LEGO® KidsFest 2014

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After a two-year hiatus, Lego® KidsFest is returning to Raleigh, and will fill the convention center with joy, laugther and millions of lego bricks. This touring show has visited Raleigh once before, in 2012 when my son was still firmly in the Duplo age (see image below).

legofest2012He is now approaching Small Lego age, and it is time to return to this cool event. No doubt about it; in the end this is a Lego promotion, but it is a lot of fun to attend, and while there are Lego sets for sale, there is no pressure to actually do so. (Your kids may have a different opinion, though.)

From memory, this is what stood out: First, the large Creation Nation is a giant outline of the US, which will be filled by small Lego creations from attendees. (I had fun with that myself while my little helper took a nap. Won’t happen this time.) The monochromatic builds (entire areas with just white or orange or whatever Legos) were also pretty cool. Then there are full-size models of Spiderman and the likes. A Lego-Pinewood Derby. And also various areas for the different Lego product lines like Lego City or Lego Technic.

Note that when you buy tickets, it is for a specific half-day: Saturday/Sunday, morning or evening. After the morning session, the exhibition closes briefly to be ready for the afternoon crowd again. All sessions are the same, and they usually do sell out.

Details and tickets (not cheap at $20/child and $22/adult) are available on the Raleigh KidsFest website. Note: This is still 10 weeks away, but it will sell out, at least some of the sessions.20101205-0790LKFHC10_creatiCreation Nation: Florida seen in a Lego world. (Photo Courtesy of LEGO® KidsFest.)

Tour de Toys 2013

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If you’re brave enough to take on the cold weather and threatening rain, join the Tour de Toys bike “race” this Saturday morning. The race is family-friendly and in past years, kids in trailer, trailer-bikes and on their own bikes have participated. There is a 12-mi course for the ambitious and a shorter 6-mile ride for the leisurely minded. Two free beers (not for the kids) are included; your entry into the race is not a monetary fee, but a donation of a new toy worth $15 or more.

The race starts at 10am at Natty Greene’s, curves through downtown and ends again at Natty Greene’s for a post-race party.

It will be very cold with possible rain – dress accordingly. We’re planning to go with kids and all if the weather is not too crazy. See you there?

Tour de Toys, Saturday 10am, Natty Greene’s. Sign-up today online or tomorrow (if there are any spots left) in person.

Umbrella required – Hands optional (Photo by Franck Vervial, licensed un der CC BY-NC-ND)

FutureVet at Marbles

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Saturday afternoon will be cold and rainy for sure, and Marbles has a cute event for all those who want to become a Veterinarian – aptly named FutureVet. Offered in collaboration with Banfield Vet Hospital and led by a veterinarian, kids find out about being a vet, meet a therapy dog, and even get a certificate. This is from 2-3p, and included in regular Marbles admission.

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A vet at work (during the Vet School Open House)

American Indian Heritage Celebration

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The NC Museum of History honors the American Natives of North Carolina with the annual celebration of American Indian Heritage. Did you know for example that Miss NC 2013 is an American Native? That NC has the largest Indian population of any state in the East? Or that there are eight recognized tribes in our state? Learn these and more facts, and have some direct encounters with the music, dances and cooking – if you’re lucky you might even run into Miss North Carolina Johna Edmonds. The event is taking place in the NC Museum of History and on the Bicentennial Plaza right outside the museum, and lasts from 11am to 4pm. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fN9bCBWw2cc]

Christmas Parade

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Correct, it is not even Thanksgiving yet, but we’re having the Christmas Parade. On its traditional route down Hillsborough and then Fayetteville Street, the Christmas Parade can be relied upon to warm hearts and freeze toes.

Some people arrive early and brave the cold and drizzly weather, while other come later and only admire the tallest balloons floating over the heads of people standing in front of them.

The parade is from 10:00-12:00, and is taking place for the 69th time. (And if you don’t like rain – the parade is also broadcast live on WRAL.)

Touch a Truck in Cary

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Bright Horizons Centers in the Triangle is hosting Touch-a-Truck day at their location in Cary (800 Weston Parkway, Cary, North Carolina 27513). It is $5 per child, and benefits the Bright Horizons foundation. Their Bright Spaces program provides homeless families and families in crisis a place to play and serves thousands of homeless children nationwide every month. (Just picture yourself for a moment, homeless, with children…)

So anyway, a worthy cause, and also a Touch-a-Truck day that is a bit closer than the other one I’m aware of and have written about, in Chapel Hill.

Note the limited time, from 10a-12p on Saturday morning. It does not say on the event page how many exhibits there will be, but they promise “a wide range of trucks and vehicles for kids and adults of all ages to explore”. Go, have a look, and touch a truck!

Touch a Truck!

Hansel and Gretel by RaleighACT Children’s Theater

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The classic fairy tale of Hansel and Gretel will be performed by the RaleighACT children’s theater TONIGHT at 7p and tomorrow at 10:30am. RaleighACT is a “small but growing” theater for children, with different classes for different age groups. (4-6, 6-11, 9-13.) Hansel and Gretel will be performed by the 6-11 year olds.

I think I wrote in a previous post that such events bring back fond memories of my involvement with children’s theater in a previous life, and hope that perhaps my little ones will catch the theater bug one day. (And for now, I enjoy being a spectator.)

If you’re thinking about sending your kids to theater classes, this play can give you insight into what to expect, and you kids the chance to see whether they might enjoy standing on stage.

Hansel und Gretel by RaleighACT Fri 11/15 at 7pm, Sat 11/16 at 10:30am. $10 at the door or $6 by calling ahead (919-605-9946). Performance take place at Journey Church on 3500 Spring Forest Road (Raleigh).

Thanks to R. who sent me the information about this and who’s kids are in the play, I’m always glad to get leads for interesting events!

RaleighACT

Image from the 2012 program, (c) RaleighACT

Halloween 2013: Haunted New Hope Valley Train

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If you can still get tickets (but many train rides were sold out at the time of this writing), the Haunted Train at New Hope Valley Railroad looks really cool.

In addition to riding the train (and seeing some spooky installations along the way), you can visit an old witch and have your future told, or a mad scientist blowing smoke-filled bubbles. (I hope in a kids-appropriate way, and not the way we did it when we were young!)

There will be spooky photo ops and even a take-home gift for visitor. As of this writing, tickets were only available for the 2:45p train and the (scarier) 7:45p train.

Haunted Steam Locomotive (c) New Hope valley Railroad

Haunted Steam Locomotive (c) New Hope valley Railroad

Halloween 2013: Haunted Mordecai

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https://daddyweekly.me/2013/10/25/haunted-mordecai/
Mordecai House (photo credit: Mark Turner (public domain))

This post is from 2013 and maintained for historic purposes.

Mordecai Historic Park has its Haunted Mordecai Free Festival this Saturday, 10/26 from 5p-10p. In addition to games, crafts, food, etc., there will be a “paranormal investigation group” presenting what they found out about Mordecai’s ghosts, and also costume contests for different age groups (under 3 at 6pm, 4-6 yrs at 7pm, 7-12 at 8pm, 13-16 yrs at 9pm). To do the Lantern Tour of of the Mordecai House, you need tickets.

Mordecai Historic Park is just North of Downtown at 1 Mimosa St.

Update 2026: Mordecai House continues to be open for tours; I have not found a specific announcement for a Halloween-themed event for 2026.

Halloween 2013: Marbles Kooky Spooky Party

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Marbles is hosting its annual Halloween party also this Saturday evening, from 6p-9p. Note that tickets are required, even for members, and that Marbles closes at 4p that day in order to prepare for the event, so you can’t go early and just stay.

Marbles as always puts a science/museum twist on the event, which includes among other things a Mad Scientist Lab and Spinning Spider Science. Showing up in costume is highly encouraged!

Purchase tickets ahead of time if you can, they are $8 in advance, but $13 on the day of the event ($10/$15 for non-members).

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