The best things to do in Durham this weekend, Sept. 10-13
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Our curated list of the best things to do the weekend of September 10th - September 13th. You've worked hard this week-go have a little fun.
Chill Summer Tunes in Brightleaf
Come to the beautiful Brightleaf Square every Friday for music, shopping, and snacking! Summertime is best enjoyed plopped a chair outside and jamming to sweet, sweet tunes while eating something amazing. Brightleaf epitomizes all of that, giving you a killer warehouse ambience to kickback and listen to local acts while surrounded by top notch eateries (so no outside food or bev, please!) Get in touch with Durham's art scene and architecture with this outdoor summer concert series! (Photo via @browniesnstuff)
Movies and wine go together like Hall & Oates, Burt & Ernie and PB&J. Soak in some summer breezes on the lawn while sipping local wine from Doyle's Vineyard-there's nothing more romantic! The quaint Doyle's Vinyard opens its lush outdoor space to moonlit movie gazing. And did we mention it's free? Roll up at 7:30p (movies start right after sunset, but you'll wanna get there early and claim your space!), bring some lawn chairs, and enjoy blockbuster classics with local vino (or soda and water for purchase if you're packin' some little ones), food truck desserts, and wine slushies! There's no classier way to beat the summer heat than sip sweet vino while frolicking in the grass.
Summer Concerts in a Renovated Tobacco Campus
Calling all bluegrass, jazz, and NC lovin' people! Bring your lawn chair and a few adult beverages for live entertainment in the beautiful American Tobacco Campus, one of the cultural gems of Durham.
You couldn't imagine a more "North Carolina" setting than the Back Porch Music concert series in Durham's American Tobacco Campus. Set beneath the Lucky Strike water tower and surrounded by renovated tobacco warehouses, bluegrass and jazz acts from around the state (and even the country) belt upbeat music to seam-busting crowds from around the Triangle. The setting is truly spectacular, as the beauty of American Tobacco campus is truly unique to the entire Triangle.
Over the course of the summer, eight free, three-hour outdoor concerts will be held in this wildly popular and beautiful venue. Enjoy marque, family-friendly opening and headline bands as well as food and drink vendors. Before and after the series you'll be surrounded by shops and nearby bars, so pop in and grab whatever you need. If you find yourself needing to leave the American Tobacco campus afterwards, there are nearby bars and other downtown hotspots only a few blocks away. (Photo via @defreifeld)
Durham Performing Arts Center Durham Please check the DPAC schedule for the full listing of show times.
Called "a venue that is not like anything between Washington and Atlanta" by state Sen. Floyd McKissick, DPAC is a 2,800 seat, $46.8 million downtown entertainment venue that draws top tier shows and personalities from across the country. With a clean glass exterior revealing bright red accents, DPAC stands out from a distance and lives up to the billing once inside.
Four seats shy of New York's Carnegie, DPAC packs some size while still managing to put you close to the stage so you can experience live performances in amazement. The bookings area always top-of-the-line and you'll feel lucky to be in the Triangle every time you walk inside.
A few tips:
-Bottomless coffee is a bargain at $3 a cup.
-If you park in the adjacent parking deck, check out of the show early to avoid the traffic. If you get stuck, just head over to Tobacco Road for a few drinks and wait for the mayhem to pass.
Get Bulltown Bluesy in the Park
Bull Durham Blues Festival returns to Durham for a weekend's worth of local tunes and crooners, reminding us all that NC's really where it's at when it comes to fine music. Get in touch with your local roots by indulging in a weekend of Piedmont-style blues. New to the area? No time like the present to really get to know it! The fact that NC has a bustling music scene comes as no surprise to us, but the 28th Annual Bull Durham Blues Festival will shed a whole new light on what you knew, or thought you knew, about blues.
On Saturday the Hayti Center, a beautiful church re-purposed into a social, cultural and artistic hub located in the area formally known as "Black Wall Street", opens its stage for a VIP, featuring guitarist and harmonica player Grady Champion, vocalist Jean Carne, drummer and band leader Norman Connors and saxophonist Kim Waters. Note, Saturday isn't free! Ticket prices range from $40 to $50, but all seats in the house guarantee you a killer view of the venue's unique interior and of the band.
On Sunday all performances, including Grady Champion, Jason Damico and Pat "Mother Blues" Cohen, will take place en plen air in Durham Central Park for FREE! Grab your lawn chair, snag a bite and chill under the sun with some great local talent. (Photo via @nayojones)
Celebrate Caribbean Culture at Jerk Fest
At this festival, the only thing hotter than the jerk chicken coming off of the grills is the Caribbean sounds coming from the stage. Come for the 5K and stay for all-day, festival fun!
CaribSplash is coming at you with a day of Caribbean culture, food and music. Groove to tunes by Jamrock band, Dub addis and Syychronic Sound while you watch chefs from around the country battle for ultimate bragging rights in the Jerk cook off! Oh, and you'll want to bring the kids along for the bouncy houses and face-painters.
Feeling competitive? The Jerk Fest is your answer. Kick off the day with the Jerk Fest 5K run (or walk!) then settle in for one feisty domino tournament. If you didn't get enough good eats at the Caribbean food court, maybe you'll want to give the Jerk wing-eating contest a try.
Entrance to the event is free, but there is a fee for 5K registration. Get the latest on the festival by checking out their Facebook page. (Photo via @Mr.910)
Relive your favorite field day memories as a family. Relay races, field games, archery, food, family and friends. Sounds like a solid Sunday afternoon! The 3rd Annual Family Field Day by Schoolhouse of Wonder welcomes you and the kids for an afternoon of activities at the West Point in Eno Park. There's a little something for everyone with relay races, field games, face painting, nature art, archery, tons of food and tons of fun to be had.
Each activity will cost you a ticket, but all the funds support Schoolhouse of Wonder. Check out the full details here.
Location: Eno River State Park, Durham. (Photo via @schoolhouseofwonder)
Celebrate Glass Jug's First B-Day!
Glass Jug is celebrating their birthday and they're bringing all their friends. Chill out in the parking lot with a ton of NC breweries, special edition taps at the bar, live music and good eats.
The Glass Jug turns 1! To celebrate their first year of business, they're roping off the parking lot and going all out with brews on tap and local buddies to set the mood right. Fullsteam, Double Barley Brewing, Ponysaurus, Mystery Brewing, Highland, and Devil's Backbone Brewing will be setting up tents and pouring limited-edition batches all day long, while the Jug will be tapping all kinds of delicious uniquities-from NoDa Brewing Ramble on Red to Evil Twin's Even More Jesus, Wicked Weed wild ales and Sierra Nevada's Hoptinite. It's crazy.
On top of all that there'll be a DJ spinning live beats and plenty of offerings from Backyard BBQ Pit and Smallcakes, 'cause no party is complete without bbq and cake!
Admission is totally free. Just buy beer tickets at the bar, receive a souvenir event glass, and mosey out into the parking lot for the most memorable sipping session you'll ever have. (Photo via @epicbrew_james)
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