February 1st - 7th 2018 Triangle

by Pam & Michael Davison

Join them Thursday night before Groundhog Day at Laurel Hills Community Center for a family nature program featuring Underground Dwellers! Enjoy games, stories, and crafts.

The fun starts early in the Triangle with another Science Thursday at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences. Enjoy extended hours and a interactive Science Cafe to test your knowledge on Science Trivia.

Marbles Kids Museum also stays open late every Thursday. Twilight $2 Thursdays features discounted admission and extended hours. Starting Thursday and running through Monday, Marbles will host Word Week. Click through for the schedule of special events.

Groundhog Day is First Friday

Happy Groundhog Day!! Sir Walter Wally will be deciding how soon to expect Spring's arrival Friday at the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences' annual Groundhog Day celebration. The day's activities kick off at 9 a.m. and run through 1 p.m. The shadow ceremony where he'll make his prediction begins promptly at noon.

Snerd the Groundhog will reveal his prediction to the Mayor of Garner at noon Friday over at White Deer Park. There will be crafts, games and educational tables featuring live animals.

Come back to the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences Friday evening for a Teen Science Cafe on the Power of Predators.

Also in Downtown Raleigh, join them for a Downtown Gallery Walk and extended hours at Marbles Kids Museum and the North Carolina Museum of History. See the exhibit North Carolina and World War I and then stay for the classic film, The African Queen at the History Museum. Before the film, enjoy dinner from the So Good Pupusas Salvadoran food truck and free samples of local microbrews.

Kick off your weekend at the North Carolina Museum of Art with Iris After Dark, a weekly event featuring music, small plates and special drinks. Stay for the Winter Film, Bombshell.

Outside the lights of the big city, Bass lake Park in Holly Springs celebrates First Friday with a Family Fun Night. Join them for arts and crafts, live animals and some fishing before either a magic show or a kids concert.

Also after dark on Friday, Lake Crabtree County Park invites you to join them for Whooo is the Screech Owl? Learn all about owls and take home instructions on how to build your own owl box.

Parades and Festivals

The Annual NC MLK-Black History Month Parade & Step Show takes place Saturday in Downtown Durham featuring floats, marching bands, steppers, horses, motorcycles, school groups and more. New this year, they will throw a Block Party after the Parade featuring DJs, food trucks, vendors, exhibitors, bounce houses, face painters, & more!

Also in Durham Saturday, there will be a Powwow at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics. The NCSSM Powwow is a public, family-friendly event featuring music, dance, arts, crafts and food with American Indian dancers, musicians and artists from across North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.

Experience activities for kids and adults, arts and crafts vendors, folk and classical performances, and delicious Russian food all day Saturday during the Triangle Russian festival at the Halle Cultural Arts Center.

The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences hosts their monthly Science Saturday this weekend with Dr. Regina Dewitt from ECU.

Experience the American Tobacco Trail at night Saturday for the Full Moon Fever Bike Ride with the Durham Community Trail Watch group. There are two start points and two start times so click through for the details.

The City of Raleigh Museum will host the Black History Symposium, a celebration of African American history featuring speakers, exhibits, and demonstrations that reveal Raleigh's deep African American history on Saturday.

Paint Your heART Out Saturday at the Sertoma Arts Center. The annual event gives you the opportunity to create an valetine inspired masterpiece on a canvas using paint and other materials

The Holly Springs Library will be showing Rio Monday morning.

The Tuesday Morning Movie at the Halle Cultural Arts Center will be Paddington. Wednesday's Movie at the Halle will be American Made.

More to do at the Parks

Blue Jay Point County Park invites the whole family to join them for their annual Winter Open House. This year's festival will feature Olympic-themed activities for all ages!

Join Lake Crabtree's bird enthusiast Saturday morning and go Birding with Vernon.

Join them at Harris Lake County Park Saturday for a Wagon Ride to their 60-acre Longleaf Pine Forest, where you will disembark to go bird watching.

Come to Falls Lake Saturday morning to learn all about Beavers and help the ranger build a beaver.

Its another Citizen Science Saturday at Prairie Ridge Ecostation for Wildlife Learning. These Saturday morning adventures will introduce you to a citizen science project and enlist your help collecting and entering data as you enjoy a walk around the grounds with one of their naturalists.

Join the Winter Tree Scavenger Hunt at Durant Nature Preserve Saturday to discover winter-time trees and animals. After you've found all the hidden clues, head inside for a cup of hot cocoa and a cute tree face craft.

Come learn all about what Animal Tracks can tell us Tuesday at Crowder County Park.