ABOUT THE CONFERENCE CENTER

With over 70,000 attendees and 650 programs per year, the Friday Conference Center is one of the premier conference facilities in the Southeast. Our versatile meeting spaces, dedicated event planners, and exceptional services will ensure your event is a success.

Programs and services that were previously managed by the Friday Center for Continuing Education are now part of UNC-Chapel Hill Digital and Lifelong Learning (DLL), the University’s dedicated resource for digital, flexible, and nontraditional learning.

The William and Ida Friday Center honors two North Carolinians who have devoted their lives to enhancing and improving the lives of their fellow citizens through their work in education, the arts, and public health. William C. Friday served as president of the University of North Carolina for thirty years, while his wife, Ida, has promoted the arts through her work with a number of North Carolina arts organizations.

PARKING

Parking: The Friday Conference Center guest parking lot is provided at no cost exclusively for conference attendees. The semi-circle guest lot is located across from the main entrance at the South end of the facility. Permits are required and must be displayed on the dashboard of each vehicle when parked in the guest lot.

Permits are not valid for the Friday Center Park & Ride lot or Employee R6 lot.

Public Transit: The Friday Center is served by both public and private transportation services. Several bus routes of the Chapel Hill Transit system serve our area.

DIRECTIONS

GPS Address: 100 Friday Center Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27517

    • From Winston-Salem, Greensboro, and west: Take I-40 East to Exit 273 (Hwy 54 West/Chapel Hill). Turn right at top of ramp. Proceed approximately 2 miles and turn left onto Friday Center Drive. Take the second right into the Friday Center parking area. Guest parking is on the left; the Friday Center is on the right.
    • From Durham: Take I-85 South to 15-501. Take I-40 East to Exit 273 and follow the directions above.
    • From Charlotte: Take I-85 North to Greensboro and follow the directions from Greensboro above.
    • From Raleigh: Take I-40 West to Exit 273A (Hwy 54 West/Chapel Hill). Proceed approximately 2 miles and turn left onto Friday Center Drive. Take the second right into the Friday Center parking area. Guest parking is on the left; the Friday Center is on the right.
    • From south of Chapel Hill, arriving on Hwy 15-501 North: Take the 15-501/54 East bypass as you approach Chapel Hill. Proceed approximately 2 miles and take the Hwy 54 East exit toward Raleigh. Proceed 1 mile and turn right onto Friday Center Drive. Take the second right into the Friday Center parking area. Guest parking is on the left; the Friday Center is on the right.

LOCAL HOTELS

When you’re booking accommodations, we can recommend nearby hotels, some of which offer special Friday Center or University of North Carolina rates.

LOCAL ATTRACTIONS

Chapel Hill and the surrounding area is a great place to eat, explore, shop, and play. If you have free time during your stay, discover some of our most popular attractions. For ideas, recommendations, and reviews, visit: