It looks like we are going to have a beautiful, sunny weekend for the holiday weekend! This weekend also officially kicks off our fantastic festival season here in the Triangle!

Celebrate the Grand Re-Opening of Falcon Park Thursday evening in Fuquay-Varina with a cookout as you check out the new playground, outdoor performance area and sidewalks!

Its Football season! Celebrate First Thursday Tailgating in Downtown Mebane and sample a taste of what tailgating is all about...North Carolina style...from fried chicken bites to cold beverages in blue cups!

 

Spend Thursday evening playing a round of Science Trivia or learning how to Get Your Kids Started in Astronomy during this week's Science Thursday events at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.

First Friday means Family Fun Night at Bass Lake Park. Start the evening with arts & crafts, live animals and some fishing. Then join kid favorite Trish Miller for a childrens' concert or Dan the Magic Man's magic show.

 

The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences is getting on the spirit of BugFest (September 19th) this First Friday with the classic sci-fi horror flick "Bug," extended hours, live music, and an opening reception for artist Vicki Rees. As an added bonus this month, the Teen Science Cafes are back after a summer break. Teens are invited to join them before the movie for Teen Science Trivia!

 

Head on over to City Market to enjoy the sounds of Shine along with local artisans and local craft beers.

 

The North Carolina Museum of History joins in on the First Friday fun with extended hours, reduced admission to the blockbuster exhibit Starring North Carolina, the program Hidden Stories of Abandoned Places and samples of Latin cuisine and craft beers.

 

Raleigh also boasts the First Friday Gallery Walk, as well as extended hours at Marbles Kids Museum and the Raleigh City Museum.

 

The Carolina Inn in Downtown Chapel Hill will present the sounds of Mick Mixon & The Franklin Street Band along with the food trucks D"Burritos and Heavenly Smoke Friday night.

The North Carolina Museum of Art will feature the tunes of the Hey Brothers and a Sound Bite on Summer Skies to kick off their weekly, Friday night festivities.

 

The Halle Cultural Arts Center will kick off its Fall Art Show with an Opening Reception for artists Gail Torbeck and Trish Klenow Friday evening.

This weekend's African American Cultural Festival is a two-day cultural festival, that takes place annually on Labor Day weekend, in the center of Downtown Raleigh. The event offers a family-friendly, outdoor festival that features entertainment, visual artists, cultural displays and food & craft vendors.

 

They will be celebrating Birds of Prey at the North Carolina Zoo Saturday.

 

Its a Super Fun Saturday at the Halle Cultural Arts Center. Join them to sample activities for the upcoming art camps, do arts and crafts and play games at the bimonthly event.

Come spend an entire afternoon free from electronic devices Sunday afternoon as Wake Forest goes Unplugged ...and gets Connected. There will be free games and activities including sack and relay races, corn hole, and miniature golf. The evening will culminate in a concert featuring Lakota John & Kin.

 

Also Sunday, get out of the kitchen and head on over to Durham Central Park for an afternoon Food Truck Rodeo. Along with over 50 Food Trucks on hand, there will be live music.

 

You are invited to the Tarheel Labor Day Cluster of Kennel Club Dog Shows. A different Kennel Club hosts competitions each day Friday through Monday and competitions include a Championship all breed dog show, obedience and rally trials.

 

Running Friday through Monday, the Treasures of the Earth Gem, Mineral & Jewelry Show at the State Fairgrounds will offer a vast array of precious and semi-precious gem stones, pearls, beads & findings, minerals, fossils, and finished jewelry in gold and silver.

 

Want to get inside Historic Yates Mill? Come on out for a Saturday at the Old Mill Tour, a Mill Heritage & Local History Tour on Sunday or a special Labor Day Mill Heritage Tour on Monday.

 

Also on Monday at Yates Mill, you can learn about Labor Saving Devices and explore simple machines.

 

Engineering Alive will be the theme of this week's Science Saturday at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.

 

Kung fu Panda will be the featured flick Saturday morning at the Holly Springs Cultural Center.

 

Kids 10-13 are invited to the Raleigh City Museum Saturday to become a part of the Junior Interpreter Program. The first Saturday of the month, the City of Raleigh's Historical Resources and Museums Program will hold historically themed workshops to engage Raleigh's young citizens through hands-on experiences, field trips, and volunteering opportunities.

 

September Movies in the Park at the newly refurbished Falcon Park will bring Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to the outdoor screen Saturday after dark.

Saturday brings Guardians of the Galaxy to the outdoor screen at the North Carolina Museum of Art.

 

The Pickin' In The Pines Bluegrass Series boasts a month of weekly Wednesday evening Bluegrass concerts at Regency Park. This Wednesday will feature Amanda Daughtry with Abby Stephens.

Local parks invite you to start the weekend fun Friday with a Early Morning Bird Hike at Eno River State Park or an afternoon Introduction to Geocaching at Harris lake County Park.

 

Join Lake Crabtree's bird enthusiast, Vernon, for an easy walk while looking and listening for feathered friends early Saturday morning.

 

Come find out through a hike and activities how Crows cleverly use their big brains to do all kinds of amazing and unusual things during Saturday's Family Wildlife Series at Blue Jay Point County Park.