Duke Arts is excited to announce Music Near the Gardens, a special edition of our long-running summer concert series, Music in the Gardens. While Sarah P. Duke Gardens undergoes renovations at the Doris Duke Center and the main entrance, this year’s five-concert series will move to Duke’s East Campus, offering an expanded capacity and walk-up format, free and open to all.
This season, Music Near the Gardens: The Pinhook Edition is curated by musician, activist, and The Pinhook owner Kym Register and hosted by local artist and performer Stormie Daie. The series celebrates The Pinhook’s legacy as a cornerstone of Durham’s music scene—a space that has nurtured the city’s creative community and championed marginalized voices in Durham for over 15 years.
“This showcase is just a smattering of the amazing community of artists, musicians and activists that make The Pinhook hum. We are since forever grateful to the folks that have come out to shows, put on events, rented and used our space as a political hub for actions and events, to our supporters on Patreon that have helped fill in the gaps during hard times. It’s because of all y’all that we are still here and will be here until 4eva.”
Kym Register, Owner of the pinhook
Concerts will take place at 7 p.m. every Wednesday from May 28 through June 25 on the southeast corner of Duke University’s East Campus, behind the East Duke building, and will be broadcast live on WXDU. Each night will feature two live acts on East Campus, followed by an official free after-party concert at The Pinhook. The full lineup will be announced in late April.
In addition to live music, each event will celebrate The Pinhook’s creative and cultural ecosystem by highlighting local shakers and makers at a Since4Eva Market. Each event will spotlight a different Pinhook collaborator: Downtown Durham, Inc (May 28), Country Soul Songbook (June 4), Paradise of Bachelors (June 11), Psychic Hotline (June 18), and Observable Universe (June 25).
“This series has always been about Durham coming together to enjoy music and community. It is important to Duke Arts that we hang onto that value even while we move to a different location this year. The Pinhook represents the very best of what makes Durham a special place, and why Duke is so fortunate to be a part of this remarkable city. We are thrilled to partner with Kym to celebrate the years of incredible music, art, and support that The Pinhook has sustained for so many years and will continue to provide for many more.”
Aaron Shackelford, Duke Arts director of programming
Admission is free; no tickets are required. Visitors are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, picnics, and blankets. Parking on East Campus is free after 5 p.m., and the lawn has several pedestrian entrances. In the event of rain, an alternate location will be announced on the Duke Arts website and social media channels by 1 p.m. on the day of the event.
All concerts will be broadcast live on WXDU 88.7 FM, Duke University Radio, allowing audiences to tune in live from anywhere in Durham or online at wxdu.org.
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About Duke Arts Presents:
Duke Arts Presents is a program of Duke Arts, The Office of the Vice Provost for the Arts, dedicated to presenting world-class professional art on campus, in Durham, and beyond. All Duke Arts Presents events and exhibitions are open to the public. Learn more at arts.duke.edu
About The Pinhook:
A vital hub for Durham’s music and nightlife, The Pinhook is known for its inclusive, artist-centered focus on marginalized voices in music and performance. Learn more at thepinhook.com.
About Music in the Gardens and the Garden Gateway Project:
Duke Gardens is growing with the Garden Gateway, a transformational project to expand and enrich the experience for all visitors, arriving in 2026. During the construction period, most outdoor areas of Duke Gardens will remain open, but the historical location of the Music in the Gardens series is inaccessible to visitors. Learn more about the Garden Gateway project at gardens.duke.edu/gateway.