Hiking may not be on the top of your list during a heat wave, but this hike takes you to a naturally cool region. Caution: It will still be hot, and any strenuous outside activity should be avoided druing a Heat Advisory. Know your limits.
If you do want to go, here is a description of a cool hike down into Crabtree Creek valley (which is naturally cooler) where you can explore the old Company Mill ruins (also cool).
I assume that by now, everybody has heard of Kirby Derby, the annual event in the Kirby-Bilyeu neighborhood featuring men in dresses, experimental soapbox designs and a deadly 90-degree curve at the bottom of a hill.
Kirby Derby is for sure the best soap-box race I’ve ever been to, and the surrounding events (a pinecar derby, a drag [queen] race and a parade) turn this into one of the most exciting small-neighborhood block parties across Raleigh.
The schedule of events is as follows:
4:00 Pinecar classic (a race for small boy-scouts-style pinecars)
5:30 Parade of all participants (drag race and Kirby Derby)
6:00 Drag race (as in drag queen, not as in dragster)
6:30 Kirby Derby (usually two runs and a final)
party with bands after that
Now mind you, while the Kirby Derby is decidedly a family event and while fans of all ages are welcome, all ages can have fun, including adults. If running drag queens, gory soapbox crashes and the occasional brown bag are too edgy for you, you might want to find an alternate program. But if this is all within your level of tolerance, you will have a wonderful Saturday afternoon that everybody will remember long after.
The event takes place in the Kirby-Bilyeu neighborhood, off of Western Blvd., where it intersect with Pullen Road. Check out the website for details.
No, this is a not a pun on a food truck rodeo. The Road-e-o is a competition for garbage truck drivers. As their website states, “Contestants representing public and private waste collection agencies will be competing […]. Drivers are required to maneuver competition vehicles through a preset course […].” The event is organized by the NC chapter of SWANA (Solid Waste Association of North America) and takes place at two locations, the South Wake Landfill at 6130 Old Smithfield Road in Apex, and (closer) at City of Raleigh’s Wilder’s Grove Operations Facility at 630 Beacon Lake Drive in Raleigh.
It is officially a two-day event for the participants, but the main competition takes place on Saturday from 8a-4p. This is the NC regional. The winner and runner-up ill continue on to the National Championship in Kentucky.
My son went through a phase of fascination with garbage trucks, and after seeing a ton of fire trucks last weekend, we need to pay the garbage trucks some respect!
Thanks to go out to the loyal reader who sent in this event. Suggestions for posts are always welcome!
The Raleigh Fire Department celebrates its 100th anniversary this weekend, and what better way to do so than inviting a bunch of kids! How do you get the kids to come out? Fire trucks. Big ones. Old ones. Steam-engine driven. Hand-pulled. Remote-controlled (to play with). And speaking of play: a Kids corner with a bucket brigade game and toy fire truck races.
Here’s a suggested itinerary for the day: Get to your preferred spot along the parade route early for the best view. The parade starts at 10am on Hillsborough at St. Mary’s. It will travel along Hillsborough to the Capitol and continue down Fayetteville Street to the parking lots in front of the Performing Arts Center.That also where the fire trucks (properly called “apparatus”) will be on display along with the Kids Zone, a Pumping Exhibit and the usual stuff like food vendors, and, of course, a huge birthday cake.
At noon, the antique steam engine driven fire engine will be demonstrated, and other ‘pumping displays’ (I assume that means splashing water in laymens’ terms) will happen before and after.
Did you know the Raleigh Fire Department covers on average 100 incidents per day? Show them your support and go celebrate their 100th birthday. More information can be found at rfd100.com
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 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.
The official Kidsplosure stage schedule does not link to the bands and performers, so I created a page with all the links. I like to check out bands before going to an event with multiple performers so I know what to pick.
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
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
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 (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.