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If you have never been to Bugfest, you can't imagine how an incredible collection of bugs can make for a fantastic family day packed full of activities. If you have been to Bugfest before, you already know is it a must do event. Bugfest is the North Carolina Museum of Natural Science's biggest and wildest annual event. Come visit ParkGeek. We will have our Cockroaches and some fun prizes!

Promising to be bigger and better than ever, Bugfest fills the museum as well as the outdoor mall with everything buggy. This year a larger garden, bigger Kid Zone and an outdoor entertainment stage compliment the regular attractions like the Roachingham 500 roach races, the unbelievable beard of bees and the amazing array of all types of insects. There are plenty of opportunities to get up close and personal with many bugs and lots of fun crafts and activities that help us learn about the critters. For the really brave, there will be an assortment of delicious bug-filled delicacies at the Café Insecta.

For the slightly more adult crowd that doesn't want to fight the crowds, Bugfest transforms into the Evening Insectival at 5pm. The evening crowd can relax with a new round of activities and live music to finish out the evening.

More Festivals!

The Duke Homestead Historic Site will celebrate the harvesting season for tobacco with the Tobacco Harvest and Arts Festival. Come see costumed interpreters demonstrate tobacco harvesting, stringing, and curing. You can also witness the sounds of the only tobacco auction left in Durham.

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, La Fiesta del Pueblo is the largest Latin American cultural event in the Carolinas. Event activities include two food courts with more than 30 vendors offering cuisine from Latin America; Employment, Health, & Education Fairs in Spanish and English; 3 stages featuring continuous music performances; a dance stage; cultural exhibits and Nindandia's Children"s Carnival with special guests Remi the Puerto Rican clown, Harry the Dragon, and Ronald McDonald.

The Annual Dog Olympics and Paralympics is returning to Moore Square in downtown Raleigh. Bring your best canine friends and let them compete in a variety of Olympic events including "Best Trick," "Musical Sit," "Look-A-Like," "Limbo," "High-Jump," and many more! Not feeling competitive? There's still plenty to see and do with your four-legged friend in beautiful Moore Square. Learn about new ways you and your pup can spend time together by watching demonstrations of canine agility, training, dancing, and service.

Hollywood is coming to the Museum of Life and Science with their special Heroes and Villains event. Take a sneak peak into the science of the movie and entertainment industry. You can interact with Star Wars characters, and learn the trade secrets to stunt and fight choreography, voice overs, motion picture sound effects and so much more! Several of Hollywood"s behind the scenes finest will be on-hand to show you how it's done! Click through for the list of exciting guests.

Edison Johnson Community Center will be heading to the islands with a Hawaiian Luau. The festival will feature Polynesian crafts, hula dancing, island games, a limbo contest, great music, food and fun. The pool will still be open for water activities.

Promoted by the country's oldest gourd society, the Annual North Carolina Gourd Arts & Crafts Festival features more than 70 growing, crafting, and artistic competitive categories, as well as workshops and vendors of gourd crafts, dried gourds, and gourd crafting supplies.

Will you be downtown Friday? You might want to swing by the State Farmers Market in Raleigh at lunchtime for Grape Day. There will be North Carolina Wine Tasting, North Carolina Grape Sampling, Free Recipes and plenty of delicious locally grown grapes to bring home.

Join the North Carolina Zoo for Family Fun Day making abstract designs out of natural materials.

Bass Lake Park will kick off the weekend with a little friendly competition during a Family Bingo Night.

Music For Every Groove

The Hopscotch Music Festival takes place in multiple locations throughout Raleigh all weekend. Most concerts do require tickets or covers, but the Edward McKay Artist & Author Series at the Raleigh City Museum is free. With events spanning from Thursday through Saturday, click through for the schedule and information on how to obtain free tickets.

Using a wide range of effects, Jennifer Adams" blazing electric cello and Jonathan Adams" guitar wizardry combine to create a sound that is truly remarkable. Montana Skies will be bringing their award winning music to the Sertoma Amphitheater at Bond Park.

The Town of Wake Forest will celebrate the official Grand Opening of its new town hall with a community concert and ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday. Once you are Downtown Wake Forest, check out Art After Hours.

The summer is not quite over in Holly Springs yet. Grab the chairs Friday night and head over to the Holly Springs Cultural Center for a big band jazz concert by the group Route 55 Jazz Orchestra.

Pack a picnic and wind down your weekend with a free concert with Cool John Ferguson and Bubba Norwood on drums at Durahm Central Park Sunday evening.

Cinderella will be the featured movie at the Holly Springs Cultural Center.

Grandparents accompanied by a grandchild will receive free admission to the museum and IMAX on Grandparent's Day. Come on out to enjoy special activities throughout the museum all day. Also on Sunday, join bone detective Dr. Ann Ross to explore the science of bones during an installment of Science Solvers.

Families are invited to look, listen, touch, and learn how artist Ledelle Moe makes sculptures of all shapes and sizes for an Artist Talk and Walk at the NC Museum of Art .

Lots More to do in the Parks

The state parks have plenty of fun programs this weekend. Eno River State Park invites you to explore the restored, historic Piper-Cox House or take a Canoe Hike. Jordan Lake State Recreation Area will also host a Canoe Hike.

Its a great time of year to head over to Yates Mill Historic Park and take one of their Heritage Tours of the first floor of the fully restored mill. Kids can learn all about how millstones work and even try their hand at grinding their own corn using hand mills in a Hand Mills and Millstones program.

Explore the forest in the beauty of the night during a Night Hike at West point on the Eno.

Do you have some kids that would like to try their hand at fishing? There are two great programs this weekend designed to introduce kids to fishing. Bring them out to Jordan Lake State Recreation Area Saturday morning for C.A.S.T. or to Lake Michie for Fishin' Frenzy.

Hope for clear skies Saturday night and head on over to Jordan Lake State Recreation Area for an Astronomy Viewing Session.

Durham's tobacco heritage is explored through the stories and experiences of Durham residents on a Tobacco Heritage Walking Tour.

September 9th - September 15th