5 Free Things to do at Duke in March 2024

Arrival of spring delivers opportunities to enjoy nature, music and events for curious minds

A collage of photos
Fun events at Duke in March include, clockwise from top left, the quiet afternoons at the Duke Campus Farm, a guided tour of Duke Gardens, an open house at the Duke Lemur Center Museum, a talk by author T. Kingfisher and performances by the Ciompi Quartet and guest Allan Ware. Submitted photos.

At Duke, the month of March provides options for fans of nature, music and literature, as well as unique events for curious minds.

Whether a lunch break spent wandering Sarah P. Duke Gardens or a Saturday afternoon open house at one of Duke’s hidden gems, check out some fun things you can do for free at Duke in March.

During the academic year, the Working@Duke editorial team searches the Duke Event Calendar and elsewhere to find five free things to do at Duke. Check back in April for the next batch of events.

Duke Gardens' Kavanah Anderson leads the monthly Midday Meander event. Photo by Stephen Schramm.

March 14 – Duke Gardens Midday Meander

From 12:15-1 p.m. on Thursday, March 14, join Duke Gardens Director of Learning and Community Engagement Kavanah Anderson for an informal guided tour of the gardens. The tour features little-known facts about Duke Gardens, tidbits of horticultural history and opportunities to experience the plants and scenes found in the gardens with all of your senses. Participants are also encouraged to bring along their questions and stories about the wonders of plants.

Registration for the event is required.

Author T. Kingfisher will read from her two most-recent books when she visits campus March 20.

March 20 – Author Talk with T. Kingfisher

T. Kingfisher, an award-winning writer and illustrator, and the author of several popular fantasy books for children and adults, will visit Duke for a reading and discussion at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 20. The event is sponsored by Duke’s Department of German Studies and takes place in the Reuben-Cooke Building’s Zener Auditorium.

Kingfisher will read from her newest books Swordheart and What Feasts at Night. A Q&A session will follow.

The Ciompi Quartet will be joined by Allan Ware on clarinet in a pair of performances this month.

March 21 – Ciompi Quartet’s Downtown Durham Performance

Duke’s Ciompi Quartet, which features acclaimed faculty string musicians, will perform at the NorthStar Church of the Arts in downtown Durham at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, March 21. The quartet will be joined by North Carolina-born clarinetist Allan Ware, who has performed on stages across Europe. The musicians will perform works by composers Paul Ben-Haim and Arnold Schonberg.

The Ciompi Quartet will also perform with Allan Ware at noon on Friday, March 22 at Goodson Chapel as part of the Lunchtime Classics series.

And at 5 p.m. Friday, March 29, Ciompi Quartet cellist Caroline Stinson will perform with Jennifer Streeter on harpsichord and Huijuan Ling on the organ.

The Land and Listen event will give guests a chance to enjoy restful time at Duke Campus Farm. Photo courtesy of Duke Campus Farm.

March 22 – Land and Listen

The Duke Campus Farm’s new Land and Listen event offers students, staff, faculty and community members a chance to reflect and relax at the peaceful surroundings of Duke’s one-acre working farm in Duke Forest.

The event, which takes place at 4 p.m. Friday, March 22, begins with the reading of a short piece of poetry and a loosely facilitated discussion, and features unstructured time during which visitors can explore the farm, do crafts and harvest flowers.

For those interested in a hands-on experience at the Duke Campus Farm, community workdays will be held from 1-4 p.m. each Friday in March.

The Duke Lemur Center Museum on Broad St. will hold an open house on March 30.

March 30 – Duke Lemur Center Museum Open House

The Duke Lemur Center Museum of Natural History, which is located on Broad Street, is one of Duke’s hidden gems. And from 1-4 p.m. on Saturday, March 30, the public is invited to pop in for a glimpse into primate history.

Visitors to the museum’s open house can check out a new exhibit which traces primates from their lemur-like beginnings to today’s diversity. See real fossils and bones from around the world and get a look at how they are preserved and studied.

In addition to getting an up-close look at the fossils, the museum team members will be on hand to talk about their research and answer any questions from guests young and old.

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