Downtown Durham is gearing up for an exciting new tradition this fall with the debut of the first-ever Missy Lane’s Block Party on Saturday, October 4.
Presented by Missy Lane’s Charitable Foundation, Missy Lane’s Assembly Room, and Stretch Music, the event will take over the 300 block of East Main Street—right in front of Missy Lane’s Assembly Room—for a full day of music, food, art, and community.
The event was inspired by the spirit of the Art of Cool Festival, which ran from 2014 to 2017 under the leadership of founder Dr. Cicely Mitchell. The 2025 block party will merge a street festival atmosphere with high-energy performances, and will feature two stages—the Call Stage and the Response Stage—to offer a nonstop flow of top-tier national acts throughout the day.
Tier 1 of the lineup already promises a stellar mix: Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah (with special guests to be announced), Bilal, Revive Big Band with special guest Nao Yoshioka, Kiefer, Braxton Cook, Butcher Brown, Zo! & Tall Black Guy, Tomoki Sanders, Elena Pinderhughes featuring Samora Pinderhughes, and J Hoard. More performers will be revealed soon.
But the festival isn’t just about the music. Visitors can expect a youth activity zone for family-friendly fun, a food pavilion with regional culinary favorites, community organization tents, a bustling vendor marketplace, and dedicated spaces for fraternities, sororities, and civic groups to connect with festival-goers.
Toast POS has signed on as the visionary partner, with additional support from the City of Durham’s Cultural & Public Art Program and the Durham County Main Library. More partnerships will be announced as the event draws closer.
