Atomic Resolution – Thursday, Friday, Saturday 10am-5pm – Check out the Museum of Life and Science‘s atom exhibit! With help from an electron microscope, you can see everyday items at their atomic level.
Local Color – Raising funds for nonprofit Arts for Life, which enriches the lives of patients with serious illnesses and disabilities by providing high-quality education art programs, this event at The Rickhouse includes art, music, food, drink and raffle prizes.
Anthony Hamilton – Thursday, 7:30pm – The Grammy Award-winning recording artist kicks off his “What I’m Feelin'” Tour tonight at DPAC with special guests Lalah Hathaway and Eric Benet. Expect to hear all of their hits plus new music, as each artist has released new albums this year.
Julie Fowlis – Thursday, 8pm – Come see the award-winning Gaelic singer, who you might recognize as the voice behind Disney’s “Brave” theme song, as she performs music of the Scottish Isles at The Carolina Theatre.
The Silence We Speak – Friday noon-6pm; Saturday 2pm-5pm – Durhamite Erin Canady’s art installation challenges viewers to slow down and appreciate the short, quiet moments. The art installation at The Carrack ends this Saturday, so don’t miss it!
Manuel Rosa – Friday 7pm – Learn more about Christopher Columbus with the investigative historian at The Regulator Bookshop. The author will be present to discuss, read and sign his new book “Columbus – The Untold Story.”
Saul Williams and Mivos Quartet – Friday, 8pm – Centering on Williams’ poem NGH WHT, an exploration and demolition of stereotypes drawn from his 2006 book The Dead Emcee Scrolls, his words are set to music by German composer Thomas Kessler, who originally made his orchestration of Williams’ poem for the Arditti Quartet. The Duke Performances program at Nelson Music Room at also includes American composer Ted Hearne’s new setting of Williams’ poem The Answer to the Questions That Wings Ask, arranged for Williams and Mivos.
I, You, We – Friday 8pm – Kick off Unexposed Cinema‘s month-long celebration of experimental female filmmakers! The first showing of this program features the likes of Sonja Eklund, Chai Mi, Soda Jerk and many more.
Kathleen Madigan – Friday, 8pm – “One of the funniest stand-up comedians of her generation,” according to the Detroit Free Press, she embarks on her “The Mermaid Lady Tour” at The Carolina Theatre.
3 Doors Down – Friday, 8pm – The Grammy Award-nominated, multi-platinum band released their sixth full-length album, “Us And The Night,” in March, and performs hits past and present tonight at DPAC.
5th Annual Stead Tread 5K – Saturday 10am *POSTPONED UNTIL SAT. 10/22* – Help local Durhamites receive quality healthcare by running, walking or skipping in this year’s annual Stead Tread 5K, which benefits the Lincoln Community Health Center, a clinic dedicated to meeting the health care needs of medically underserved patients in Durham. The race starts at Solite Park along the American Tobacco Trail, and with registration comes a free T-shirt.
A Soldier’s Return Home – Saturday 10am-4pm – Learn about life after the Civil War at Bennett Place Historic Site, featuring lectures from authors and historians and poignant personal narratives from this time period.
Sandy Creek Monarch Festival – *CANCELED* Saturday 10am-4pm – Watch one of nature’s most incredible journeys as Monarch butterflies migrate south to Mexico and stop at Durham’s very own Sandy Creek Park! Free activities accompany learning about and watching these beautiful insects, so don’t miss this spectacle – it only comes once a year!
Fall Book Sale – Saturday, 10am-4pm – Pick up some great books from a wide variety of authors and literary genres (more than 70,000 books, as well as audiobooks, CDs and DVDs). Book prices start at 50 cents for paperbacks and $1 for hard covers. At the Durham County Main Library in support of the Friends of the Durham Library.
Pumpkin Patch Express – Saturday 10am-4pm *SATURDAY TRAIN CANCELED*; Sunday 12:30-4pm – 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!
Slow Art Tour – Saturday 11am – The Nasher Museum of Art invites you to come out and enjoy a slow-paced art tour of African-American visual artist Hank Willis Thomas’s new installation, “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Us Around.” This free tour lasts about 30 to 45 minutes.
Tour de Brew – Saturday, 11am-5pm – A charity cycling tour down the American Tobacco Trail – taste beer from Durham breweries along the way. 100% of the proceeds provide clean water in Central Africa through nonprofit partner Water for Good. Stops include Ponysaurus, Bull Durham Beer Co., Growler Grlz, Bull City Burger and Brewery.
Yappy Hour – Saturday, noon-3pm – Grab your pooch and join in the first in a series of TripsWithPets.com Yappy Hour fundraisers at Fullsteam Brewery. Each fundraiser will benefit a different local pet rescue. 100% of funds raised will be donated directly to the rescue, which today is Carolina Adopt-A-Bulls Rescue! A raffle will be held to for the chance to win a pet-friendly getaway, hotel gift certificates, pet travel gear and more.
Fall Patchwork Market – Saturday noon-5pm – If you’re on the lookout for one-of-a-kind gifts, or maybe something for yourself, be sure to come by this huge marketplace with local artisans and crafters at The Durham Armory! More than 60 vendors will come together to create a unique shopping experience filled with handmade, consciously curated gifts and goods.
Durham Oktoberfest – Saturday noon-2am – Break out your lederhosen and come to Motorco Music Hall‘s family-friendly Oktoberfest celebration! Music and dancing with the Little German Band guaranteed, plus Paulaner beer from Munich, served in liter and half-liter steins. Parts&Labor will be serving traditional German bratwurst with all the trimmings as well as Guglhupf German pretzels. So swing by and enjoy the festivities!
Ellerbe Creek Nature Tour – *CANCELED* Saturday 1pm-5pm – Enjoy one of the only urban creek tours in the country with the Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association. The tour features five spots across the city, so take your pick of where you want to go!
Disney Live! Mickey and Minnie’s Doorway to Magic – Saturday, 1pm and 4pm – Join Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and the comical duo of Donald and Goofy as 25 beloved Disney characters surprise and delight at DPAC.
A Rent Party – Saturday 7pm – Back in the 1920s, people held rent parties to help struggling friends and neighbors pay their rent with a night of food and fun. Help Housing for New Hope end homelessness in Durham by attending its rent party at 322 E. Chapel Hill St.
Thunder Road – Saturday 8pm – Unexposed Cinema presents, “Thunder Road,” the Grand Jury Prize Winning film from the 2016 Sundance Film Festival. Tickets are $5 at the door and include a sneak peek of the filmmakers’ most recent work!
Zakir Hussain and Niladri Kumar – Saturday, 8pm – The tabla player returns to Duke Performances for a special duo concert with fifth-generation sitar player Niladri Kumar.
Beauty World and Moon Racer Album Release Show – Saturday 8:30-10:30pm –This free event at The Carrack features two Durham groups, Beauty World and Moon Racer, as they each release their new albums. Support local music at this BYOB event!
Disco Brunch – Sunday, noon-3pm – DJs FIFI HIFI and Bugspray (Mac McCaughan) kick things off with all vinyl disco sets at The Durham Hotel. Brunch starts at 10:30am, music, bloody Marys and punch bowls go from noon-3pm.
TROSA’s BBQ & Friends – Sunday 1pm-4pm – Enjoy delicious local barbecue, biscuits and other treats while helping substance abusers get back on their feet. Local vendors like Foster’s Market, The Original Q-Shack and Rise Biscuits & Donuts offer all-you-can-eat barbecue and sides at the TROSA campus.
Highlights Tour: Conversations on Race – Sunday 2pm – Groups of 10 or fewer people are invited to come to the Nasher Museum of Art and tour the museum’s recent exhibits on race and race relations. Tours last about one hour and are free!
APS Cat Adoption – Sunday 2-3:30pm – Looking for a furry addition to your family? Come to the Animal Protection Society of Durham’s adoption event at The Regulator Bookshop to find your new companion!
Conservation Trust for North Carolina 25 Year Anniversary – Sunday, 3-6pm – Experience the sounds of Balsam Range and enjoy local beer and food trucks on site at Durham Central Park.
An Evening of Yes Music – Sunday, 7:30pm – Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin and Rick Wakeman reform the definitive YES line-up at DPAC as Anderson, Rabin and Wakeman (ARW) after a hiatus of 25 years.
