Durham Happenings: February 2023

Before we get into the February events focusing on love, Black history, and Mardi Gras, let me direct your attention to an incredible opportunity down the road in Raleigh: The Downtown Raleigh Home Show! From Feb 17th -19th , the Raleigh Convention Center will be transformed into a series of displays featuring home goods and services (and plenty of discounts for both). Whether you’re looking to update the flooring in your home to put it on the market, upgrade your washer and dryer before that baby is due, or upscale your living room décor, Downtown Raleigh Home Show is for you. Tickets are available for $10 if you buy online and children under 13 are free, so make it a family affair as you build the home of your dreams.

Ok, now onto the love, Black history, Mardi Gras, and miscellaneous events that are buzzing about Durham this month!

Valentine’s and Valentine’s Adjacent Festivities

There is no one size fits all when it comes to love. And in the infamous words of Lin-Manuel Miranda, “Love is love is love…,” so be sure to celebrate all the varieties of love in your life at any of the many Valentine’s Day or Valentine’s-adjacent events around town.

 Thurs, Feb 9th , 6:30-9:30pm: AfterHours: Science of Wine at Museum of Life & Science (433 W Murray Ave, 27704)

Spend an evening pre-Valentine’s Day enjoying wine samples and treats at the whimsical Museum of Life & Science. This adults-only event will feature food trucks, additional booze for purchase, and scientific exhibits centered around wine. Get in touch with your inner child with some crafts and hands-on activities. Tickets are $35 for members, $40 for non-members.

 Fri, Feb 10th , 6pm: Pet Valentine Kissing Contest at Unleashed (1000 W Main St, Ste 1C, 27701 and 4215 University Dr, 27707)

Does your doggo have the best smooch in Durham? Put your pet’s kiss to the test at either of the Durham Unleashed locations in their Pet Valentine Kissing Contest. They also offer a Valentine’s themed photo booth starting Jan. 20 th as well as Valentine’s treats for your furry friend.

 Sat, Feb 11th, 1-4pm: Galentine’s Day Celebration at Nailed It (5410 NC 55 Highway, Suite M, 27713)

Show your girlfriends you love and appreciate them as the beautiful tropical fish that they are. Celebrate Galentine’s Day by making a picture holder at the newly opened Nailed It DIY Studio. The $35 admission includes the craft, complimentary glass of wine, a cupcake from local favorite Favor Desserts, and a small marketplace of wellness and fashion vendors.

 Sat, Feb 11 th , 2-4pm: Valentine’s Sweets & Craft Family Event at Food Vibez Way (916 Lamond Ave, 27701)

Engage your whole family in the celebration of love at this family-friendly craft event. Food Vibez Way is hosting a creative event for families to make cake pops and valentine crafts together. There may even be some impromptu karaoke, who knows! Tickets are $20 for kids and $10 for adults (who want to make their own cake pops).

 Sat, Feb 11 th , 5-9pm: Parents’ Night Out at Davis Dance Company (2122 Sovereign St, 27705)

Once you and the kids enjoy some craft time together, then it’s time for grown-ups to have a romantic night to themselves; Davis Dance Company can help with that. They are offering to watch your kiddos (ages 3-10) from 5-9pm to give you parents a kids-free Valentine’s date night. They’ll provide dance, games, and even a pizza dinner, all for $25 per child.

 Sun, Feb 12 th , 12-4pm: Sweet Lovable Chocolates Presents Durham’s Sweetheart Market (810 Fayetteville St, Suite 104, 27701)

If you’d like to shop small this Valentine’s Day, then be sure to add the Sweetheart Market to your calendar. Sweet Lovable Chocolates, located in the Phoenix Crossing shopping center, will be hosting a market with several other local businesses to expedite your gift-buying process. Get your sweet treats and tokens of affection all in one spot. Free admission,

 Sun, Feb 12 th , 3-5pm: Galentine’s Day Paint, Plant, & Sip (1109 W Chapel Hill St, 27713)

If you’re like me, your walls are already adorned with too many DIY canvas paintings, so Profound Elegance is offering a paint & sip class that’s a little different. Their Galentine’s Day event boasts terra cotta pot painting, plant potting, and a mimosa station. You can bring wine as well if you’d like. Tickets are $40 for the paint, plant, & sip or $75 if you want the charcuterie box. But hurry, these early bird prices end on Feb 6th .

 Sun, Feb 12 th , 6:30-8:30pm: Candlelit Dinner + Mixology at CAARE, Inc (214 Broadway St, 27701)

Take date night to the next level with multiple hands-on activities at this candlelit dinner event. Olivia and Co Candles is partnering with Confidance J to offer a mixology class paired with candle making paired with dinner. And to top it all off, 10% of ticket sales will be donated to the space host, CAARE, a nonprofit that provides a range of health and wellness programs to underserved communities in Durham. Tickets are $100 per person.

 Tues, Feb 14 th , 6-10pm: Palentine Night at the Pinhook (117 W Main St, 27701)

This all ages event at the Pinhook is a partnership with the LGBTQ Center of Durham. Start the evening at 6 by crafting a “palentine” card for your loved ones or a trans youth or queer elder in Durham. Blossom and Bone bouquets and stationary from Figgie Paper will be available for purchase. Then at 8, enjoy a communal watch party of Romy & Michelle with drag performers Stormie Daie and G-Clef.

Black History Month

Later this month, we’ll have a guest blogger Joy Caracciolo share more on Black History and Durham, but for now, consider one of the best ways to celebrate Black History is to support Black- owned businesses locally. Check out this list of Black-owned businesses from Discover Durham and this one from The Bulls of Durham. You can also check out these events celebrating Black history and accomplishments.

 Wed, Feb 1st , 6-8pm: Lecture from Dr. Nishani Frazier “Black Economic Power” at Hayti Heritage Center (804 Old Fayetteville St, 27701)

Part of the Museum of Durham History’s exhibit The Life and Legacy of Floyd B. McKissick Sr, this lecture examines the foundation of Black economic development in the Congress of Racial Equality and the impact of McKissick Sr. Dr. Nishani Frazier is Associate Professor of History and American Studies at the University of Kansas who is also working on a project called Voices of the Displaced on gentrification in Durham. This event is free and open to the public. Be sure to visit the other events and activities that are part of the McKissick exhibit through April.

 Sat, Feb 4th , 12pm: 20th Annual NC MLK Black History Parade (3501 Fayetteville St, 27707)

Kickoff February with North Carolina’s largest Black History Month Celebration right here in Durham. The parade, which starts at WG Pearson Elementary and proceeds up Fayetteville St to end at NCCU, features marching bands, step/dance/drill teams, mascots, and more.

 Sat, Feb 4th , 7:30-9:30pm: A Walk in August at Hayti Heritage Center (804 Old Fayetteville St, 27701)

Once you’ve enjoyed the parade, head further down Fayetteville St to the Hayti Heritage Center for “A Walk in August.” Co-presented by The Carolina Theatre and Hayti Heritage Center, “A Walk in August” is a free performance about a journey of self-reflection and friendship. The show focuses on a Broadway actor, James A Williams and a Pulitzer Prize winning playwright, August Wilson, who is known as “theater’s poet of Black America.”

Mardi Gras/Carnival

You don’t have to travel all the way to New Orleans to celebrate Fat Tuesday in style. You also don’t have to fly to Brazil to experience Carnival. Did you know that Carnival of Brazil is a festival celebrated the Friday before Ash Wednesday? So while not Mardi Gras, this event similarly revels in ample festivities and feasts before the Lenten period. Durham offers several party options in the week leading up to Ash Wednesday, so find your favorite and laissez les bons temps rouler.

 Sat, Feb 18 th , 2-7pm: Mardi Gras at Durham Central Park (501 Foster St, 27701)

Get the feel for being in New Orleans during this week by joining the family-friendly festivities at Durham Central Park presented by the Glass Jug Beer Lab. Cajun-inspired food trucks, Baton Rouge Cuisine, Loretta’s Southern Kitchen, and Funnel Queens will be on-site and two local musical legends will be performing: Bulltown Strutters and Cajammers. Kids will have the opportunity to build a shoebox

 Sat, Feb 18th , 8pm: Carnaval of All Rhythms at Motorco (723 Rigsbee Ave, 27701)

Get the authentic Brazilian dance experience of Carnival without the travel fees at Motorco. Featuring a diversity of Brazilian music, such as samba, funk, frevo, axe’, and pagode. Tickets are $20 per person or 4-pack for $60.

 Tues, Feb 21st , 4pm: Bulltown Strutters around Durham (545 Foster St, 27701)

Durham’s premier New Orleans style parade and stage band, Bulltown Strutters, cannot be limited to one location on Mardi Gras. They’ll be spending all evening parading and jamming around various downtown venues, so visit any of these spots to check them out:

• 4pm at Glass Jug Downtown

• 5:45pm procession up Foster Street to Major the Bull (others who want to playkazoos welcome)

• 6pm at CCB Plaza (all musicians welcome to jam)

• 6:30pm after Major gets a tutu, parade down Foster Street to Glass Jug, The Pit, then Blue Note Grill

• 8:30pm playing at Blue Note Grill

 Tues, Feb 21st , 6:45pm: Cajammers & Tea Cup Gin at The Pit (321 W Geer St, 27701)

Restaurant-turned-event-venue The Pit will be hosting a very Cajun Mardi Gras event on Fat Tuesday. Featuring two fantastic local bands known to get people up and moving: Cajammers at 7:45pm and Tea Cup Gin at 9:15pm. Be sure to get there early for the free Cajun dance lessons at 6:45pm so you can celebrate like true New Orleanians.

Miscellaneous Events

Even if you’re not looking to celebrate a particular holiday, Durham still has plenty of events to keep you busy the entire month of February. Here is a sampling of some offerings:

 Mon, Feb 6th , 7pm: Flash Chorus at Motorco (723 Rigsbee Ave, 27701)

Experience the pride of singing in a chorus without the weeks and hours of rehearsing. Motorco presents an opportunity to come together with strangers (and whichever friends you bring) to collectively learn the words to and joyously sing two songs; typically one more popular and one lesser known. The first song is Billy Joel’s “Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song)” and the second is Phoenix’s “1901.” Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door.

 Thurs, Feb 9th , 7-10pm: For the Love of Clay at Durham Armory (212 Foster St, 27701)

Claymakers is a nonprofit that’s been in Durham for over 20 years and is dedicated to promoting the joy of working with clay and ceramic arts. They are hosting a 90s-themed dessert fundraiser at the Durham Armory and all are invited. Ticket prices range from the $25 dessert/party option to the $75 option that includes dessert AND an “extra-snazzy” piece of local pottery. There will also be a cash bar, silent auction, raffle, and crafts.

 Sat, Feb 11th , 7-11pm: Silent Disco Total Request Live at Hi-Wire (800 Taylor St, 27701)

Speaking of blasts from the past, Hi-Wire Brewing is putting on a dance party catered to the millennial palette. It’s a silent disco, where each participant wears headphones with various DJ channels playing all the best hits from the 90s and 00s. While the event is free to attend, headphones are $10 in advance or $15 day of, so unless you want to drink beer and watch people dance in silence, I’d recommend buying some headphones to dance down memory lane.

 Fri, Feb 17th , 7pm-1am: Goth Prom at Arcana (331 W Main St, back entrance, 27701)

Does your inner Wednesday Addams need a night out? This event is for the dark-hearted, 21+ crowd. Goth prom will feature an all-vinyl set of darkwave, goth, and industrial music, plus tarot card readings and tarot-themed cocktails to match. The suggested dress code should give you an idea of what to expect: “black celebration, goth couture, high fashion funeral, ‘The Hunger’ nightclub formal, Victorian haunting, dark eye shadow

 Sun, Feb 19th , 1-3pm: Fifth Annual Chili Cook-off at Ponysaurus (219 Hood St, 27701)

Amateur cooks are invited to showcase their chops at the 5 th annual Ponysaurus Chili Cook-Off. The first 20 contestants to register by 2/10 will be able to craft their own 2- quart masterpiece, whether beef, pork, vegetarian, or vegan. There are prizes available, but if you’d just like to sample some chili, bring a canned good to donate to PORCH- Durham and join the public tasting at 1:30pm.

 Tues, Feb 21st , 6-7pm: Maud 2.23 Run/Walk & Courageous Conversation at The Glass Jug RTP (5410 NC Hwy 55, 27713)

Together We Stand NC was founded in June 2020 in response to the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, a young Black man who was just out for a run on Feb 23, 2020. In remembrance of Arbery, 2.23-mile runs are taking place across the state with proceeds benefitting local charities. So the Glass Jug’s RTP location is hosting the Durham run, which benefits PORCH-Durham, along with a Courageous Conversation revolving around the topic of The Language of Racism and Hate. Race registration is $28 and includes a shirt and pair of performance socks.

So go celebrate love, commemorate Black history, let those good times roll, and explore all that Durham has to offer this February!