Discover Durham

Durham Sports Commission Deputy Director Kaila'Shea Menendez sits down with Duke Director of Athletics Nina King. They get into all things Duke athletics, Olympics, Durham, women in sports and more. 

In this episode, our guest is local public speaker, organizer, curator, educator, poet, spoken word artist, songwriter, emcee, and loyal Hip Hop head Dasan Ahanu. We chatted with Dasan about how he helped us craft our reimagined African American History Guide.

We just had the NFL draft, but since Durham is such a foodie town, we thought it would be fun to have a food-related draft. Three food-loving guests Joy Caracciolo, Linda Nguyen and Von Diaz join host Craig Carter to select their favorites from four categories: breakfast, lunch, dinner, and drinks.Check out our selections and let us know which one of us you think had the best draft.

Durham newest Black-owned jazz club, Missy Lane's Assembly Room is already garnering a huge amount of attention and praise. We spoke with owner Cicely Mitchell about her love of jazz, what it's like creating a space to help art thrive, and much more.

Since opening in 2005, the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University has been dedicated to building a groundbreaking collection of all different kinds of art. We spoke with three members of the Nasher team, Veronika Payne, Jade Packer, and Gabrielle Tenedero about the museum's mission, their favorite pieces, and a lot more.

Did you know one of the world's most award-winning gin distilleries is right here in the Bull City? We spoke with the co-owners of Durham Distillery, Melissa and Lee Katrincic about how they got started in the world of distilling, why they're so passionate about gin, and a lot more.

March 12, 2024 will be the 80th anniversary of one history's most important basketball games. The Secret Game was the first integrated basketball game in the Jim Crow South and it happened in Durham, North Carolina. We spoke with Scott Ellsworth, the author of "The Secret Game", about this amazing true story.

In this episode, we spoke with Mike Potter, the founder of Proximity Brewing — the first Black-owned brewery in Durham, North Carolina. We learned how he got into brewing beer and what it means to be a part of Durham's new era of Black-owned businesses.

Did you know there's a curling facility in the Bull City? Yes, the winter sport where players slide stones across ice and guide them to a target with brooms is here in Durham. Our guest for this episode certainly knows. He is Trevor Gau and he is member and volunteer at Durham's Triangle Curling Club.

Earlier this year, the Ella West Gallery opened on Parrish Street. It is one of the few Black-female-owned art galleries in North Carolina. We spoke with two people that are a part of this historic occasion in Durham history. They are the founder and owner of Ella West Gallery, Linda Shropshire, and one of the featured artists in the current exhibition, Maya Freelon.

We sat down with the head coach of the  North Carolina Central University football team Trei Oliver to talk about his journey from NCCU student-athlete to 2022 HBCU National Champion.

Heralded as “One of the nation's most important institutions” by the New York Times and as “The world's greatest dance festival” by the New York Post, the American Dance Festival's sustained record of creative achievement is indivisible from the history of modern dance. And this year Durham is celebrating the ADF's 90th anniversary. We chatted with the executive director of the American Dance Festival, Jodee Nimerichter.

If you've ever had Zimbabwean food in the United States, you're probably familiar with Leo and Zweli Williams because their restaurants are some of the only places you can get it from. We chatted with the lovely Durham entrepreneurs about their past, present, and future in the local restaurant scene.

It's April, so that means it's time for the NFL draft. Since Durham is such a foodie town, we thought it would be fun to draft our favorite food and beverage options in the Bull City.Four guests. Four rounds: appetizer, entrée, drink, and dessert. Check out our selections and let us know which one of us had the best draft.

What started as coffee sold on a bicycle has become a culinary staple of the Bull City. We spoke with Areli Barrera de Grodski and Leon Grodski de Barrera, the founders and owners of Cocoa Cinnamon and Little Waves Coffee Roasters.

Enjoy this self-guided walking tour of downtown Durham starting at the Visitor Info Center at 212 West Main Street. In it, you'll explore CCB Plaza, American Tobacco Campus, Five Points, and more.

Unfortunately, less than 2% of American hotels are Black-owned. Black-owned Morehead Manor Bed and Breakfast has been in Durham for more than 25 years. We spoke with owner Monica Edwards about how she came to own a B&B and her passion for hospitality.

If you've been on Rigsbee, you might have seen a giant backwards F signifying Fullsteam Brewery and the unofficial front porch of Durham. Started in 2010 as one of only two breweries in Durham at the time, Fullsteam was a key player in the revitalization of downtown Durham and the growth of microbreweries in North Carolina. We sat down with Sean Lilly Wilson, the owner and founder of Fullsteam Brewery to talk about his passion for beer and much more.

Did you know that Durham has the most diverse population of lemurs in the world outside of Madagascar? That is thanks to the Duke Lemur Center. We chatted with Sara Clark, the Director of Communications, about their research, what makes lemurs so fascinating, and what visitors can expect from a trip to the center.

With M Sushi, M Kokko, M Tempura, and M Pocha, Michael Lee has established himself as one of the biggest restaurateurs in Durham and the Triangle. We sat down to discuss his upbringing, passion for cooking, and philosophy about food.

The Durham Performing Arts Center or DPAC has been in Durham since 2008. Starting with a sold-out show with blues legend B.B. King, DPAC has since hosted thousands of shows and millions of patrons for music, comedy, Broadway, and the American Dance Festival. We sat down with Josette Roten, the Assistant Director of Marketing & Sales, and Jacob Holland, Assistant Director of Ticketing to talk about the theater's history, impact on the city, and more.

We sit down with Aya Shabu, the founder of Whistle Stop Tours — a performance touring company dedicated to sharing Durham's Black history. We talk about her unique approach to teaching history, her relationship with Durham dance icon "Baba Chuck" Davis, and more.

Welcome to the Discover Durham Podcast, a podcast about the people that make Durham, North Carolina such an amazing place to visit.