The Bottom Line
Pros
- Very family-friendly--kids under 12 get in free
- Five stages of live music and performances
- You can bring your dog!
- Affordable and healthy drinks and snacks ($1.00 watermelon slices, juice, etc.) are sold at the fest
Cons
- The parking/shuttle bus situation is inconvenient at best
- The festival ends at 6:00 p.m. each evening
Description
- The three-day-long Festival for the Eno is held at Durham 's West Point on the Eno Park every Fourth of July weekend.
- The festival features five stages of live music/performances, a craft fair and a "sustainable living expo".
- Most visitors to the festival will have to park at the nearby Durham County Stadium and take a shuttle bus to the festival.
- The festival's hours are from 10am - 6pm every day.
Guide Review - 4th of July Festival for the Eno Durham - Review of Festival for the Eno
What struck me the most about the Festival for the Eno was it's "vibe": people at the festival were relaxed, happy, and engaging in the festival activities. The crowd was made up mostly of middle-aged folks and their families, many of which included young children. Most of them were having a great time listening to music, learning folk dances, wading in the Eno River, shopping for crafts, or talking to the exhibitors at the festival's Sustainable Living Expo.The Festival for the Eno doesn't allow alcohol or camping on the festival grounds, which makes for a family-friendly environment. Parents can bring their children to this festival without having them exposed to the intoxicated people and the resulting debauchery that is common at some of the other Raleigh-Durham area music festivals.
West Point on the Eno, the scenic and shady park where the festival is held, is a pleasant place to spend the day. During my visit to the festival, I took a break from the music and visited the park's historic buildings, including a well-preserved gristmill complete with waterwheel. I was thankful for the park's numerous large and stately trees, whose shade kept me comfortable, despite temperatures in the mid-90's.
The only disappointment of my day was Eno Fest's parking situation: the vast majority of festival goers have to park at the nearby Durham County Stadium and take a shuttle bus to the festival. Although the process is managed very efficiently, the trip between the parking area and the festival, or vice versa, takes at lest 20-30 minutes each way.
Also, taking the bus prevented me from bringing my dog to the festival, which was something that we both would have really enjoyed. Although, dogs are allowed to attend the festival, they are not allowed on the buses.
But, dog or no dog, the Festival for the Eno was a pleasant way to spend a summer day.
