Category Archives: Outdoors

Spiderman at Adventure Landing (7/7/2012)

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Miniature Golf! Arcades! Go-Karts! You would think that kids (and discerning adults) don’t need an special reason to visit Adventure Landing. But this Saturday they give you just that, since they have invited Spiderman himself to visit! And if you ask nicely, you may even be able to get a picture taken with Mr. Spiderman.

Also, the new Spiderman Movie is now playing at Marbles on the IMAX screen.

Spiderman will be at Adventure Landing from 10am-2pm for “meet&greet” as well as photo opportunities.

Independence Day 2012

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Here some ideas to celebrate Independence Day:

Best fireworks for kids: First, if you can’t wait until tomorrow (or want the kids to see the fireworks and sleep in the next day), don’t be uppity and head out to Garner tonight. Their fireworks are earlier, the symphony is playing, and it is probably less crowded than “The ‘Works” in Raleigh tomorrow. Garner Independence Day Celebration, 5p-8p, July-3rd.

Best neighborhood parade: If you’re lucky enough to live in University Park, you have your very own Independence Day Parade right in your heighborhood. Firetrucks and Locopops; need I say more? University Park Independence Day Parade, 9:45am, July-4.

Best children’s parade: A bit out of the way, but specifically dubbed a children’s parade: Wake Forest Independence Day Children Parade, 10:30am, July-4.

Best parade that includes a splash-down from a fire truck: The Apex festivities include karaoke, inflatables and street performers in the morning and end with a parade and an opportunity to “cool off under the spray of the Apex Fire Department’s fire hose“. Town of Apex Olde Fashioned Fourth of July, activities 9a-12p, parade 12:00pm, July-4.

Best “let’s turn Independence Day into a three-day-festival”: As every year, Durham is hosting the Festival for the Eno with tons of activities. Festival for the Eno. Wed July-4, Sat. July-7, Sun. July-8.

And of course, there is also the Independence Day Celebration of the City of Raleigh which, following the overall trend, has moved from the fairgrounds to downtown and will take over Fayetteville Street and surrounding areas. Everything will be there, from a Reading of the Declaration of Independence to Arts Vendors to Circus to Music to Beer Tasting to, of course, at the end, Fireworks. This year, the Rotary Club will release 100 firefly lantern as a special treat at 9:30pm just before the fireworks. The ‘Works, 11am-10pm, July-4.

Also note that while the downtown museums (Science, History, Marbles) are open, the Art Museum is closed.

Fireworks Finish Up Raleigh Wide Open by abbyladybug, used under the CC BY-NC license

 

A heat wave hike

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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).

Kirby Derby (6/23/12)

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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.

Garbage Truck Rodeo (6/23/12)

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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!

Raleigh Fire Truck Parade (Raleigh Fire Department Centennial) (6/14/2012)

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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

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