Durham Storefront Project Brings Art to Downtown

Durham is a creative and innovative place where diverse and passionate people come together to shape a better community. This sentiment is clearly apparent through Durham’s expression of community through the arts as exemplified by the Durham Storefront Project.

Center Studio Architecture Storefront

The Durham Storefront Project is a collection of 14 art installations in the windows of historic buildings throughout downtown. Each installation features the work of a local artist in collaboration with business and property owners.

Started in late 2010, the Durham Storefront Project evolved out of a desire to increase the vibrancy in Downtown Durham while connecting artists and businesses in a meaningful and collaborative way. The Project is made up of an independent group of artists and art enthusiasts. The Durham Storefront Project has also enlisted the support of two arts organizations at the core of the Bull City's thriving arts scene: The Scrap Exchange and the Durham Arts Council.

The Durham Storefront Project opened during the Durham Art Walk Holiday Market and will remain up through January 2012. To explore the full line-up of artists and locations or download tour information, visit the Durham Storefront's website.

Shop Independent Durham for the Holidays

Support Durham and give locally-owned businesses the gift of your patronage this holiday season. The Bull City is home to a number of one-of-a-kind boutiques and shops stocked with unique finds and local products. These shops contribute to Durham's unique sense of place.  Sustain-a-Bull Durham's Shop Independent Durham Week has begun and will run through the weekend. Get in the spirit and head to Durham's Brightleaf and Ninth Street shopping districts or any of the Bull City's galleries, antique and collectibles shops, and specialty gift shops!

The "shop local" mantra is far more than a message of community boosterism. A number of researchers in recent years have taken a look at the impact of keeping money circulating in the local economy. One study by the Michigan State University Center for Community and Economic Development found that for every $100 spent at a local business, $73 stayed in the local economy as compared to $43 when the purchase was made at a non-local store. Even modest changes in consumer spending can have substantial impact on local economies.

For a closer look at local shopping, check out this video featuring many of Durham's one-of-a-kind shops.

Pre-Thanksgiving Farmers' Market: Tuesday, Nov. 22nd 2-5pm

Durham Farmers' Market is expecting at least 25 farmers and vendors at Tuesday's Pre-Thanksgiving Market. The following vendors will be in attendance from 2-5pm to help with Durham's Thanksgiving shopping needs:

Abanitu Farm, Architectural Trees, Bluebird Meadows, Bill Pope Photos, Benjamin Vineyards, Bonlee Grown Farm, Catbriar Farm, Chapel Hill Creamery, Cheek Road Grown Produce, Ever Laughter Farm, Fickle Creek Farm, Fullsteam Brewery, Harlands Creek Farm, Hurtgen Meadows Farm, Lyon Farms, Little Tree Farm, Loaf, Meadow Lane Farm, Maple Spring Gardens, Pine Knot Farm, Roberson Creek Farm, Scratch, Sunset Farms, Sweetwater Pecan Orchards, Sunset Ridge Buffalo Farm, Speckled Bird Farm and Tiny Farm

Market Closed - Saturday November 26th

Winter Hours Begins Saturday Dec. 3 and will continue every Saturday throughout the Winter from 10am-Noon, including Dec. 24 and Dec. 31.

Fresh this Week
Vegetables:   Sweet potatoes, Collards, Kale, Asian Greens (Tatsoi, Bok Choy, Mizuna), Arugula,  Beets, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Cherry Tomatoes, Cress, Collards, Garlic, Ginger, Gourds, Green Beans,  Green Onions,  Herbs (Cilantro, Oregano, Parsley, Dill, Chives, Mint), Jerusalem Artichokes, Mustard Greens, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce,  Onions, Peppers (sweet & hot), Potatoes, Pumpkins, Radishes (Cherry, French, Daikon, Watermelon), Salad Mix, Shiitake Mushrooms, Sweet Potatoes, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Tomatoes (red and green), Turnips,  Vitamin Greens, Winter Squash (Butternut, Spaghetti, Acorn)
Flowers: Anemones
Meats: Beef, Bison, Chicken,  Goat/Chevon, Lamb, Pork
And: Honey, Chicken  Eggs, Dried Beans, Pecans, Wines, Fresh and Aged  Cheeses, Baked Goods, Beer, Wine, Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Preserves,  Landscaping Plants
Crafts:  Photographs and greeting cards, Wooden Cutting Boards, Gourd Birdhouses, Hand sewn items, Soaps and much more...

Thanks for Another Great Season at Durham Farmers' Market!

Before the Durham Farmers' Market clicks over to abbreviated winter hours, all of the markets' vendors would like to extend a huge 'Thank You!' the wonderful and devoted customers that made the 2011 Spring/Summer season a success.  The vendors always appreciate that no matter what the weather might be - from scorchingly hot to cold and rainy to down right scary - customers still come out to the Market and shop from them.  Thanks for supporting local farms and helping to make farming and home based businesses a viable profession.

Next Saturday, November 19 will be the Durham Farmers' Market's Customer Appreciation Day.  Ten lucky customers will receive a $10 gift certificate to use with any vendor at the Market.  Come to the Market Info table next Saturday to enter your name in the drawing!

Saturday November 19th marks the last day of the Market's Summer Hours (8am-Noon).  That doesn't mean the Market will be shutting down for the winter.  The Market will be open all winter long with fresh veggies, meats, eggs, cheeses, baked goods and more.  In preparation for Thanksgiving, the Market will be open on Tuesday Nov. 22 from 2-5pm.  The Market will be closed on November 26th.  Then on Saturday December 3rd, the Market will change to our Winter Hours - 10am to Noon and will be open every single Saturday this winter (including Dec. 24 & Dec. 31).


Upcoming Events
Great Collard Cook Off - November 12th, 10am  Chef Shane and Sous Chef Kyle Wilkerson from Four Square Restaurant both swear that they have the best recipe for cooking collards.  So, they will be facing off and having a collard cook off at the market. Love collards or hate 'em, this showdown will be a blast. And you can vote for your favorite collard cooker! You'll also have a chance to take home a collard recipe.

Fresh this Week
Fruit: Asian Persimmons, Scuppernong Grapes 
Vegetables:   SPINACH, JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES, CABBAGE Asian Greens, Arugula,  Beets, Broccoli, Butterbeans, Cauliflower, Cherry Tomatoes, Cress, Collards, Cucumbers,   Garlic, Ginger, Gourds, Herbs,  Mustard Greens, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce,  Onions, Green Peanuts, Pea Shoots, Peppers, Potatoes, Popcorn, Purple Hull Peas, Pumpkins, Radishes, Salad Mix, Shiitake Mushrooms, Sweet Potatoes, Swiss Chard, Tomatoes, Turnips,  Winter Squash
Flowers:   Asiatic Lillies,  Dahlia, Lisianthus, Sunflowers, Zinnia
Meats: Beef, Bison, Chicken, Duck, Goat/Chevon, Lamb, Rabbit, Pork
And: Fall Vegetable Seedlings, Honey, Chicken and Duck Eggs, Flour, Yellow & White Cornmeal, Grits, Pecans, Wines, Fresh and Aged Goats and Cows Milk Cheeses, Baked Goods, Chocolates, Pasta, Beer, Wine, Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Preserves, Wool, Landscaping Plants
Crafts: Hand-dyed Clothes, Jewelery, Baskets, Pottery, Stained Glass Art, Woodwork, Photographs, Soaps and much more...

Marsalis Honored with The North Carolina Award

Durham resident Branford Marsalis was honored last night with North Carolina's top civilian honor - The North Carolina Award.  The North Carolina Awards ceremony was held at the Museum of History in Raleigh.

Marsalis was honored for his volunteer work and for his accomplishments as a musician.  He is among the world's best known saxaphone players who shot to fame for his work on Sting's Dream of the Blue Turtles album and then went on to be the band leader on NBC's Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

Other recipients were sculptor Vollis Simpson, Charles Hamner Jr. and former U.S. Rep. Martin Lancaster for public service; Dr. Trudy Mackay for science; and Ron Rash for literature.

Marsalis' move to Durham was an effort to live in a genuine and real community - something he's said often.  He teaches at North Carolina Central University and occasionally performs with his students around town without billing - it's not entirely unheard of to be out listening to a live jazz performance and suddenly be watching a world-renowned star join in unannounced. Such instances usually create an instant sensation in local social media channels.  Most recently, such a performance occurred at Whiskey in Downtown Durham.

DPAC Gets Ready to Celebrate 3 Monumental Years

The Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC), will celebrate multiple achievements during the month of November.  DPAC ends the third quarter once again in the top 10 Theater Venues in America, plans to hail the one millionth patron during Radio City Christmas Spectacular, and will be celebrating its third anniversary on November 30, 2011.

“It is hard to believe that only three years ago, B.B. King was taking the stage and christening this building,” said Rachel Gragg, Director of Public Relations, “from a gravel lot and hard hat tours, to seeing the joy WICKED brought to the Triangle for the first time, and witnessing daily a community of patrons and staff that truly embrace live entertainment.  It has been the biggest thrill to watch from the beginning.”

Pollstar, the only trade publication covering the worldwide concert industry with tour schedules and sales results, named DPAC #3 in the U.S., and #4 internationally in their recent report "2011 Q3 Worldwide Ticket Sales - Top 100 Theater Venues,” based on attendance at DPAC.   In the U.S., DPAC is on the heels of the Coliseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas- a theater often referred to as the home of the greatest entertainers of the world, and the legendary Fox Theatre in Atlanta.  Trailing DPAC is #4)  Nokia Theatre L.A. Live , LA, CA #5) Beacon Theatre, NY, NY #6) Broward Ctr. Au-Rene Theater, Fort Lauderdale, FL,  #7) Radio City Music Hall NY, NY, #8) Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie, Grand Prairie, TX,  #9) Orpheum Theater, Omaha, NE and #10) Dreyfoos Theater, West Palm Beach, FL.

DPAC is going to celebrate its third anniversary by welcoming their one millionth guest during the month long performance of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular.  The one millionth guest is expected to walk through the doors around Thanksgiving and will be presented with a unique prize package.  The lucky patron will receive a 4-pack to SunTrust Broadway at DPAC shows Memphis, The Addams Family, Bring it On, West Side Story, and the most anticipated return of WICKED.  They will also receive VIP parking and a 4-Pack to any DPAC concert of their choice.

“DPAC is reaching these heights by offering something for everyone throughout the year.”  In a recent article, The New York Times Travel section recognized the Durham Performing Arts Center as “an integral part of the city of Durham's continuing success,” said Bob Klaus, GM of DPAC. “DPAC’s mantra this season has been ‘something for everyone’ and I feel that we did not disappoint. Where else could you see legendary performers including Al Pacino, Diana Ross, Carol Burnett and B.B. King perform in the span of one year?”

To date, DPAC has greeted over 325,000 guests for the 2011 calendar year with the help of SunTrust Broadway at DPAC, where the best direct from New York Broadway staples grace the stage.  Last seasons’ offerings included successful sellout runs of Disney’s The Lion King, Blue Man Group, and Monty Python's Spamalot, and our current season has had a successful start with Tony© Nominated hits Come Fly Away and Rock of Ages.

DPAC's 2011 concert highlights incorporate a veritable Who's Who of today’s finest entertainers: renaissance man Steve Martin with the Steep Canyon Rangers was a crowd favorite, combining his trademark deadpan comedy with exceptional banjo picking for one of the most memorable nights of the season; jazz-rock ambassadors Steely Dan returned for their second sold-out performance; Dolly Parton made her DPAC debut, playing old favorites and new in a performance that only the country diva could deliver.

DPAC sold out nineteen one-night concert and comedy attractions, including Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Neil Young, everyone’s favorite R&B party band Earth Wind & Fire, country legend Willie Nelson and comedians Ron White and Louis C.K. it's easy to see why sold-out performances and satisfied audiences have become the standard at DPAC.

Sold Out Performances for 2011:
•    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
•    Steve Martin-  May 21, 2011
•    Spamalot (2 shows)- May 24 – 25, 2011
•    BB King- June 3, 2011
•    Martin Lawrence- June 19, 2011
•    Dolly Parton- August 2, 2011
•    Steely Dan- August 4, 2011
•    Ron White- September 10, 2011
•    Earth, Wind and Fire- September 18, 2011
•    Willie Nelson- October 20, 2011
•    Louis C.K.- October 21, 2011
•    John Oliver- October 22, 2011

26th Annual Sustainable Agriculture Conference in Durham This Weekend

The 26th Annual Sustainable Agriculture Conference happening in this weekend in Durham at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel will bring together over 1,100 farmers, gardeners, foodies, and agriculture professionals to learn from the experts about how to meet the demand for local, organic food.

The Conference is the largest of its kind in the Carolinas and offers over 60 classes on sustainable horticulture, livestock, soils, mushrooms, permaculture, bees, and food, as well as pre-conference farm tours and skill-building workshops. Beginner and advanced classes will be taught by the country’s top sustainable agriculture experts.

The conference keynote speaker is world-renowned local food advocate and best-selling author of This Organic Life, Joan Dye Gussow. Joan will be speaking during the sold-out Local Foods Feast on Nov. 11 at 6:30 PM.

All conference meals will be made with only the best in-season, sustainably grown ingredients supplied by local farms. NC micro-brewery, The Weeping Radish, will debut the first NC-malted, NC-brewed beer made from organic NC hops and organic NC barley at the Saturday night reception.


The Carolina Farm Stewardship Association (CFSA) is a 32-year-old non-profit with over 1,500 members that advocates for fair farm and food policies, builds the systems family farms need to thrive, and educates communities about local organic farming. Their vision is the creation of a regional food system in the Carolinas that is good for farmers, good for consumers, and good for the land.

Shirley Caesar Honored with BET's Living Legend Award

Shirley Caesar, who started her singing career in Durham, is being honored by BET - The Black Entertainment Network with their Living Legend Award.  In her career as a gospel singer, Caesar has won 11 Grammy Awards and released over 30 gospel albums since embarking on a solo career in 1966 and is considered the "First Lady of Gospel."

Currently Caesar splits her time pastoring a church and traveling to speak professionally.  Her BET honor is another accolade in a long line of career and life achievements. Caesar embodies what it means to be a living legend with her grace, poise, class and what has been described as "the voice of an angel." Her career spans over five decades and she has sold of over 2 million records. Some fifty years after she began her recording career, the legendary singer and songwriter continues to stir the souls of millions of faithful fans with classics like “Sweeping Through the City” and “You’re Next In Line For A Miracle.”

Caesar is in good company in Durham's musical history.  Grammy award winning Nneena Freelon is among the world's most famous jazz vocalists, and hip hop artist 9th Wonder also hails from the Bull City.

Pauli Murray Honored With North Carolina Historic Highway Marker

Pauli Murray’s significant contributions to North Carolina history will be memorialized when her official state historic marker is unveiled Sunday, November 20, 2011. The ceremony will take place at 3 p.m. at the corner of Carroll and West Chapel Hill Streets. Pauli Murray was a nationally and internationally known advocate for human rights and social justice who was reared a few blocks from the marker site in the home of her grandparents Richard and Cornelia Fitzgerald.

Mayor Bill Bell will proclaim Pauli Murray Day in Durham and he will be joined by members of the Fitzgerald/Murray family, Southwest Central Durham neighbors and representatives of the Pauli Murray Project to dedicate the marker.  “Pauli Murray is well deserving of recognition by the state of North Carolina as a tireless champion for human rights,” says Barbara Lau, director of the Pauli Murray Project. “Placing this marker near her childhood home makes it a source of pride for her neighborhood and a beacon for young people who want to make a positive impact on the world.”  

Coinciding with Murray’s 101st birthday, a party will follow the dedication at the Center for Community, Family Life and Recreation at Lyon Park, 1313 Halley Street. Winners of the Youth Prophecy Poetry Contest will share their winning entries and refreshments will be served. The public is also invited to help create a Proud Shoes labyrinth with artist Bryant Holsenbeck out of recycled shoes at Murray’s childhood home, 906 Carroll Street beginning at 1 p.m.

Pauli Murray (1910-1985) grew up in Durham's West End neighborhood and graduated from Hillside High School in 1926. Murray was the first woman to graduate at the top of her class from Howard Law School. She advised First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt on civil rights and co-founded the National Organization for Women. Before her death in 1985, Murray was the first African-American woman to be ordained as an Episcopal priest and offered communion for the first time at the Chapel of the Cross Episcopal Church in Chapel Hill.

Pauli Murray Day in Durham is sponsored by the Pauli Murray Project at the Duke Human Rights Center, the Resource Center for Women in Ministry in the South, the Southwest Central Durham Quality of Life Project and the Duke-Durham Neighborhood Partnership.

Photography Exhibit Highlights African-American Resistance

A diverse community of passionate citizens, Durham has a long and proud history as a civil rights center. Durham was the site of North Carolina's first sit-in and three years later, was the place Dr. Martin Luther King launched a new battle cry in his “Fill The Jails" speech. Some of the same civil rights leaders who pushed for advancement in Durham, NC are portrait subjects featured in a new exhibition to come to North Carolina Central University  by way of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African-American History and Culture.

Angela Davis

A stunning collection of photographic portraits, “Let Your Motto be Resistance: African-American Portraits,” will open at the North Carolina Central University Art Museum on Sunday, Nov. 6, at 2 p.m. The collection reveals the nation's history through an African-American lens, using the lives of well-known abolitionists, artists, scientists, writers, statesmen, entertainers and sports figures.

Originally presented as the inaugural exhibit of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African-American History and Culture in Washington, the exhibit includes 69 prints that highlight individuals whose passion, determination and talent played an influential role in shaping notions of race and status over the past 150 years. Among the featured photographers who employ a variety of strategies to create their powerful images are Mathew Brady, James VanDerZee, Doris Ulmann, Edward Weston, Gordon Parks, Irving Penn and Carl Van Vechten.

The exhibit’s title was taken from a speech to the National Convention of Colored Citizens in Buffalo, N.Y., in 1843, by celebrated abolitionist and orator Henry Highland Garnet. In the speech titled “Call to Rebellion,” Garnet challenges the American slaves to rise up and emancipate themselves, arguing that armed unrest would be the most effective way to end slavery. “Let your motto be resistance,” he exclaimed, “Resistance! Resistance! No oppressed people have ever secured their liberty without resistance.”

“The need to resist, to challenge race-based assumptions, laws and practices that sought to limit black life, has always been a central tenet of African-American culture,” said Kenneth Rodgers, director of the NCCU Museum of Art.  “This resistance has many faces.  While some African-Americans demanded change at any cost, others chose nonviolent confrontations.”

African-Americans found many strategies to challenge, to struggle and to resist. From the image of “Gordon,” a formerly enslaved man whose whipped and scarred back speaks volumes about the strength needed to survive, to the sheer beauty of dancer Judith Jamison, whose creative expression calls into question notions of supposed racial inferiority. Portrait subjects were selected by photography historian and Smithsonian guest curator Deborah Willis.

The NCCU Art Museum is on Lawson Street across from the Farrison–Newton Communications Building. The Museum is open Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Sunday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free. The exhibit will run until Jan. 15, 2012.

First Frost for Durham Farmers' Market

"The first frost lets us know what we will have to undergo"

The first frost has finally fallen over much of the Triangle.  Here in Durham, there's been a light frost almost every morning this week. Out in the countryside, especially to the north of Durham, the Durham Farmers' Market farmers have experienced much heavier frosts.  Heavy frosts usually mean the end to many summer vegetables - squash, green beans, cucumbers, eggplant, tomatoes. 

But not completely the end, just yet.  The Market's farmers are craftier and more creative than that.  In the last few weeks, farmers have harvested all of the green tomatoes and peppers from their fields.  Both of those are able to store very well under the right conditions.  So, expect to see more tomatoes and peppers of all colors in smaller amounts in the weeks to come.  Farmers also have other ways of extending the season through the use of high tunnels and greenhouses.  High tunnels are unheated greenhouses or hoophouses.  They keep the night time low temperatures just high enough in the fall that farmers can plant a late crop of tomatoes, cucumbers or beans, for example.

Another thing that the first frost hearkens is the exciting winter holidays.  For Thanksgiving, Durham Farmers' Market will be holding a special Pre-Thanksgiving Market on Tuesday November 22nd from 2-5pm.  Then on the first Saturday of December, the Market switches gears into our Winter Hours, which are 10am-Noon. Saturday Market is open YEAR ROUND - there will be veggies, meats, eggs, cheeses, crafts, baked goods and confections all winter long.  The Market will be open every Saturday this winter, including Dec. 24th & Dec. 31st.

Upcoming Events
Chef in the Market - Chuck Hayworth, Worth It Cafe
Saturday November 5th, 10am
Chef Chuck will be taking on fall Greens!  He'll demonstrate 3 of his favorite ways to use fall greens - Quick Asian Green Stirfry, One Hour Collard KimChi and Green & Legumes with Pasta!  Chef Chuck will start cooking at 10am under the Blue Tent on the lawn (if its raining look for him under the Pavilion), there will be tastes and recipes available.

Fresh this Week
Fruit:   Asian Persimmons, Scuppernong Grapes 
Vegetables:   SPINACH, JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES, CABBAGE Asian Greens, Arugula,  Beets, Broccoli, Butterbeans, Cauliflower, Cherry Tomatoes, Collards,  Cucumbers,  Dandelion Greens, Eggplant, Garlic, Ginger, Gourds, Herbs,  Mustard Greens, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce,  Okra, Onions, Green Peanuts, Pea Shoots, Peppers, Potatoes, Popcorn, Purple Hull Peas, Pumpkins, Radishes, Salad Mix, Shiitake Mushrooms, Sweet Potatoes, Swiss Chard, Tomatoes, Turnips,  Winter Squash
Flowers:   Asiatic Lillies,  Dahlia, Lisianthus, Sunflowers, Zinnia
Meats:   Beef, Bison, Chicken, Duck, Goat/Chevon, Lamb, Rabbit, Pork
And:   Fall Vegetable Seedlings, Honey, Chicken and Duck Eggs, Flour, Yellow & White Cornmeal, Grits, Pecans, Wines, Fresh and Aged Goats and Cows Milk Cheeses, Baked Goods, Chocolates, Pasta, Beer, Wine, Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Preserves, Wool, Landscaping Plants
Crafts:   Hand-dyed Clothes, Jewelery, Baskets, Pottery, Stained Glass Art, Woodwork, Photographs, Soaps and much more...

Experience Duke Performances' Schola Cantorum de Venezuela in Duke Chapel for $5

Durham's cultural diversity yields many benefits for residents and visitors alike.  Performers and artists from around the world come here to share their talents - a fact driven in part by the two universities that call Durham home, Duke and NCCU.  Periodically, those benefits are placed more within reach for everyone.  Just such an occasion is upcoming with Duke Performances presentation of the acclaimed Latin American chorus Schola Cantorum de Venezuela. .

In an effort to bring out the biggest audience for this wonderful and important 40-voice ensemble, Duke Performances is making all tickets to the concert available for only $5. 

The reduction in ticket price comes with the intent to give a broad range of the Triangle community the opportunity to experience world-class singing amidst the soaring Gothic architecture of Duke Chapel.

Schola Cantorum is Latin America's finest choir and one of the most in-demand vocal ensembles in the world. The program for Nov. 9 — Agua Y Fiesta — features music by composers from Venezuela, Brazil, Argentina, Spain, Cuba, Mexico, and the USA — amongst them Eric Whitacre, Osvaldo Golijov, and Astor Piazzolla.  Every Schola Cantorum concert is a vivid cultural and musical experience — the ensemble brings infectious passion to everything they sing.

The show is on Wednesday, November 9, at 8 pm and tickets are available online, or by calling 919-684-4444 or at the Bryan Center Box Office.

Local Favorites Winners 2011

Well, it was quite a year for the Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau's Local Favorites Survey.  A record number of people perused the questions, the answers were quite varied and, in some cases, rather entertaining.  DCVB would like to thank its respondents for their generous sharing of preferences.

Visitors are always in pursuit of information about what residents think.  For years, DCVB has conducted this survey to deliver exactly that sort of feedback, and this year's list is a great example of why Durham is where great food and dining happen.

"Coming out on top in this survey is pretty important to some of the local restaurants," said Shelly Green, DCVB's President and CEO.  "We promote Local Favorites on our website and in  the Official Visitors & Relocation Guide, our highest volume print piece that is dispensed to both those considering visitation and relocation."

"Given the impact of our distribution channels, and sheer visitation traffic, a place on this list is worth more than just bragging rights," added Sam Poley, DCVB's Director of Marketing and Communications.  "Past winners are also listed on a dedicated web page, so the value continues over time.  This is not a very perishable ranking - that's one of the reasons those on the list get a plaque to accompany their victory.  We've seen folks post those for years...they consider it quite an honor."

So, on to the 2011 list...

Favorite Beer from a Durham Brewery: Triangle Brewing Company Golden Ale

Favorite Lunch Under $5: Chubby's Tacos

Favorite Dinner Under $10: Broad Street Cafe

Favorite Local Food Product: Baked Goods from Scratch Baking

Favorite Place for a Healthy Meal: Tie - Toast and Whole Foods Market

Favorite Durham Dining Experience: Watts Grocery

Favorite Place for a Grown-Up Night Out: Broad Street Cafe

Favorite Place to Get Your Food Truck Fix: Rigsbee Street in front of Fullsteam Brewery and Motorco Music Hall

Favorite Place for a Midnight Snack: Cosmic Cantina