This weekend is a transition between the summer movies and concerts and the fall festivals and harvest celebrations.

 

The week of Free Kid's Movies at the Halle Cultural Arts Center comes to a close with "Epic" on Thursday and "Treasure Plane" on Friday morning. Thursday evening is Pizza and a Movie Night at the Halle featuring the family flick, "Home."

 

Oak City 7 is back in Downtown Raleigh Thursday night with the bands Coconut Grove Band, Jump Mountain, and My Brother, My Sister.

 

Its Game Night along with Science Thursday after hours at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. Bring the whole family to enjoy new and old board games. The Science Cafe will explore Linking the Environment to Financial Risk.

 

Thursday's Movies Under the Stars in Downtown Chapel Hill brings the classic film, ET to the big outdoor screen.

 

Thursday brings Durham Community Day back to the Museum of Life & Science. Durham County residents with ID can get into the museum for free. There are two free admission days for Durham residents per month. Click through for all the dates.

The annual Lazy Days Arts & Crafts Festival is back this weekend in downtown Cary. Along with an amazing array of artists and crafters displaying their wares, the festival boasts lots of great festival food, non-stop, live entertainment and a festival within a festival, Kids World.

 

The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Wake Audubon Society, Toyota Together Green and the National Audubon society are teaming up for Celebrate Chimney Swifts Weekend. There is a forum Friday night at the Nature Research Center, a festival at Prairie Ridge Ecostation for Wildlife & Learning on Saturday and a Chimney Swift Stake-Out Sunday evening.

 

Downtown Raleigh is hosting the CaribMask Festival on Saturday. The event is a Caribbean Carnival boasting extravagant costumes, a festival village, Caribbean performers, delectable authentic Caribbean cuisine, dancing, vendors and more.

 

Saturday is Honeybee Day at the NC State Farmers Market in Raleigh. Come get your fresh fruits and vegetables while you explore the wonderful flavors of our local honeys.

 

Do you have a rising Kindergartener? Marbles invites you to bring them to the Museum Saturday for Kick-off to Kindergarten, a free event all about exploring what starting school will be like. They will have a school bus along with lots of interactive school related activities.

 

Celebrate the end of summer with a Beach Bashlike no other in historic downtown Wake Forest Saturday evening. There will be food trucks, entertainment and specials at the downtown shops.

 

The NC State Fairgrounds will liven up the weekend with an Indoor Horse Show, and theCarolina Fall Boat Show & Sale.

 

Head to the Raleigh Downtown Farmer's Market Wednesday at lunch for the Cheese Please festival. Enjoy local farmers, local music and a wide variety of local cheeses.

 

Come out to Mordecai Historic Park Friday for a free guided tour of the Mordecai House, grounds, and outbuildings. Mordecai Free Fridays only occur twice a year so don't miss out on this wonderful opportunity to get a peek into Raleigh's living history.

 

The Fall Lecture Series continues Sunday afternoon at Mordecai Historic Park with Dr. William C. Harris presenting Abraham Lincoln and the Emancipation Proclamation.

 

Discover Historic Yates Mill, a place of business, community, and exciting local history! Explore the inner workings of the mill itself and witness the power of water as it turns the milling machinery this weekend by taking a Saturday at the Old Mill Tour or a Mill Heritage & Local History Tour on Sunday.

 

You can also join the Rangers of Historic Yates Mill County Park Saturday to Paddle the Pond or join them for some Family Fishing Fun.

 

Come and learn about Occoneechee Mountain's geologic wonders as you explore the pyrophyllite quarry with a real geologist on a Geology HikeSaturday morning.

 

Join a Historic Preservation Society of Durham volunteer on a Durham Architecture & the Urban Landscape Walking Tour to learn about the many architectural styles popular in the 20th century in Durham.

Art in the Evening returns to the NC Museum of Art with live music by Side Car Social Club and an Art Exploration about Shaping Place. Friday night's outdoor movie will be the 1968 film,2001: A Space Odyssey written and directed by Stanley Kubrick. Come back Saturday after dark for Interstellar.

 

The Morning After will be performing and food trucks Porchetta and Soomsoom Pita Pockets will be supplying dinner at the Carolina Inn Friday night.

 

Clay Street After Work brings the Island Time Band to Downtown Mebane Friday night.

 

Movies By Moonlight at Regency Park presents the movie Guardians of the Galaxy Friday after dark and Gone Girl Saturday evening.

 

Its Third Friday in Downtown Durham. Kick off your weekend with a gallery crawl with live music.

 

Saturday morning at the Holly Springs Cultural Center, treat your kids to the movie, Bee. Monday's morning movie will be Free Birds.

 

East Coast Rhythum & Blues will be playing a concert Saturday evening at the Amphitheatre at Apex Nature Park.

 

As a great finale to the weekend, the Raleigh Concert Band will be performing marches and Broadway Show tunes Sunday evening at Pullen Park.

Drop into the Annie Louise Wilkerson, MD Nature Preserve Park Friday for a Nature Play Day. Dig for gemstones, make a fort out of natural materials, fly a kite, make mud pies, and more. They"ll provide the materials and guidance to get you started on a playful adventure. Come back to join a naturalist guide for their monthly Naturalist Hike that focuses on the many facets of life and history of the park Saturday morning.

 

Learn all about Beavers and the amazing adaptations that help them to change their habitat Saturday morning at Lake Crabtree County Park.

 

Are you an Amphibian? That's the question they will ask Saturday afternoon at Umstead State Park. You will learn about amphibians and transform yourself into your favorite amphibian or creature by making your own personal mask. Also Saturday, the program Keep It Safe! will teach you how you can have a safe and enjoyable visit to the park.

 

Join a ranger Saturday morning to hike along the riparian (streamside) to explore the Trees of the Eno.

 

Take a short hike around the ponds of Occoneechee Mountain Saturday to learn about the various Dragonfly Species in the park.

 

Prairie Ridge Ecostation will also host a Dragonfly Walk Saturday or you can join them to learn how you can become a Citizen Scientist.

 

Take a Walk Through the Seasons Tuesday at the Prairie Ridge Ecostation or bring your little ones on Thursdays for a Nature Storytime.