Fresh from Durham Farmers' Market

This week Durham Farmers' Market Chef in the Market will be Chef Dave Alworth from Guglhupf. Dave will demonstrate how to make Kohlrabi Latkas with Chapel Hill Creamery's Quark. The demo starts at 10AM on the Central lawn under the blue tent. Quantities will be limited; recipes will be available.

A quick note about honey....
When the Tulip Poplars start to bloom that means that it is almost time to start harvesting honey.  Well, the Tulip Poplars have bloomed so, it won't be long until to 2011 honey crop will be available at the Market.  David Fruchtenicht, of Fruchtenicht Honey, has taken the month of May off to harvest honey and he'll be back at Market in early June.  This week, if you are looking for honey, check out Little Tree Farm's booth, they will have the last of their 2010 "vintage" honey.

Fresh this Week
Fruit:  Peaches, Strawberries, Blueberries, Dewberries and *maybe* some Sour Cherries
Vegetables:  GREEN BEANS! Asparagus, Artichokes, Arugula, Bok Choy,  Beets, Braising Greens, Broccoli, Broccoli Raab, Celery, Chinese Cabbage, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Collards,  Cucumbers, English (Shelling) Peas, Escarole, Fava Beans, Fennel, Frisee, Green Garlic, Green Onions, Herbs (Cilantro, Oregano, Parsley, Dill, Chives, Mint),  Kale, Kohlrabi, Leeks, Lettuce, Mustard Greens, New Potatoes, Radishes, Onions, Pea Shoots, Salad Mix,  Shiitake Mushrooms, Swiss Chard, Spinach, Summer Squash, Sugar Snap Peas, Tat Soi,  Greenhouse Tomatoes,  Turnips - white and purple,  Turnip Greens, Vitamin Greens, Zucchini
Flowers:  Asiatic Lillies, Batchelor Buttons, Calla Lilys, Delphiniums, Larkspur, Phlox, Snap Dragon
Meats: Beef, Bison, Chicken, Duck, Goat/Chevon, Lamb, Pork
And: Honey, Chicken and Duck Eggs, Flour, Yellow & White Cornmeal, Grits, Pecans, Wines, Fresh and Aged Goats and Cows Milk Cheeses, Baked Goods, Pasta, Beer, Wine, Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Preserves, Handmade Chocolates, Wool, Landscaping Plants and Vegetable Transplants
Crafts: Handmade Clothes & Jewelery, Baskets, Pottery, Photographs, Soaps and much more...

Arts Community Rallies to Save The Scrap Exchange

The Durham community is rallying around two Durham nonprofit art institutions; The Scrap Exchange and the Liberty Arts Foundry. The organizations, along with many artists and businesses have been displaced from their Liberty Warehouse location due to the heavy rains that fell May 14, a partial roof collapse, and the subsequent condemning of the building.

In an effort to help the nonprofits secure a new location, offset any costs lost in relocation and help in reopening as soon as possible, the local music community will be putting on a day-long benefit show: Save the Scrap at Casbah on Saturday, June 4 from 1pm-1am.

Save the Scrap will feature (at least) 10 hours of music by 10+ bands for 10 bucks. All of the money will go towards the Scrap Exchangeʼs Capital Campaign and Liberty Arts Foundry relocation. Benefit organizers have received an outpouring of support from local venue owners and area musicians representing all genres of music; the following are just a few of the performers:

Rainbow Nerd, Durham Ukulele Orchestra, The Pnuerotics, Midtown Dickens, Mary Johnson Rockers, Phil Cook & His Feat, LiLa, Hindugrass, Sara Bell, JKuchma and Thee Dirtybeats

Additionally, Casbah will be hosting an Artist Market featuring the work of local artists, artisans and friends of the Liberty Warehouse tenants. The Scrap Exchange will be on site with a hands-on make and take, silk screening Save the Scrap on apparel provided by attendees. Attendees are encouraged to bring an extra shirt!

Both The Scrap Exchange and Liberty Arts Inc will be relocating to a permanent location in the mill behind Golden Belt, at 923 Franklin Street. The Scrap Exchange plans to reopen the same day as the event, during itʼs regular store hours 10-4.

Save the Scrap organizers are calling out to all of those who vowed to support “the myriad of places we have all come to love... and to support Durhamʼs nonprofits” in last monthʼs massive show of community engagement, Marry Durham.

Accion Emprendedora to Serve Hispanic Micro-Entrepreneurs

Durham's community diversity is one of this place's most valued attributes - right up there with being entrepreneurial.  So the announcement of a new source of support to the Hispanic community is pretty big news in the place where great things happen. 

Durham is already home to several business incubators.  Bull City Forward, American Underground, Startup Stampede and more recently The Cookery, provide the necessary support to bring new business ventures and social enterprises to life. Through this network of innovators and social change makers came a empower an underserved set of entrepreneurs – Acción Emprededora, an incubator targeted to assist Hispanic micro-entrepreneurs.

Under the direction of Duke University's Fuqua School of Business Graduate, Alenjandro Snachez  and with the support of Bull City Forward, El Centro Hispano and the Latino Community Credit Union,  Acción Emprendedora will help entrepreneurs in the Hispanic community achieve some major goals.  The non-profit is dedicated to developing the Hispanic small business sector through trainings, technical assistance, networking and support through the process of obtaining financing.

Acción Emprendedora’s mission is to overcome poverty through entrepreneurship - they will launch their first round of classes in September.

Carolina Theatre Gets a Face Lift

The 85-year old Carolina Theatre is about to get a face lift.  Considered one of Durham’s important “place-based” assets, the theatre has a character and appeal that are distinctly Durham.

When it opened in 1926, it was the first theater in Durham to admit African-Americans.  Now it delights audiences of all ages and ethnicities with a combination of local, regional and national acts including films, plays, comedy and music of all styles.

Renovations include new carpeting, plaster repairs and painting, new doors and windows, new sound systems and the opening of the six private boxes in Fletcher Hall.  The theatre will close on June 13 and reopen in October with a partial reopening in August for the North Carolina Gay & Lesbian film Festival.

Read more of the full release here.

Proof That Festivals Can Leverage Community Improvement And Help Change Lives

Durham blogger and President Emeritus of the Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau shares his thoughts on the social and economic impact of home-grown festivals.

Proof That Festivals Can Leverage Community Improvement And Help Change Lives 
Bull City Mutterings
Reyn Bowman


We learn to expect the close partnership, such as the one between the world-acclaimed Full Frame Documentary Film Festival and the Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau (DCVB) to culminate with a publicizing of input-output-based estimate of economic impact including local tax yield.

But Full Frame’s executive director Deirdre Haj is proof that Festivals can be leveraged even further to improve lives and communities in other ways.

She’s a firm believer that, as an apprentice profession, filmmaking and particularly documentary filmmaking could be a perfect fit one day at Durham’s Holton Resource & Career Center. She’s partnering with the East Durham Children’s Initiative on a pilot project with the help of some grants from Durham Rotary Club (Downtown) and Durham-based Mary Duke Biddle Foundation and GSK.

Her passion and dream for an eventual Documentary Film Trade School in Durham, a community with an already significant resume as a film location, is informed by solid independent third-party research conducted on a program by the Adobe Foundation.

The research showed that after involvement in documentary filmmaking, “at-promise” youth, a term Ms. Haj prefers to “at-risk:”

• 84% of youth reported learning more about important issues of their own choosing,

• 86% of participating youth believing their work could make a difference,

• 91% saying their opinions matter, and

• 91% of participating youth are interested in continuing their education after high school.

Durham is fortunate to not only have a wider range of signature festivals than other communities but the fact that the majority are homegrown contributes to the community’s unique-sense-of-place and personality.

And as Full Frame Documentary Film Festival is proving, the difference they can make doesn’t stop there!

And DCVB’s role in this partnership is proof to those in the community/destination marketing arena that fostering and nurturing the sustainability of uniquely, home-grown festivals is a very relevant part of what visitor-centric economic and cultural development is all about.

ACC Baseball Championship Begins Today

There will be plenty of baseball to see in Durham Bulls Athletic Park during the coming days, but none of the athletes will be sporting reflex blue and Texas Tan.

The 38th Atlantic Coast Conference Baseball Championship will be played in Durham Bulls Athletic Park May 25-29, bringing together the top eight teams in the ACC. BUY TICKETS

This year's event marks the seventh time it's been held in Durham and the fifth time in Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Kris Pierce, Assistant Commissioner for ACC Championships, couldn't be happier about the location of the 2011 championship. "Hosting the ACC baseball championship in a historic park like the Durham Bulls Athletic Park is just something that makes it a very unique experience for our student athletes and our fans and our teams," she said.

Each year, a selection committee composed of athletic directors and other administrators meet to vote on a location for the championship. With five of the eight competing teams located less than 300 miles away from Durham, the 10,000-seat stadium seemed like an ideal venue for this year's event. "We enjoy it, and it's centrally located in the ACC's footprint, so that makes a lot of sense for us, Pierce said. "And certainly the support that we get from the Durham Bulls organization helps make for a successful event."

While there has been talk of making Charlotte the permanent location for the ACC Football Championship, Pierce said so far the committee is still discussing various future locations for the ACC Baseball Championship. The event will be held in Greensboro in 2012 before returning to Durham in 2013. But Pierce said the idea of choosing a permanent location could be the topic of future discussions. "Certainly I think there are some advantages to having a home site that you have the championship each year," Pierce said. "But that's certainly something that our conference will continue to discuss moving forward."

The championship will be held in a round-robin format for the fifth straight year, in which teams divided into two separate pools will compete in three games each. From Wednesday through Sunday there will be three games each day, with start times of 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sunday's final game will begin at 1 p.m. between the winner of each pool.

Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Miami, North Carolina, N.C. State, Virginia and Wake Forest will appear in this year's championship. The Seminoles beat N.C. State in the 2010 final game to earn its fifth ACC title. With six of the eight competing teams ranked in the top 25, the 2011 ACC Baseball Championship will feature some of the best baseball talent in the country.

And Pierce just can't wait to see the athleticism showcased in the heart of downtown Durham. "We know that the teams are going to bring their talents to the field and we're all working hard to make sure that the other details are taken care of," Pierce said. "(We're) looking forward to working with Durham to have another record setting attendance."

2011 ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Wednesday, May 25-Sunday, May 29, Durham Bulls Athletic Park, Durham, N.C.

POOL A
#1 Virginia (45-9, 22-8)
#4 North Carolina (44-12, 20-10)
#5 Miami (34-20, 19-10)
#8 Wake Forest (25-28, 15-15)

POOL B
#2 Florida State (40-15, 19-11)
#3 Georgia Tech (39-17, 22-8)
#6 Clemson (39-17. 17-13)
#7 NC State (33-23, 15-15)

Wednesday's Games
11 a.m. - Georgia Tech (3rd Base Dugout) vs. Clemson (1st Base Dugout)
3 p.m. - Virginia (3rd) vs. Wake Forest (1st)
7 p.m. - Florida State (3rd) vs. NC State (1st)

Thursday's Games
11 a.m. - North Carolina (3rd) vs. Miami (1st)
3 p.m. - Florida State (1st) vs. Clemson (3rd)
7 p.m. - Georgia Tech (1st) vs. NC State (3rd)

Friday's Games
11 a.m. - Virginia vs. Miami (3rd)
3 p.m. - Florida State (3rd) vs. Georgia Tech (1st)
7 p.m. - North Carolina (1st) vs. Wake Forest (3rd)

Saturday's games
11 a.m. - Clemson (1st) vs. NC State (3rd)
3 p.m. - Miami (3rd) vs. Wake Forest (1st)
7 p.m. - Virginia (3rd) vs. North Carolina (1st)

Sunday's Championship
1 p.m. - Pool A winner vs. Pool B winner

Practice Times for Tuesday, May 24:
10-10:50 a.m. - Clemson
11-11:50 a.m. - NC State
12-12:50 p.m. - Georgia Tech
1-1:50 p.m. - Florida State
2-2:50 p.m. - Miami
3-3:50 p.m. - Wake Forest
4-4:50 p.m. - North Carolina
5-5:50 p.m. - Virginia

Homefries Cookin' Again at The Durham Farmers' Market

This weekend the Market's Central Lawn will be transformed with the first meeting of the Durham Homefries Cookin' Team.  Homefries, the brainchild of Dolly from Dolly Mama Handmade Chocolates, is a free cooking class for kids from ages 9-13.  Once a month, on the third Saturday, a local chef leads the class and goes through the basics of shopping for fresh produce at the Market, following a recipe and basic cooking skills.

This week, Chef Katherine Rock from ONE Restaurant in Chapel Hill will be leading the class.  Around 9:30, Katherine and the kids will shop the Market for ingredients.  Then, Katherine will teach the kids how to make tortillas from scratch, an easy sauteed vegetable filling and pico de gallo for soft tacos.

Follow the adventures of the Homefries on their new blog where they will post stories, pictures and recipes from their cooking class! Those interested in signing a kid up for the class can email Erin.

Fresh this Week....
Fruit:  Strawberries, Goumi Berries   
Vegetables:  GREEN BEANS! Asparagus, Artichokes, Arugula, Bok Choy,  Beets, Braising Greens, Broccoli, Broccoli Raab, Celery, Chinese Cabbage, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Collards,  Cucumbers, English (Shelling) Peas, Escarole, Fava Beans, Fennel, Frisee, Green Garlic, Green Onions, Herbs (Cilantro, Oregano, Parsley, Dill, Chives, Mint),  Kale, Kohlrabi, Leeks, Lettuce, Mustard Greens, New Potatoes, Radishes, Onions, Pea Shoots, Salad Mix,  Shiitake Mushrooms, Swiss Chard, Spinach, Summer Squash, Sugar Snap Peas, Tat Soi,  Greenhouse Tomatoes,  Turnips - white and purple,  Turnip Greens, Vitamin Greens, Zucchini
Flowers:  Asiatic Lillies, Batchelor Buttons, Calla Lilys, Delphiniums, Larkspur, Peonies, Snap Dragon, Sweet William
Meats: Beef, Bison, Chicken, Goat/Chevon, Lamb, Pork
And: Honey, Chicken Eggs, Flour, Yellow & White Cornmeal, Grits, Pecans, Wines, Fresh and Aged Goats and Cows Milk Cheeses, Baked Goods, Pasta, Beer, Wine, Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Preserves, Handmade Chocolates, Wool
, Landscaping Plants and Vegetable Transplants
Crafts: Handmade Clothes & Jewelery, Baskets, Pottery, Photographs, Soaps and much more...

Produce availability depends on weather conditions

Upcoming Events
Free Yoga in the Park - starts tomorrow! 
For more info about Yoga in the Park, check out their blog freeyogurtinthepark.blogspot.com.  There will be no free yogurt...only free yoga... all the "Free Yoga in the Park" url's were taken!

Downtown Durham Dog Park Emblematic of Emotionally Connected City

This week, The Infrastructurist cited Durham as a model for the ‘Emotionally Connected’ city. The article, largely based around findings from the Gallup Soul of the Community survey from 2008 to 2010, points to a link between passion for and loyalty to places, and the health of the local economy.

The article indicates Marry Durham as the example of an emotionally committed community. Engaged citizens gathered to make a formal commitment to make sacrifices, do more, forgive shortcomings and fight to create a community Durhamites desire. 

In the wake of Marry Durham, a neighborhood has joined forces to make use of a sloping, city-owned lot at the corner of Roxboro and Elliot that had been vacant for years. The Downtown Durham Dog Park was born out of a temporary arrangement between the Cleveland-Holloway neighborhood and the city by which the city allowed use of the land and put up a fence while the neighborhood association is responsible for other amenities and maintenance.

With the help of Keep Durham Beautiful and a neighborhood-wide clean up effort, the Downtown Durham Dog Park is now open to the public. Remember that before visiting the park, owners will need to obtain a tag for their dog, issued by the City. Contact Durham Parks and Rec for more information.

Tryouts for the American Basketball Association (ABA) Professional basketball come to North Carolina

Three brand new American Basketball Association (ABA) expansion teams are calling North Carolina home and are looking for 45 players to add to the roster.  Tryouts for the three teams will be held in one location on Saturday, May 21st from 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. on the campus of North Carolina Central University in the McLendon-McDougald Gym located at 616 E. Lawson St. Durham, NC.  

Players who are selected will be placed on one of the three teams: the Carolina Jaguars (Durham), the Carolina Cheetahs (Greensboro), and the Carolina Cougars (Rocky Mount). A registration fee is required and can be completed either on-line at www.carolinajaguars.tv.

The public is invited to come out to watch the tryouts at no charge. The mother-daughters owners Dr. LeVonder Brinkley and her two daughters, LoveN’der Avent Alston and Lexandria Avent of Carolina Cats Sports & Entertainment organization lead the teams. They are excited about the talent here in North Carolina and are eager to continue to break new ground with these teams. According to Brinkley, “We believe that the talent level in North Carolina is very high and we excited to bring that talent to the fans in the form of affordable, fun, fast-paced and exciting professional basketball.”

Players interested in trying out for the teams can contact Vice President of Sports Operations, Tommy Stevenson at 910-494-2245 or tommystevenson59@gmail.com for more information.

Duke to Host Celebration for Reynolds Price Today

Duke University will host "A Long and Happy Life: A Celebration for Reynolds Price," today  at 2 p.m. in Duke Chapel. The event honoring the acclaimed author and longtime Duke English professor is open to the public.

A celebrated writer of fiction, poetry, memoirs, essays and plays, Price died Jan. 20 at age 77 after more than 50 years as a member of the Duke faculty.

"For half a century, Duke University was fortunate to have Reynolds Price in our midst to teach, inspire and challenge us," said Duke President Richard H. Brodhead.  "We are honored to celebrate his life, and we invite the community to share in our remembrance of our beloved teacher, colleague and friend."

The celebration will consist of readings, performances and reminiscences by colleagues, former students and friends of long standing. A reception will follow in von der Heyden Pavilion in Perkins Library.

Also, an exhibit featuring manuscripts, photographs, letters and rare books from the Reynolds Price papers will be on display in the Mary Duke Biddle Rare Book Room in Perkins Library from 1-5 p.m.

"Reynolds combined his love for Duke and its students with a sharply honed sense of the values to which we need to aspire and our sometimes failings in reaching them," Provost Peter Lange said. "Whether teaching his beloved students or speaking to us as colleagues, he always raised our sights and lifted our spirits with a resonant tone, striking eloquence and great, generous good humor."

Visitors may park in the Bryan Center parking garage off Science Drive on Duke's West Campus. In addition, parking will be available in lots along Duke University Road near Chapel Drive. People with accessibility needs may be dropped off at the chapel, but their drivers must park in general parking. Traffic is expected to be heavy because of multiple events on campus that day.

For those unable to attend, Duke will provide a live webcast of the event.

For more information and updates, visit http://news.duke.edu/reynoldsprice

Bull City Connector Survey

Durham's fare-free bus service in Downtown, The Bull City Connector, is looking for input from the public.  They have launched an online survey to collect information from riders and potential riders to ensure that the service is delivering what the public wants, as well as to ascertain the public perception of the service experience.

"We need input to improve transportation options in Durham," said Ieshia Robertson with the City of Durham. "We would greatly appreciate participation in our online survey about public transportation in Durham."  The survey takes about 10 minutes to complete and responses are completely confidential. 

There is an incentive for completing the survey.  Respondents can enter their name into a drawing to win tickets to the opening performance of Come Fly Away at the DPAC - Durham Performing Arts Center in September. To qualify, the survey complete the survey by May 24, 2011.

Full Frame Visitor Spending A Great Start to 2011 Signature Festivals

The Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau calculates annually the spending and tax revenue generated by visitors to six of Durham's largest annual signature festivals.

With the conclusion of the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival last month, the 2011 event season is underway, and the impact continues to be substantial.

Full Frame visitors contributed $1.8 million to the local Durham economy with another $52,000 in tax revenue for local governments generated on those purchases.

“Spending by visitors to the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival is substantial, but there is more than just the impact of the dollars spent," according to DCVB President & CEO Shelly Green.  "Full Frame receives great national exposure which garners a type of billboard effect within the documentary world. That leads to future visitation and even the relocation of some Indy Film Companies to the area.”

In addition to Full Frame, DCVB will measure the impact of American Dance Festival - June 9 through July 23; Festival For the Eno - July 2-4; Bull Durham Blues Festival - September 9-10; Centerfest - September 17-18; and World Beer Festival - October 8th. 

Combined these six festivals generated more than $12 million in visitor spending and $328,000 in local tax revenue in 2010.

Ruggiano Again the Difference in Bulls Win

 

Justin Ruggiano was the difference for the second day in a row, smacking a first inning home run to right field off of Indians starter Brian Burres to give the Durham Bulls a 1-0 win.  The home run was the sixth on the season for Ruggiano, and he now has 28 RBI, which ranks him second in the International League.  The shutout was the fourth one put together by the Bulls pitching staff this season in 34 games.

Alex Cobb (4-0) went six innings scattering four hits, walking one, and striking out five, to earn his team leading fourth victory of the season.  His four wins are tied for second in the International League.  JP Howell continued his string of strong performances on his rehab assignment throwing an inning and allowing one hit while striking out two.  Howell has yet to allow a run in three appearances this season for the Bulls.  Jake McGee finished things up for the Bulls going two innings without surrendering a hit, walking one and striking out a season high four, to earn his first save of the season. 

Durham will finish their four game series against Indianapolis at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park at 7:05 p.m. on Thursday May 12 when they will send Alex Torres (2-2 1.44) to the mound against Garrett Olson (1-0 3.09).  The game can be heard on 620 the Buzz, and tickets are available at www.durhambulls.com.

Ruggiano Does It Again

Justin Ruggiano delivered his third walk-off hit of the season with an RBI-single in the 11^th inning giving the Bulls a 2-1 victory on Tuesday night at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park.  Robinson Chirinos led off the inning with a single to left field and Leslie Anderson reached base on an error.  After a sacrifice bunt by Omar Luna, Ray Olmedo was walked, and Desmond Jennings flew out to centerfield, before Ruggiano’s game winning hit.

Durham’s other run came in the fourth inning when Anderson singled home Chris Carter to give the Bulls a 1-0 lead.  Edgar Gonzalez put together another quality start on the mound for Durham going seven innings and allowing three hits and one run while walking three and striking out one.  The seven-inning outing equaled his longest of the year. 

Mike Ekstrom (3-1) worked two scoreless innings surrendering four hits and striking out one to earn his third victory of the season.  He is now tied for the team lead in wins.The lone Indianapolis run came in the top of the sixth when Corey Wimberly hit a one-out triple to left-center field and later scored on a sacrifice fly from Pedro Ciriaco.

Durham will continue their four game series against Indianapolis at the Durham Athletic Park at 11:05 a.m. on Wednesday May 11 when they will send ace Alex Cobb (3-0 1.59) to the mound against Brian Burres (1-4 5.34).  The game can be heard on 620 the Buzz, and tickets are available at www.durhambulls.com.

Bulls Rally Falls Short At DAP

The Durham Bulls brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning in the form of Leslie Anderson, but his deep fly to center field was caught to preserve a 7-5 win for the Indianapolis Indians on Monday night at the Historic Durham Athletic Park.

Brandon Guyer led off the Bulls ninth inning with a single and Felipe Lopez then singled to put runners on the corners with no one out.  Guyer scored on a wild pitch cutting the Indians lead to 7-5.  Wood was able to get Chris Carter to pop up to second baseman Josh Harrison, struck out Russ Canzler and then got Anderson to fly out to end the game.  Wood picked up his fifth save of the season.

Carter got the Bulls on the board first with a two-run double off of Indians starter Jose Ascanio in the first inning that scored Ray Olmedo and Ruggiano and gave the Bulls a 2-0 lead.  In the second inning Jose Lobaton hit his third home run of the season to left field to give Durham a 3-2 advantage.  The Bulls added to their lead again in the bottom of the third inning when a Canzler double, Anderson single, and Lobaton single loaded the bases for JJ Furmaniak, who hit a sacrifice fly to give the Bulls a 4-2 lead.

Indianapolis got to Dane De La Rosa (3-2) for five runs on six hits in the seventh and eighth innings.  This included a two-run home run from Adam Lambo in the seventh that tied the game at four.  The Indians added a sacrifice fly in the seventh to grab their first lead of the game 5-4 and would add two more in the eighth.

Garrett Olson (1-0) worked three innings allowing only one hit while walking to and striking out one, to earn his first victory of the season.  Durham will continue their four game series against Indianapolis at the Durham Athletic Park at 7:05 p.m. on Tuesday May 10 when they will send Edgar Gonzalez (2-2 3.69) to the mound against the Rudy Owens (2-3 5.81).  

42nd Annual Bimbé Cultural Arts Festival

Of all the festivals and annual events celebrated by Durhamites, none captures the spirit of Spring, renewal and community quite like The Bimbé Cultural Arts Festival. Now in its 42nd year, the festival was established in honor of the West African festival of harvest and celebration. Entire villages would gather to give thanks through dance, praise and feasting. The hallmark of the festival is the spirit of sharing as each family or tribe shares its best fruits with the entire village.

Durham has embraced the family friendly festival as a celebration of African and African American history, culture, art and music. Headliners for the 2011 festival feature national and local talent including Rob Base & Big Daddy Kane, Shana Tucker and Lo-K-Shun. The Bimbe Cultural Arts Festival is Saturday, May 14, from 12pm-8pm at CCB Plaza, 201 N. Corcoran St. The festival is preceded by a week of supporting events.  Make some plans to go and see another of the reasons that Durham is where great things happen.

Schedule of  Events

Tuesday, May 10, 2011, 1 p.m.
Back to the Future Teen Summit
Hillside High School Auditorium, 3727 Fayetteville St.

Thursday, May 12, 2011, 7 p.m. – 10 p.m.
2011 Poetry Slam
Hayti Heritage Center, 804 Old Fayetteville St

Friday, May 13, 2011, 7 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Bring It To The Floor: Teen Talent Showcase
Holton Career and Resource Center, 401 N. Driver St.

Friday, May 13, 2011, 8 p.m.
John Brown Little Big Band
Hayti Heritage Center, 804 Old Fayetteville St.
Admission: $15 Adults/$10 students and senior citizens

Saturday, May 14, 2011
12 p.m. - Welcome
12:05 p.m. - Salute to Elders
    (By The Magic of African Rhythms)
12:25 p.m. - African Dance Presentation
    (By The Magic of African Rhythms)
12:55 p.m. - Winner of the Poetry Slam Contest
1:05 p.m. - Shana Tucker (Jazz)
2:10 p.m. - Ohenemma (African)
2:30 p.m. – Domestic Violence Presentation
2:45 p.m. - S.T.O.R.M. Reggae Band (Reggae)
3:45 p.m. – HIV/AIDS Presentation
4 p.m. - Cardye (R&B)
5 p.m. - Really Real (Rap)
5:15 p.m. - Lo-K-Shun (Old Skool)
6:15 p.m. - Brian Dawson’s DJ Medley
6:30 p.m. - Feature Headliner Act:  Rob Base & Big Daddy Kane

Foodie Bloggers Unite to End Childhood Hunger

Durham has one of the most celebrated food scenes in the country, and that doesn't happen by accident.  The food scene in this creative class mecca is filled with the sort of folks that understand a larger context of food as a part of culture, and that culture is built on community.  Community is what they are all about, and what they are trying to help (this time) with an upcoming  bake sale.

Durham's foodie bloggers will join a Triangle wide effort to end childhood hunger. Johanna Kramer of Durhamfoodie Blog and Matt Lardie of Green Eats Blog will host the Food Blogger Bake Sale as part of the Great American Bake Sale, a benefit for Share our Strength. The Food Blogger Bake Sale will unite 20 of the Triangle’s food bloggers in The Art Market at Vega Metals near Durham Farmers’ Market. Each participating blogger will bake a savory or sweet dish that will be available for sale to the public.

Durham is always eager to pitch in and help those in need as is evidenced time and time again with efforts to assist those in need hither and yon, and right in Durham, too.  The upcoming Food Blogger Bake Sale is set to coincide with Durham Farmers' Market's hours on Saturday, May 14 from 10am-Noon. All money generated will be donated back to Share our Strength.

The 7th Annual Beaver Queen Pageant is a Must-See!

Preparations for the 7th Annual Beaver Queen Pageant are well underway and the excitement is building! The pageant is scheduled for Saturday, June 4, in Duke Park Meadow (near the intersection of Acadia Street and Englewood Avenue in Durham). The pre-show activities begin at 4:00 PM and the pageant itself begins at 5:00 PM.

The theme for this year’s pageant, Streampunk is a mash up of riverboats, Streampunk and a futuristic optimism. What a spectacle it will be! Costuming is encouraged and attendees are welcome to pack a picnic or chow down at Durham’s food trucks. The event takes place rain or shine.

For the fifth year in a row, the Beaver Queen Pageant will raise funds for the Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association. Over $15,000 have been raised for Durham’s dirty little creek in the last four years.

The Annual Beaver Queen Pageant is a free, family-friendly, Beaver Drag fund-raising event that encourages play, honors diversity, supports community and promotes creativity through interactive performance. It is live cartoon and cabaret. Kits can make their own beaver tails, splash in the beaver pond, march in the parade and sing the beaver chant.

Contenders for the Beaver Queen Crown are scored for the quality of their tails, wetlands ready-wear, talent, personal essay and evening wear. Like real life, the audience bribes celebrity judges, pays poll taxes and purchases beaver swag to raise money for ECWA. This year corrupt judges will buy their appointments. Cash and checks buy votes and bribes. As former celebrity judge Frank Stasio says, “Not everybody can be a Beaver Queen Pageant judge. I'm honored to have served. And grateful too, that I was not compelled to screw the whole dam country.”

Judges this year’s judges are bought to us by Shelly Green-DCVB, Brian Bottger-Only Burger, Carol Anderson-Vaguely Reminiscent/Board of Elections, Jana Shannon Bradley-Casbah, Jennings Brody-Parker & Otis, and Sean Wilson-Fullsteam Brewery.

This year we hope to raise $7,000 to help ECWA in its mission to keep our wetlands clean. Keep updated on pageant news here.

Durham Conference on Housing

Early registration is now open for the June 15, 2011 Durham Conference on Housing, sponsored by DHA.  The need for affordable housing is growing and resources are shrinking. The Durham Conference on Housing will bring together the latest information on financing models, legislative changes and innovative thinking to help housing advocates from both public and private sectors to move forward together.

The conference is targeted at people in the following fields:

•   Housing Authority Leaders
  
•   Elected Officials
•   Community Development Advocates
•   Neighborhood Preservation Advocates
•   Developers
•   Architects
•   Engineers

The conference website has more information and online registration. Moderators and panelists for the conference are set, with the keynote being delivered by NC Housing Coalition's Chris Estes and a luncheon address from PHADA Executive Director Tim Kaiser.  The event is being held at the Sheraton RTP in Durham.

DPAC Off To A Strong Start in 2011

With over 750,000 guests in attendance since opening, DPAC – the Durham Performing Arts Center has confirmed a spot with Triangle audiences as favorite venue for live entertainment. Package that with almost 50 sellouts in 2011 and DPAC is on pace for another record breaking year and was just ranked as the #2 theater in the US in Pollstar magazine’s attendance ranking for the 1^st quarter of 2011.  

DPAC kicked off the New Year and the SunTrust Broadway Series on January 4^th with Disney’s blockbuster The Lion King and received acclaim from fans and critics alike. Hosting 32 sellout performances and over 81,000 guests, The Lion King is the highest-grossing return engagement of a Broadway show ever to play in the Triangle. 

Since the beginning of the year and the fantastic run of The Lion King, DPAC has been adding events at breakneck speed.

 “We’re thrilled to be regularly ranking among the top ten theaters in the US,” said Bob Klaus, GM of DPAC.  “The success of a month long engagement of Lion King sellouts definitely drove us to this #2 spot for the first quarter of 2011. Frankly it will be tough to stay with a ranking that high all year, but the better gauge of success for us is really how happy we leave our guests.  When asked how likely is it that you would recommend attending a future event at DPAC to a friend, family member or co-worker 97.7% indicate they would be “Very Likely” or “Extremely Likely” to recommend DPAC. Whether it’s our great shows, red carpet customer service, the fantastic views of the stage or world-class acoustics-audiences from throughout the Triangle and beyond have found a connection with the superstar events that call DPAC home.” 

Laughter and comedy reigned supreme at DPAC since January with comedians Ricky Smiley, Jerry Seinfeld, Brian Regan, Wanda Sykes and Carol Burnett all sharing their own brand of humor and selling out their performances.  Blue Man Group also left their fans gasping for air with their side splitting, high energy artful commentary on our modern human/digital existence.

Concerts were also heavy hitters as Motown greats The Temptations and the Four Tops reminded us why they have been around for half a century.   Americana singer- songwriter John Mellencamp delighted fans with his hard rocking performance singing old favorites and new tunes.  Neo-soul artist, Erykah Badu brought it to the next level delighting fans with her grooves.  Diva Diana Ross showed fans why she is a legendary artist, belting out her old standards and encouraging everyone to sing along to her greatest hits.  A multigenerational audience shared memories old and new, and everyone left wanting more.

One of history’s greatest progressive rock bands, Yes performed from their vast catalog of hits.  World Music Award winning Yanni delivered a concert that gave fans what they have been waiting for.   R&B phenom KEM gave a performance that was an unrivaled night for music lovers. Legendary rocker Neil Young brought his one man show to very appreciative fans.  Truly a little something for everyone.

“2011 has been a busy year, even our return engagement performers such as The Temptations/Four Tops, Brian Regan and Kem have seen their numbers grow over their last performance,” said Rachel Gragg, Director of PR and Concert Marketing.  “It is our amazing Broadway lineup and shows like these that have helped DPAC receive the laurels that we have. ”

                Sold Out Performances for 2011: (as of 04.28.11)

• Disney’s The Lion King  (32 Shows)- January 4-30, 2011
• The Temptations & The Four Tops- February 9, 2011
• Ricky Smiley with J. Anthony Brown- February 11, 2011
• Jerry Seinfeld (2 Shows)- February 12, 2011
• Brian Regan- March 3, 2011
• Erykah Badu- March 4, 2011
• Diana Ross- March 11, 2011
• Blue Man Group (7 shows)- March 15-20, 2011
• Wanda Sykes- March 22, 2011
• An Evening of Laughter and Reflection with Carol Burnett- April 2, 2011
• KEM- April 14, 2011
• Neil Young- April 15, 2011

DPAC's upcoming lineup includes a Once in a Lifetime Event with Al Pacino (May 20) and Steve Martin with the Steep Canyon Rangers (May 21). For more information about these and all DPAC shows please visit www.dpacnc.com.