poets and fiction writers Lauren Hunter, Odie Lindsey, Joanna Ruocco and Sampson Starkweather give a reading of their work in response to art and issues raised in “Southern Accent: Seeking the American South in Contemporary Art” at the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University.
Fun Home – Thursday, 7:30pm; Friday, 8pm; Saturday, 2pm and 8pm; and Sunday, 1pm and 6:30pm – Winner of 2015’s Best Musical at the Tony Awards, this performance series held at the Durham Performing Arts Center is based on Alison Bechdel’s best-selling memoir about her relationship with her homosexual father.
Criminal: A Podcast – Thursday, 8pm – Come listen to the “purist’s true crime series,” according to TIME, at The Carolina Theatre. From Phoebe Judge and Lauren Spohrer, the podcast covers different aspects of crime and criminal activity – stories of people who’ve done wrong, been wronged or gotten caught somewhere in the middle.
Curtis Eller & Charming Disaster – Thursday, 8pm – This double-bill features Durham’s own Curtis Eller and – all the way from Brooklyn – the folk, bluegrass, genre-bending duo is visiting Durham for the first time. Come out to the Arcana Bar & Lounge for banjos and ballads.
Walker Lukens – Thursday, 8pm – Motorco Music Hall presents the alt-pop songwriter, who has received praise for his record “Devoted” from NPR, Billboard, MTV Hive and more. He performs with Durham-based singer-songwriter Rachel Despard.
Durham Zombie Lurch – Friday, 4:30-8:30pm – The 10th anniversary of this reanimated event starts with a Kickoff Ball at Sam’s Quick Shop featuring live music with the Cajammers, Kid/Best Revenant costume contest and a raffle, eats from Urban Entree food truck, face painting, tarot reading and vendors with lurch merch from Magikcraft and Little Shop of Horror. Reigning Beaver Queen ‘BeaverJuice’ will give the signal for the lurch to begin at 6:15pm, which will then proceed down Main Street to the Terminal after-party at Bull McCabes where there will be more live music from Bull City Brakemen, adult zombie costume contests, a raffle prize drawing, vendors, face painters, tarot readers and Mama’s Hot Chicken food truck.
Trisha Brown Dance Company – Friday, 5pm; Saturday, 6pm and 8:30pm; Sunday, 2:30pm and 5pm – This world-renowned dance company performs ‘In Plain Site,’ a project launched to showcase Brown’s works in unconventional new spaces, at Duke Performances at Sarah P. Duke Gardens on Friday and Sunday, and The Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University on Saturday.
Bargains, Boots and Bluegrass – Friday, 5-10pm – Join the Junior League of Durham and Orange Counties for a night of bluegrass and great bargains! Held at the Durham Armory the night before their huge Bargain Sale, this event features a silent auction, food and drink for shoppers!
NC BBQ Revival – Friday, 6-10pm; Saturday, 10am-10pm; Sunday, 11am-4pm – Hosted by PICNIC restaurant and partner Green Button Farm, this three-day barbecue food fest supports the Triangle Land Conservancy and features educational opportunities and dining experiences galore, culminating with a “BBQ Church” symposium and pig pickin’ on Sunday.
Duke Homestead’s Phantasmagoria – Friday, 6:30-9pm – Wander the Duke Homestead at night, flashlight in hand, and explore historical concepts of spiritualism, awe and mystery from the 19th century. This event is family-friendly.
“Her Battleground” – Friday, 7-8pm – The third and final screening of Unexposed Cinema‘s month-long feature of female filmmakers includes “Her Battleground,” which addresses modern concepts of feminism and gender.
Benito Gonzalez – Friday, 8pm and 10pm – The son of Venezuelan folk musicians, Gonzalez has been recognized as a rising jazz star who weaves world rhythms into traditional jazz. Don’t miss this incredibly talented musician, presented at Beyú Caffé.
Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver – Friday, 8pm – With 40 albums to their name, bluegrass fans shouldn’t miss this Grammy-winning, Inspirational Country Music Association Vocal Group of the Year and inductees into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame at Motorco Music Hall.
TREATBAG – Friday, 9-11pm – The Little Green Pig Theatrical Concern hosts its fourth annual interactive haunted theater fundraiser at Ponysaurus. $10 suggested donation.
77th Annual JLDOC Bargain Sale – Saturday, 8am-3:30pm – Join the Junior League of Durham and Orange Counties at the Durham Armory for clothes, furniture, housewares and more at greatly reduced prices! Senior citizens get in free at 8am, and the sale opens up to the regular public at 9am for $1.
Tricks and Treats – Saturday, 9am-3pm – Enjoy veggies, pumpkins and free hot apple cider at Funny Girl Farm! Dress up for the costume parade along the trick-or-treat farm tour where you’ll see how mushrooms and vegetables are grown, and watch the chickens! Try samples from Carrboro Coffee Roasters, Videri Chocolate Factory, Big Spoon Roasters and Piemonte Farm, bring a picnic blanket and grab a slice of fresh-baked pie from East Durham Pie Company or a seasonal popsicle from Locopops. Plus get your face painted by the Artstigators and sample and purchase soups from Short Winter Soups.
Howloween Cat Adoption and Bake Sale – Saturday, 10am-6pm, and Sunday, 2-4pm – Buy delicious baked goods, support a local animal adoption organization and maybe even find your next best friend at the Independent Animal Rescue‘s “Howloween” Cat Adoption and Bake Sale held at Petco by South Square.
Pumpkin Patch Express – Saturday, 10am-4pm, and Sunday, 12:30-4:30pm – Hop aboard Museum of Life & Science’s train to the museum’s on-site pumpkin patch, where visitors are invited to pick out the perfect pumpkin, run through the hay maze, dive into the corn crib, complete a couple crafts and more!
Stranger Things ’80s Rooftop Flash Chorus – Saturday, 11am-2pm – Join the Flash Chorus at The Durham Hotel Rooftop and sing two ’80s songs from the hit Netflix series, “Stranger Things” –“I’ll Stop the World and Melt With You” by Modern English and “Atmosphere” by Joy Division. Kids younger than 12 get in free, and light refreshments and drinks will be offered at the bar.
Blue Whistler Farm Festival – Saturday, 11am-4pm – Come down to Blue Whistler Farm for their third annual fall festival! Enjoy BWF chili and cornbread, Regulator Brewing Co. beer and seasonal ice cream and pastries by Bluebird Bakery. Participate in family-friendly games, a photo booth, farm tours and a costume contest for both kids and adults, plus a chance to see all the animals on the farm including piglets, chickens, turkeys, rabbits, sheep and ducks (bring fruit and veggies to feed some of the animals!) Then, bring home some pasture-raised, non-GMO, antibiotic-free meat, eggs and veggies in addition to locally crafted autumn candles, lotions and soaps.
Fullsteamy Stuff: Halloween Weekend – Saturday, noon-2am – Enjoy pairings of beer and Halloween candy at Fullsteam Brewery as they celebrate Halloween weekend! There will be a “Stranger Things” marathon, Eggo waffles and perks for folks who show up in on-theme costumes!
Barktoberfest – Saturday, 2pm-5pm – Visit Durham Central Park for the second annual Barktoberfest celebration! Contests will be held for dogs and dog owners, and Wool E. Bull will be present for photos! This event raises funds for the Coalition to Unchain Dogs.
Halloween Party at The Jug – Saturday, 5-10pm – Get all dressed up in your best Halloween costume and come out to The Glass Jug to enjoy some of their favorite seasonal beers! There will be a costume contest, and the winner wins a $25 gift certificate, and runner-ups get some great merchandise!
Music Show – Saturday, 7-11pm – Join the folks at Unexposed Microcinema to hear live bands Real Dad, Big Spider Back, Trippers and Askers, and Eamon Fogarty. Doors open at 7pm and the show starts at 8pm.
Tower of Power – Saturday, 8pm – For nearly 50 years, the R&B-based, horn-forward band has been bringing their urban soul music to audiences. Tonight, they showcase “what is hip” to the audience at The Carolina Theatre.
Antonio Sanchez – Saturday, 8pm – Presented by Duke Performances, the jazz drummer performs his “Birdman” score onstage at Reynolds Industries Theater alongside a screening of the film, accompanying the Best Picture Oscar winner live.
The Record Company – Saturday, 9pm – L.A.-based rock/roots trio of Chris Vos, Alex Stiff and Marc Cazorla perform with Muddy Magnolias at Motorco Music Hall.
DAMtheNATION Halloween Dance Party – Saturday, 9pm – DJing from Gemynii Ade and Vespertine, stand-up, a drag show, Kym and Catherine (of Midtown Dickens), and Laila Nur. All to support the Durham Artists Movement.
Masquerade Ball – Saturday 10pm-3am – Come out to the third annual Raleigh-Durham Masquerade Ball at The Bar! Dress code is anything, from business casual to formal with a mask. Or come in your Halloween costume (hey, you’ve been wearing it all day anyway if you hit up other Durham events today!).
Disco Brunch: Rocky Horror – Sunday, 11am-3pm – Enjoy a delicious brunch complete with (extra) Bloody Marys as The Durham Hotel celebrates Halloween! The theme is Rocky Horror, so expect some songs from the classic movie. Costumes are not required, but encouraged!
Halloween Weekend Food Truck Rodeo – Sunday, noon-4pm – Bring friends and family to Durham Central Park for the legendary gathering of 50+ local food trucks, craft beer, artists and live music. The Swang Brothers play three sets of rockabilly and blues, and Grown Woman Squad will be dancing as well. Carolina For The Kids Foundation (formerly UNC Dance Marathon) will provide supplies for you and the kids to create paper cards for their patients, as well some corn hole games.
Vivian Howard – Sunday, 1pm – Bring your appetite to The Regulator Bookshop and join award-winning chef Vivian Howard as she discusses her new cookbook, “Deep Run Roots: Stories and Recipes from My Corner of the South,” and offers samples from its pages. This event requires tickets, available for purchase online or from the bookstore.
Freaky 4-Miler Halloween Fun Run – Sunday, 3:30-4pm – Meet at Bull City Running to test the “run-ability” of your Halloween costume, or to just run for fun! Once you’re back to the store, enjoy fall refreshments, door prizes and prizes for the best costume!
Free Film Screening: Sunday Salon – Sunday, 6-8pm – The Duke Master of Fine Arts program is having their fourth show at Unexposed Microcinema. Come out and see what these talented film students have to offer.
