Category Archives: Music

Jazz in the Park (and more) at Oak View Park (6/9/2012)

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Oak View Park, a few minutes East of downtown, is “a 19th-century historic farmstead with a mission to interpret North Carolina’s agricultural heritage and rural history” and a destination in its own right. This Saturday afternoon, a visit is even more worthwhile because they have partnered with the Shaw University radio station WSHA to create “Jazz in the Park”.

Jazz may not be the type of music your kids hear at home every day, and something new in their ears can never hurt. (Speaking of “ears” and “hurt”: The reason I prefer outdoors concerts with kids is that you have much more control over sound levels by just staying away from the speakers, which is not always possible indoors.) Plus, Jazz performers with their shiny instruments and (usually) classy attire always fascinate kids.

Once you’re done with Jazz, stay for the agricultural exhibits, pet the Nubian goats or take stroll to the fishing pond.

The park is by the Poole Rd. exit of the beltline. The concert is from 12-3.

The photo is Googa Mooga by JP-Flanigan, used under the  CC BY-NC-SA license

Music on the Porch (5/24/2012)

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Music on the Porch is another grass-roots project that makes downtown a great place to be. No major label, no national operator, not even a local bar trying to sell a few extra beers: Music on The Porch has grown from a neighborhood party to a nice and regular event the is now in its 4th season and is a 12-concert series this year. This is decidedly a family event, but responsible BYOB is the norm (for the adults of course!) Hitting the stage this weekend is Raleigh’s own Andy Coats & the Bank Walkers, playing “the genres in which so much rock is rooted: the blues and other roots based music”. Pack the kids and the picnic basket and head out to Mordecai Historic Park at 6pm. Pay a $5 donation upfront on their website to support this amazing event.Andy Coats & the Bank Walkers

Got to Be NC Festival (5/18-20/2012)

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I have a feeling that calling the good old “NC Ag Fest” a smaller version of the State Fair will offend some Agricultural Commissioners, but if you’ve never been, that is probably a good comparison. The Festival draws over 100,000 people, a lot, but also much less than the State Fair. There a rides and food stands, and anything you would expect to find on a farm: tractors, hogs, country music, and cows with big ass horns. (I’ve been told that ‘ass’ is appropriate when used for livestock…)

Specifically for the little ones I would point out the pig races, the petting zoo (with a porcupine?), and the antique tractors and cars. And maybe some of the tamer rides.
(if you follow the links, click Animal Encounters, Motorized Muscle, and Rides, respectively.)

Moving slightly outside the traditional scope of a farm, there will be a Roller Derby on Saturday and a BMX contest on Sunday. There are also country music concerts at night.

Support local agriculture and visit this annual event! It takes place out at the fairgrounds, and admission is free. (But rides, concerts and some other stuff require tickets.)

Pig Race at the Orange County Fair by szeke , used under the  CC BY-NC-SA license

Artsplosure/Kidsplosure (5/19-20, 2012)

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Update: I added links to all the performers here.

Another annual event is taking place this weekend: Artsplosure. Centered around Moore Square, but with locations throughout downtown, this is a festival that celebrates the visual and performing arts. Art exhibits, three stages and of course the necessary food and drink offerings. For Kids, there is Kidsplosure, featuring three kinds of craft activities (weaving, paper flowers, and headbands). A dedicated stage brings music, theatre and acrobatics. The website unfortunately does not link to the acts. Taylor Slay, Acroentertainment and the NC theatre will certainly excite the kids. There are also some kids ensembles/band performing Jazz, classical and rock music. Kidsplosure takes place on Moore Square on the side towards Marbles. Art booths can be found around Moore Square and Blount Street, and there is an “Impressionist Garden” on City Plaza.

Learning to Work the New “Yo-Yo” (from Artsplosure 2007) by abbyladybug, used under the  CC BY-NC license

First Friday: Circus and Art (5/4/2012)

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CircusSPARK Parade

CircusSPARK Parade

This is another First Friday where the warehouse district is drawing all (our) attention. You may hesitate to bring your children to a “PBR-inspired art show”, especially once you realize that it doesn’t stand for Parents Best Reasoning, but simply Pabst Blue Ribbon.

Fire Performance

Fire Performance (CircusSPARK)

But read on. The PBaRt event on Martin street also features several street performances. First on, at 6:30 and 8:00 is Cirque de Vol, the newly opened/opening Aerial Acrobatics Studio in Hue. (Note: They have circus camp and kids yoga!) Finally, if your kids last until 8:30 they can see a fire performance by the CircusSpark team.

In addition to the abundant regular food options in the area, Baguettaboutit will be at CAM and Klausie’s Pizza at PBaRt.

Mount Olive Pickle Festival (4/27-29 2012)

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Pickles!

If you love pickles, this is your weekend! Mount Olive, NC is the unofficial “Pickle Capital of the World”, complete with a Pickle Drop on New Years’ Eve and a Pickle Festival in Spring. It is taking place this weekend, and if you’re longing for a present-day Mayberry Town Fair, this is the place to be. There is live music, there are dance performances. There is food (not just pickles), there are craft vendors.

For “little girls (any age) and their very special guest” there is the “Pickle Me Pink Tea Party“, a “dill-ightful occasion” for $25/couple. 2p-4p, tickets required.

For the less pink inclined, there is the Antique Car Show taking place on Saturday as well.

Finally, don’t forget to bring a can of food for their food drive – Mt. Olive brand or other!

The picture of Cucumber and Vine is © Debbie Craft, used with permission.

Shakori Hills Festival (4/19-4/22 2012)

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Shakori Hills (2008)

If you’re one of those folks who used to go to festivals in the BC era (Before Children), this is the season where you start thinking back to the good old days of outdoors live music, bonfire-roasted marshmallows, beer spilled on your sleeping bag and not-finding-your-tent-anymore at three o’clock in the morning. But we’ve grown up, moved on, and little kids and rowdy festivals don’t mix well. Or do they? If you want to  Continue reading →

ClydeFEST (4/5/2013)

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The original article below is from 2012; everything should be the same in 2013 except for the new date Apr-6 and some minor corrections.

Chatham Orange (oops) County does have its share of eclectic characters, and Clyde Jones is one of them. Clyde however, has the pretty unique distinction of having his own event, that annual ClydeFEST which is held for the 11th time in 2012 12th time in 2013. If you’ve never heard of Clyde, here an (older) video about him:

[vimeo https://vimeo.com/8196961]

As you can see in the video, ClydeFEST is not some high-brow art happening. This is an event for kids! The website of the Chatham Arts Council who organizes this event annually says that “ClydeFEST is an all day Kids’ Carnival Folk Art Festival of Art, Games, Music, Magic, Clowns, Hula Hoops, Local Food, and loads of other fun and excitement.” In addition, there are several performers scheduled on the stage, and food and drinks for several vendors will not be in short supply either.

ClydeFEST takes place in Bynum; Bynum is where 15-501 crosses the Haw river, and once you’re in Bynum, you can’t miss it. To get there, take 64 West and then 15-501 North, or 40 West and 15-501 South.

First Friday (Fri 4/6/12)

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Karolina Sobecka, Sniff. Courtesy of the artist.

Karolina Sobecka, Sniff. Courtesy of the artist. (Currently on Display at CAM Raleigh.)

First Friday is always a good idea to expose to the kids to some art and downtown happenings. Born Digital (including the digital dog pictured on the left) is still up at CAM, I wrote a review about it last week. There is a high school art project on display at VAE, that could be interesting: Students from Garner High School created an art project in one of those movable storage container (PODS) and it is sitting outside VAE in a parking space. (Upcoming First Fridays will feature different schools in the same space.) The main highlights are two events that are probably too close together time-wise to catch both:

First, Invisible is doing a performance at CAM at 7:30p. I’ve seen the Greensboro-based group once live in concert, and it is mesmerizing for the young and old. My best description would be ‘steam punk synthesizers’. Think an old piano triggering little hammers that bang on found objects. Amazing to see and hear. They will perform The New Obsolete. (Below is a video of an older project.)

[vimeo https://vimeo.com/18959055]

Second, Morning Times is hosting the Morning Times Market (many artists, including Johnny Swank who I like), and the Pickle Mamas will be “fire hooping” with the Raleigh Drum Circle. It is schedule at 8pm, so you probably have to make up your mind: Warehouse District or Salisbury and Hargett. Either way, the kids will enjoy it. (No rain expected, but dress warm enough the be outside.)

Take me out to the fairgrounds! (3/24/12)

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We have to wait another half year for the State Fair, but as most of you know, the fairgrounds serve as an event location throughout the year. This weekend sounds like a perfect time to just head out there and stroll around; because there are five (5!) events that might be interesting to checkout. So even if something does not appeal to your kids, you just move on to the next thing.

None of these events is specifically directed towards kids, but I think that children with their natural curiosity will be drawn to all these new sights, sounds and smells. Here we go:

Since this is not the State Fair, you can probably park inside the gates; I’d recommend to look somewhere near Dorton Arena (the large round modern building). (A fairgrounds map is available here.)

I would start with a little walk around the flea market,  the perfect place to find stuff you never knew you needed. You might be surprised what your little kids are drawn to, and the older ones may make their first supervised attempts at asking for the price and buying a little trinket that they absolutely, positively need to have. The flea market is hard to miss, situated inside and outside the old fairground building called “Education Building” on the map. This is of course free, but bring a little bit of spending money…

And just briefly mentioned on the side, there is also a consignment sale of kids clothes and toys in the Kerr Scott building nearby. Not worth a trip, but if you’re there and have something you need, have a look and hope for a cheap find.

As you get hungry for lunch, head over to Dorton Arena and India Fest. Over 150 acts perform on stage (dance, singing, music) over two days, and they are surrounded by booths selling crafts, clothes, and of course, Indian Food. I’m sure that the colorful saris and the sweet smell will capture your kids interest. Doors open at 11am, $5 admission (cash only) for everybody old than 5, under 5 free.

When you’re done with India, you can choose between dogs and horses. Several local kennel clubs hold the Kennel Dog Club Show in the Graham Building, next door to Dorton Arena. A poorly maintained website limits the information I can provide other than that it also costs $5, but I’m sure it is fun to watch the show dogs parade around in real life. (I’ve only seen dog shows on TV, and I think we all have.)

Maybe better to stick with the horses then, and head over to the Raleigh Spring Premiere Show in the Hunt horse complex (technically outside the fairgrounds, a short 5-minute walk away towards the RBC Center PNC Arena). Admission for spectators is free, and starting at 1pm, the ‘academy division‘ is showing. Think four-year-old girls riding show ponies in the big arena; excitement, laughter and drama guaranteed. The official website is also pretty bare, and I gleaned most information from a participating stable.

The flea market image is 5991247818 by storebukkebruse, used under the CC-BY license. The girl and horse image is 5873806568 by Sarah Elizabeth Simpson used under the CC-BY-NC license.