May 31st - June 6th Triangle 2018

by Pam & Michael Davison

It looks like another fabulous weekend! With over 80 events listed on ParkGeek.com this week, we are going to hit the highlights in this week's newsletter. Please go to the ParkGeek.com Event Search for the complete listing.

First Friday Fun

New for summer! Every Thursday and Friday beginning May 31st thru Labor Day, Marbles Kids Museum is open until 7pm with $3 admission after 3pm.

The Freight Train Blues Music Series continues Friday night in Carrboro with a concert by Eastern Carolina Gospel Jubilee - Glorifying Vines, Albert Harrison, and James Barrett.

The culmination of Cary's Annual en Plein Air "Paint the Town" occurs Friday evening with the Art Auction and Gala. Come bid on your favorite pieces of art, dance to live music and enjoy refreshments.

Enjoy music, small plates and special drinks during Iris after Dark Friday evening at the North Carolina Museum of Art.

Join the North Carolina Museum of History for a special Open House at the Archives and History/State Library Building. Festivities will include noted historian David Cecelski and a performance by the Oakwood Second Line Marching Band. The museum will also bring a pop-up museum, complete with Wheel of History and Guess the Artifact games.

You are also invited to explore the First Friday Gallery Walk throughout the galleries and restaurants in Raleigh and extended hours at the City of Raleigh Museum.

One Friday a month, the Bond Park Boathouse plays host to musicians, food trucks and after-hours boat rentals. This Friday will feature the classic rock sounds of Garland Mason, food truck Chirba Chirba Dumpling and brews from the Bond Brothers.

Fridays on the Front Porch of the Carolina Inn will feature the live music by Big Fat Gap and the local food trucks Soom Soom and Wandering Moose.

Head on over to Bass Lake Park Friday night for their monthly Family Fun Night. Start with some fishing, arts & crafts and live animal demos and end with a special kids show.

Learn about the life cycle of the firefly and discover what makes a firefly glow as Historic Yates Mill Park explores the Mysterious Lives of Lightning Bugs after dark Friday.

Festivals, Fairs & Special Events

The Wake County Libraries kick off their Summer Reading Celebration Saturday at many of their branches. Along with picking up their Summer Reading logs, kids enjoy some fun activities.

Saturday is the Annual Beaver Queen Pageant at Duke Park. Come enjoy the annual neighborhood "pageant" featuring live music and fun. WUNC"s Frank Stasio will emcee this years pageant.

Downtown Apex will come alive with the Latino Arts Festival Saturday. There will be crafts, art workshops, piñatas, jewelry making, woodworking, a Latino Culinary Fest & Bazaar, dance performances and live music.

Spend a Night at the City of Raleigh Museum Saturday. All Super Sleuths are invited to the Museum for a 90-minute experience which includes a scavenger hunt in the museum, a craft, and an interactive performance!

The North Carolina State Fairgrounds will host the North Carolina Junior Beef Roundup, and the Capital Dressage Classic at the Horse Hunt Complex this weekend.

Come run for the animals at the NC Zoo. Saturday will be their 3Run Wild 5K with the American Association of Zookeepers.

Saturday is Crawfish Day at the State Farmers Market. Get there early because they will sell out!

Kids Together Park invites you to their Birthday Party Sunday. Craft noisemakers, join the parade, hear the story of the park and help make Roly Poly fruit slushies.

Music, Movies & History

The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences hosts Science Saturday Saturday and will explore the Freshwater Mussels of North Carolina.

Its a Super Fun Saturday at the Halle Cultural Arts Center with free arts & crafts for children.

Preservation Durham has partnered with The Nasher Museum of Duke University and the Museum of Durham History to create a monthly Bicycle Tour of the Historic Murals of downtown Durham Saturday morning.

Enjoy a Pops in the Park Concert by the Durham Symphony at Trinity Park Saturday afternoon.

Tours are back at Historic Yates Mill Pond County Park! Join them Saturday for a Half Hour Tour of the main power drive and milling machinery of the fully restored mill. Sunday brings Mill Heritage & Local History Tours. Kids ages 7-14 are invited to join them Monday for a Field School Program about how Geology Rocks.

The Six Sundays in Spring Concert Series at Carroll Joyner Park closes this weekend with a concert by John Brown Quartet.

The Halle Cultural Arts Center invites you to bring the kids to their Free Week Long Kid's Movies. Click through for the entire line up. Adults and teens are invited to the Halle Wednesday evening for the movie The Poet.

The Holly Springs Cultural Center kicks off their Summer Cinema Series with the movie Marmaduke Monday morning.

The Hob Knob Jazz Series comes to a close this Wednesday with a concert by Marcus Anderson.

Spring Fun at the Parks

Brings your kids to Jordan Lake Saturday morning for C.A.S.T. (Catch A Sure Thing!). Kids will learn how to bait a hook, types of fish found in the lake, and if willing how to unhook a fish!

Create fish crafts while learning about fish families and specific fish species adaptation during Saturday's Fish Tales at Eno River State Park or bring your leashed dog and go on a Pokey Puppy Hike.

Find, capture, classify, identify, and release tadpoles in three different places at Occoneechee Mountain Saturday, while cross checking for pH and water quality parameters. Then, you'll even get to make ad hock instruments designed to mimic an evening frog chorus.

West Point on the Eno is full of culturally significant plants to American Indians and early settlers. Join them Saturday for a History Hike to identify, taste and collect various plants that are edible, medicinal, or simply useful.

Lake Crabtree invites you to go Birding with Vernon early Saturday

Harris Lake County Park will host a Family Disc Golf Event Saturday for families of all levels.

Falls Lake invites yo to a Prescribed Fire Talk Sunday as you explore areas of the park that have seen prescribed fires.

Join an Eno River park naturalist for a hike on Buckquarter Creek Trail to identify Invasive Species that bloom, crawl, and creep in the park.

Take a Habitat Hike along the American Tobacco Trail toward the Beaver Creek Bridge to discover who lives along the trail.

Crowder Park will host their preschool programs this week. Click through for the times and ages.