March 8th - 15th 2017 Triangle

by Pam & Michael Davison

It's St Patrick's Day in Raleigh! Put on your green and get Downtown Saturday for the St. Patrick's Day Parade. After the parade, make your way over to City Plaza for the Wearin' O' the Green Festival.

Yappy Hour is a monthly fundraising event benefiting the future Rock Quarry Dog Park. Spend an evening out with your dog enjoying beer tastings, dog biscuit tastings, and food trucks. Join them in Downtown Durham Thursday evening with your pup.

For more info on everything going on, go to www.Parkgeek.com click on "Event Search" and fill in the dates. See below for more...

Festivals, Music & Movies

Saturday is Reptile and Amphibian Day at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences! This year's theme is Sea Turtles and there promises to be plenty of live reptiles and amphibians along with hands on activities, lectures and displays.

The North Carolina State Farmers Market will kick off spring this weekend with a Spring Craft Fair.

Art After Hours returns to Downtown Wake Forest Friday with food, merchants and music.

Bring friends and family to the legendary gathering of 50+ food trucks, local craft beer and live music this Sunday at Durham Central Park's Food Truck Rodeo. Electric Kif from Miami, the Alison Shearer Group from New York City and the Raleigh Rockers will be playing the tunes.

Fun at the Museums

Marbles Kids Museum invites you to join them every week for Twilight $2 Thursdays featuring extended hours and discount admission.

This week's Science Cafe Thursday night at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences will explore the squirmy topic of Fecal Transplants: A Cautionary Tale of Antibiotics in Your Gut.

Come to Bass Lake Park Friday, for a little friendly competition during their monthly Family Bingo.

On Friday night, the North Carolina Museum of Art kicks it up a notch featuring music by Ed Stephenson and the Paco Band and themed small plates and beverages for Art in the Evening. You are also invited to enjoy a Sound Bite on For the Love of Landscape. Follow the fun with a Silent Film complete with live accompaniment by Stark Love

Come back to the Art Museum Saturday to take a Meet Your Museum Tour or a Weekend Family Friendly Tour. Both of these free tours are offered every weekend both Saturday and Sunday.

Historic Yates Mill Pond County Park will be offering Tours of the Old Mill on Saturday and Mill Heritage & Local History Tours on Sunday.

Yates Mill will host the Sir Walter Social Saturday afternoon. Come meet the sites and organizations associated with preservation. Come learn about the City of Raleigh Museum and its Friends Organization and discover the events and exhibits they have planned for 2017. Representatives from other sites and organizations will also be in attendance to share in the experience.

Music of the Carolinas is back Sunday afternoon at the North Carolina Museum of History with Irish Folk musician Rob Sharer joined by singer Margaret Rush. They will be performing a spectrum of traditional Irish material, including lush ballads sung in their native language, thoughtful instrumentals, and lively dance tunes.

Fun at the Fairgrounds

Thinking about summer out on the lake? The Chatlee Boat Show & Sale comes to the North Carolina State Fairgrounds all weekend with a large selection of saltwater, skiffs, ski & deck boards to choose from.

The Triangle Farms NCHJA "C" Indoors Show over at the Hunt Horse Complex Friday through Sunday will be a Hunter Jumper Horse Show.

The Carolina Coin and Stamp Show will also be at the Fairgrounds this weekend with coins, postcards, stamps and currency.

Check out the Bead Mercantile Show both Saturday and Sunday for a great selection of beads and bead related items including hand-made artisan glass beads and beads (seed, pewter, semi-precious gemstones), findings, threads/cord and everything else you need to make beaded jewelry. They will even have workshops.

The Iranian Cultural Society of North Carolina invites you to the NC Persian Festival Tuesday evening to celebrate the Persian New Year.

Spring Comes to the Parks

Durant Nature Park staff will have guided activities to delight the senses and encourage nature play at Friday's Nature and Sensory Play Day. Come back Friday night for Campfire Stories and a Marshmallow Roast.

Join an Umstead State Park Ranger Friday morning as he reads excerpts from the classic A Sand County Almanac. The ranger will read excerpts and then engage the group in a discussion about the reading.

Crowder District Park invites you to stop by their Wacky Weather Discovery Table Saturday afternoon. Also Saturday, take a Walk in the Woods to discover the animals and plants that call the park home. Sunday's Family Feature will teach you how to be a Meteorologist.

Join Occoneechee Mountain Ranger Zack Saturday and Learn to Fish including casting and hooking your line all by yourself!

Explore the fun side of science with materials you'd find in your own kitchen during Saturday's Family Wildlife Series at Blue Jay Point County Park.

Come to a Bird Watch Saturday morning at Falls Lake to learn about common birds and take a short hike to find them. Learn to identify what animal and plants can be Dangerous and how to stay safe on trails and in your backyard on Sunday at Falls Lake.

Serious Skills for Adults Saturday at Blue Jay County Park will introduce you to the fun of Letterboxing.

Learn how to navigate using a Compass Sunday at Harris Lake County Park. Harris Lake hosts their monthly little kids programs Monday with seasonal programs about nature. Ages 1-3 can attend Nature Tots and ages 3-7 won't want to miss Kids Discover Nature.

West Point On The Eno has transitioned to their Spring Hike Series every Sunday afternoon. This week, join them to hike along Rivermont Road. You'll Go past Coons Foot Island to the Pump Station (Durham's first public water supply) and explore the history of the area, Nancy Rhodes Creek, spring wildflowers and Doctor Holloway watermelon patch.

Horseshoe Farm Nature Preserve will explore Hunters in the Sky Sunday afternoon. You'll search and listen for nearby hawks, run through an exciting obstacle course, and finish with a craft to take home.

Step back in time for a History Hike to the ruins of the Grist Mill Sunday afternoon at Eno River State Park.

Keep the fun going next week with a Playdate at Pullen Park Monday and an EGGcellent Adventure Tuesday at Laurel Hills Park.

Hill Street Community Center hosts fun holiday themed craft programs throughout the year. Kids 5-12 are invited to join them next Thursday to celebrate the First Day of Spring.