April 14th - 20th 2016 Triangle

by Pam & Michael Davison

The NC Science Festival continues through April 24th so there are lots of fun activities this weekend all about science!

Earth Day & the NC Science Festival

You are invited to Science Thursday at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. This week's Science Cafe will feature the Beauty & Biology of Nature Sounds.

Take a Raleigh Rockin' Walkin' Tour Friday afternoon to explore the different rock types found in the Downtown architecture. You'll even discover other hidden nooks in the downtown area.

Raven Rock State Park will host an Earth Day Celebration all about Nature's Seedlings Friday morning for kids 3-7.

Friday night, NCSU invites you to NC BioNetwork's Sci-Fi Movie Myth Buster. Learn how to separate fact from fiction, enjoy popcorn and drinks and compete for prizes after watching a science fiction film.

Catch a Shooting Star Friday night at Kerr Lake. Learn the techniques/mechanisms for looking at stars, pointing out different constellations, and identifying specific stars.

Prairie Ridge Ecostation wants to jump start your citizen science adventure by hosting a Citizen Science Fest Saturday.

Its Earth Day Weekend at the North Carolina Zoo. Come to a "Party for the Planet." Dance to African drums and explore new ways to help take care of the earth.

In addition to Corn Milling DemonstrationsSaturday and Sunday, Historic Yates Mill Park hosts Planters, Gardeners & Cooks, an exploration of the role of the planter and southern foods influence. There will even be a seed exchange to help you start your own southern garden.

Crowder District Park invites you to their Earth Day Party Tuesday. You'll be able to blow bubbles, make musical instruments and create bird feeders with re-purposed objects.

Wednesday's NanoDays 2016 at NC State University will include graduate and undergraduate presentations and table top demonstrations by local museums and professors of the Nanoscale phenomena.

Spring Festivals, Music, Movies & Museum Fun

Farm Animal Days 2016 runs through Friday at the NC State University, Beef Educational Unit. The event is designed for school field trips, but the public is welcome to join them to see live farm animals, see tractors and enjoy some Howling Cow ice cream.

The Peanuts Movie will be the featured family flick for Thursday's Pizza and a Movie Night at the Halle Cultural Arts Center. Come back Friday night to to hear the SAS Showchoir Vocal Motion Choir perform.

Head on over to Downtown Durham for Third Friday fun complete with gallery crawl and live music.

The Hill Street Community Center invites the whole family to join them for a Movie Nightcomplete with popcorn and a drinks Friday night.

The Annual Hillsborough Arts & Crafts Show is a juried show offering original art and quality handcrafted items of dozens of NC artisans Saturday on the lawn of the Historic Alexander Dickson House.

The North Carolina Museum of Art kicks off the weekend Friday night with live music by Beauty World, a Sound Bite on the Emotion of Landscapeand the Indian film, Pather Panchali. This week also features Contemporaries Third Friday Tours,Family Fun Saturday about the Impressions of Nature, Guided Tours of the Museum ParkSaturday, and an Artist Talk with Beth LipmanSunday.

The 2016 En Plein Air Paint-Off will take place on Saturday in Downown Fuquay-Varina. Come see the area's most talented painters competing, En Plein Air (in the open air) to create an original painting of Fuquay-Varina Downtown's historic landscape.

This weekend marks the 151st Anniversary of the Surrender at Bennett Place. Saturday's activities will include the reenactment of the surrender negotiations, as well as military and civilian living history programs.

Downtown Morrisville will host their annual East Meets West Food Festival Saturday. Join them to celebrate Wake County's most diverse community, with a day of food, music, and performances from around the world.

Saturday is Teen Day in Fuquay-Varina. Teens can enjoy free food, the Iron Man obstacle course, a rock wall, pedal karts and the Seat Belt Convincer. In addition, teens can see the effects of drunk driving and complete the Drive Wise Course.

Lead Mine Elementary is also hosting a Spring Carnival on Saturday from 1pm-5pm. The event will feature Raleigh's SandBox Band, the Scrap Exchange, a Kickball Game (Teachers/Staff vs Students with WTVD-News11 Announcer Jon Camp), a Cake Walk, a Silent Auction, performance by the Lead Mine School Band, Games, Raffles, Activities and Fair style food.

Sunday brings the Chatham Street Chowdown to Cary. Join them for a food truck rodeo complete with beer and wine garden.

Bring the whole family to Touch A Truck at the Apex Community Center Sunday. Children will be allowed to touch, climb on, and ask questions about their favorite trucks and cars in a safe, supervised environment. There will even be a horn free hour for kids who don't like loud noises.

PineCone will bring a Kids Jam to Marbles Kids Museum Sunday afternoon. Musicians 18 and under are invited to bring your instruments and play along and beginners are invited to check out a variety of instruments and make a scrap-instrument to take home.

The Monday Morning Movie at the Holly Springs Cultural Center will be Brave.

Park Programs

All ages are invited to explore Durant Nature Park's Sensory and Nature Play Garden Friday morning. Park staff will have guided activities to delight the senses and encourage nature play.

On the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays, you are invited to join them at Lake Crabtree County Park for an evening of Crabtree Casters, an informal fishing experience for the whole family.

Its another Citizen Science Saturday at Prairie Ridge. These Saturday morning adventures will introduce you to a citizen science project and enlist your help collecting and entering data as you enjoy a walk around the grounds with one of their naturalists. On the 2nd and 4th Tuesday mornings of the month, you are invited to join them for a Walk Through the Seasons. They also invite kids to join them for Nature Stories each Thursday morning. This week, Prairie Ridge will also host a Gardening for Wildlife Workshop for adults Friday morning.

Get outside, get moving and get healthy every Thursday at Raven Rock State Park as you Hike for Your Health.

Harris Lake County Park invites kids ages 7-12 to join them for Fishing for Beginners to learn the basic fishing skills Saturday morning. Come back Saturday afternoon to learn Whooo's Wild About Owls?. They will be Investigating Tracks, Scat and Skulls Wednesday afternoon.

Come out to William B. Umstead State Park Saturday and help them celebrate 100 years of North Carolina State Parks! Enjoy a great day on park trails, listening to great music, and enjoying childrens' activities. You can also support the park through participating in the Walk/Run/Bike for Umstead. There is a registration fee to participate, but spectators and volunteers are welcome at no charge.

Falls Lake invites you to learn Beginners Orienteering using a basic compass Saturday.

Take a Spring Wildflower Hike at Annie Louise Wilkerson Nature Preserve Saturday.

Learn about Prescribed Burns Sunday at Occoneechee Mountain when you walk out to a recent burn site.

This Sunday's Spring Hike at West Point on the Eno will explore the newly created trails at the confluence of the Upper Eno River in Orange County. As a special treat, join them Monday for a Pea Creek & Dunnagan Wildflower Walk.

Crowder District Park hosts several childrens' programs this week.

Farmers Markets

Many of the Triangle Farmer's Markets are open or have transitioned to their summer schedules. The last few will be opening in May. To find a market near you, just go to the Event Search on ParkGeek.com and type in Farmers Market.

The NC State Farmers Market in Raleigh is open year round, but right now they are a great source for flowers and veggies for your garden as well as early crops. Thursday at lunchtime, they are hosting Greenhouse Vegetable Day.

Holly Springs will hold one last Winter Marketinside the Holly Springs Cultural Center Saturday morning before their outdoor market opens in May. Many of the vendors will take pre-orders so click through for the contact information.