Come play Carnival Games to Support Play NC and South Durham Little League!

  • What: We’re hosting a Carnival, with a softball theme.
  • When: Saturday, August 16, 2025 from 12pm-6pm, with the Grand Finale at 6:15pm
    • Younger kids are encouraged to play early in the day, between 12pm and 3pm.
  • Where: Parkwood Baseball Field (5124 Revere Rd, Durham, NC 27713)
  • Who: Hosted by Play NC
  • Why: Raising money to increase Durham Softball and SDLL’s access to fields! All proceeds will go towards helping provide access to local fields for South Durham Little League.
  • How: With you!

We will sell Game Tickets for $1 each. These tickets will be redeemed at stations arranged throughout the field to play Carnival Games and Competitive Games. Game Tickets will be used as Entry to play each game, with games awarding Prize Tickets. Prize Tickets can be used to purchase prizes. 

CARNIVAL GAMES

These games cost 1 Game Ticket to play and each game awards Prize Tickets for successful attempts. Prize Tickets can then be redeemed at the Prize Table for baseball/softball-related Prizes.

PRE-ORDER UNLIMITED GAMES BRACELET

For $40, participants will be able to purchase an “Unlimited Games” wristband, with each wristband including:

  • Unlimited attempts at every game,
  • One free entry into each of the three Competitive Games, and
  • Two, $5 coupons ($10 total) towards any Food Truck purchase at the event.

Wristbands for kids 8 and under are eligible for a $10 discount ($30 total), with their wristbands excluding one free entry into the Competitive Games.

The Carnival will feature many classic fair- and carnival-style games, each with a softball or baseball theme. You’ll probably recognize some of these!

  1. Ball-ance Beam: Roll a ball down a beam and into a bucket.
  2. Bank-a-Ball: Toss a wiffle ball against a board and into a bucket.
  3. Baseball Hockey: Golf a softball into the hockey goal.
  4. Base Hopping: Jump from base-to-base without dropping the ball.
  5. Bozo Buckets: Lob a wiffle ball into 6 different buckets.
  6. Knockdown Cans: Throw a baseball to knock down a pyramid of cans.
  7. Tic-Tac-Target: Throw a softball to knock down
  8. Ring-a-Tee: Toss a ring around a batting tee.
  9. Softball Bocce: Roll a softball that stops inside 5 different rings on the ground.
  10. Tee-Ball Toss: Knock a tee-ball off three tees with a tee-ball.

We are hoping to confirm 2-4 more games, as well, but we’ll need more volunteers to help run them! Check out this form and more details on how you can help below.

COMPETITIVE GAMES

Similar to Carnival Games, but these games cost 2 Game Tickets to enter (or one Free Entry is included with every Unlimited Bracelet). Instead of earning Prize Tickets, players compete to win the high score on the day, which would qualify them to enter the Grand Finale at 6:15pm to close out the event.

The Competitive Games will include three classics: Pitch, Hit, and Throw.

  1. Pitch: Player throws 9 regulation, slowpitch softball pitches.
    • 3 Points for landing on the plate.
    • 1 Point for landing on the strike zone mat.
      • Moneyball doubles point values.
  2. Hit: Player takes 9 swings off a tee, hitting softballs at a target at the back of the batting cage.
    • 3 Points for hitting Target in the air.
    • 2 Points for hitting Target on one bounce.
    • 1 Point for hitting Target, at all.
      • Moneyball doubles point values.
  3. Throw: Player throws 9 softballs at a target, attempting to go through a hole.
    • 1 Point for going through the hole.
      • Moneyball doubles point values.

The Top 3 Entrants in each game will qualify to advance to the Grand Finale in two different brackets:

  • 12 and Under: Player must be 12 years old, or younger, on the date of the Softball Carnival.
  • 13 and Older: Player must be 13 years old, or older, on the date of the Softball Carnival. This includes Adults.

Qualifiers will face off in the Grand Finale, playing each game one more time in front of the crowd to close the event. After a knockout-style format, a winner for each game and bracket will be determined, with the grand prizes including:

  • Free entry to a future Durham Softball (for adults) or South Durham Little League (for kids) season.
  • Free event t-shirt.
  • 100 Prize Tickets.
  • Automatic entry into our next carnival’s Grand Finale.
  • And more! Details coming soon!

VOLUNTEER

If you are interested in volunteering to help this fair, we could certainly use your help! We’ll have a variety of roles, either in the morning to setup, during the day as a “carny” running a game, or afterwards to help clean the field.

To volunteer, please complete this form to show your interest and we’ll match you with a role during the event. 

To show our appreciation for our volunteers, everyone who works at least one 3.5-hour shift will receive:

  • 10 Free Game Tickets
  • 50% off Prize Ticket Value for one item
  • Priority, on-field seating during the Grand Finale

It will be a fun way to support South Durham Little League and help lots of kids play carnival games, so I hope you’ll help!

SPONSOR

If you are interested in sponsoring this event, please click here to learn more about the different sponsorship options.

 

Food Trucks

These great local food trucks will be serving everyone at our event to make it feel like a real carnival! Our Unlimited Games Bracelet includes two, $5 coupons to any of these trucks!

ENTREES

Smash Masters Tavern & Grill is known as the home of the Half-Pound Smash Burger. We specialize in smash burgers, being the only restaurant in the area offering a generous half pound of beef in each one.

DeeVines Dogs offers one of the best selections of gourmet hot dogs in the area!

DESSERTS

Cary Cotton Candy offers both traditional and organic cotton candy for a clean, sweet treat. All flavors are free of gluten, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, dairy, and GMOs. Specialty organic flavors are also free of artificial flavors and colors.

At Frios Dessert Pops, we offer the best gourmet fruit and ice cream pops in the area! Our pops are made with real ingredients and a little MAGIC!

Current Sponsors

Financial investments are very important, but so are the investments of time, patience, and encouragement our young athletes receive from their coaches, teachers, and mentors. Josh Slezak, your Chapel Hill Edward Jones financial advisor, understands this. That’s why Josh is a proud sponsor of Play NC’s Softball Carnival and the South Durham Little League.

For all of your investment needs, call (919) 918-4017 or visit EdwardJones.com.

Edward Jones. Member SIPC.

Oakley’s Lawn Care is a family business, meaning we are deeply invested in our reputation and take pride in our workmanship. With over 10 years of experience in the lawn care industry, we have established ourselves as a trusted partner for homeowners and businesses.

Family Care, PA has been serving Durham as an independent primary care medical provider since 1992. Family Care accepts patients of all ages, from newborns to adults, and can currently see new patients within two weeks.