Elizabeth City
Team: River City Skippers
Affiliate: N/A (The Old North State League)
Ballpark Basics: A minimalist ballpark with a local flair.
Key Stats:
Parking: Free and plentiful as Holmes Field is part of the city’s Knob Creek Park Recreation Center.
Seats in the Shade: Aim for the first base side or back rows of the center grandstand if you’re looking for the spots that get shaded first.
Located just north of downtown Elizabeth City In Knobbs Creek Park, Holmes Field has a number of teams that call it home, including the River City Skippers of the the Old North State League. Holmes Field is named in honor of Wilton “Hester” Holmes who coached youngsters in Elizabeth City for thirty years. The field sits behind the Knobbs Creek Recreation Center along the Knobbs Creek. You can park in any of the lots that surround the field and local buildings.
The only entrance is along a chain link fence on the first base side. Once you enter there was a local food truck and some local businesses that had set up tents to promote their offerings. That local feeling continued throughout the game as most, if not all, of the fans were local or host families that all seemed to know each other. The game had a very communal feel with the fanbase being extremely invested in the game and knowing all of the players.
Sharing the field with the local college and high school teams, the field looks as you would expect. It is an unassuming field surrounded by four sets of bleachers. There were large open areas where kids were playing catch or tag. The teams’ dugouts are raised FINISH
Best Spot for Beer:
The best (and only) spot for beer was the concession stand that was right behind the first base line. They offered traditional ballpark fare and a surprising number of local beers. On our visit they had three different options from Seven Sounds Brewing Company, brewed right down the street. We have been to multiple parks at different levels that have had less options than this park.
We love attending games like this. The ballpark keeps things simple, letting the game take center stage. Surrounded by locals and host families, you can feel how much the crowd is truly invested in the game.
Elizabeth City, especially the part that is considered the downtown waterfront is quite small so to have two quality breweries with distribution outside the immediate area is pretty impressive. To choose to highlight one over the other would have been a disservice to them and you, so read on to learn more about Ghost Harbor and Seven Sounds.
Ghost Harbor Brewing
Rating: Home Run
Brew Basics: Right on Pailin’s Alley, with a community presence.
Key Stats:
Dogs: Allowed inside(!) and out with the exception of Saturday nights after 6pm.
Good for Groups: Decent sized to bring your crew
Food: No kitchen on site, but welcome to BYO.
Ghost Harbor is the friendly, local spot on the main street in the downtown market district. Dark wood and black decor with big windows, and a locals spot feel.
You can choose bar seats, tables or possibly the table on the outside. Decor, atmosphere and mood here check all the modern neighborhood brewery boxes. Music and bands, community events, a stack of games to play and lots of groups having a good time. There’s a “someone bought you a beer if” board with reasons that range from “you’re retired military” to “the most recent photo in your camera reel is your dog”.
Beer Breakdown
The bar in the tap room was home to 15 taps (though some were seltzers) connected to the ceiling with copper pipe lines. Wine options were available too and on top of it all, it was so, so hot, so we braved our first beer slushie. While the concept doesn’t work in your head if you think “Miller Lite Milkshake”, they were actually frozen versions of their fruited sours and absolutely hit.
Beyond that we tried:
Time In The Sun 7.2 ABV/50 IBU – Very floral, bright and yellow with lots of lacing. A lager that starts light and builds to a dry, hoppy finish. Not bitter but earthy and herbal.
Forever Between Us 6% ABV – A raspberry, blueberry and mango sour, and one of the beers that was also available as a slushie. Deep mauve pink in color, and the berries are much more pronounced than the mango. FBU was fruity, flavorful and also creamier than the…
Traveling Tutu 6% ABV – The cherry, strawberry and mango version of the sour which was also surprisingly different than the Forever Between Us. Less viscous, softer, lighter in color with more strawberry and passionfruit. Though both sours were juicy and sweet, this one was definitely more tart than the first.
Never Brighter 6.5/30 IBU – Brownish gold and smelled fruity. A cloudy IPA with a backbone of stone fruits and a peachy finish that was grassy and lightly hopped.
602 E Colonial Avenue
Elizabeth City, NC 27909
Seven Sounds Brewing
Rating: Home Run
Brew Basics: Modern, open, big deck, waterfront.
Key Stats:
Dogs: Yes, inside and out.
Good for Groups: Of all kinds. Hanging out with a group? Got it. Hosting a large party or reception? Can do that too.
Food: Partners with a local cafe for subs, sandwiches and the like and hosts food trucks, but you’re also welcome to bring in outside food.
Seven Sounds has a very different vibe. Right on the waterfront with a big deck and several rooms. Large bay doors open to a garage with a second bar that wasn’t open when we first arrived but ended up hosting a band there later. There was also a large upstairs as well which was reserved for a wedding. The feel here is modern, open and leans slightly more upscale.
The massive deck was popular but lacked shade, so most of the tables right on the waterfront were open; tables shaded where the building cast shadows were at a premium, and still had a great view.
When we first arrived the doors were open and you could see straight through from the deck to the people at the bar, high top tables, tvs on the exposed brick, all the way to the big front windows, but once they closed the doors to preserve the a/c it felt a bit closed off from the fun and atmosphere. The view from the deck was worth it though.
Brew Breakdown:
Pick up an index card sized “Flight Card” and you can quickly check a box for the “brewer’s choice” or “surprise me” flights, or take a little more time and select four of your own. We did the latter.
Electric Feels (6.5%) Hazy IPA that was cloudy and pale yellow in color. It was also stinky, with an aroma that smelled like weed. Strong flavor that was mostly hopped, but also slightly tart and lemony. Despite the heaviness of this hazy, it was smooth and not chewy, lighter once it warmed up a bit.
Friends Forever (5.2%) Strawberry, blackberry and sour. Smelled very different from the sours at Ghost Harbor and was also thicker and more jam-like.
Shark Smile DIPA (8.5%) Orangey-golden with decent lacing and a bouquet that smells liquory sweet. The taste starts fairly smooth but ends sharp and bitter. A strong beer.
The Traveler (11.5%) This bourbon barrelled stout is the color of dark black coffee. While there are chocolate and malt notes in the aroma, you can smell the liquor a mile away. Similarly the palate is malted and slightly nutty but pretty much all liquor.
112 N Water Street
Elizabeth City, NC 27909