Venues
The Durham Armory
The Durham Armory is the location of all the live band dances at Flying Home. There will also be classes there during the day. Parking at one of the parking garages is probably the most convenient as the late night venue and the other class venue are both less than a mile away. (Although you might want to bring comfy walking shoes)
Having an event at the Armory is how Flying home started. It was completed in 1937 just in time for most of the notable bands of the swing era to have toured through it. One of the shows that took place here was the inspiration for the famous Ernie Barnes painting “Sugar Shack”
Thanks to Laura Windley we have an article about some of the famous bands that played here and around Durham. (Click here to read more)
212 Foster St, Durham, NC 27701
The cotton Room
Well we said the venue last year was “dreamy” this one is nearly twice as big!
Originally erected in 1900 as a textile factory, The Cotton Room now houses some of the Triangles’ most beautiful weddings and exclusive events. Mostly we love it for the huge wood floor!
A little history about the building: The Golden Belt Bag Factory, named for the band that wrapped these tobacco packages at first occupied a single room at American Tobacco, and made only tobacco bags – the mostly women and children workers stringing and labeling them at home for 30-40 cents per thousand bags. An average worker could do about 500 bags per day. An expert could do twice as many.
As Durham’s tobacco industry took off during the industrial revolution, so did Carr’s cloth and bag making ventures. Golden Belt automated and expanded, buying the vacant factory buildings of American Tobacco predecessors the Whitted and Lyon tobacco companies on East Pettigrew between Mangum and Roxboro Streets. Golden Belt also diversified, adding bags for flour, cornmeal, and salt to their offerings.
807 EAST MAIN STREET
BUILDING 2, ROOM 350
DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA 27701
Arthur Murray Studio (Durham)
Home of our late night dances the Arthur Murray Studio is the space that was known as the Living Arts Collective during the Bull City Swingout. So you can expect the same wonderful sprung floor in an a building that used to be a car dealership.
Right in the middle of the Durham Warehouse District this venue is close to lots of food and drinks. Fullsteam Brewery is right down the road with nationally recognized beers and Motorco Music Hall across the street has a late night menu at their restaurant Parts and Labor.
Parking is sometimes hard to come by, there is a lot across the street, as well as on the street parking around the block. It isn’t too far from the Armory so you could leave your car in the garage and either walk or take an inexpensive uber.
410 W Geer St, Durham, NC 27701
Old Murphy School @ Shared visions retreat center
A 15 minute drive from the Durham Armory this old schoolhouse feels like it is way out in the country.
It will be home of our beginner track on Saturday.
The Murphey School was built in 1923, and is a one-story, Spanish Revival style brick building with a hip-on-hip roof covered in pressed metal shingles resembling terra cotta tiles. The front facade features a projecting central hip roof front entrance. Attached to the school is a one-story neoclassical style auditorium addition built in 1936 with a Doric order portico.
3717 Murphy School Road, Durham, NC 27705