Durham Parks and Recreation: Play More!

Mark your calendar! Join us, rain or shine, for Canine Field Day on Saturday, May 4, from 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. at Rock Quarry Park! This event will host tons of fun events for you and your pooch. Come run your dog through our agility zone, try your luck at some of our games and contests, or even enter in the Hyperflite Skyhoundz State Championship Competition. Every pup and their person will have a dog-gone good time! Durham’s Canine Field Day will be hosting the Hyperflite Skyhoundz Championship Distance/Accuracy and Freestyle Completion. Skyhoundz is the largest disc dog competition series, and hosts competitions all over the globe, from Argentina to South Korea. There are no restrictions on the size or breed of dog competing; the only requirement is the desire to participate! This is the 4th year in a row that Canine Field Day has hosted the Skyhoundz State Championship. The competition consists of two 90-second rounds of freestyle and one 60-second round of distance/accuracy.

Who's ready to Go Green and celebrate our planet!? Folks of all ages are invited to join us for the 2019 Earth Day Festival on Sunday, April 28 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Durham Central Park. Enjoy a day filled with an eclectic mix of music, food, hands-on environmental education activities and much more! You'll want to plan out your day accordingly because we have more than enough activities and programs for you to enjoy! Festival goers will be able to explore local goods, crafts and resources at the Earth Day Market. And the kids are sure to have a blast climbing the Rock Wall, hanging out in the Family Fun Zone and receiving a free book at the Book Giveaway through Durham County Library. If you get hungry or need a drink, make sure to bring a refillable water bottle to fill at the Durham H20 2 Go Hydration Station and check out the local food trucks for a bit to eat. There will also be an opportunity to learn about how to 'be green' through transportation effort

We’ve got a past...and it goes back to the early 1900’s! Durham Parks and Recreation has years and years of history and we're excited to share it all with you! Our website now features an in-depth, interactive timeline of the History of Durham Parks and Recreation. From constructing and acquiring buildings to organizing events to developing new parks and playgrounds, we have done it all!  Here’s a quick overview of what has happened in our history over the years… 1900’s - Brodie Duke donated land for, what would later be, Duke Park and the Civic League, created by Mattie Southgate Jones, urged the City Council to create public parks. 1910’s - The Durham Country Club was the first recreation facility open to the public in Durham, privately funded by John Sprunt Hill and other young Durhamites. Land for water reservoirs was donated that would be developed into new lakes for fishing and boating. 1920’s - Durham started parks and recreation with unofficial summer playgrounds

Our Summer Play More Guide is here and we couldn't me more excited about what's inside! You'll be able to read about all of the upcoming activities that Durham Parks and Recreation has to offer between June and August 2019. From Float with Floats and Color the Park to Battle Rope Fitness and Jazz on the Court, there is something for everyone. Take a look and start signing up for these summer activities before spots fill up! What is the Play More Guide? Play More is a guide to creative and challenging recreation choices in Durham and is produced by Durham Parks and Recreation (DPR). Three editions are published throughout the year - June-August, September-December, and January-May. Each guide consists of upcoming activities for all ages to enjoy, including both registered and drop-in activities. Inside each Play More Guide you will find detailed information on our Play More card, pass sale chart, facility addresses and hours of operation, trails and greenways, rent