As part of Artsplosure, the City has placed six artfully adorned pianos at various downtown locations. The public is invited to play them – no skills required! The pianos are placed at the following locations:
Photo (c) City of Raleigh.
Do you feel like the State Fair is a “must-see” for your kids, but do you loathe the crazy crowds? Try the Got to Be NC Festival instead.
Less crowded, less crazy, more family-friendly, more exciting. You still get all the main State Fair ingredients (rides, tractor pulls, lawn mower racing, farm animals, fried food), but in a more relaxed atmosphere.
The event kicks off Friday afternoon and continues through Sunday. Admission and parking is free.
Image (c) NC Department of Agriculture.
Holly Springs is serious about its turtles, and celebrates the annual TurtleFest. Crafts, Hayrides, Live Music, and, of course, turtles.
TurtleFest takes place at Bass Lake Park, a scenic place to hang out, or walk along the lake. If you want a change of scenery this weekend, Bass Lake is only 30 minutes from downtown Raleigh, down Lake Wheeler Road.
Image by Ken Thomas [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
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Amtrak celebrates National Train Day this Saturday, and there are two ways to participate:
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If you’re planning to take the train to one of these events, let me know.
The Art Museum does a flashback to Medieval Times this Sunday afternoon, with knights, minstrels and, of course, artists. The crafts workshops (Artist Guilds) are hands-on, probably mostly for elementary to middle-school aged kids, but many other activities are suitable for all ages, like the juggler’s show or wandering minstrels (“Thunder and Spice” are pictured above).
Relatively short, the event only lasts three hours (from 1p-4p on Sunday), but it is free, and you can always extent it with a stroll through the beautiful museum park.
Image (c) Thunder and Spice. They will be performing as traveling minstrels at the medieval fair.
Oak View is one of our favorite parks, often for is relative tranquil setting. But this Saturday, it will be buzzing and humming and roaring with the sounds of dozens of antique engines. The local chapter of the Antique Automobile Club of America willl have its Spring Meet there, and the public is invited.
I haven’t been to this park when it is crowded, but it might be a good idea to park at the Olivia Rainey library, and take the short walk through the park. (Use 4016 Carya Drive in your GPS, or take the first left after turning onto Carya Drive, followed by a second left into the parking lot.)
This is an all-day affair, from 9am-4pm. One thing not to be missed is the Ford Model T quick assembly, which the club will perform at 11:30a and 2:30p. An entire Ford Model T will be assembled from a pile of parts to driving condition in a matter of minutes.
The Vet School Open House was a success last year, with exciting discoveries for dad and son alike. Highlights for the son were live farm animals, and the cats/dogs from various pet rescue charities. Highlights for the dad were the live surgery demo and the fistulated steer. (I still shudder thinking about it.)
We both really liked the skeletons on display in the main lobby (not explicitly mentioned in the visitor’s guide, and the teddy bear clinic. Mom’s teddy bear finally got stitches on a traumatic burn wound sustained several decades ago. (We will have to look for another “injured” stuffed animal this year; if you go, make sure to bring one along. Nothing explains “veterinarian” better to a 2-year-old than a vet student stitching up a beloved teddy bear. Saturday, 9a-3p. (at the Vet School, next to the fairgrounds.)
Our teddy bear, before, during and after surgery.
Note: This event is Friday 26, not Saturday 27 as originally stated. Sorry for the mistake!
“Doe, a deer, a female deer, Ray, a drop of golden sun…”
(I hope this is now stuck in your head for the rest of the afternoon!) What is better than singing along watching the Sound of Music? Singing along with many others at an outdoor screening of the movie! You can do just that this Friday(!) Saturday, at Booth Amphitheater in Cary. Doors open at 6:30, and the movie starts around 8:00 (as the sun goes down). If you kids are old enough to stay up late and love to sing, this will be the perfect evening. A lot of people dress up for this. Nun costume, anyone?
$12 for adults, $7 5-12, under 4 free. (More on day of show.)
“Doe, a deer, a female deer” by whiteoakart, licensed under CC BY-NC-SA
To put this Cary event in its global historic context: When Kemal Atatürk turned the old Ottoman Empire into modern day Turkey back in the 1920s, he also decided that the National Independence Holiday should be a “Children’s Day”. (Just one of his revolutionary and unique ideas for modernizing his country.)
To this day, Turkey celebrates its Independence Day basically as a children’s party – and so is the American-Turkish Association of Cary. But this celebration is not just for and by Turkish kids; there are performances by Taiwanese, Lebanese, Chinese, Filipino and other kids, as well as international foods and other fun things to do and see.
Chavis Park is one of the best kept secrets of Raleigh. A nice playground, a cool pool, and unique and unfamiliar views of the downtown skyline and easy access to the greenway system make a trip worthwhile.
But there is more to come, with the Grand Re-Opening of the historic Allan Herschel Carousel, built some 70-80 years ago. It has recently been refurbished and moves a few 100 feet (not without controversy). The reopening is slated for this Saturday and a dedication ceremony will be held at 2pm. (Download dedication postcard.)
