October 1st - 7th 2015 Triangle

by Pam & Michael Davison

This weekend is jam packed with Fall Festivals and outdoor fun. Unfortunately, the weather may not cooperate. I am staying optimistic and telling you about all the fun but, if in doubt, please call the park or event sponsor to check if events have been moved to acommodate the weather or canceled.

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The Fun Starts Early Thursday evening, the NC Museum of Natural Sciences hosts a Science Cafe with Science Trivia and a free screening of The Fly Room, birthplace of modern genetics. 

Thursday at the NC State Farmers Market is Apple Day. Come on out at lunch to try some free apple samples and apple dessert samples. Pick up some fall recipes and fresh NC apples while you are there. 

The Live and Local Music & Arts Series brings international flavor to the stage Friday with an eclectic mixture of Brazilian Jazz by Onda.

Fridays on the Front Porch of the Carolina Inn heads into its last month with a concert by Big Fat Gap and the food trucks Bam Pow Chow and Baguettaboutit.

First Friday at City Market will feature a concert by the Midnight Ramblers, face painting, hula-hooping, shopping and dining.

First Friday in downtown Raleigh features extended hours at Marbles Kids Museum and theRaleigh City Museum along with a Gallery Walk.

Along with extended hours at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and the Nature Research Center, First Friday treats visitors to live music, an opening reception for Barbara Rohde, and the 1940's sci-fi film "Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman. " Teen Science Cafe is back with "Ghost Stories: Lemurs of Madagascar."

First Friday at the North Carolina Museum of History will highlight the two exhibits, The Story of North Carolina and Hey America!, along with samples of beer from Deep River Brewing Company.

Enjoy local artisans, live music, entertainment, and local craft beer, at The Morning Times Market  for First Friday.

The North Carolina Museum of Art hosts Art in the Evening every Friday with extended hours, music by the Fusion Collective South and light fare. Browse the galleries and join a Sound Bite on Captured in Stone.

Bass Lake Park kicks off the weekend with Family Fun Night. First make arts & crafts, meet a live animal, or borrow a fishing pole! Then end the night with singer and storyteller Trish Miller or Dan the Magic Man.

Fall Festivals

Many Festivals have been canceled so please check before you go. The Wide Open Bluegrass Streetfestival has been moved inside the Raleigh Convention Center.

For over twenty years, Historic Oak View County Park has held Heritage Day on the first Saturday of October. This day celebrates North Carolina's farms and the lives of those who lived there with plenty of live animals, antique farm equipment, heritage crafts, handmade items, live music, antique cars, horse-drawn carriage rides, re-enactors, and a live quilt auction. Weather permitting, ParkGeek will be there so make sure to stop by and say hello!

Bass Lake Day celebrates environmental education with interactive displays and exhibits about North Carolina's environment. Learn about soil types and water quality, touch pelts from a variety of our native critters and explore the wide diversity of aquatic life we enjoy. The evening will end with a concert.

Saturday also boasts Heritage Day at Jordan Lake State Recreation Area. The annual fall festival includes hands on activities, live entertainment, exhibits and live demonstrations.

The free Wide Open Bluegrass StreetFest Friday and Saturday is the urban bluegrass music festival that closes out the IBMA"s World of Bluegrass week in beautiful downtown Raleigh. The bluegrass tide spills over into downtown Raleigh as more than 90 bands perform for FREE on 6 stages along Fayetteville Street. Wide Open StreetFest takes over Fayetteville Street stretching from City Plaza all the way up to the State Capital grounds with food vendors, a juried arts market area as well as the 2015 NC Whole Hog Barbecue State Championship.

Saturday is Carousel Day at Pullen Park! Come enjoy free carousel rides and other fun activities with the Raleigh Fine Arts Society as they celebrate their 50th anniversary.

In celebrating Hayti's legacy, the annual Phoenix Fest will again live up to its reputation as Durham"s funkiest street music festival on Saturday.

The annual Fox 50 Family Fest returns to the American Tobacco Campus Saturday with 5 family activity zones, 1 main stage, FOX 50/WRAL news personalities, local sports mascots, and plenty of fun activities that culminates with the Great American Tobacco Duck Race.

Its HOWL-O-Ween Saturday at the North Carolina Zoo. Meet the Keepers and learn about red wolf conservation.

Pullen and Sertoma Arts Centers will collaborate on their annual Fall Arts Fair, featuring Pullen and Sertoma artists including jewelers, painters, potters and more along with live music and food trucks Saturday at the Sertoma Arts Center.

With children's entertainment, a wide variety of food and refreshments and lots of great Irish musicians, Irish bands, and Irish dancers you won't want to miss Saturday's Irish Fall Music Festival in Moore Square

Garner will be celebrating Fireman's Day Saturday with a parade, BBQ, games, vendors, Live Fire Demonstration, music by the "Antique Outlaws" and a raffle drawing for $10,000.

Durham is also going to the dogs Sunday for Woofstock. The event at Rock Quarry Park will feature canine demonstrations, games, contests, live music, adoption opportunities, a pet market and a Kid's Zone.

Sunday brings the annual Festifall to Downtown Chapel Hill. One of North Carolina's longest running events, there will be over 100 area and regional artists showcased along with a wide variety of live music, poetry and hands on art opportunities.

Music, History & Culture

The North Carolina Museum of Art offers free admission every day. On the weekends, they also offer Meet Your Museum Tours to introduce you to the 164-acre campus, two buildings, an amphitheater, a park, and several gardens as well as Weekend Family Friendly Tours aimed at kids 5-11 and art inspired Story Times.

The Holly Springs Community Band presents Tough Guys, a concert to foster an appreciation for every kind of band music Friday evening at the Holly Springs Cultural Center.

Science Saturday at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences will explore Radiation and Life on Mars. You can also check out their new special exhibit, Extreme Mammals: Raleigh Edition.

The Apex Nature Park Amphitheatre will be showing Avengers: Age of Ultron on their outdoor screen after dark Saturday.

The Holly Springs Cultural Center will be showing the movie Planet 51 Saturday morning and Enchanted on Monday.

The Halle Cultural Arts Center will be showingTinkerbell & the Lost Treasure Tuesday morning and Age of Adaline Wednesday evening.

Fall Fun in the Parks Lake Crabtree County Park will host a Big Sweep event Saturday morning along with a guided hike with bird enthusiast, Vernon.

Fall Big Sweep and Fun at the Parks

Join volunteers around the globe to help clean the world's waterways during this weekend's Big Sweep. Several area parks offer volunteering opportunities. The events are all free, but they do ask that you call to register so they have an idea of how many people will be helping.

Join ranks to help clean up the Falls Lake shoreline around Blue Jay Point County Park during Big Sweep.

Adults and teens are also invited to join them at Durant Nature Park for some Nature Journaling Saturday afternoon. Come back Sunday morning for an early Family Bird Hike.

The will be exploring Photography for Science Saturday at Prairie Ridge Ecostation along with their weekly Citizen Science Saturday.

Yates Mill will offer Saturday Mill Tours and Sunday Mill Tours this weekend.

Crowder District County Park offers a fun variety of seasonal programs for young children this week.