September 24th - 30th 2015 Triangle

by Pam & Michael Davison

Welcome to all you new ParkGeeks! We had a great time at BugFest and are thrilled to get to share all the fun fall events here in the Triangle with even more of you! This week we have over 100 events listed! We will cover the highlights in this week's newsletter, but for the full listing, feel free to go to the Events Search at ParkGeek.com.

We truly appreciate evey time you tell someone about ParkGeek and share the newsletter link. "Like" us on Facebook to get daily updates about what's going on around the Triangle. The newsletter is posted on Facebook each week also.

Take a Child Outside Week continues through Wednesday. There is a multitude of events for children at the state, county & local parks as well as the Arboretum. There are even many evening programs. Some have waived their fees this week, but many do still require registration so click through to get more information.

TACO on Thursday brings Stick Painting to the JC Raulston Arboretum, Fishing Fun and a Nature Photo Hike to Umstead State Park and you can Build Your Own "TACO" at Harris Lake.

The JC Raulston Arboretum invites you to bring the kids Friday to make a Nature Walk Crown and you can join the Wee Walkers at Durant Nature Park. Friday After Dark, you can take an Evening Bike Ride with Wildlife along the American Tobacco Trail, an Evening Hike along the Eno River or learn about Twilight Critters at Crowder By Night. Durant will be hosting a Family Campout Friday night to Saturday which even includes a Dutch oven dinner, a naturalist-led night hike, s"mores, a light breakfast and time for fishing.

Saturday's TACO events culminate with the Storytelling Festival at Historic Oak View Park. The annual event is a celebration of the wonderful and wide variety of storytellers out there. From pirates and spooky stories to songs and preschool ditties, they will be spinning tales at several spots throughout the pastural park. Also Saturday, Eno River State Park will be showing the film Amphiborama and Umstead State Park will be showing the films The Magic School Bus - Gets Ants In Its Pants and Amphibian

In celebration of TACO Week, Prairie Ridge Ecostation will highlight the importance of outdoor play for children of all ages with a TACO event Saturday which includes drop in play at the Nature PlaySpace, Nature Stories, a Citizen Science Saturday walk and Nature Stories-Music.

Sunday brings a TACO Family Feature to Crowder Park on how to Weather a Storm. You are invited to go on a Color Scavenger Hunt at the Arboretum or Take a Child Fishing at Falls Lake. They will also be having some Family Fishing Fun at Lake Johnson and going on a Natural Explorations Hike at Yates Mill County Park Sunday.

They will be exploring Tremendous Trees at Lake Crabtree and working with Nature Looms at the JC Raulston Arboretum on Monday.

Parents or grandparents with young children are invited to come to Blue Jay Point Park for Nature Play Day or the JC Raulston Arboretum for Nature Friends Tuesday morning.

To finish up TACO week, Lake Crabtree invites you on a Spider Safari Wednesday evening and the JC Raulston Arboretum will be making Nature Placemats Wednesday morning.

Fall Festivals around the Triangle

Kick the fun off Thursday at lunchtime for Sweet Potato Day at the State Farmers Market in Raleigh. They will have free samples, loads of recipe ideas and plenty of fresh North Carolina sweet potatoes.

You are invited to the celebration of the 77th Anniversary of John Chavis Memorial Park. They will have free inflatable rides, free carousel rides, music, entertainment, community information booths, and local food trucks. They will even attempt to break the World's Record for the Longest Soul Train Line.

Come to the NC Wildlife Resources Commission's celebration of National Hunting and Fishing Day at Lake Wheeler Park on Saturday. You will enjoy events such as pellet range, archery range, fishing, outdoor cooking, mountain man, Indian history, birds of prey, and reptiles.

The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences will open their new special exhibit, Extreme Mammals: Raleigh Edition with a spectacular Grand Opening Saturday featuring live mammal encounters with a bat-eared fox, wooly possum, fruit bat as well as scientist talks about the latest research on meerkats, lemurs and shrews.

Latin music lovers will "feel the music" at the Annual Latino Festival Saturday at Rock Quarry Park. Festival goers can dance to live music, taste authentic foods, shop the marketplace for arts and crafts, and learn about health, education and employment opportunities available in the community.

The 11th Annual Ray Price Capital City Bikefest will take place in the heart of downtown Raleigh all weekend with live music, festival fare, stunt shows and specialty rides.

The annual Carrboro Music Festival is back Saturday and Sunday. The free two day event showcases Triangle-area performers and the varied musical styles they represent. Click through for the line up.

BBQ, Blues & Brews comes to the Historic Varina Shopping District Saturday along with music, vendors, merchant specials, an assortment of family fun and the anticipated BBQ Competition. There will also be a special Artists' & Crafters' Market and you don't want to miss the auctioning of the Bengal Tigers On-Parade.

La Fiesta del Pueblo returns to Fayetteville Street in Downtown Raleigh Sunday showcasing popular and folk music and art, dance performances, educational booths, children"s activities, and food from different regions of Latin America.

The North Carolina State Fairgrounds will host the Southern Ideal Home Show, an Outdoors Horse Show, the Tar Heel Quarter Horse Fall Classic Show, the North State Toy & Hobby Show, the Triangle PreSchool Expo and the DogGoneFast Flyball Tournament.

More Fun, Music & Movies

This week's Science Thursday will explore the Science Behind North Carolina"s Changing Coastline and Increased Vulnerability.

The North Carolina Museum of Art stays open late every Friday. Their lobby turned lounge kicks off the weekend with small plates and beverages, live music by Peter Lamb and the Wolves and an art exploration of Heavy Metal.

Downtown Historic Hillsborough comes alive for the Last Friday Art Walk with artists, food vendors, musicians and craftspeople set up on the sidewalks around the courthouse.

Home will be shown on the big, outdoor screen Friday night at Falcon Park.

This week's Friday on the Front Porch of the Carolina Inn will feature Mel Melton & the Wicked Mojos and the food trucks Baguettaboutit and Halal Heaven.

They will be creating live band mash-ups of your favorite dance tunes with Bless Your Heart Friday night in Downtown Chapel Hill for this week's Live and Local Music & Arts Concert.

Enjoy Craicdown's unique "World Acousticana" style Friday evening at a free concert at the Page-Walker Arts & History Center.

Lindsay Lou & the Flatbellys will be playing a concert Friday at the Halle Cultural Art Center. The performance has been relocated inside due to anticipated weather.

Peak City Singers will present a Performance of Groovin" on Saturday afternoon at The Halle Cultural Arts Center. Pick up free tickets for the concert at the Box Office.

Come join the Marbles Makers Mash-Up Saturday and create, tinker and invent the next generation of great ideas alongside some of Raleigh"s most playful makers, designers and artists.

The Holly Springs Cultural Center will feature the film The Wild Saturday morning and Rio Monday morning.

Wednesday's Pickin' In the Pines Concert at Regency Park will feature the sounds of Ryan Cavanaugh with The Hey Brothers.

Fun at the Parks

Join the Occoneechee Ranger for a Canoe Trip and exploration of the natural history and cultural heritage of the Occoneechee Mountain and Quarry Friday evening. Take a Geology Hike with a real geologist and explore the pyrophyllite quarry Saturday.

They will be looking for Migratory Birds early Saturday at Umstead State Park and offering an Introduction to Orienteering late morning. Come back Monday afternoon and Walk On The Wild Side. Venture off trail and see areas of the Park that are not normally seen by the public.

C.A.S.T. (Catch A Sure Thing!) at Jordan Lake is a program designed to introduce kids 6-12 to the skills of fishing Saturday. On Sunday, you can go on an Aquatic Adventure and discover what lives beneath the water.

Historic Yates Mill County Park will offer Saturday and Sunday tours of the fully restored grist mill along with an opportunity to Paddle the Pond Saturday.

Create some Nature Memories Saturday at Raven Rock State Park. After a short hike, discover fun and creative ways to remember our adventures in the park.

Join a Native American from the Otomi Nation Saturday for a guided hike of Lake Johnson Park and then enjoy Native American tales that focus on wildlife survival as you discover how predator and prey relationships rule the natural world.

Fall Big Sweep comes to many of our local parks this Saturday. Join them in Fuquay-Varina, Wake Forest, and Garner.

Tuesday evening, you are invited to bring the family to Durant Nature Park for a Campfire, Story and Marshmallow Roast.

Daytrips Outside the Triangle

Fall here in the Triangle is spectacular. Take a day trip and explore some of the fun attractions we have just outside the Triangle.

The Natural Science Center of Greensboro is an amazing destination only a couple hours away being a hybrid of a zoo, science museum, an aquarium and childrens' museum all under one roof.

The Battleship North Carolina in Wilmington invites you to join them for Battleship Alive on Saturday. The event brings historical events, places and people "alive" for the public by demonstrating various aspects of the past and allowing interaction with the interpreters. The event is included with regular admission.

October 9th-11th is Mumfest Weekend at Tryon Palace. Admission to the gardens will be free to see 1500 mums along with a variety of fall blooming plants.

Saturday is Museum Day Live! The annual event is sposored by Smithsonain Magazine and features hundreds of Museums nationwide. Through their website, you can get 2 free tickets to a wide variety of participating museums.