News

Fun Things to Do at DCP This Weekend

News

Fun Things to Do at Durham Central Park This Weekend

Saturday, April 10, 1-9 p.m. Downtown Durham Inc. is closing the Durham Central Park section of Foster Street to cars and opening it to pedestrian traffic with outdoor seating and buskers. It’s called The Streetery! You can shop, people watch, play, carry out, dine in or dine out (picnic!)

The Streetery is popping up in different sections of downtown on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month. Help us maintain a safer, socially distanced, outdoor downtown experience. Wear a mask while in The Streetery, keep six feet away from people who aren’t in your group and respect the rules our small merchants have put in place to protect their customers and staff. Buskers/street performers:

1-3 p.m. Darrien Rutherford, guitarist

5:30-7:30 p.m. Matt and Maceo Grady, folk/soul duo

5:30-7:30 p.m. Dakota Fox, acrobat and stiltwalker

6-8 p.m. The Cabinet of Wishes, performance poetry

NEW! Food Truck Sunday, April 11, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Food Truck Sunday at Durham Central Park is a time to slow down, enjoy the day, get some local food–to go, or to make a picnic in the park. We will feature 1-2 trucks per afternoon and City of Durham social distancing guidelines apply.

Today’s featured truck is Bull City Street Food, home of the “Fat Bull” burger. BCSF offers unique & delicious street foods from various regions from around the world. Save room for dessert, The Frozen Bull will be there too!

Other News

NEW! Story Time with Barnaby D. Troll Starts Tuesday, March 30

Events, News
troll sculpture

Story Time with Barnaby D. Troll

Tuesdays 10:30-11:30 a.m.

Durham Central Park’s NEW, free weekly program for preschoolers and their families starts March 30th. Join us each Tuesday, from 10:30-11:30 a.m., at the Leaf when instructor Ms. Kristin reads a favorite children’s story, sings a song or two and re-create the story through play on the ADA-accessible Mt. Merrill playground. After Story Time, you can continue to visit Barnaby, Mr. Pickles the Turtle, Rockin’ Reuben the Cardinal, and create a complimentary craft.
  • Best for ages 2-5 years
  • Masks are required for adults and children 5 and up; recommended for younger children if possible.
  • Parents/caregivers must stay with their child the entire hour and are ultimately responsible for their child’s/childrens’ behaviors.
  • Rain Location: The Pavilion
Meet Story Time wit Barnaby D. Troll’s Ms. Kristin: Kristin has worked with young children for more than 30 years as a Speech-Language Pathologist in private settings and in the school system. Her love is sharing favorite stories with preschoolers and then retelling the stories as the children actively participate through language, music and play. Ms. Kristin is excited to use Durham Central Park as a platform to read her favorite children’s books.

A City of Durham COVID-19 Update

News
As of Friday, December 11, the City and County of Durham have adopted the State’s Executive Order 181, with no additional local requirements. For complete details visit the City of Durham COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Updates & Resources page. As we navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic, we are taking the necessary precautions and adhering to the recommendations from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) to prevent the spread of the virus.   
 
Durham Central Park, as a park in the Durham Parks and Rec system, is following the guidance laid out by the city and state. This means that during this time, the park, playgrounds, trails and greenways remain open for people to visit and enjoy. Outdoor gatherings are limited to a maximum of 50 people. The Durham Farmers’ Market remains open following rules and regulations specified by the Department of Public Health. 
 
Additional recommendations include washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth; and staying home when you are sick. The CDC recommends coughing or sneezing into a tissue and then throwing it away, or sneezing into your upper shirt, sleeve or elbow, completely covering your nose and mouth; use your elbow to cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze. Those who are high risk including those who are 65 years of age or older, have long-term medical conditions, or those who have weak immune systems are advised to stay home per the guidelines of the CDC.    

Friends of Durham Central Park Program Unveiled!

News

Durham Central Park is still the place for community, even in a most unusual year.

Amid the tumult of 2020, the value of these precious five acres in the heart of downtown was indisputable. During stay at home orders, the Park remained open for exercise, play, dog walks, fresh air, and safe socializing as we adhered to local and state protocols. 

Despite restrictions on gathering, beneficial activities continued in the Park. The Durham Farmers’ Market reopened in May, offering fresh food and supporting local farmers. Yoga, exercise and dance classes resumed in the Park in July, while studios and gyms remain closed. 

Park improvements advanced. Barnaby D. Troll, a generous gift from the Evans Family, took his place alongside the new creekside trail. Kids of all ages can now visit and climb on sleeping Barnaby or easily explore the Ellerbee Creek. New benches were added and soon, we will install a new, terraced garden behind the Pavilion and plant more than 25 trees to enhance natural beauty and increase shade in the Park.

These plantings signal a grand new redesign, a comprehensive land-use plan we will commission shortly that promises exciting new features for our beloved Park. 

The Park enhanced the physical, social, and emotional health of our community and helped Durham cope with a global tragedy. Even though event cancellations caused a notable drop in revenue, the success of our new Friends of Durham Central Park program mitigated our 2020 operating deficit and put us on solid financial footing going forward.  

DCP, Inc. is grateful for the stalwart support of people like you, which allowed us to accomplish so much in the midst of a pandemic. Your tax-deductible gift of any amount, from $10 to $1,000,  helps us continue our mission of Providing Space for Community. We encourage supporters who can manage it to join the Friends of Durham Central Park by making a three-year pledge—a solemn commitment that will support the park’s operations for years to come. 

Please do what you can (Friend, Sustainer or one-time donor) to ensure as Durham grows and changes, our diverse offerings will continue to invite people downtown to enjoy a place of comfort and inclusion for all.

Sincerely,

Erin Kauffman, Executive Director

Durham Central Park, Inc.

Order LocoPops Today (10/26) to benefit Durham Central Park

News

LocoPops is adored for their local, vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free frozen desserts–flavors like Mango Chile Sorbet and Vietnamese Coffee. Have one, or treat the neighbors. Locopops will donate 10% of pre-tax revenue from online sales on Monday, Oct. 26 to benefit Durham Central Park! Place your order on Monday for pickup or delivery on Tuesday, Oct. 27. Visit https://ilovelocopops.com/ and click Order Online.

Did you miss getting to eat popsicles in the park this summer? We sure missed YOU and scenes like these at our food truck rodeos and concerts. Stock up on some Locopops and eat popsicles FOR Durham Central Park on Durham’s warm fall days!

Watch #BarnabyDTroll make his journey from Liberty Arts Foundry

News, Park Improvements

#BarnabyDTroll is Durham Central Park’s newest feature! Watch our new climbable sleeping TROLL make his journey from Liberty Arts Foundry and walk our new Troll Trail this week. Use the hashtag #BarnabyDTroll when you post your pictures with him.

Durham Central Park is a 5-acre, city owned park that is managed and programmed by Durham Central Park, Inc., a 501(c)3 non-profit. As such, DCP, Inc. relies on the support of generous donors just like you! Donate here or become a sustainer.

#formandfunction #publicart

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=378034839876031&extid=QgUrA825fEEI5z3K

 

Built by: Waller Foushee Studios

Designer: @grafikmythos

Thank you: the Evans family.

   

PLAYlist Concert Series Announcement

News

PLAYlist Concert Series Announcement: we were excited to share this year’s PLAYlist Concert Series lineup with you but, after much consideration and consultation with the City of Durham, NC Government, we have decided to cancel our 2020 PLAYlist Concert Series (June-Sept) in order to protect public health amid the #COVID-19 pandemic. We will miss gathering and the camaraderie of these concerts but feel that the risk and uncertainty is too great at this time. Photo credit Ryan Moeller Photography, 2018. #DurhamNC

#25DaysofGiving to Raise $10,000 to Support DCP’s Operating Funds

News

Giving Tuesday, May 5th, we kicked off #25DaysofGiving to raise $10,000 to support DCP’s operating funds. Our day four running total in #25DaysofGiving is $2141, including five new sustainers! Over the next 21 days, we will share our favorite memories, features and information about the work that we are doing to improve the park and provide space for community during the global pandemic. Please make a donation or become a sustainer to help us continue to serve the Durham community. 

As you may know, the park is operated, programmed and preserved by DCP, Inc. a 501(c)3 nonprofit. We serve as a “Friends of the Park” organization for Durham Central Park and keep the park a beautiful place for you to enjoy. Changes to our pavilion rentals and regularly scheduled programming this spring have caused financial challenges for our small non-profit.

Please make a donation so that we can continue our vital work towards positively impacting the well-being of our community. https://durhamcentralpark.org/donate/

Durham Farmers’ Market Re-Opens on May 2

News
Farmers Stands Next to Durham Farmers Market signAfter closing for the month of April due to COVID-19, the Durham Farmers’ Market has been given permission by the Durham County Health Department to re-open on May 2 from 8am-Noon.
To ensure the safety of vendors and customers, the Durham Farmers’ Market has new safety protocols in place.
      • Everyone is required to wear a face mask
      • There are designated entry and exit points
      • Pre-order and pre-pay are strongly encouraged
      • Maintain a 6′ distance between customers and vendors

The whole code of conduct can be found here.

You might have also noticed some fencing was put up at the park today… Farmer Jack from Sunset Ridge Buffalo Farm (pictured here), along with Durham Farmers’Market staff and DCP board members, have been working very hard today to make sure that the re-opening of the market is safe and successful. One of Durham County Health Department’s requirements for safe operation of farmers markets at this time is that the perimeter needs to be fenced off to ensure that people are following social distancing and traffic flow. The market will be open from 8am-noon on Saturdays and it will operate differently than usual to ensure vendor and customer safety. Please follow their guidelines and remember that face masks are required.

The fencing will stay up for as long as the health department requires. Even though the fencing is up at this time, Durham Central Park remains open for the community to enjoy, safely, of course.

Thank you for your understanding and a big thank you to Durham Farmers Market staff for safely providing fresh, local food to the community.