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Hi! Happy weekend.
It’s that ambiently in-between stage of late April that’s neither fully spring nor summer fully summer, and it’d be easy to have an existential crisis. The weather seems nice enough this weekend, however, so perhaps a better idea is to take yourself to the Durham Bulls Athletic Park for a game (as I am), or to the former home of the Bulls, the Historic Athletic Baseball Park, where the 3rd Annual Sandlot Revival is taking place. At this event, sandlot teams from as far as New York and New Orleans gather to compete, eat barbecue, drink beer, and hang out.
Sound like fun? Read writer Chase Pellegrini de Paur’s interview with event organizer Tyler Northrup and photographer Alex Boerner, alongside a nostalgic spread of baseball photos from Sandlot Revivals past. The event runs from April 27-29; if you walk past the park, maybe you’ll catch a glimpse through the fence.
We invite Sandlot from all around the country to come and play our teams. [It’s] almost less about the baseball and more just a chance for our teams and their teams to come and get together and get to know each other and have a good time. It’s also for the community to come out and see what sandlot baseball is because it’s different than what a lot of people have experienced with baseball in the past. It’s not not competitive, but it is competitive second. It’s about community and camaraderie first.
Thanks for reading and find more news from around the Triangle below.
A photo from a genial Sandlot Revival past. Photo by Alex Boerner.
elsewhere in the culture section
There’s a new farmer’s market in the Triangle: The North Durham Farmer’s Market, which takes place on the first and third Saturday of every month, held its first market on April 6 and has several more this summer. Read intern Sam Overton’s piece on the new venture here.
As mentioned in last week’s newsletter, the Triangle is mourning the death of Triangle musician Josh Rowsey, a kind, charismatic community leader who passed away from a heart attack last Wednesday at the age of 32. Pierce Freelon, who worked with Rowsey at Blackspace and other endeavors, wrote a beautiful, attentive piece on Rowsey’s work and life. The tribute, as well as the attendant photos of Rowsey by photographer Amanda Rudd, are worth your time. Read it here.
ICYMI: A profile of Shirlette Ammons (her new album, Spectacles, is out today!), a review of Civil War, and, via UNC Media Hub, a look at the impact of the legalization of sports betting on student-athletes.
out and about in the triangle
Umbrella Dry Bar, a nonalcoholic spot the INDY featured in February, is closing after four months and is moving, per its Instagram, toward a pop-up event model. If you’re looking for other places to find spirits-free fare, we have a roundup of the best mocktails in the Triangle from February.
In Raleigh, Biscuit Belly is opening and Seaboard Cafe is closing, per the News & Observer, though customers have until September to grab a bite to eat. In Hillsborough, West Hillsborough Pizzeria has opened while the Hot Tin Roof, nearby, has closed. And in Durham, COPA put up an Instagram post announcing that they are struggling and need to fundraise to keep the restaurant alive. From the looks of the GoFundMe, though, diners have been eager to help: In just two days, the campaign has raised more than $22,000 of its $16,000 goal.
With all these openings and closings, it’s sometimes hard to keep track of what OG institutions are still around. To help you out, the News & Observer has a piece up that names the 5 Durham restaurants that have hung on for more than 20 years.
Finally, a follow-up to one more piece of closure news: Several months ago, Sam’s Bottle Shop shut its doors, but if you’re feeling nostalgic, you have one last chance to grab a piece of Sam’s and take it home with you: This weekend, the shop is selling off its iconic neon signs alongside glassware and other shop goods, in a fundraiser for the Independent Animal Rescue (IAR). Learn more here. (I endorse this event, as someone who has fostered a dog via the very helpful folks at the IAR.)
out and about in the world
None today. But please take our Reader Survey, linked below—the media landscape has shapeshifted drastically, in the past two decades, and as we struggle to keep a small free alt-weekly alive and relevant, it’d be helpful to understand how you get your news and what you think we at the INDY can do better. Thanks for reading!
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