The desire for local, outdoor entertainment has spread in Bryan College Station. People are always searching for new places to socialize, and parents crave open areas where they can bring their children to enjoy an evening of fun with their friends. Observing the need in the spring of 2019, Jesse Durden opened The Yard. He launched Southside Social Club in May 2019 to bring life into the all-inclusive, green space.
What Durden had in mind was a place where families could come together and disconnect from the busyness of life. “He wanted the yard to be pretty bare — in the fact that you’ll notice we don’t have a lot of playground equipment or anything like that, because he wanted kids to get back to where we once were, where we had to use our imagination and encourage free play,” says Cara McQueen, the general manager at Southside Social Club.
Every week Southside Social Club manages events that happen at The Yard, an open field with a large, breezy covered patio on the side. Fans and misters chill the heat on hot Texas days. Locals and visitors can take part in gatherings geared toward children and adults, such as Toddler Tuesday, Yoga at The Yard, or Southside Shopping Sunday. Food Truck Friday has metamorphosed into Trucks and Tunes, a Friday evening get-together for anyone wanting to eat delicious food and listen to live music.
Not only can the public enjoy pre-scheduled events at The Yard, but you can also reserve the space for private events, such as birthday parties, graduation celebrations, and other festive affairs.
Before sunset, the smell of comfort food from Blake’s Steaks Sandwich Shop and Donut Darlin’ food trucks fill the air, and local artist Dallas Shipp plays a guitar and sings Texas music in the background. While adults socialize during Trucks and Tunes, children play life-size versions of Connect Four, kick soccer balls, and sit in bean bag chairs strewn about the field. This is what a Friday night is like at The Yard.
“We just want [The Yard] to be a space for people to gather, connect, and play,” Cara says. “Those — gather, connect, and play — are our big three that are so important to us.”
The happenings of the Southside Social Club are held weekly at The Yard. Visit www.southsidesocialclubcs.com/happenings for more information about upcoming events.
