Part of the Gay Durham Guide — bars, events & things to do.
Durham, North Carolina
North Carolina's only lesbian bar and cocktail lounge in downtown Durham
Arcana is a queer and woman-owned cocktail lounge tucked below street level in downtown Durham. Erin Karcher and Lindsey Andrews opened it in December 2015 in the historic Snow Building; you reach it down an alley and a flight of stairs, which gives it a genuine speakeasy feel. Karcher has been sole owner since 2023. The decor takes its cues from the Rider-Waite tarot deck, and tarot readings are part of the actual programming, not just the theme. The calendar leans community over club: Queer D&D nights, a monthly Dyke Night, figure drawing, burlesque, and craft nights alongside the cocktail menu. Arcana marked its 10th anniversary in December 2025, which in a landscape that keeps losing lesbian bars is its own kind of headline.
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