Historic shady streets, good neighbors, great food, eclectic shopping, art, and a calendar of events worth leaving the porch for. Old West Durham, A Neighborly Place.
Old West Durham is the kind of neighborhood where front porches still get used for their intended purpose — hanging out and talking to your neighbors. Tree-lined streets, a tight-knit community, and a packed calendar of beloved events like Porchfest, West Fest, and Night of Lights make OWD a place people are proud to call home.
We're a diverse mix of families, students, musicians, artists, professionals, and plenty of bikes and dogs. Everyone is welcome here. Come for the community, stay for the vibes. Get ready to Mill Hill and chill.
Coming Up
Friday, Nov 2o • 5:30 PM
Movie Night
800 block of Carolina St
Bring a chair or blanket and join us
for a neighborhood movie under the stars.
Look for the Movie selection on the OWD Listserv.
Thursday, Dec 10 • 6:30 PM
Light-Up Old West Durham
1st Annual holiday Lights competition!
Let the battle begin! Winners grab prizes and bragging rights. Open to both residents and businesses in OWD. Sign up and have your lights ready to go by the 10th!
Tuesday, Dec 1 • 5:30 PM
Final Happy Hour + NEW Board Voting
Hunky Dory Record shop - 718 9th St
Our last happy hour of the year, and we'll be voting in the new board. Come raise a glass, meet your neighbors, and help choose who leads OWD next year.
Sat & Sun, Dec 19 & 20 • 5:30 PM
Night of Lights
Purchase at the corner of Knox & Edith, 12-3pm
Buy your lantern kits (10 bags per kit) and show your love for OWD. Lighting is on the evening of the 20th. We've got 1000 lanterns to sprinkle through the neighborhood!
Monthly Meetings
Bi-Monthly
Board Meetings
Evening of the fourth Tuesday
of January, March, May, July,
September and November.
Meetings are held at 7 p.m. at Bull City Commons. A reminder is sent to the neighborhood listserv before each meeting.
In alternate months, we also hold informal gatherings at select locations to discuss event planning, neighborhood issues, and other topics of interest.
Whether you have something to bring to the table or are simply curious about getting involved, you're welcome to join!
Monthly
Happy Hours
Join us the first Tuesday of every month for the OWD Neighborhood Happy Hour — a laid-back, family-friendly gathering where everyone is welcome.
Each month we pick a local OWD business to host, spreading good cheer and good business to the places that make our neighborhood great. Past spots have included Jeans by the Sea, Hunk Dory Record Shop, Hops & Flower, and more. Drinks pour at 5:30 p.m., and we stay until the conversation runs out.
Bring your neighbors, friends, kids, dogs, lost uncle, and crack a cold West Durham. Check the listserv for details on the next happy hour.
Stay in the Loop
From block parties, events, and neighborhood news to lost dogs, and curb alerts, stay connected with your neighbors in Old West Durham by joining the conversation through our Listserv and Parade Newsletter delivered to your door.
Get Involved
Calling anyone who wants to lend a hand with event planning, grant writing, taking photos, running a grill, connecting with local businesses, planting flowers, even hosting a band. We're always looking for new board members and volunteers who care about OWD and want to see it thrive like none other. For more details, click below.
NEW Email Newsletter
To share information more efficiently about events, sales, gatherings, and more, we're building a new monthly neighborhood email newsletter. If you are interested in receiving it, simply sign up.
Shop OWD Gear
Wear OWD. Carry OWD. Stick OWD. Every purchase helps fund OWD events and projects. See what we have in stock.