Join us at the JB Duke for unique and exciting events throughout the year!
Special Events for Guests and the Durham Community
We are thrilled to offer exciting pop-up events and workshops throughout the year for guests of the hotel and Durham locals to enjoy!
Sip & Script Beginner's Calligraphy Class
Thursday, August 29 - 6:30 to 8 pm, JB Duke Hotel Lobby Lounge
Grab a friend and join us in the Lobby Lounge for a beginner's calligraphy class with Sip & Script on August 29. Whether you're a stationery collector, do-it-yourself bride-to-be, or just looking for a fun evening, this beginner's workshop serves as the perfect introduction to modern calligraphy with a pointed dip pen and ink.
The 90-minute class includes demonstrations, a beginners calligraphy kit and all materials to write on. Participants keep all materials at the end of the workshop.
Drinks and bites can be purchased at the Lobby Lounge before and after the special event. Seating is limited, so reserve your spot for Sip & Script HERE!
Be Our Guest Bartender Series
Wednesdays at the JB Duke Lobby Lounge and Thursdays at the Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club's Bull Durham Bar, August 21 to September 12, all bartenders will be serving from 5-7 pm
We are excited for the return of the Be Our Guest Bartender Series, where hotel guests can meet the Triangle's top mixologists and savor the signature flavors of their specialty cocktails. From August 21 to September 12, guest bartenders will be on-site at the JB Duke Hotel Lobby Lounge each Wednesday and the Inn's Bull Durham Bar each Thursday from 5-7 p.m. to present unique cocktail creations.
- Wednesday, 8/21 and Thursday, 8/22 - Leslie Matista, The Velvet Hippo Bar & Lounge, supporting Equality North Carolina
- Wednesday, 8/28 and Thursday, 8/29 - Meggan Mendoza, Dram & Draught, supporting Durham's Hope for Kids
- Wednesday, 9/4 and Thursday, 9/5 - Darryl Russell, Weldon Mills Distillery, supporting America's Gold Star Families
- Wednesday, 9/11 and Thursday, 9/12 - Greg Ewan, Aunty Betty's Gin & Absinthe Bar, supporting A Place at the Table
All guest cocktail creations will be available on the Lobby Lounge and Bull Durham Bar menus the week following each bartenders' on-site visit. The hotel properties will attribute 10% of proceeds from the specialty drink menus as part of a donation to each bartender's local non-profit organization of choice.
We hope you’ll be our guest to welcome our guest bartenders each week and stay tuned for previews of their featured cocktails on our Instagram @jbdukehotel.
"Artful Evenings" Artist in Residence series
Tuesday evenings, August 20 to November 19, all artists will begin at 6pm
We have partnered with The Durham Art Guild for “Artful Evenings” Artist in Residence series to take place every Tuesday from August 20 to November 19 at the JB Duke Hotel. This live activation will feature a rotation of six local artists in the Lobby Lounge, where they will work on their art while engaging with guests. We will feature artists with different mediums for variety, and each artist will appear twice, so guests can see the progression of their art over time.
Tuesday, August 20 – Kristin Gibson, painter
Tuesday, August 27 – Leeman Smith, textile artist
Tuesday, September 3 – Michelle Wilkie, fiber artist
Tuesday, September 10 – William Parker, painter
Tuesday, September 17 – Mike Schmitz, graphite artist
Tuesday, September 24 – Paulina Ruiz, painter
** More schedule updates coming soon!
"Flashback Flicks" Outdoor Movie series
Wednesday evenings, May 29 to August 28, all screenings begin at 8pm
Guests and the public are welcome every Wednesday evening for an intimate cinematic experience that is sure to make you laugh or cry beneath the summer stars. A different movie will be featured each week, including classics and more current family favorites, alternating locations between our two hotels. JB Duke Hotel guests will gather on the contemporary, cozy MarketPlace Terrace. The showings at the Washington Duke Inn will be at the Terrace on the Green, overlooking the scenic Duke University Golf Course. Guests may order food and beverages from the full Lobby Lounge menu or Bull Durham Bar menu before, during, and after the screenings. Outside food and beverage is not permitted.
Screening Schedule:
| May 29 at Washington Duke Inn – Back to the Future | June 5 at JB Duke – Top Gun (1986) |
| June 12 at Washington Duke Inn – The Philadelphia Story | June 19 at JB Duke – Casablanca |
| June 26 at Washington Duke Inn – Kung Fu Panda | July 3 at JB Duke – Field of Dreams |
| July 10 at Washington Duke Inn – Rocky | July 17 at JB Duke – Apollo 13 |
| July 24 at Washington Duke Inn – The Parent Trap (1998) | July 31 at JB Duke – Sleepless in Seattle |
| August 7 at Washington Duke Inn – True Grit | August 14 at JB Duke – Up |
| August 21 at Washington Duke Inn – Moonstruck | August 28 at JB Duke – Footloose (1984) |
| September 4 at Washington Duke Inn – National Treasure | September 11 at JB Duke – Jumanji (1995) |