May 21st - May 27th 2015 triangle

by Pam & Michael Davison

Happy Memorial Day Weekend! May your weekend be full of fun, relaxation and cookouts! Remember, if you are looking for a great park to play at this weekend, go to ParkGeek.com, click on Parks and check off the activities or amenities you are looking for. We will give you a list of parks that match your request. Could planning a great Memorial Day Picnic get any easier?

The biggest and most exciting event in the Triangle this weekend is the Freedom Balloon Fest. Starting Friday and running through Monday, there will be a hot air balloon festival spread over two parks, Spring Forest Road Park in Raleigh and Bennett Bunn Plantation in Zebulon. There will be a mass ascension, night time glows, competition flights and tethered rides.

Bullfest at Duke Homestead State Historical Park will have a special event this year as it is the ending point of A Soldier's Walk Home. Historian and Re-enactor, Philip Brown has been walking the 166 miles from New Bern to Durham and will arrive Saturday for the festival. Bullfest will feature live local music and dancing lessons with the Huckleberry Brothers.

Memorial Day Observations

Memorial Day is about remembering and honoring those who served our nation. There will be a wonderful event on Monday keeping the meaning of the Holiday in mind. The Tar Heel Detachment of the Marine Corps League for the greater Raleigh area will sponsor a Memorial Day Ceremony at the State Capitol grounds.

On Saturday, Bennett Place will honor the sacrifice and share the history of the Confederate soldiers at Bennett Place. They will host a living history event with re-enactors portraying American Soldiers through the Ages.

The Town of Garner will host a Memorial Day Observance at the Garner Veterans Memorial in Lake Benson Park on Monday.

Historic Yates Mill Pond County Park will be open Monday and offering special Memorial Day Guided Tours as well as a family program on They Wore What?!

Blue Jay Point County Park invites the family to Leaf it to Me Monday, a program on how to ID common trees by their new Spring foliage.

Marbles Kids Museum will host a Summer Blast Off Saturday through Monday to celebrate a weekend of big fun!

Falls Lake will explore Birds of Prey Monday afternoon.

As a related event, the Holly Springs Cultural Center will be hosting the 82nd Airborne Chorus for a free concert Tuesday evening. The concert is free but you do need to pick up tickets in advance from the box office.

Fun at the Park

The Wake County Parks are offering some fun family programs this weekend! Crowder District Park will be exploring Amazing Amphibians after dark Friday night. Saturday, Blue Jay Point County Park invites the whole family to join them for Fantastic Frogs. Come back to Crowder Sunday for a Family Pond Study on May Flowers.

Historic Yates Mill Pond County Park is offering you the opportunity to Paddle the Pond to explore the park's many features as seen only from the water or enjoy some Family Fishing Fun Saturday. On Saturday, you can take an Old Mill Tour and on Sunday they are offering Mill Heritage & Local History Tours.

Explore the Pyrophyllite Quarry with a real geologist on Saturday at Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area.

They are throwing a Star Party at Eno River State Park Friday after dark. Come back Saturday to learn about the Geology of Cox Mountain or help them inventory Park Invaders.

Join rangers at Falls Lake Saturday for a leisurely one-mile hike through the woods of Falls Lake to learn how to Identify Trees by their leaf, bark, seeds, and shape.

Take an Introduction to Tracking or join them for some Citizen Science Saturday at Prairie Ridge Ecostation.

Umstead State Park will be screening the Movie Amphibian both Saturday and Sunday to commemorate the Year of the Amphibians. They will also lead a Shrub Slope Hike Tuesday afternoon.

The State Fairgrounds will host a Bird Fair and a Regional Morgan Horse Show this weekend.

Are you looking to be a little more spontaneous? Pre-registration not really your thing? The Triangle has several beautiful lakes that offer boat rentals so you can enjoy the serenity of the water at your own pace. Bass Lake Park, Bond Park, Lake Benson, Lake Crabtree Park, Lake Johnson Park, Umstead State Park and Lake Wheeler all offer seasonal boat rental and they are all open for business this weekend!

Music & Movies

Art in the Evening kicks off the holiday weekend at the North Carolina Museum of Art with live music by Onyx Club Boys and a Friday Night Sound Bite exploring things Dark and Mysterious.

Downtown Raleigh's Movie Series returns this summer with a retro Flashback Friday theme, transporting you back to the 80s. They will be showing Ghostbusters this week. Come early to enjoy dancing to the tunes of DJ Alex Choi and dinner with a variety of food trucks.

The Lockdown Blues Band will be playing an outdoor concert at the Holly Springs Cultural Center Friday night. Bring the kids back Saturday morning for the movie Madagascar: Escape to Africa.

The Starlight Concert Series at the Page-Walker Arts & History Center Friday features the Celtic music of Barrowburn.

The Six Sundays in Spring Concert Series continues this weekend at Carroll Joyner Park with Jeanne Jolly.

This Wednesday's Hob Nob Jazz Series Concert at Regency Park will feature Mint Julep Band.

Holiday Weekend in Wilmington

If you are one of the lucky ones heading east to the coast, we wanted to let you know about some fun stuff going on this weekend in the Wilmington Area. The Battleship North Carolina will be hosting the Annual Memorial Day Observance. Remember those who gave their lives in service and honor veterans at a traditional Memorial Day Observance featuring a military guest speaker, an all-service Color Guard, a 21-gun salute by a Marine Corps Honor Guard, military band, Taps, and a memorial wreath cast onto the waters.

Wilmington's largest downtown arts festival returns this Memorial Day weekend. The Orange Street Arts Festival boasts the work of more than 60 artists, live entertainment and a food, beer, and wine tent.

Carolina Beach kicks off the season with a concert and Fireworks by the Sea. Local bands will be playing Friday night followed by a fabulous fireworks display. Saturday starts their movie season with Planes: Fire & Rescue.

While you are in the Wilmington area, you may want to check out the Fort Fisher Aquarium. Membership to the three North Carolina Aquariums and the North Carolina Zoo are reciprocal. Our favorite is Luna, the albino alligator.