Durham Parks and Recreation: Play More!

Are you ready to rock!? Durham Parks and Recreation offers a summer series that includes concerts and movies in a beautiful setting - Durham's parks. You're invited to sit back, relax and enjoy family and friends while grooving to music or watching a movie on a big screen. Both activities are free and open to the public. Concerts are held from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. and movies are held from 8:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m.  Go ahead and mark your calendar for the following dates: Saturday, June 11 | 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. at Forest Hills Park [1639 University Drive] Band: Sajaso (Jazz) Saturday, June 25 | 8:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. at Durham Central Park [501 Foster Street] Movie: Encanto (PG) Saturday, July 9 | 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. at Rock Quarry Park [701 Stadium Drive] Band: CJ Baker and "September" Earth, Wind & Fire Tribute Saturday, July 23 | 8:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. at Durham Central Park [501 Foster Street] Movie: Space Jam: A New Legacy (PG) Saturday, August 6 | 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. at Southern Bou...

The national award winning Bimbé Cultural Arts Festival will celebrate its 52nd Anniversary on May 21, 2022! Join us at Rock Quarry Park, located at 701 Stadium Drive, from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. for this family oriented event as we celebrate African and African American history, culture, arts, and traditions. In partnership with Durham Parks and Recreation, the 52nd Annual Bimbé Cultural Arts Festival is presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina. Get ready for a day filled with FREE live music, family fun zone, arts and crafts, community resources, ethnic food, local talent and more! We're excited to announce our Main Stage Headliners, Sunshine Anderson and Mario, will be wrapping up the event with performances beginning a 6 p.m. For a detailed list of activities and the full main stage schedule, visit our website .  This is an event you sure won't want to miss! Now let's get you prepared with all the important details to make sure you are ready for the day... What...

Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus, right through Downtown Durham! Join us in celebrating the holiday season by attending the Durham Holiday Parade on Saturday, December 18 starting at 11 a.m. Cheer on dynamic floats, hometown bands, drill teams, schools, and community groups as they make their way down Main Street.  We have lined up some special guests that will be part of this year's parade! We're excited to welcome Mayor-elect, Elaine M. O'Neal, as the 2021 Holiday Parade Marshal. Read more about O'Neal is her bio on our website . And the 2021 Holiday Parade Emcee is WRAL Evening Anchor, Lena Tillett.  Make sure you don't leave before the parade is over or you'll miss the jolliest special guest of them all! The procession will conclude with a guest appearance from Santa! The parade will start at the Health Department (Main and Dillard Streets) and end near Duke University East Campus (Main Street and Buchanan Boulevard). Designated performance are...

Grab your snacks and warm blankets and join us for a movie night under the stars! Durham Parks and Recreation is bringing free movies to you! Watch from the comfort of your vehicle or bring your own chairs and sit in front of your vehicle. Registered participants can also ride bikes, ride public transportation, or walk to the event. All Bull City Reels on Wheels events are free, but tickets must be reserved online . Only one ticket is needed per parking spot. Reserving your ticket online guarantees you entry to the show. We only authorize as many tickets as we have spots available for each show. Ticket registration will be taken online until all spots are full or until 3 p.m. on the day of the event. No tickets will be issued at the gate. No shows are no fun! If you reserve a ticket and can no longer attend, please let us know as soon as possible! Friday, June 18 9 p.m., Gates open at 8 p.m. Durham County Memorial Stadium, 750 Stadium Drive Movie Title & Rating: Amistad (R) Registe...

Who's ready to rock out!? Durham Parks and Recreation is bringing concerts to you...in your car! Join us for Rock the Lot at select dates and locations this summer! Come on out for a concert and enjoy it from the comfort of your vehicle or bring your own chairs and sit directly in front of your vehicle in the marked space provided. Rock the Lot events are rain or shine. Rain dates will not be offered for these events. All Rock the Lot events are free, but tickets must be reserved online . Only one ticket is needed per car. We will be limiting each car to only 4 people, so please plan accordingly. Reserving your ticket online guarantees you entry to the show. Each concert will accommodate up to 50 vehicles. Cars are limited to 4 people, so please plan accordingly! Ticket registration will be taken online until all spots are full or until 3 days prior to the concert. No tickets will be issued at the gate. No shows are no fun! If you reserve a ticket and can no longer attend, please l...

The 2021 Bimbé Celebration registration is currently full with a waiting list. It’s time for a Bimbé Celebration! For those that have registered for the event, join us on Saturday, May 15 at Durham County Memorial Stadium Parking Lot, located at 750 Stadium Drive. Enjoy this rain or shine, family-oriented event, celebrating African and African American history, culture, arts, and traditions. This event require pre registration and spots are limited! For time slot availability and registration, visit our ActiveNet website . This event will consist of some of the highlights of our usual Bimbé Festival including great music, speakers, and tasty food! Enjoy concerts and speakers from the comfort of your vehicle or bring your own chairs and sit directly in front of your vehicle in the marked space provided. Visit the Bimbé History page for information on how the festival has evolved throughout the years. The following food trucks will be available so be sure to bring your appetite or f...

Get your Green on! Join us Saturday, April 24 as we host a free, rain or shine celebration for Earth Day at the Durham County Memorial Stadium Parking Lot (located at 750 Stadium Drive) ! Enjoy concerts and conservation talks from the comfort of your vehicle or parking spot (you're welcome to bring your own chairs and sit in front of your vehicle). For a full schedule of the entertainment, visit our website . We're offering three timeslots to get in on the fun - 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m.-3 p.m., or 4:30 p.m.-6 p.m. Gates open one hour before event time. Preregistration is required and spots are limited! Cars are limited to 4 people, so please plan accordingly! Food trucks will also be available so be sure to bring your appetite, or feel free to pack your own picnic. Have some papers you want shredded? Along with your event registration, you have access to free paper shredding services! On your way into the event, drop off up to two boxes of paper that will fit in a standar...

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...

Kick off the holiday season at the Durham Holiday Parade and Fun Fest on Saturday, December 8, 2018 starting at 10 a.m.! Join us for the Holiday Parade as dynamic floats, hometown bands, drill teams, schools and community groups make their way down Main Street. The parade will conclude with a special guest appearance by Santa.  Seating will not be provided. Spectators are encouraged to bring their own chairs and blankets. Designated performance areas will be located near the following intersections: Mangum and Main streets, Chapel Hill and Main streets, and Duke and Main streets.The parade will start at the Health Department (Main and Dillard Streets) and end near Duke University East Campus (Main Street and Buchanan Boulevard). Temporary restroom stations will be located near the following intersections: S. Elizabeth/Commerce and Main streets, Chapel Hill and Main streets, and Duke and Main streets. Please note: There will be no parking on Main Street on December 8 beginnin...

Durham Parks and Recreation (DPR) and Beyond Fences have teamed up once again to organize Durham’s most popular canine bonanza, Barktoberfest! On Saturday, October 27, 2018, the Durham community and their four-legged friends, can come and partake in the festivities at Durham Central Park located at 501 Foster Street, from 2:30 p.m. until 7 p.m. The event will begin immediately following the Durham Farmer’s Market, which takes place at Durham Central Park every Saturday morning. There will be food, fun, and fur-babies galore! Barktoberfest 2018 aims to encourage solidarity within the pet-lovers of Durham. Businesses and community members alike have the opportunity to share their passions through art, neighborhood involvement, music, pet health, games, activities, and socialization.  DPR continues to support and admire the work of our non-profit partner, Beyond Fences, as they faithfully serve our town through several proactive methods. Their fence program provides...

Join us this Saturday, August 11, 2018 as we host the Durham Latino Festival at Rock Quarry Park (701 Stadium Drive) from 12 p.m. - 5 p.m. There will be a wide range of festival activities for the entire family to enjoy including live music and entertainment, arts and crafts, ethnic food and a youth soccer tournament. The Main Stage Schedule has a talented lineup of artists that will be performing all throughout the festival. Some of the artists include Caique Vidal & Batuque, Ballet Folklorico Guadalupano and Los Rumeros Star. For a full list of performances, visit our website by clicking here . Seating will not be provided so make sure you bring your own lawn chair and/or a blanket to sit on! Please keep in mind, the following items are NOT allowed at the event: coolers, smoking, alcohol, personal canopies or tents, and pets. But we’d love for you to bring your own Water Bottle! Help reduce waste and fill up your bottle with free water refills from the water truck. In cas...

What better way to enjoy being in nature this summer than a concert and movie series right in the heart of several of our beautiful parks across the city!? Sit back, relax and enjoy family and friends while grooving to music or watching a movie on a big screen. This summer we have a great lineup of awesome bands and family-friendly movies for everyone to enjoy. Both activities are free and open to the public! We’ll have food vendors on site with food and drinks available for purchase. We’d suggest bringing your favorite lawn chair or blanket to set up for a night at the park. And just a reminder, no alcohol or smoking is allowed. Here is a full list of the upcoming concerts and movies that are scheduled for this summer: Date Time Location Band/Movie Saturday, June 9 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. Duke Park, 106 W. Knox Street ReggaeInfinity (Reggae) Saturday, June 23 8:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. Durham Central Park, 501 Foster Street Marmaduke (PG) Saturday, July 7 6...

Clear your calendar! We’ve got a week full of awesome activities leading up to our 49th Bimbé Cultural Arts Festival on Saturday! From a Hip Hop Panel Discussion to a Community Block Party, there is something for all ages to enjoy. Here’s a full list of our weekday activities that start today: Bimbé Panel Discussion: Hip Hop - Then and Now Join us for a panel discussion with DJs and Artists about where Hip Hop is going and why.      Tuesday, May 15, 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m.      Holton Career and Resource Center Athletic Field, 401 N. Driver St.      Free | All Ages | No preregistration required Bimbé Community Block Party Fun for the whole community! Music, food, dancing, and games for the whole family! K97.5 will be airing live from the event, with host Brian Dawson!      Wednesday, May 16, 6 p.m.-8 p.m.      Holton Career and Resource Center Athletic Field, 401 N. Driver St.      Free | All Ages...

Bimbé History In 1969, a group of African American students from local Universities and community members met together to discuss the need for a cultural arts festival for the residents of Durham. Months of planning and hard work brought together the first ever Bimbé Cultural Arts Festival – held originally at Duke Gardens. The origin of Bimbé rooted from the West African festival of harvest celebration. During the celebration families would give thanks by sharing their best fruits within the villages. The fruit sharing was accompanied with drums, songs and dance. This is a tradition that is still practiced by many villages in the Caribbean. The second year of Bimbé took place at Hillside Park, which led to more community involvement. In the early 1980’s Bimbé was then moved to the campus of NCCU which grew even more in attendance and sponsorship. By 1995 the festival moved to UDI Industrial Park near Fayetteville Street and a year later, to the Durham Athletic Park. In 2003 Bimb...

Enjoy a day filled with an eclectic mix of music, food, hands-on environmental education activities and much more! Join us this Sunday, April 22nd from Noon to 5 p.m. at the Durham Central Park (501 Foster Street). This event is rain or shine and free to all ages! Come hungry! Food will be available for purchase from CocoCrissi Tropical Icee's, Cool Breezes, Tooties Mobile Kitchen, Bruster's Real Ice Cream, Pita Delita, Bel'le Full Vending, 454 Grill, and 815 Gourmet Grill. We’ll have a variety of performances on the Main Stage throughout the day. Below is a list of the performers and times they will be on stage. Please note, the schedule is subject to change. For the most up to date schedule, visit our website . Main Stage Performances 12 p.m. Welcome by Durham Officials 12:05 p.m. Rock 'N Roll High School House Band (Alternative Rock) 1:10 p.m. The Majestic Angels   (Dance) 1:35 p.m. Environmental Education Demo - Presented by St...