Since we’re always looking for a balanced diet for ourselves and our youngens, how about adding some yummy chili to that tasty hotdog?
Chillyfest, an annual chili cook off for food businesses and individuals is happening on Fayetteville Street this weekend. Bring an empty stomach, $8 for 10 tastings and, “chilly out’.
Have you also secretly dreamed about what your kids will be when they graduate college? Lawyer, ballet dancer, nuclear engineer? You probably realized by now that they’ll do what they will, but how becoming a brand advocate for Oscar Mayer and drive cross country in a giant hot dog? This dream comes true for 12 marketing or PR college grads every year, who get selected by Oscar Meyer to do just that. Check out their hotdoggerblog.com and visit two of them this Saturday when they are in the area.
9am-12pm, Walmart near Brier Creek (Hwy 70& I-540, specifically 10050 Glenwood Ave., Raleigh NC)
1pm-4pm, Walmart in Morrisville (Hwy 54& I-540, specifically 1001 Shiloh Glenn Dr., Morrisville)
Briefly mentioned last week, Oaks and Spokes is a festival celebrating cycling in Raleigh. Events, mostly geared towards adults, have taken place all week, but on Sunday the kids will take over for a the “Kidical Mass” ride through historic Oakwood and Mordecai.
The event will kick off on Sunday at 10am at the Oak City Cycling Project, but the ride won’t start until 11:30am. Kids old and skilled enough to ride alone are encouraged to do so, with the watchful parents riding along. Two loops are planned through Mordecai and Oakwook, and you can expect to be done by 1pm.
The weather should also get better, with Sunday clear and in the 60s.
With Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa over (not to forget Winter Solstice and Festivus), the “holidays” and all their diverse festivities are slowly coming to an end… but one more is still due: Dia de los Reyes Magos (or Twelfth Night, or Dreikönigstag) is celebrated on Jan-6 in regions of the world with a strong Catholic influence (Spain, Mexico, Italy, parts of Germany and Switzerland) and marks the day when the Three Kings arrived at the birth place of Jesus. For kids in Spain or Mexico, this is actually the holiday, since gifts are given on Three Kings’ Day, and not on Christmas.
There are not many public celebrations of Three Kings Day around here, but one nice event that stands out is the Three Kings Day Parade at Cary’s Bond Park, which drew over 1,000 visitors last year. If you’re up for one last winter holiday head out there on Saturday from 1p-4p.
The image is from a previous parade and (c) Diamante Inc.
If you’ve heard about the holiday train at Pullen Park and are still thinking about going, you will probably keep thinking: Tickets are completely sold out for the entire duration. But a good alternative would be the New Hope Valley Railway, which also has rides with Santa this weekend. They are also sold out, but are holding a limited number of walk-in tickets. Make sure you read details before taking the half-hour-drive. (My suggestion would be to get there before or right at 10 a.m., and be prepared to not get tickets for the very first ride. (There is enough to see during the wait…)
After its first run in the 2009/2010 season, the “AT&T Raleigh Winterfest” has quickly become one of the signature downtown events of the winter season. Of course there is the ice-rink, complete with skate rental and a golf-cart with the necessary implements to turn it into a mini-Zamboni. But that’s not all:
On a few Sundays (this one included), SnowMyYard will build an artificial sledding hill, something that looked quite enticing last time. The website also talks about a 40-foot Ferris wheel, which will be new this year, and a carousel.
The ice-rink is typically open as follows, but check the schedule to make sure:
Monday: Closed; Tue/Wed/Thu: 4-9; Fri: 4-11; Sat: 11-11; Sun: 12-5
The season runs from Dec-1 through Jan-31.
This Saturday Dec-1, there will be a big kickoff event from 3p-9p. Live music, vendors, outdoors movie and general merrymaking will provide a joyful start of the season.
Don’t miss it! $8 for skating, watching the Zamboni from the sidelines is free.
Raleigh Winterfest ’09 by kmoliver, used under the CC BY-NC-ND license
Let me make a safe prediction by saying this Saturday will not see heavy snow as in the picture above. With temperatures in the sixties and no precipitation, it may even be hard to imagine a winter wonderland at all. But the sleigh in Oak View has wheels (hopefully) and a glass of hot cider is always welcome.
“Sleigh Rides and Cider” at Oak View County Park. Saturday Dec-1, from 5p-7:30p. Free, open to the public, no registration.
I featured this park in a summer post and on Father’s day; a leisurely 0.8mi hike is published at http://goo.gl/maps/JXlt. Go early for the hike – stay for the sleigh ride and cider!
The image is One horse open sleigh! By pmarkham, used under the CC BY-SA license
Blue Jay Point County Park has an intriguing event this Saturday night. “Night Owls and Candle Magic” is an outdoors event at night, so prepare accordingly. Bring a travel mug for the hot cocoa, and a baby backpack for the kids, since strollers are not allowed. (And neither are dogs.)
There are some craft activities etc. at the education center, combined with a 40min walk, illuminated by candle light, through the night forest. Have your kids never walked through the woods at night? Then do take them to this event, where they can explore the magic of a night in the woods in a safe setting.
No pre-registration is required, but make sure you read the flyer to determine suitability for your kids. Add dress for the weather. Saturday, 6:30pm-9:00pm. Here are directions. It is a half hour drive, but worth it.
Image is Rohan’s Owl by My AngelG, used under the CC-BY license
The parade season is upon us, with the Veterans parade this weekend, and the “Christmas parade” (Christmas in November?) one week later. Here some tips from the Daddy for an enjoyable parade:
– Bundle up! Saturday will be sunny and not too cold, but you’ll be standing around for a while. If you’re not hauling lawn chairs, bring a thick insulating something to keep bottoms warm.
– Arrive early! The Veterans parade will not have as much spectators as the Christmas parade, but still.
– If you must drive, use the Alexander Square Parking deck. You enter (by car) from Wilmington St., but you exit (on foot) right onto Fayetteville. If you stay on that block, you and a screaming baby will be back in the car in a matter of minutes. You could even view the parade from the parking deck, but there are no safe, comfortable viewpoints for the littlest ones (30″ concrete wall and don’t even think about sitting them on the railing).
– Bring water and snacks. It would be too bad to give up your coveted perfect spot just to buy some overpriced bottled water. But in any case: The CVS at the corner of Fayetteville and Hargett has everything from water to food to diapers.
The parade starts at 9:30am by City Plaza and then goes up Fayetteville towards the State Capitol (opposite direction to most parades). A wreath laying ceremony at 11:00am and a static display of the parade with music are also planned.
The image is Patriotism by abbyladybug and used under the CC BY-NC license. Thanks, Abby!
If the youngens are old enough to last until 10:30p, Cary may have a quite unique event for you: The Firing of a public art installation made from clay. The artist Nina Hole and members of the public have built this piece over the last two weeks. And they weren’t stingy – three tons of clay have been used so far.
Festivities start at 7:30 and culminate around 10pm, when the (still pliable) mass will be fired and unveiled.
