Hurricanes watch party at Grainger Stadium aims to bring Kinston together

A Carolina Hurricanes Game 6 watch party will be held Saturday, June 14 at Historic Grainger Stadium following the Kinston Bird Dawgs home game, giving local fans a chance to gather around a North Carolina team making a postseason run.

The watch party is scheduled for 8 p.m. at the stadium. The event invites fans to wear Hurricanes gear, bring their families and watch the game in a community setting.

For Omar Marcel Grady, the idea started with a simple question: Why not Kinston?

“For years, I’ve often felt like the 252, especially Kinston, sometimes feels like an island in the middle of the ocean,” Marcel Grady said. “Not because we’re forgotten, but because many of us have traveled. We’ve visited larger cities. We’ve experienced things that brought people together, created excitement and built community pride.”

He remembered being in Raleigh when the Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup in 2006 and seeing the city come alive with excitement.

“It wasn’t just Raleigh celebrating, it felt like the entire state was celebrating together,” Marcel Grady said.

That memory helped shape the idea for a local watch party at Grainger Stadium. He had recently noticed only a few people watching Hurricanes games around town and wondered why the community was not gathering around a team that represents the state.

“This isn’t just Raleigh’s team,” he said. “This is North Carolina’s team. This is Eastern North Carolina’s team. This is Kinston’s team.”

Marcel Grady said he imagined Grainger Stadium filled with families, friends, children, grandparents, Hurricanes jerseys, flags and cheering fans.

“This event is bigger than hockey,” he said. “It’s a reminder that community still matters. It’s proof that people still want to gather, laugh, celebrate and share moments together.”

The watch party also gives Kinston an opportunity to show a different side of the community, Marcel Grady said.

“For a few hours, we’re not Democrats or Republicans. We’re not from one neighborhood or another. We’re not divided by race, age, income or opinions,” he said. “We’re simply North Carolinians. We’re neighbors. We’re friends. We’re one community cheering for one goal.”

Marcel Grady said he hopes the event gives residents a positive shared experience and helps create lasting memories.

“When people look at the photos, the videos and the crowd, I hope they don’t just see a hockey watch party,” Marcel Grady said. “I hope they see a community that believes in itself. A community that is hopeful. A community that is resilient. A community that is proud.”

Fans are encouraged to attend the Bird Dawgs home game and stay afterward for the Hurricanes watch party.