This weekend in Durham County, NC

This practical childbirth education class focuses on what matters most for modern parents. Participants learn about informed consent throughout pregnancy and birth and how to build a supportive birth team, along with the role of birth hormones. The class walks through the labor process and its stages and shares physical and emotional comfort strategies, including a demonstration of touch techniques. It also offers guidance on creating a clear birth plan and getting started with postpartum preparation. Registration covers the birthing person and one support person.

Suited for complete beginners or anyone looking to refresh their skills, this hybrid knitting class can be taken in person or virtually. Across three weeks, you will knit a simple garter-stitch dishcloth, learn to incorporate new colors in the second week, and practice textured stitches in the third. By the end, you will have a solid foundation for many future projects. Instructor Amie Palmer leads the class.

Mortali-Tea, a Pagan-focused Death Cafe facilitated by Via Textricis, provides space for open, wide-ranging conversations about end-of-life topics shaped by Pagan perspectives. Rooted in the Death Cafe movement that began in the UK in 2011 as a supportive forum for discussing death, a global network that now includes nearly 19,000 gatherings across 91 countries, this meetup is designed to serve needs specific to the local Pagan community. General Death Cafes meet regularly in Raleigh and Hillsborough, and a Queer Death Cafe meets at Arcana, while this one centers on Pagan voices. The conversation takes place at Panera Bread in Durham, NC.

Songstories Live brings artists and listeners together in an intimate setting at the Pavilion at Boxyard RTP. Three singer-songwriters will present original music along with the stories that inspired each piece, supported by session musicians from the local area. Admission is free for walk-ins. Performances take place under the covered Pavilion on the BeatBox stage, and plans may change in response to weather to keep the stage safe. If there is flooding, ice, or lightning, the event will be canceled. The lineup will be announced. By attending, guests consent to photography, video, and audio recording and authorize Boxyard RTP to use those materials in any medium for any purpose. For questions, email hello@boxyardrtp.com. To inquire about performing, email music@boxyardrtp.com.

A team of chefs reunites for a seasonal cooking demonstration celebrating the fall harvest, featuring former instructors and managers from the Southern Season Cooking School in Chapel Hill. They will share stories from their time at Southern Season, a much-loved specialty market founded in 1975 that became a regional destination and home to a noted cooking school, while preparing favorite autumn dishes. The class is led by Caitlin Burke, Ellen Clevenger-Firley, and Kim Calaway, with a menu that includes ginger carrot soup finished with apple and peanut gremolata, an easy porchetta served with roasted vegetables, and pumpkin cheesecake. Expect an easygoing, welcoming atmosphere filled with practical tips, techniques, and multiple recipes, along with plenty of good food. Attendees often connect over the experience and leave with new friends. For planning, participants are asked to share first names for name tags and note any dietary needs or special occasions ahead of time. Cancellations more than seven days before the class are eligible for a refund, credit, or transfer. Within seven days, credits or transfers are available, and within two days, transfers only.

Heart of Carolina and Lock Starz Salon present a community celebration at The Shrine in Durham that centers locs, culture, and connection. Expect music, thoughtful loc conversations, local vendors, and photo opportunities that highlight the people and stories behind every style. From fresh starts to long-established crowns, including sisterlocks, freeform, and wicks, all journeys are welcome, and friends without locs are encouraged to show support. Early bird tickets are $10 and general admission is $15.

At Reynolds Theater in Durham, NC, Gaspard&Dancers, founded by former Pilobolus dancer Gaspard Louis, presents an evening of contemporary dance that combines spirited movement with lyrical and athletic partnering. The program unveils three new works, Five One with accompaniment by Durham composer and pianist Randy Love, Chess Mates, and Advaita. It also features the North Carolina premiere of Fatal 4 I by guest choreographer Houston Thomas, plus additional pieces from the company’s repertory, including a special presentation of Noula performed by local participants from the G&D repertory workshop.

A prenatal yoga session designed to support you through pregnancy, with guidance for both body and mind. A knowledgeable instructor leads in a welcoming setting that prioritizes safe movement for expectant participants. Offered on the first and third Sunday mornings each month. Choose a single class or a package.

Presented by The MAKRS Society, this monthly market and concert series brings a rotating lineup of bands, more than forty local vendors, and a selection of food trucks to Durham Central Park. Attendees can explore unique goods, enjoy live music, and pick up food and beverages while spending time with friends and family. Vendors interested in participating can apply to be part of the series.

Celebrate the cooler season with an outdoor yoga session at Zinc House Winery & Brewery, led by Sharon MacGregor, founder of Serenity Farm Yoga Sanctuary. The Flow & Grow class is beginner-friendly and moves with breath and intention, incorporating gentle chaturangas and a slightly quicker pace, with options for every level. Sharon, who also founded the 26-acre Serenity Farm retreat center, guides a practice that supports wellness, community, and personal growth. Set on 87 acres with vineyards, scenic walking trails, rooftop decks, and versatile event spaces, the venue offers a setting to pause and reset. After class, participants can browse Tip-Z Boutique, enjoy a gourmet coffee or a bite from a food truck, sip a bubbly or another refreshing drink, play a round of cornhole, and take in the vineyard views while connecting with friends. The class takes place outdoors in front of the Carriage House. Please bring a yoga mat, comfortable clothing, and water. An eye cover is optional, and a cushion for the knees, such as a towel, is encouraged. Suitable for both newcomers and seasoned practitioners.

A beginner friendly trial class introduces Systema at Triangle Aikido in Durham. Training blends martial arts with mindful practices like breathing, relaxation, and movement to develop practical self protection. Participants work on natural, intuitive responses while building strength, flexibility, and a calmer mindset under pressure. The method emphasizes free, efficient movement with solid structure and minimal tension. Instruction follows a thoughtful progression that grows awareness and adaptability so students can stay centered and responsive in unpredictable situations. A typical session starts with breath, movement, and conditioning drills from the Russian martial art tradition to release mental and physical tension and build a resilient, adaptable body. Practice then moves into rolling, safe falling, groundwork, and themed movement exercises. Everyone trains at a comfortable pace with attention to quality, efficiency, and understanding. NC Systema is an official school of Systema Vasiliev, and instructors maintain annual certification through the headquarters in Toronto.

The Lowell Ringel Group featuring David Leon spotlights a bassist, composer, and educator whose work has earned awards and whose approach reflects the tradition of Charlie Haden and Scott LaFaro. Expect melodic improvisations paired with a grounded, inventive pulse that anchors the music while leaving room for discovery. After completing both undergraduate and graduate degrees at the Frost School of Music, Ringel immersed himself in Latin jazz and Cuban styles, later performing and recording with artists such as Ignacio Berroa, Aymee Nuviola, Brian Lynch, Shelly Berg, Dafnis Prieto, and Martin Bejerano. As a writer, he brings together jazz sensibility, rhythmic drive, and elements of classical language to create pieces with vivid color. That perspective is captured on the self-titled 2019 release from his chamber jazz quintet Threeplustwo and on Geodesics, the 2020 album by the Finnish American collective Transatlanttiset. He resides in Forest Park, Illinois, and appears frequently around the Chicagoland scene. For this performance, Ringel leads on bass with David Leon on woodwinds, Keith Ganz on guitar, Evan Ringel on trombone, and Jake Richter on drums.

EMPOWER is a welcoming woodworking class created for people who have often been left out of the craft, including women, nonbinary and LGBTQIA+ participants, and individuals who are neurodivergent or physically disabled. Guided by instructors with nontraditional backgrounds, each session focuses on core skills, adaptable techniques, and growing confidence with tools for use in the shop and beyond. All experience levels are supported, and the class can be repeated since the project changes each time, with examples like staggered display shelves, storage for pens and markers and other craft supplies, and an entryway organizer. The cost is $75, and registration is required through the organizer’s website. Please wear closed-toed shoes and avoid loose clothing or jewelry. All materials, tools, and safety equipment are provided. Cancellations are fully refundable up to seven days before class, and registrations can be transferred within that same window. There are no refunds or transfers inside the seven-day cutoff.

A long-running weekly salsa social that has been going strong since 2009 welcomes dancers with a beginner-friendly salsa lesson to kick things off, followed by plenty of social dancing. The playlist leans around 45 percent salsa and about 40 to 45 percent bachata, with a small number of cha cha, kizomba, merengue, and cumbia selections sprinkled in. Admission is $10, or $8 for active military and students with ID. Most DJs can accept Venmo and credit cards, but bringing cash is wise because card payments may include an additional fee. Guests 17 and under are free with an accompanying adult, or $5 if attending on their own. The DJ roster typically rotates among Abuelo Salsero Jack Wolf, Salsa Mike (Michael Delucia), Pedro Paz, and Monte Alban (Eliuth Cruz Lopez), and the lineup is subject to change. For questions, contact Jack Wolf at jackhwolf49@gmail.com or 919-245-8393 or 743-208-5497.

Presented by andmoreagain, this night at Rubies on Five Points in Durham brings together Dogwood Tales with bedrumor. Advance tickets are $15 and $18 on the day of the show. Dogwood Tales, from Harrisonburg in the Shenandoah Valley, is led by longtime friends Kyle Grim and Ben Ryan on guitars and vocals, joined by drummer Jake Golibart and bassist Danny Gibney. Their forthcoming album, Every Star in Rockingham County, reflects small town life with vivid detail, from the personal reflections of “Mt. Jackson” to playful nods in songs like “Princess Peach” and the memories woven through “McMemories.” Their sound blends pedal steel, close harmonies, bright drumlines, tasteful guitar work, and even bits of nostalgic video game texture, creating a mix that feels intimate and expansive at once. Scenes in “Angel Dreams” paint moments as specific as a quiet meal at Southern Kitchen, offering storytelling that feels close to home. Sharing the bill, bedrumor is a Greensboro outfit led by Lazuli Ortiz and Ryan Mole. Their music sits in the indie rock lane with a clear jazz influence, and for live performances they invite additional musicians to bring the arrangements to life. Influences range from Herbie Hancock and King Krule to Big Thief and Ichiko Aoba, and Lazuli produces the project’s recordings at home, the inspiration behind the band’s name.