Concert to Benefit First In Families of NC

Going to a concert in Durham is always a great experience, but attending a concert that helps people with disabilities is even better.

First In Families of North Carolina will host a benefit concert Sunday, April 7^th, 4pm at Historic St. Joseph’s Performance Hall (Former St. Joseph’s AME Church), located at 804 Old Fayetteville Street, Durham, NC 27701. The ticket cost is $25 in advance and $35 day of event with all proceeds going to First In Families of NC.

The event will feature singer-songwriter, Jonathan Edwards. Four decades into a career of uncompromising musical integrity, Jonathan delivers songs of passion, insight, and humor, all rendered in that pure and powerful tenor which, like fine wine, has only grown sweeter with age. Jonathan Edwards is a vital and relevant artist in today’s folk and Americana scenes and measures his success by his enduring ability to attract and take care of his audience. His repertoire includes classics such as “Honky Tonk Stardust Cowboy,” “Sometimes,” “Everybody Knows Her,” and the 1971 hit song “Sunshine (Go Away Today).”  

Also performing will be Durham-based blues guitarist, singer and songwriter, JohnDee Holeman. Born in Hillsborough, NC, John Dee Holeman has toured both in the US and overseas, including performances at New York’s Carnegie Hall and abroad on behalf of the United States Information Agency’s Arts America program. More recently he has recorded on the Music Maker label, backed by well-known players such as Taj Mahal and Cool John Ferguson. In 2008 Zeke Hutchens produced John Dee’s most recent CD, “You Got To Lose, You Can’t Win All The Time.”   

FirstIn Families of North Carolina is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation whose purpose is to help people with disabilities and their families to believe in their dreams, achieve their goals, and give back to others. First In Families serves individuals with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities and/or Traumatic Brain Injuries and their families throughout North Carolina.  

For tickets and information contact First In Families of NC at 919.251.8368  or  www.FIFNC.org

For more information about events in Durham, visit the Durham Events Calendar.

25th Annual Bull Durham Blues Festival Back Home at the DAP

The St. Joseph's Historic Foundation, Inc. in Durham is pleased to announce the 25th Annual Bull Durham Blues Festival will return to the Durham Athletic Park (DAP) on September 7 & 8, 2012.

After moves around the city to other locations, the festival's return to the DAP is exciting news, said Janella Sellars, Interim Executive Director. "It is time for the festival to come home.  Community members regularly share their wonderful experiences at the DAP, noting the good food, music, dancing through the night and the camaraderie they have come to look forward to every year at the Blues Festival.  Many have children who've grown up attending the festival at the DAP.  It's a family-friendly environment that the community has come to love and cherish as it is now interwoven into the fabric that is Durham," she said.

The festival has sought a permanent location since the renovation of the DAP in 2008-09, and in past years, has been held at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park, Durham Performing Arts Center and Durham Central Park. Despite the numerous changes of locations, Sellars says the community has continued to support the festival with letters, emails, phone calls and news articles.  They want to see the festival strengthen and continue its status as one of the top Blues Festivals in the country, she said.

While this year's Blues Festival continues its tradition of harp blowing, guitar strumming, down home blues, it also promises something for the entire family, including a KidsZone with interactive entertainment for youngster, and a Marketplace where blues lovers can indulge in an eclectic mix of regional and international foods for the soul, arts and crafts by NC artists, and a variety of unique specialty items.

The artists' line-up will be announced in the coming weeks.  Special discounted Pre-Sale Tickets will be available June 1-30, with advance tickets going on sale July 1st. Blues lovers are invited to bring their blankets, but to help preserve the field, lawn chairs will not be allowed. The festival goers can enjoy the fun on the infield or in the grandstand, rain or shine!!  Gates open at 5 p.m. and show ends at 11 p.m.

The annual Bull Durham Blues Festival, produced by St. Joseph's Historic Foundation, Inc., has been successfully presented since 1988. It is nationally recognized as one of the premier blues festivals in the country and has been honored with the "Keeping the Blues Alive Award" by The Blues Foundation in Memphis, TN.  The festival has become one of North Carolina's largest celebrations of the blues, recognizing Durham's rich musical heritage as an important center of Carolina and Piedmont Blues. 

Bull Durham Blues Festival Meets Durham Central Park

The 24th season of the Bull Durham Blues Festival will be unlike any other. Every year the Festival brings national recognition to the home of the "Piedmont Blues" and is considered an important piece of the local tapestry. As a special thank you to the community that has supported the annual Blues Festival, St. Joseph's Historic Foundation has made this year's event free to the public.

In direct response to feedback from Festival supporters, the Bull Durham Blues Festival will return to an outdoor setting: namely, Durham Central Park. The St. Joseph's Historic Foundation has partnered with the city and Durham Central Park  to present the Bull Durham Blues Festival on September 10 from 6 p.m. to midnight.

Through the years, Festival goers have shared the richness of the blues heritage and experienced an event well-suited for families, friends and Blues lovers of all ages. Lawn chairs are encouraged for maximum enjoyment of this distinctly Durham event.

 24th Annual Bull Durham Blues Festival
Saturday, September 10, 2011
6pm-12 Midnight (gates open at 5pm)