Bull Durham 25th Anniversary Celebration June 13

Combine baseball, Durham, and a great night out and what do you get?  An evening of baseball at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park celebrating the movie Bull Durham, of course!

The Durham Bulls return home to the DBAP on Thursday, June 13 to begin an eight game homestand featuring visits from the Indianapolis Indians and Louisville Bats. A Bull Durham 25th Anniversary Celebration, Bark in the Park, and ‘90s Night highlight the promotional slate, while on the diamond the Bulls face off against Minor League Baseball’s single-season stolen base record holder in Louisville’s Billy Hamilton.

The homestand gets underway on Thursday, June 13 at 7:05pm as the Bulls host the Indianapolis Indians, Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates, in the first of a four game series.  Thursday home games at the DBAP (with the exception of July 4) feature $1 Bright Leaf hot dogs, popcorn and fries. Thursday is also College Night, where students can get a Terrace Reserved ticket and $5 in Bulls Bucks for just $10 or an Outfield Reserved ticket for only $4.99 by entering the promo code COLLEGE (and using a valid .edu email address) when purchasing tickets online at durhambulls.com.

On Friday, June 14, Wilson Law P.A. presents the 7:05pm ballgame and the Friday Night Fireworks show immediately following the contest between the Bulls and Indians. The Diamond Cutters, the Bulls’ world famous dancing grounds crew, will also perform.

Saturday night’s 7:05pm game is presented by Chevrolet. Following the game, Great Outdoor Provision Co. presents the first of three Camp Out Nights during the 2013 season, where scout groups from across the Triangle will spend the night in the DBAP outfield. For Camp Out Night group information, call 919.956.BULL.

Coinciding with the same weekend it was released 25 years ago, fans can take part in the Bull Durham 25th Anniversary Celebration on Sunday, June 16.  Throughout the 5:05pm game, the Bulls will honor the movie that made them internationally famous. The team will wear Bull Durham era throwback jerseys on the field, while all game entertainment will focus on memorable moments and little known facts from the movie. Fans will have a chance to take photos with the new Bull Durham Racers, unveiled this season as a tribute to the anniversary, and also with the original Bull mascot from the movie. In the Ballpark Corner Store, themed Bull Durham merchandise will be available for the first time this season. Following the game, Kids Run the Bases thanks to Pepsi.

On Monday, June 17 at 7:05pm, the Cincinnati Red’s top affiliate begins their only visit of the year. Louisville is led by the exciting Billy Hamilton, who set a Minor League record in 2012 by stealing an astonishing 155 bases. Tuesday’s 7:05pm game is another AAA Membership Card Night. At every Tuesday home game in 2013, fans who show their AAA Membership Card can buy one Terrace Reserved ticket and get one, courtesy of AAA Carolinas.

Wells Fargo presents the 7:05pm game on Wednesday, June 19. Man’s best friend gets run of the DBAP that night during the second Bark in the Park event this season. Four-legged Bulls fans and their owners can get tickets for $10.99 in a special pet section of the Outfield Reserved, or $25 tickets that include a 2-hour all-you-can-eat buffet. $5 of each Bark in the Park ticket purchase goes to benefit Second Chance Pet Adoptions. Tickets for the pet section at Bark in the Park can be ordered online at durhambulls.com using the promo code BARK. New for 2013, both human and canine fans will be treated to several in-game performances by the K9 Crew Frisbee Dogs.

The homestand and series with Louisville concludes with a fun-filled 7:05pm game on Thursday, June 20, presented by the North Carolina Education Lottery.  Thursday’s finale is ‘90s Night at the DBAP, featuring an all-out tribute to the decade that brought us grunge, the spread of mainstream hip hop, The Simpsons and Beverly Hills, 90210. Once again, $1 concession items and College Night specials will be available.

The Durham Bulls return home to the DBAP on Thursday, June 13 to begin an eight game homestand featuring visits from the Indianapolis Indians and Louisville Bats. Tickets for all home games are available at durhambulls.com, by phone at 919.956.BULL, or at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park box office.

Durham is a great place to catch a baseball game. Discover more about Durham.

Bulls Announce Plans to Celebrate 25 Years of Bull Durham

When it comes to baseball, Durham is a pretty important spot. Made here, the movie Bull Durham is widely considered to be the most popular sports movie of all time, just as the subject of it, the Durham Bulls are widely considered to be the most popular AAA Baseball team in the world. Sure, it's not Cooperstown, but its role in baseball's story cannot be downplayed.

The Bulls have announced their plans to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the release of the 1988 movie that made the team internationally famous. Themed in-game entertainment, Bull Durham-era throwback jerseys, and giveaway items are among the activities on tap in 2013.

At every home game during the 2013 season, fans will be welcomed by the familiar “Rules of the Game” video voiced by a very Susan Sarandon-sounding announcer.  Then during each game, Bulls fans will be treated to at least one Bull Durham themed in-game entertainment feature.  Sure to be the most popular of those features are the Bull Durham Racers.

Unveiled on Opening Day, the racers have already created quite the buzz on the Internet with blog features on Baseball America, MLB Fan Cave, and Yahoo’s Big League Stew.  Serving as fan-friendly caricatures of Bull Durham’s most beloved stars, Racer Crash, Racer Nuke and Racer Annie will appear at big home games, racing along the warning track before exiting into the crowd for up-close photo opportunities.  Watch video of the Bull Durham Racers here.  Other in-game features will include trivia contests and videos of former and current Bulls reenacting famous scenes from the movie are here.

During Saturday home games, the Bulls will sport Bull Durham-era throwback jerseys. These late ‘80s/early ‘90s styled pullover tops will be auctioned off during the final Saturday home game of the season on August 24, with proceeds going to local non-profit groups.  The jerseys will also be worn on Sunday, June 16 when the Bulls host the Bull Durham 25th Anniversary Celebration, a game-long tribute to the film coinciding with the exact weekend it was released a quarter century ago.

Durham Bulls Mini Plan holders and Diamond Club members will have exclusive access to several Bull Durham themed giveaway items in 2013, including a Crash Davis catcher’s style backpack, and Nuke LaLoosh and Annie Savoy jersey t-shirts.

At concession stands, the spicy “Nuke Dog” makes its menu debut. Named for the fireball throwing Ebby Calvin “Nuke” LaLoosh, it’s a classic Carolina Packers red hot dog with crushed red pepper as an added ingredient. The “Nuke Dog” is also topped with the award-winning “Get Me a Switch” spicy relish from locally based Cottage Lane Kitchen.

More Bull Durham themed features and events will be announced throughout the season. The Durham Bulls resume their current homestand on Tuesday, April 23 with the first of four games against the Toledo Mud Hens. Tickets for all home games are available the DBAP box office, by calling 919.956.BULL or online.

Click here for more ways to enjoy Durham, NC.

Film Festivals in Focus

Film is important to Durham, and has been for decades.  Since the 1950 movie Bright Leaf, Durham has taken on a roll in film both as a subject and a backdrop, as well as a venue for them to be showcased.  Bull Durham, arguably the most popular sports movie of all time, served as all three.

As of this past weekend, Durham's newly renovated Carolina Theatre played host the to the world premier of the most recent film to make it to the big screen that was shot in Durham, Main Street.  Critical acclaim or not, success or not, it's production brought revenue to the community and exposure to the destination.

The Carolina's renovations, however, are a hit and include both cosmetic as well as functional enhancements resulting in a more user-friendly and luxurious experience.  A return visit is in order for those who've not been recently.

Below is a list of film festivals and series held in Durham annually, and each are linked to their respective websites to make seeing them easy to plan.  Coming up this weekend is the Escapism Film Festival, and it looks to be exactly that - a great escape.

Durham Film Festivals

Full Frame Documentary Film Festival - Durham, April 

NC Latin American Film Festival – Duke University, November

BrickFlix LEGO Shorts Film Festival – Carolina Theatre, May

Strange Beauty Film Festival – Durham, February

Nevermore Film Festival – Carolina Theatre, February

NC Gay & Lesbian Film Festival – Carolina Theatre, August

Hayti Heritage Film Festival – Hayti Heritage Center, February

Escapism Film Festival – Carolina Theatre, October

Durham Riverkeeper Film Festival – Neuse River Foundation, January

Dancing for the Camera: International Festival of Film and Video Dance – American Dance Festival, June

Durham Film Series

Retrofantasma Film Festival – Carolina Theatre, October

The Tournées Festival – Duke University, Fall

Muslim Film Series - Duke University, Fall

Rights! Camera! Action! Film Series – Duke University, Winter

Screen/Society – Duke University, Fall

Movies in the Park – Durham Central Park, Spring

Bulls' Solondz to Call Triple-A All-Star Game

Just seems like great things keep happening in Durham, and to the folks who live and work here.  Today Triple-A Baseball today announced that Durham’s Neil Solondz will call the action from this year’s Triple-A All-Star Game live on the Triple-A All-Star Game Radio Network.  Solondz is in his eighth season as the radio announcer for the Bulls.  It is the first time he has called the Triple-A All-Star Game and the second such honor for a Bulls Broadcaster (Steve Barnes 2003).

Solondz is in his eighth season with the Bulls after working for the Lakewood BlueClaws and Quad City River Bandits. Along with minor league baseball, Solondz worked six years on the Rutgers Radio Network, and has been part of NC State football and basketball broadcasts the past three seasons. Neil has also done several broadcasts of Durham Bulls and USA Baseball games for MLB Network.

The Bulls are the most famous team in Triple A baseball and were the subject of the most famous sports movie of all time, Bull Durham which was filmed in Durham and at the Durham Athletic Park which is ranks 35th of the top 100 sports venues of all time.