Welcome to a fabulous fall festival weekend! There are so many awesome festivals throughout the parks and museums this weekend to pick from with a great variety of music, culture and activities.

 

The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences is hosting an Educator Open House in conjunction with Science Thursday this week. Local educators can spend a special night learning about the wide array of Museum educational programs and opportunities as well as lesson plans from local scientists. This week's Science Cafe will explore Drones, Drones, Drones.

 

The YMCA at American Tobacco will be partnering with the Rotary Club of Durham for the 9/11 One World Day of Service to help build Little Libraries.

Tar Heel Downtown brings a pep rally atmosphere and fan experience to Downtown Chapel Hill Friday evening featuring a live outdoor concert, interactive games for kids and families, face painting, and more. The UNC Marching Tar Heels, cheerleaders, and of course...Rameses will be there!

 

The Harvest and Hornworm Festival at Duke Homestead Historic Site will provide demonstrations of historic tobacco harvesting, stringing, and curing in the morning and a tobacco auction in the afternoon. There will also be hornworm races, MoonPie eating contest, musical entertainment, craft vendors and refreshments.

 

Come check out the annual Open House at the Harris Nuclear Power Plant Saturday. You can tour the control room simulator, get up close to live animals from the NC Museum of Natural Sciences, learn about Plant Security, meet plant experts and eat ice cream.

 

The State Fairgrounds will host the annual Holy Trinity Greek Festival. Come enjoy authentic Greek food, homemade Greek pastries, marketplace, live Greek music, Greek dance groups & more.

 

Step back in time for Colonial Kids Day on Saturday in Hillsborough. There will be a full day of free activities like candle-making, butter-churning, and quilt making. There will also be demonstrations by Carolina Colonial Dancers, hand-spinning, and British military re-enactors.

 

Enjoy local acts, entertainment, music (The Martin Davis Band), vendors, Farmers Market, inflatables and food trucks during Knightdale's Community Day on Saturday.

Play games, test your skills, compete in relay races, make nature art, eat delicious food, and more at Sunday's Schoolhouse of Wonder Family Field Day at West Point on the Eno. Admission is free, but there are some fees for activities.

 

Second Sunday CITY mARTket is back this Sunday at Historic City Market with over 20 mostly local artists selling handmade crafts from jewelry, painting and ceramics. There will be several fantastic new guests this month including the Longleaf School Dancers who will host an "All The Single Ladies Dance Along."

Harris Lake County Park invites you to bring your kids to the park Saturday morning for a Beginning Fishing Clinic. Come back Sunday afternoon for Wagon Rides for Grandparents and Grandkids. The program is free if you bring Grandparents!

 

Head over to Eno River State Park Saturday morning to learn about Salamanders.

 

Be prepared to get muddy as the whole family gets a Watch on Wetlands Saturday morning at Lake Crabtree County Park.

 

Historic Yates Mill Pond County Park will be giving Saturdays at the Old Mill Tours and Mill Heritage & Local History Tours on Sunday. Seniors are invited to a Seniors Stay Fit Nature Walk Monday.

 

Prairie Ridge Ecostation welcomes young children to their Nature Stories on Thursday mornings and the whole family for Citizen Science Saturdays.

Bring the family to Twilight $2 Thursdays every week at Marbles Kids Museum to enjoy the exhibits after hours for discounted admission.

 

Chatham County Line with Jeanne Jolly and Chris Boerner will be playing the tunes Thursday evening for a Back Porch Music on the Lawn Concert at the American Tobacco Campus.

 

The Penguins of Madagascar will be playing on the big outdoor screen Friday night in Fuquay-Varina at the newly rennovated Falcon Park. Also in Fuquay-Varina Friday night, Art After Dark returns with a special edition of Fall for the Arts.

 

The North Carolina Museum of Art kicks off the weekend Friday with music by Sidecar Social Club for Art in the Evening and an art exploration of Real and Surreal.

 

Cary Town Band presents Gems from Drawer 1 Friday night at Bond Park. Come join them as they musically celebrate the sounds of Sousa marches, wedding dances, Schubert ballet music, von Suppe Overtures, circus music, polkas, and more.

 

The Gravy Boys will be performing at the Carolina Inn Friday along with the food trucks Chick-N-Que and AmigoSan.

 

On the second Friday night of each month the streets of Downtown Wake Forest come alive with food, merchants and music for Art After Hours.

 

Bass Lake Park kicks off the weekend Friday with an evening of friendly competition with some Family Bingo.

 

The Triangle Brass Band will be playing a concert Saturday evening at the Apex Nature Park.

 

Antz will be Saturday's family movie at the Holly Springs Cultural Center. Come back Monday morning for Ratatouille

 

You are invited to a Film Screening of Latino Americans: Prejudice and Pride Tuesday evening at the North Carolina Museum of History. Professor Kristy Ulibarri of ECU will lead a post film discussion.

 

Pickin' In The Pines Bluegrass Series continues Wednesday evening at Regency Park with the Grass Cats.

The Raleigh Lions Club hosts the annual NC State Championship Horse Show at the NC State Fairgrounds, Hunt Horse Complex Wednesday through Saturday.

 

The NFL Punt, Pass & Kick Competition comes to Raleigh's Optimist Park this Saturday. The free event is open to kids ages 6-15.