Durham Central Park

Durham Queer Health Fair

Queer Health Fair

Durham Queer Health Fair is hosted by the LGBTQ Center of Durham. The mission of the Queer Health Fair is to bridge access and bring health supplies to the community. This public event is March 6, 2022, 11am-4pm.

 

 

If you’re looking to host your wedding, class, private gathering or public event at Durham Central Park, you’re in luck. The DCP Pavilion is one of the most affordable spaces in downtown Durham! And rental fees ensure that we can continue to provide space for the community. The Pavilion is a versatile 9000 sq. ft. covered space centrally located in Durham Central Park. Pavilion rentals can include access to the bathrooms, water, electricity, and storage depending on the event’s needs. Read more about rental rates and requirements for renting the Pavilion for your event*

Additionally, you can support the park today by making a tax-deductible donation. Although City of Durham owns Durham Central Park, we do not receive city funding. As a result, the 501(c)3 nonprofit DCP Inc. programs, maintains, and funds the park and all its projects. By becoming a sustainer, you can support this beautiful green space in Downtown Durham’s backyard! Moreover, your monthly, quarterly or annual gift to the park means the world! You can give at any level that makes sense to you. Sustainer gifts of all sizes help keep the park a wonderful space for all.

 

DCP Pavilion Undergoes Improvements

News, Park Improvements, Park Stories

The Pavilion at Durham Central Park is getting a major update:

Painting begins at the DCP Pavilion today, January 19, 2022, and will continue throughout the next month! Yes, this means the pavilion will be periodically closed off to park patrons. Because of weather, rentals, and the painting process, the painting of the pavilion will take place intermittently. So be sure to check if the pavilion has caution tape out before heading to the pavilion for recreation. If the pavilion is roped off and there are painters under the pavilion please enjoy the many other attractions at DCP like the pollinator garden and bee hotel, Mt. Merrill, the Pixel Wall, Barnaby D. Troll and more on the east side of the park.

We will be closing off the pavilion intermittently. Please avoid the highlighted area when you see the pavilion entrances roped off with caution tape.

The Pavilion at Durham Central Park opened with a grand celebration in 2007. Since then, it has hosted weddings, classes, festivals, events, and of course, the Durham Farmers’ Market. The market and other rentals will continue to be open while the painting process goes on, but during the week, we will be restricting access to the pavilion.

 

Gonzales Painters and Contractors, Inc. Begins painting in the Durham Central Park Pavilion
Gonzales Painters and Contractors have begun painting the DCP Pavilion

We’d like to thank Gonzales Painters and Contractors Inc. for providing quality improvement to our beloved pavilion! This will be the first time since the DCP Pavilion opened that we’ve done painting improvements. Routine maintenance is key to keeping our well loved park a safe, dynamic, and fun place to be!

 

Like the improvements we’re making?

Support the work we do to keep the park amazing by donating today. Durham Central Park Inc. is a 501(c)3 that relies on donations and sustainers to maintain, program, and fund this beautiful green space downtown Durham.

Parties For The Park: 5th Annual Brunswick Stew and Soulful Tunes

This fun-filled event has become the most highly attended of the Parties for the Park series, selling out well in advance each year. Multiple local bands will fill the brisk autumn air with cool tunes while you enjoy a bowl of freshly made, pipin’ hot Brunswick stew (yes, there’s a vegetarian option!) and an ice cold pint of beer.

Hosts: Laurie & Matt Williamson

Venue: Ponysaurus Brewing/219 Hood Street, Downtown Durham

150 Tickets – We’re nudging people towards one of two sessions (afternoon / evening) to just spread things out a bit, but rest easy knowing that you can come when you want and stay as long as you want.

Adults: $15 in advance / $20 at the door

Kids 10-18: $7.50

Kids 10 and under: Free! (no need to register them, just bring them !)

Durham Public Schools Employees: Free! (25 available) We love Durham Public Schools and a limited set of free tickets are available for DPS employees as a way to show our love and appreciation!

Menu: All you can eat, freshly-made Brunswick Stew w/ sides (and a veggie option, too), a pint of locally-brewed beer, and hours of freshly made tunes. No beer will be available for the kiddos, but we’ll have lemonade! (We’re required by law to let you know that $3 of your donation covers the cost of the beer… so consider yourself informed!)

Bands: Butcher and the Tin Man, El Jefe, Both Bands, Midnight Gladness, The Simple Joy

This event is part of the Parties for the Park fundraisers for Durham Central Park. Durham Central Park is a 5-acre city park that is managed, programmed and developed by Durham Central Park, Inc. (DCP, Inc.) a 501c3 non-profit organization. DCP, Inc. receives no direct funding from the City of Durham, all of the funds raised to operate the park come from donations, grants, sponsorships and fundraisers like these.  For more information about Parties for the Park, please check out durhamcentralpark.org/faqs/parties-for-the-park

DCP Board Members Match the First $25,000 of Your Donations!

News

The place for community once again is Durham Central Park. As we have navigated the ever-changing pandemic, this park – a five-acre oasis in downtown, open to everyone – has never been more vital.

Our staff of three, along with hundreds of volunteers, board members, new neighbors, and supporters, like you, make it possible for Durhamites and visitors to enjoy the park’s lush gardens and trails, tranquil benches and gorgeous vistas. We maintain this beating heart of the city’s center, 24/7/365, fulfilling the promise made decades ago to transform an overgrown, trash-strewn eyesore into a lively community gathering space. At no time since has this beautiful, accessible park been so important.

This city park, however, is like no other in Durham. It is managed, programmed and improved by a 501c3 non-profit organization, DCP, Inc. We receive no city funding for this work. We oversee all aspects of the park – presenting free programming, hosting hundreds of events at the Pavilion, overseeing the daily maintenance and management of the space.

These past two years, we have put a sharp focus on improving and expanding the park’s gardens, trails, and trees. Heading into 2022, our focus will be on improvements and repairs to the park’s aging facilities, increasing seating, strengthening our free programming and community partnerships. Most importantly, we will spend time visioning and planning for the future so that the park can continue to meet the demands of our growing city.

I invite you to support us or renew your commitment to Durham Central Park by:

  •         Joining as a Friend of Durham Central Park through a three-year pledge of support
  •         Becoming a Monthly, Quarterly, or Annual Park Sustainer
  •         Making a Year-End Gift

This fall, a generous group of DCP, Inc. board members will be matching the first $25,000 of your donations in this year end campaign. Your gift offers comfort and inclusion for all in the heart of a rapidly changing Durham. Thank you for your support and helping to chart our course for a successful 2022.

With gratitude,

Erin Kauffman, Executive Director

Nil Ghosh, Board Chair

 

 

Autumn Food Truck Rodeo

Durham Central Park Food Truck Rodeos aren’t just a great place to eat great street food, they also support Durham Central Park! These events raise thousands of dollars every year to operate, beautify and improve Durham Central Park. It will be smaller than the old days of 50+ trucks, but our very first rodeo in more than a year and a half is Sunday, November 14, 2021! Entry is free, simply pay for what you eat.

Featured craft beer & cider:
The Glass Jug
Bull City Ciderworks
Burty Bull Brewing
Bull City Burger and Brewery
Featured food trucks:
Epic Vegan
Bull City Eatery
Mesas Food Truck
The Paddy Wagon
Chick N Que
Gussy’s Greek
Jay’s Italian Ice
El Jefecito
Cousins Maine Lobster
Fahsyrah Lemonade
Bruster’s Ice Cream
Bulkogi
Chirba Chirba
The Naked Empanada
Dusty Donuts
Yagg Sii Tenn
Qspresso
Virgil’s Jamaican
Don Taco Y Su Pandilla
How ‘Bout Burger
Goodness Grace Us
Safari Eatz
Baton Rouge Cuisine
Barone Meatball Company
Mr. Wingz & Mrs. Thingz

Parties For The Park: LocoPops Give Back Week

Sundries @ LocoPops is giving back 10% to Durham Central Park for all online and in person purchases* the week of 11/1 through 11/7. Here’s some great ideas to making the most of this opportunity and supporting DCP:

Grab an after school treat
Nab some specialty ingredients to kick your at-home dinner scene up a notch
Stock up on essentials from your favorite local producers
Snag a great card or gift for someone special
Pick up a 6 pack or bottle of something tasty to go with dinner
Bring home a new puzzle – winter is coming!
[email protected] is open for in-person shopping Tues-Sun 1:00-7:00PM at their location at 2618 Hillsborough Rd. Or shop online at shop.ilovelocopops.com for in-store pickup or delivery.

* gift certificate purchases not included in offer

Parties For The Park: Treat Your Sweet Tooth on the Roof!

Enjoy a delicious array of sweets, dessert wines and coffees on the Church+Main Rooftop in the heart of downtown with lots of room and its 360 views of Durham!  After your Friday dinner, save room for mouthwatering desserts prepared by Monuts, Sweets By Shayda and Ninth Street Bakery.  Dessert wines provided compliments of D B Sutton & Co Wine Shop and coffees served courtesy Little Waves Coffee Roasters. It promises to be a sweet fall evening!

(If by chance, we need to make this a ‘take-out’ event because of Covid, we are making this a ‘tickets for two’ event…that way we can send you home with a bottle of wine! Hopefully this won’t happen…but just in case.)

Hosts: Ann & Lex Alexander and Charlie Witzleben

Church+Main 

130 East Main Street, Downtown Durham

October 22, 8:00 – 10:00p.m.

20 Tickets for 2

$100

Dress: Casual

Menu: A fabulous and delectable assortment of desserts accompanied by delicious dessert wines and coffees.

*Cancelled*Parties for the Park: Trucks for the Park

We’ve been missing DCP’s Food Truck Rodeos, so we are thrilled that Trucks for the Park is back! Trucks for the Park is a special private, mini food truck rodeo that gives you access to easily sample the flavors of each of the truck’s rolling kitchens. This year, 10+ local food trucks will roll up to the pavilion and prepare a sample of a special menu item they wish to share with you. Walk up to the truck with your ticket and pick up your food, no long lines! Vegetarian options will be available from most trucks. Along with the yummy menu items, each ticket comes with two beers from Durham craft breweries and a cash bar. So, bring your lawn chairs and blankets and enjoy this unique opportunity to enjoy delicious food truck cuisine – both savory and sweet – in one lovely evening in the park!
This year’s featured food trucks: Bulkogi, Gussy’s Greek, Oink & Moo, Safari Eatz, Qspresso, Baton Rouge Cuisine, Bull City Eats, Not Just Icing, Fahsyrah’s Lemonade, Glass Jug Brewery, Bull City Brewery and more to be confirmed soon!
Hosts: Becky & Mike Hacker (Pie Pushers) and Brian Bottger (Only Burger)
The Pavilion at Durham Central Park
501 Foster Street, Durham Central Park
4:00-6:00 p.m.
150 Tickets,
$50, 1 ticket can typically feed 1–2 people, depending on appetite
Dress: Picnic casual
Trucks for the Park is generously sponsored by Clancy Theys Construction Company.

PLAYlist Concert Series: Soul Understated ft. Mavis Swan Poole

Led by vocalist extraordinaire Mavis ’SWAN’ Poole (Lauryn Hill, Prince) and powerful yet melodic drummer Jeremy ‘BEAN’ Clemons (who has performed with Gregory Porter, Burning Spear, Jennifer Holliday and more), Soul Understated delivers a beautifully performed organic sound with stellar musicianship. They’ve appeared at such major festivals as The Blue Note Jazz Fest, The Brooklyn Hip Hop Fest, the Toronto Jazz Festival and the Capital Jazz Super Cruise, while Swan appeared in the HBO series Vinyl.

WNCU’s Friday night Funk, Old School and Disco show and its host, DJ Travis Gales, will simulcast live from Durham Central Park at 7 p.m.

Soul Understated: PLAYlist Concert Series finale Friday

Events

PLAYlist’s finale night, Friday, October 1, presents Soul Understated featuring Mavis “Swan” Pool! Led by vocalist extraordinaire Mavis ’SWAN’ Poole (Lauryn Hill, Prince) and powerful yet melodic drummer Jeremy ‘BEAN’ Clemons (who has performed with Gregory Porter and Burning Spear), Soul Understated delivers a beautifully performed organic sound with stellar musicianship. As a result, they’ve appeared at such major festivals as The Blue Note Jazz Fest, The Brooklyn Hip Hop Fest and Toronto Jazz Festival. Mavis appeared in the HBO series Vinyl! Check out this Kennedy Center footage and look at all this local talent rounding out the band:

Branden Williams II – Keyboards
Hugh Swaso – Guitar
Stacy Dillard – Saxophones
Al Strong – Trumpet
Brevan Hampden – Percussion

WNCU’s Friday night Funk, Old School and Disco show and its host, DJ Travis Gales, simulcasts live from Durham Central Park at 7 p.m. Soul Understated play a 90-minute set at 8 p.m. Local food and beverage vendors are Amagee’s, Oink n’ Moo, Epic Vegan Food Truck, JAM Ice Cream, Glass Jug, Bull City Burger and Brewery and Portfolio Group.

Reserve your free tickets and we’ll see you at the park Friday!