Find a park within of zipcode:
Finding quality outdoor time

Have an article you want to submit? Simply email it to us in one of the following formats and we review it for publishing on our site!

You can email your article to us in a .doc or .txt format.

December 12th - December 18th 2013 Triangle

by Pam & Michael Davison

This is the second weekend of holiday festivities throughout the Triangle! If you missed out last weekend or just can't get enough, there are more tree lightings and parades this weekend.

I encourage you to take a moment from the excitement of the Holidays and enjoy the peace that parks offer this time of year. There is something special about the warm sunshine on a crisp winter day and all the sounds that winter brings. Listen for a scurrying squirrel or the chirps of a cardinal. Its times like these that melt away stress and allow you to take on whatever challenges the rest of the day may bring.
 
Do you have plans for New Years? ParkGeek.com is proud to be a sponsor of First Night Raleigh. A $10 All Day Pass gives you access to nearly 100 performances in over three dozen locations across Downtown Raleigh as well as the Childrens' Celebration and the midnight Acorn Drop. Advanced tickets are available now at Harris Teeter, Rite Aid and online.
 

Holiday Events


Downtown Thursday night for the Tree Lighting Ceremony and Holiday Festival at the North Carolina State Capitol. Festivities begin with the lighting of luminaries and musical performances and culminate with the lighting of the State Tree. After the ceremony you are invited inside the Capitol for a Holiday Open House. The Open House will continue through Saturday. There will also be a holiday festival featuring music and children's activities on Union Square, in the museums, and on Bicentennial Plaza. The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences features extended hours, BOGO tickets to Birds of Paradise and the Science of Making Bacon. The North Carolina Museum of History will offer discount tickets to The Tsars' Cabinet and Windows into Heaven and a craft table. While your Downtown, lace up some skates and do a few laps on the Raleigh Winterfest Ice Rink.

The Holly Springs Community Band will be playing a Joyful Noise Concert Thursday evening at the Holly Springs Cultural Center.
 
Come out and see the Mordecai house decorated for Christmas! Each room will be decorated according to a different time period that the Mordecai family resided in the home. The freeHoliday Open House will span Friday through Sunday. Saturday evening, they will also offerHoliday Lantern Tours with the Burning Coal Theater
 
Costumed interpreters will lead you on a Candlelit Tour through the Duke Homestead festooned with period decorations. Enjoy live music and historic dancing, Christmas carols, story telling, hot apple cider, and other holiday goodies Friday night.
 
The Town of Carrboro will celebrate the season Friday night with music on the lawn and tree lighting.
 
Christmas by Candlelight is back again this Friday at the Duke Homestead Historic Site. Celebrate an 1870 Christmas during the evening candlelight tours of the Homestead. After the tour, enjoy caroling, hot apple cider, and other goodies while you take in the period decorations. Bring the family back to Duke Homestead Sunday afternoon to experience a Victorian Family Christmas.
 
Main Street Christmas, a traditional-style celebration, with Christmas carols, hayrides and other festivities culminating in a tree lighting ceremony at the Holly Springs Cultural Center Friday night that will get you in the mood for theHappy Holly Days Christmas Parade through Downtown Holly Springs Saturday.
 
The Halle Cultural Arts Center presents a HolidayDouble Feature all weekend. There is an admission fee to enjoy The Toys Take over Christmas and Broadway Santa.
 
The Wake Forest Christmas Parade will be marching through Downtown Wake Forest Saturday.
 
Saturday afternoon brings the Cary Christmas ParadeHolly Daze Shoppe is back again and features a variety of local artists and vendors that change each week.
 
The Chapel Hill - Carrboro Holiday Parademarches through town Saturday morning.
 
The Triangle Christmas Tree Challenge is a unique kind of holiday display -- and one you don't want to miss. See 60+ trees gloriously decorated by area nonprofits up close on the Diamond View Lawn. By voting for your favorite, you'll help a nonprofit win great prizes. Also on the American Tobacco Campus, check out the Hatch Pop-Up Shop and the Ice Factory Ice Rink.
 
Witness a Civil War Christmas in the Carolinas. Bennett Place Historic Site will be decorated in a typical Christmas fashion along with music, caroling, and refreshments for you to enjoy both Saturday and Sunday.
 
The Burwell School Historic Site is displaying a festive collection of Santa Artwork. On loan from Hillsborough resident Nancy Campbell, the collection consists of Santa paintings by her father.
 
The Natural Science Center of Greensboro has put a Holiday twist on their laser shows. Laser Holidays shows daily. The show features sights and sounds from your favorite Holiday classics. They are also showing The Light Before Christmas, a 3D adventure about two lost children who are magically transported into the classic tale.
 

More Fun!

Thursday morning, bring the kids over to the Carrboro Century Center forKids, Cookies & Candy Canes. Join them for cookies, crafts, balloon sculpting and a children"s show.
 
Looking to do a little shopping or enjoy a date night Friday night? Drop the kids off for Kid's Nature Night at Walnut Creek Wetland Center. They"ll learn about nature, go for a short walk, play games, do a craft and watch a movie all focused on a theme.
 
Adults are invited to 60 Seconds Or Less Game Night Friday night at Bass Lake Park to take on the challenges just like the TV show.
 
The North Carolina Museum of Art kicks off the weekend Friday evening with extended hours, live music by Sidecar Social Club and a Gallery Exploration of how art works are Created for Status. Bring the whole family to the Art Museum Saturday for another Family Fun Saturday focused on Curious Creatures.
 
Do a little shopping, enjoy a night out and take in the festivities during Friday night's Art After Hours in Downtown Wake Forest.
 
The North Carolina Museum of History invites you to the 1966 Russian film, Andrei Rublev Sunday afternoon.
 
Rise of the Guardians will be the featured Monday Morning Movie at the Holly Springs Cultural Center.
 
Target $2 Tuesday Night is back this week at Marbles Kids Museum with extended hours, discounted admission and a sneak peek of Storybook Theater's Frosty the Snowman.

Parks Offer Outdoor Actvities

Historic Yates Mill Pond County Park invites you to participate in the Annual Audubon SocietyChristmas Bird Count on Saturday.
 
Walnut Creek Wetland Center is also joining in on the Walnut Creek Christmas Bird Count and they are asking for your help Saturday.
 
Marsh Creek Community Center is hosting aZumba Party Thursday night. Free class with a toy donation for Toys for Lil' Troops.
 
Make the most out of one of the year's shortest days with a Canoe Tour on Big Lake Thursday afternoon at Umstead State Park. Come back to the park Friday to learn about the Animals that call Umstead home.
 
The whole family is welcome to Crowder Disrtict Park Sunday for a Winter Wrap Up. Join a naturalist and learn how to identify tracks, explore conifers, and drink pine needle tea. Then observe snow and ice through hands-on science experiments.
 
Take a Winter Scavenger Hunt Sunday afternoon on the American Tobacco Trail.
 
Come to a Moonlight Meander under the full moon Tuesday after dark at Harris Lake County Park.

 

Recent Articles
January 30th - February 5th Triangle 2020
January 23rd - 29th Triangle 2020
January 16th - 22nd Triangle 2020
January 9th - 15th Triangle 2020
January 2nd - 8th Triangle 2020

Browse by Category
Adventure
N/A
Newsletter

VIEW ALL CATEGORIES