Home › Events › OUTSOUTH Queer Film Festival

Aug 13 - 16, 2026

OUTSOUTH Queer Film Festival

A Signature Event For Durham

 

About the Festival

The OUTSOUTH Queer Film Festival is the second largest LGBTQ+ film festival in the Southeast, attracting thousands of patrons to downtown Durham every year since 1995.

Festival History

Since beginning in 1995 as “A Salute to Pride” and running from 1996-2019 as the North Carolina Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, this event has always featured a diverse array of shorts, documentaries and feature films. Discover Durham named this festival a Signature Event for Durham, the highest honor bestowed on a cultural event or attraction by the organization.

Festival Mission

OUTSOUTH Queer Film Festival celebrates a worldwide glimpse of today’s LGBTQ+ life, helps bring the community together and features entertaining and sophisticated films and filmmaking.

Thank You To Our 2026 Title Sponsors

 

 

Thank You To Our 2026 Sponsors

Thank You To Our Committee Members

 

2026 OUTSOUTH Programming Committee

Chuck Wheeler, Festival Manager

Mark Ambrose
Brian Johnson
Joylynn Miller
Paul Neebe
Debra Hawkins
Reymundo Garcia
Stephen Lee
Marc Lee
Caitlin Herguth
Carrie Varnedore
John Gebhardt
Andrea Horn
Angela Harvey
Jermanni Cooper
Kaye Vassey
Sandhya Anantharaman
Kurt Conner
Violet Holt
Jennifer Echevarria
Jelani Drew
Dave McDonald
Kim McHugh
Nora Kilcup
Jean Gasparini

Social Media Committee

Chuck Wheeler

Audience Services Committee

Jim Manchester, Team Leader

Paul Cain
Carson Farley
Carl Patterson
Ron Miller
Linda Warren

Artist Hospitality Committee

Sandhya Anantharaman
Kurt Conner
Jelani Drew
John Gebhardt
Deanna Gregory
Taylor Hensley
Violet Holt
Brian Johnson
Nora Kilcup
John McHugh
Kim McHugh
Paul Neebe
Chuck Wheeler

INDIVIDUAL TICKETS: $15 (plus taxes and fees)
Individual tickets are available online, in-person, or by calling the Barnes Box Office at (919) 560-3030.

5-PASS: $60 (plus taxes and fees)
5-PASSES are available for purchase online or in-person. Passes can be redeemed at the Barnes Box Office or online.

BUY 5-PASS

Make the most of your OUTSOUTH experience by visiting our incredible community partners throughout the festival. These local businesses are helping celebrate OUTSOUTH all week long.

  • Velvet Hippo – Sip the return of the festival favorite, the “OutSour” specialty cocktail, created especially for OUTSOUTH.
  • Alley 26 – Enjoy two OUTSOUTH-inspired cocktails: “Paris’ Bourbon” (whiskey, peach, lemon, and soda), inspired by the iconic documentary Paris Is Burning, and “Upstairs at the Macho Room,” an elevated Cosmopolitan featuring house-infused orange vodka, Cointreau, house-made spiced cranberry syrup, and fresh lime—a tribute to the legendary A-House bar in Provincetown.
  • Primrose – Raise a glass with “Electric Bloom,” a vibrant specialty cocktail created in celebration of the festival.
  • Lutra Bakery – Receive 10% off your purchase when you present your OUTSOUTH ticket stub.
  • Bull City Burger & Brewery – Get a free order of Dirty Fries with the purchase of a 100% grass-fed burger, hot dog, or veggie burger when you show your OUTSOUTH ticket stub.
  • Letters Bookshop – Enjoy 15% off your entire purchase with your OUTSOUTH ticket stub.
  • Flying Bull Restaurant & Brewery – Receive free truffle fries with your OUTSOUTH ticket stub.
  • Loaf – Stop by during the festival for Cosmic Brownies with Rainbow Sprinkles, available exclusively throughout OUTSOUTH.
  • Arcana – Discover a menu of special OUTSOUTH-themed cocktails crafted just for the festival.
  • Ment Beverage – Enjoy the Carolina Cider! For every pour, $1 will be donated to support the Theatre’s mission.

Sign up for OUTSOUTH emails to receive weekly updates leading up to the festival.