Festivals & Annual Events

The signature Bull City festivals and events worth building a trip around. Pick your passion, mark your calendar and let Durham show you a good time.

Documentary filmmakers premiere work at Full Frame in the spring. In June, a crowd gathers in Duke Park to crown our Beaver Queen. Choreographers debut new pieces here every summer at the American Dance Festival. Brewers, poets, steppers, jazz players and gospel choirs all get their weekend. These aren’t events that happen to be in Durham, they came out of Durham. Built by people here, for people here. And the rest of the world started showing up. We hope you do too.

Fall Winter Spring Summer
September-November

Fall Festivals & Events in Durham, NC

Fall is possibly the most energetic season in Durham. College students return to town. Locals return from vacation eager to mingle. Durham's own Pride celebration, markets and spooky season events fill up calendars. Baseball season overlaps with college football season, and Homecoming brings in celebratory crowds. You most definitely will be fallin' for Durham.

Seven kayaks on the water at Falls Lake with a backdrop of fall trees.
The Ultimate Durham Fall Guide
Fallin’ for fall in Durham is inevitable. It’s finally time for cozy sweaters, fall festivals and all sorts of seasonal beverages.
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September 19-September 20, 2026
CenterFest Arts Festival
Browse art from 100+ visual artists, snack on local food and express your own creativity at CenterFest Arts Festival.
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September 27-October 3, 2026
Pride: Durham, NC
We celebrate National Pride Month in June, and Pride: Durham, NC in September. Don't miss the parties and parade.
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October
Halloween Events
Halloween may be one night, but the Boo City celebrates all month long. Grab your ghouls and let's ride.
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November 13–14, 2026
CIAA Football Championship

The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) is the first, and longest running, African American athletic conference in the U.S. Watch the top two teams battle it out for the CIAA Championship.

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November 14–15, 2026
NC Comicon
A weekend of comics, gaming, cosplay and comic book heroes from near and far convene in downtown Durham for a weekend…
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November 14, 2026
Liberty Arts Iron Pour

Every November, over 5,500 attendees gather to watch teams of artists pour molten iron into molds for an exciting fiery display. 

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November 21–22, 2026
Durham Art Walk Holiday Market

Kick off the season of holiday makers' markets and buy one-of-a-kind pieces from local artists.

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November 19, 2026—January 2, 2027
FestiBull of Lights

The Durham Bulls Athletic Park transforms into a dazzling winter wonderland. Stroll through twinkling lights synchronized to festive music and create a magical holiday experience for the whole family.

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December-February

Winter Festivals & Events in Durham, NC

Winter in Durham isn't like winter where you're from. Unless, of course, you're from Durham. Winters are mild, but still give you a chance to wear a coat and cute hat while doing all your favorites outdoor activities. Sure, the sun sets earlier, but that just means more time outside around a fire, dinners at heated patios or staying cozy inside. We promise, Durham winters don't suck.

The Ultimate Durham Winter Guide
The weather may be chilly, but the Bull City always brings the heat. Follow our guide to things to do in Durham this winter.
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January 1, 2027
Kwanzaa Fest

The African American Dance Ensemble's Kwanzaa Fest is a vibrant marketplace and a performing arts concert featuring dance, music, poetry and more.

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February 25–28, 2027
Hayti Heritage Film Festival
Through film, the Hayti Heritage Film Festival connects Black people to ancestral homelands in the South, creating a sense of place…
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February 26–28, 2027
Nevermore Film Festival

The Nevermore Film Festival programs brand-new feature and short films from around the world with an emphasis on horror, science fiction, dark fantasy, animation and mystery/thrillers.

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March-May

Spring Festivals & Events in Durham, NC

Spring hits Durham in late February, when hyacinth and daffodils push up through the cold and pull everybody outside. March belongs to basketball. Cameron Indoor and McDougald-McLendon fill up and the bars downtown turn every screen to March Madness. By April, the Durham Bulls are back and you can hear a home run celebration from blocks away. In May, Duke and NCCU graduations brings families into town as we welcome our newest Durham alumni.

The Ultimate Durham Spring Guide
As the days lengthen and the weather warms up, Durham bursts into bloom with things to do.
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TBD
Bull City Food & Beer Experience

This annual food and beverage tasting event brings together 30 local restaurants paired with 30 breweries for a celebration of the local culinary community.

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TBD
Carolina Blaze Softball

Cheer on the Carolina Blaze – Durham's own professional softball team. 

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May 1, 2027
Garmin Marathon

Thousands of runners take to the streets, trails and stadiums of Durham in a one-of-a-kind race day experience.

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June-August

Summer Festivals & Events in Durham, NC

The students leave in May and the city exhales. Tables open up at places that were booked solid all spring. The Eno River's watering holes becomes the hottest spot in Durham. Pack a picnic and spread a blanket for free outdoor concerts at Durham Central Park and Duke’s East Campus. Plan your summer weekend in Durham.

The Ultimate Durham Summer Guide
Beach, please. We make our own waves. Summer in Durham is a dream when you take advantage of everything Bull City has to offer.
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TBD
OUTSOUTH Queer Film Festival
The festival features shorts, documentaries and feature films that celebrate gay, lesbian and transgender life, including independent and mainstream productions.
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June 5, 2027
Beaver Queen Pageant

A special Durham mix of folly, pageantry and humor, contestants take on beaver personalities and vie for the title of Beaver Queen.

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June 19, 2027
Juneteenth
Join us for Juneteenth in Durham this year with these five ways to celebrate, educate and commemorate on this very important…
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July 4, 2027
Independence Day
Looking to celebrate July Fourth in Durham? Here's a roundup of events happening to help you get your Fourth of July…
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Travel Resources
With so many things to do in town, here are your essential resources for your visit to Durham.
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