Located in the north-central part of North Carolina, Durham forms a part of the Durham-Chapel Hill Metro Area. Durham is one part of North Carolina that is particularly welcoming to the LGBTQ community. The city is well-known for its popular annual LGBTQ events, including Drag Bingo, and the North Carolina Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, among others. It's a thriving and growing city full of opportunities and welcoming enough to have a place for everyone.
A Look at Durham’s History
The history of Durham is a long one –in fact, the site upon which Durham now sits is believed to be the side of an ancient Native American village named Adshusheer. Its more modern-day history, however, began in 1854 when Dr. Bartlett Durham sold 4 acres of land to the North Carolina Railroad Company so that the company could build a new station between Hillsboro and Raleigh North Carolina. It wasn't long before a small settlement that eventually became the city of Durham grew in the area. Initially, the city flourished because of the tobacco that was grown easily in the area, but by the late 1800s, in addition to tobacco, the city also began producing textiles. As Durham’s industries continued to grow so did its population. Eventually, Durham became known not only for its industries but eventually for its top-notch educational facilities of which Trinity College (later to become Duke University) was the first. Today, Durham is an important part of what is known as the Research Triangle in North Carolina. It is a center of innovation, education, and industry, as well as being a city known for its strong musical history, and thriving arts and entertainment scene. Even better, Durham is a city known for being welcoming, friendly, and accepting of all. Truly it would be a great place to call home.
A Few Fun Facts About Durham
Read more fun facts about Durham here.
The LGBTQ Community in Durham
Durham has a warm and welcoming LGBTQ community that is well supported by a variety of community groups and resources. Some of those include:
The LGBTQ Center of Durham is a community center dedicated to creating a community where all members of the LGBTQ community feel affirmed, celebrated, and welcomed. The Center is committed to serving the City and of Durham as well as the surrounding counties with the goal of ensuring that everyone has the resources necessary to live full and joyful lives.
Pride Durham is a non-profit organization that brings LGBTQ events to the Durham area year-round. The mission of Pride Durham is to promote and engage in educational, civic and cultural activities with the goal of enriching the lives of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people and the community as a whole. As part of working towards this goal, Pride Durham hosts several fun, educational, and engaging events for the LGBTQ community, friends, and allies throughout the year.
What’s the Weather Like in Durham?
Those who live in Durham can expect to experience the beauty of all four unique seasons. Generally, spring and fall are the two most pleasant times of the year in Durham, with spring bringing beautiful flowers and blooms, and fall bringing brightly colored leaves and crisp breezes. Summers can be hot and humid, and winters can often be quite cold. Generally, throughout the year the temperature can vary from 32°F to 89°F depending upon the season. The average annual precipitation in Durham is around 41 inches. This mostly consists of rain although winter can bring occasional light snowfall, typically in January and February.
The Best Events in Durham
Pride Durham is a non-profit organization that brings LGBTQ events to the Durham area year-round, including the annual Durham’s annual Pride Week, which is held every June. This week is full of parades, parties, special events, educational and networking opportunities, and more. You won’t want to miss your chance to join in on the fun!
The Bull Durham Blues Festival is an annual community celebration of Durham’s unique musical legacy that you won’t want to miss. Durham and the surrounding areas played an important role in the development of the blues, and the festival celebrates that important musical history each year with a weekend of excellent music from artists around the country, good food, and plenty of fun.
Where to Live in Durham
Some larger cities tend to have one area that is often known as the "gayborhood" – the most popular place in the city for the LGBTQ community to live. Durham doesn't have one specific "gayborhood" – but that doesn't mean that there aren't plenty of great neighborhoods to live in. There are a variety of homes available in Durham at a wide range of prices. Interested buyers can find condos priced anywhere between $70,000 and $1.8 million, while single-family homes can be found for anywhere from $67,000 to $3.8 million in most cases.
Arts and Entertainment
The Durham Performing Arts Center
The Durham Performing Arts Center opened in 2008, and is the largest performing arts center in the Carolinas. It offers a wide variety of shows, musicals, off-Broadway shows, and other performances each year – truly there is something to fit everyone’s taste. The Durham Performing Arts Center also regularly ranks in the top ten for annual ticket sales in the country, because of the excellent selection of performances it offers each year.
The Out South Queer Film Festival, held in Durham each year, is the second-largest LGBTQ film festival in the American Southeast, and it's a can't-miss event in Durham each year. This event has always featured a diverse array of shorts, documentaries and feature films, and it celebrates a worldwide glimpse of LGBTQ life with the goal of bringing the community together through film.
Parks and Recreation
Durham Queer Sports initially began as Durham Queer Kickball in Spring 2019 and has grown rapidly since then to encompass soccer, basketball, and ultimate leagues as well as kickball. Currently, the league has over 400 members, and it is free to all who want to participate.
The Sarah P. Duke Gardens consists of approximately 55 acres of landscaped and wooded areas at Duke University. The beautiful grounds consist of 5 miles of allées, walks, and pathways throughout the gardens, and it is a wonderful place to spend a sunny Durham afternoon.
Durham Nightlife
The Pinhook is a casual LGBTQ bar that welcomes an eclectic crowd for local bands, DJs, open-mike nights, karaoke, trivia and more. There’s something for everyone here!
The Bar Durham proudly calls itself the “OG Bull City LGBTQ Home Base”. With theme nights, a lively dance floor, strong drinks, and friendly people, it’s a great place to enjoy a night out in Durham.
Contact a Durham Realtor Today
If Durham seems like it would be a great place for you to call home, today is the perfect time to get started on your search for a house and neighborhood you’ll love. The first and more important step in doing so is finding an agent who will work well with you and who knows the community well. We’re here to help you do exactly that. Contact a Durham gay realtor today for a free, no-obligation consultation!
