June 23rd - 29th Triangle 2016

by Pam & Michael Davison

Summer is officially here and Independence Day is right around the corner! It looks like it will be a beautiful summer weekend so get out and enjoy all the indoor and outdoor events this weekend has to offer.

ParkGeek has all the July 4th fun! From pancake breakfasts and patriotic concerts to kids parades and fireworks, we have it all to help you schedule your holiday to the fullest potential. My goal each year is to see three consecutive nights of fireworks displays on the 3rd, 4th and 5th!

The Farmers Markets are in full swing now. The State Farmers Market in Raleigh is open every day with loads of fresh local produce. The Holly Springs Farmers Market invites you to a Breakfast Food Truck Rodeo Saturday and the Raleigh Downtown Farmers Market will host their annual Cheese Please event Wednesday at lunch.

Marbles Kids Museum is giving rising year round kindergartners a Kick-off to Kindergarten Thursday evening. The free event will highlight a variety of school related activities like buying lunch, taking the school bus and getting moving at recess! The event is free for kids and their families.

Fun througout the Triangle

There is quite an eclectic mix of events this weekend. If you are trying to get out of the heat, remember we have a handful of free museums in Raleigh.

Along with free admission every day, the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences invites you to their special exhibit, American Adventure through September 7th. They also have daily story times, meet the animals and a discovery room. Extended hours for Science Thursday will explore "The Sun: Common and Uncommon Events".

The North Carolina State Fairgrounds will host the Raleigh Money Expo, a NCAHA Open Summer Extravaganza, and a Hunter Jumper Horse Show.

The City of Raleigh Museum (COR) has a mission to "Preserve Raleigh"s Past for the Future." The museum collects and cares for artifacts, curates exhibits, and provides educational programing that highlight and interpret Raleigh's history and heritage. Admission is free and they also stay open late for First Friday.

In addition to free admission, the North Carolina Museum of Art offers Meet Your Museum Tours every weekend along with Weekend Family Friendly Tours. You can also check out an Art in a Tote at the information desk to guide your museum exploration with small children through games, stories and hands on creativity.

The North Carolina Museum of History offers free admission and the awesome permanent exhibit "The Story of North Carolina." Bring your little ones every Thursday in June for Storytime in the Gallery.

Marbles Kids Museum does have an admission fee, but in addition to their regularly scheduled fun, they invite you to enjoy the exhibits on Mondays without competing with field trips and they stay open late every Thursday with discounted admission.

June Goes out with Music

The bands BIG Something, Castle Wild and Pito will all be part of this Thursday's Oak City 7 Concerts in Raleigh's City Plaza.

After Hours Early Summer Thursday night in Carrboro at the Weaver Street Market presents the sounds of Saludos Company.

The MikeMickXer will be playing the family friendly Summer at the Springs Outdoor Concert Friday night at the Holly Springs Cultural Center.

Peter Lamb and the Wolves will be playing at this Friday's Art in the Evening along with a Sound Bite all about Creating Sacred Space at the North Carolina Museum of Art.

Fireside Collective will be playing a Friday on the Front Porch Concert at the Carolina Inn with the food trucks Stuft and Heavenly Smoke.

Last Friday returns to Downtown Hillsborough this week with a variety of events including a concert on the Courthouse lawn by The Holiday Band.

Join a Celebration of Bluegrass with the Ash Breeze Band Friday evening at the Page-Walker Arts & History Center. Get there early to hear the students of Pinecone's Bluegrass Camp show off their skills.

Tellico will be playing a free concert at the Apex Nature Park Amphitheatre Saturday evening.

Miss Mini will round out the weekend Sunday night with a concert at Chavis Park.

Movies after Dark

Take Thursday night off and bring the whole family to the Halle Cultural Arts Center for Pizza and a Movie Night featuring Norm of the North.

Guardians of the Galaxy will be this week's Movies Under the Stars Thursday night at the Wallace Parking Deck in Downtown Chapel Hill.

Movies by Moonlight brings Labyrinth to the big screen Friday night at Regency Park.

The 1981 film, The Road Warrior will be shown Friday night at the North Carolina Museum of Art.

The PNC Downtown Raleigh Movie Series will be showing Sister Act as this week's throwback film in Raleigh's City Plaza Friday after dark.

Carroll Joyner Park will be hosting a Family Movie Night Saturday after dark with the kid favorite, "Minions."

Kung Fu Panda 2 will be the free Monday Morning Movie at the Holly Springs Cultural Center. Come back Wednesday afternoon for the classic Back to the Future.

Fun at the Parks

You"re invited to watch and cheer as police officers join players from the Holly Springs middle schools in two 60-minute co-ed showdowns between the Holly Grove Bulldogs and the Holly Ridge Hornets Thursday at Womble Park for Kids & Cops Soccer Night.

Optimist Pool is an official host location for the World's Largest Swimming Lesson Friday morning.

Historic Yates Mill Pond County Park invites you to take tours of the restored mill both Saturday and Sunday. You can enjoy Paddle the Pond on Saturday.

Come and learn about Occoneechee Mountain's Geologic Wonders while you explore the pyrophyllite quarry with a real geologist Saturday morning!

They're hosting Mythbusting Day and tackling persistent myths about "way back when" at Duke Homestead Saturday.

Help them celebrate JC Raulston Arboretum's 40th birthday with cake, ice cream, outdoor games, and fun designed just for families at Saturday's Fun in the Sun Picnic.

Discover the American Tobacco Trail's brand new GeoArt project as you learn the basics of Geocaching 101.

Catch Beaver Fever as rangers at Durant Nature Park take you on a hike looking for signs of beaver in the park.

Celebrate International Sun Day Sunday at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. They will have Solar Observing on the Rooftop Terrace and special lectures all afternoon.