April is going to be a seriously fun month, packed with SO. MUCH. good stuff including Full Frame Film Festival, Durham’s 150th birthday celebration, Pints for Paws, MoogFest, and a whole lot more. Here are the month’s top events.
Storytime on the Roof
April 3, 2019 @ 10:30 am to 11:15 am at The Durham Hotel
Storytime on the rooftop kicks off for the season on April 3rd! Kids and their grownups are invited to join the children’s librarians from Durham County’s North Regional Library for storytime. Bring a favorite pillow or blanket for sitting & don’t forget to stop by the coffee shop for coffee, juice, pastries, cookies, and lunch before or after storytime.
Dates: Apr 3 | May 1 | June 5 | Jul 3 | Aug 7 | Sep 4 | Oct 2 | Oct 30
Pre-registration is required here: https://events.durhamcountylibrary.org/events
LOCAL LIBATIONS SERIES: NC DRINKS | MEET & MINGLE | Q & A
April 4, 2019 @ 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Unscripted Durham
Unscripted offers this unique opportunity to meet so many of the amazing men and women from the Distilleries and Breweries that make up North Carolina’s thriving beverage industry. The 4-part series will highlight the companies elevating selections in bottle shops and bars all over the great state of North Carolina. Each event will start with the host, Bedlam Vodka, introducing representatives from the participating companies. Then you’ll meet and mingle with our local producers and fellow enthusiasts while sampling each of the four offerings.
1st Thursday of every month Dates: March 7th | April 4th | May 2nd | June 6th Tickets: $30 per person (per event) Drinks: 3 short cocktails & 1 full-size beer
Full Frame Documentary Film Festival
April 4-7 at the Carolina Theatre
The Full Frame Documentary Film Festival is an annual event that showcases non-fiction cinema. It’s a four-day, morning-to-midnight array of nearly 100 films, as well as discussions and panels. You can grab individual or package tickets here. There will be a few free screenings, including Won’t You Be My Neighbor? at Durham Central Park on April 6th at 8:30 pm. The free screenings times will be on our event calendar.
Volunteer Workday
April 6, 2019 @ 9:00 am to 12:00 pm at Durham Public Schools Hub Farm
Come out to enjoy a beautiful Saturday on the farm and meet others in our community! You’ll be doing tasks to help maintain the farm so it stays beautiful and functional for their educational programming. They’ll have water, gloves and tools; just bring a refillable water bottle, snacks, comfortable clothes that can get dirty, closed-toe shoes, and be ready to work!
Tobacco Basket Workshop
April 6, 2019 @ 9:30 am to 2:30 pm at Duke Homestead State Historic Site
Love the look of vintage tobacco baskets? Make your own chic version in this workshop with artist and maker Nancy Duffie. Fee includes instruction and all materials. You will leave this workshop with a completed 14″x 14″ tobacco basket!
$35 (plus tax and fees) per person, pre-registration required. There are three class options: 9:30 am,12 pm and 2:30pm. There are 10 spots available per class, and each class should be 1.5-2 hours. Registration will be open on Tuesday, March 12th at 9:00 am.
April Bull City Food Swap
April 8, 2019 @ 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm at Hi-Wire Brewing at Golden Belt
Love food? Love making food? Love local food culture? Love bartering? LOVE BEER?! Join us April 8th at High-Wire Brewing at Golden Belt in Durham. Come swap homegrown, handmade, or foraged edible delights with like-minded food lovers from the NC Triangle Region.
A food swap is part silent auction/part village marketplace/part fun-loving open house where your homemade edible creations (breads, preserves, special concoctions, canned goods, etc.) become your own personal currency for use in swapping with other participants.
Tinkering & Drinkering @Motorco
April 11, 2019 @ 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm at Motorco
Head to Motorco for another awesome Tinkering & Drinkering! Activities can include: circuits using conductive LEGOs, KEVA blocks, one-of-a-kind cooperative video game, needle felting (in case you’re feeling stabby), perler beads, leather working, or shrinky dinks. There is a $10 suggested donation at the door to cover materials and supplies.
Durham Bulls Opening Night
April 11, 2019 @ 6:35 pm to 9:35 pm at Durham Bulls Baseball Club
There’s nothing like Opening Night, and there’s nothing like baseball at the DBAP. Come out April 11 as the back-to-back league champion Durham Bulls open their 2019 home schedule. Plus, the evening’s game will be followed by a postgame fireworks show, and feature the brand new Afforda-BULL Eats all night long.
Durham 150th Tap Takeover
April 12, 2019 @ 2:00 pm to 11:59 pm at Fullsteam Brewery
Head to Fullsteam to celebrate North Carolina Beer Month and Durham’s 150th anniversary with special beers from seven Durham-based breweries, including Fullsteam! To celebrate Durham’s birthday — and the city’s diversity — the city’s seven breweries brewed a beer with a local Durham partner like Ponysaurus, Barrel Culture, and more. On April 12th, they’ll put all seven Durham 150 beers on tap.
Can’t make April 12? The Glass Jug Beer Lab is also hosting the Durham 150 beers the day prior (Thursday, April 11).
Good Times at The Sugar Shack
April 12, 2019 @ 7:00 pm to 12:00 am at Durham Armory
An evening celebrating artist Ernie Barnes with original choreography inspired by his paintings. Hosted by poet J. Ivy. Performances by 3D Jazz Project & the Cary Ballet Conservatory, Bouncing Bulldogs, Capital City Steppers, Central Park School for Children Step Team, Hillside High School Dance, LEAP Team, NC Arts in Action, Maladroite, Durham Matriarch Dance Company, Royal Expressions Contemporary Ballet, and TheGifted Arts. Dance party immediately following with DJ Niena Drake.
Star Party
April 12, 2019 @ 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm at Old North Durham Park
Celebrate this year’s NC Statewide Star Party by adventuring “To the Moon and Beyond”. They’ll provide high powered binoculars and telescopes for high-quality viewing and will feature astronomers from the Chapel Hill Astronomical and Observational Society (CHAOS), NASA, and our very own Durham Parks & Rec!
This program is free and does not require registration. Children must be accompanied by an adult. In case of a cloud out, the program will be held Saturday, April 13.
West Point Eno Egg Hunt
April 13, 2019 @ 10:00 am to 12:00 pm at West Point on the Eno
Egg hunters wanted at the 32nd Annual Egg Hunt at West Point on the Eno. Children will be divided into groups according to their age for the egg hunt: 0-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-9, 10-12. Find the golden egg and win an extra prize! All age groups will start at 10:15am; games, crafts and face painting to follow until noon. Remember to bring your own basket! Mr. Bunny will be available for pictures. Free and open to the public!
Dog-Gone Egg Hunt
April 13, 2019 @ 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm at West Point on the Eno
Don’t let your canine companion miss out on this spring tradition! Bring your dog to West Point on the Eno, where they will experience an egg hunt: Canine style! Find the golden egg to win a special prize. Mr. Bunny will be available for pictures. Dogs must remain on leash. Free, drop-in event.
The Durham 150 Opening Celebration
April 13, 2019 @ 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at American Tobacco Campus
We can’t celebrate Durham’s birthday without you! The Opening Celebration starts promptly at 10 a.m., and festivities continue until 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 13. Themed neighborhoods in the American Tobacco Campus (ATC) will highlight the four pillars of Durham 150: History & Education, Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Social Equity & Robust Democracy, and Arts & Leisure.
Each neighborhood will feature local experts, artists and community leaders hosting exhibits, crafts, and demonstrations. Visit all four to enter drawings for prizes that will include entertainment and staycation packages from Durham businesses. … That’s not all. Mayor Steve Schewel will kick off the official recognition and fanfare at 10:30 a.m., inviting everyone to enjoy complimentary birthday cake. Other activities include live performances, a story kiosk, a photo mosaic mural, and a “Running of the Bulls” race of floatable bulls down the ATC river.
Bull City Bike Rally
April 13, 2019 @ 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm at West Main Street, Downtown Durham
Join Raging Bull for 2 days as they close downtown Durham for the largest rally of the year. Live Bands, Bike show, Bikini contest, Demos, Rides, Tats, Vendors, Games and Great food!
SummerStage Block Party
April 13, 2019 @ 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm at Golden Belt Campus
Help Golden Belt celebrate Durham’s 150th birthday and National Record Store Day with a few of our friends from Jamla, Cardigan, Raund Haus, Merge, NCCU and Small Town Records. Join us from 3-9pm for a hiring fair, local food trucks, music, art and brew from Hi-Wire. SummerStage is an outdoor performance space abutting HiWire Brewery’s Durham Fun Zone. The stage and plaza will accommodate approximately 400 people, and will feature programming including music, film, art, educational and fitness events. There are nearly 100 planned free events scheduled for the inaugural April – October 2019 season, curated by Art of Cool Project co-founder Dr. Cicely Mitchell.
Pints for Paws Craft Beverage Festival
April 14, 2019 @ 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm at Durham Central Park
Celebrate the Durham craft beverage community while raising funds for Animal Protection Society of Durham. This will be the second year of this fun festival, with local craft breweries and other local craft beverage makers coming together in one event to raise funds for homeless animals. There will be food trucks, a band, doggie wading pools, games, and a whole lot more. Adoptable dogs from APS of Durham will also be there for you to meet! 100% of the proceeds will benefit Animal Protection Society of Durham to care for animals in need.
You Can’t Spell BEERS without BEES
April 20, 2019 @ 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm at Fullsteam Brewery
To celebrate this year’s Earth Day theme of ‘Protect our Species,’ Fullsteam is throwing an all-out bee-fest with honey beer, bee-related vendors & non-profits…and a spelling bee with a twist. There will be ten competitors onstage spelling for the bees at 3pm. All contest proceeds will go to Keep Durham Beautiful’s Pollinator Project, so they’re looking for contestants who aren’t just brainy, but also interested in raising money to support this cause. To sweeten the deal, the winner gets a ‘Honey Pot’ with a variety of bee and non-bee related prizes.
Moogfest 2019
The weird and wonderful world of Moogfest is descending upon Durham April 25th through the 28th. We’re pretty excited. Moogfest offers panels and workshops by day and concerts by night. The full schedule usually includes over 200 workshops, masterclasses, and conversations. You can grab tickets here or there’s usually some great free events available. (We’ll keep you up to date as the full schedule becomes available)
Durham Earth Day Festival
April 28, 2019 @ 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm at Durham Central Park
Enjoy a day filled with an eclectic mix of music, food, hands-on environmental education activities and much more! Free event, rain or shine! To check out the full schedule visit: https://www.dprplaymore.org/299/Earth-Day-Festival
See the full events calendar here
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Author: Katelyn Belch
Founder of Best of the Bull and Shop Durham. It’s my chief goal to keep you in the know about all things Durham.
