April 27th - May 3rd 2017 Triangle

by Pam & Michael Davison

Here comes another incredible weekend full of fun activities to do throughout the Triangle. With close to 60 events listed this weekend, there is definitely something for everyone. We will hit the highlights here, but check out ParkGeek.com for all the events or LIKE ParkGeek on Facebook so you can get daily ideas and updates.

For more info on everything going on, go to www.Parkgeek.com click on Event Search and fill in the dates. Select the search button and start planning! See below for more...

Friday Happenings

Last Fridays offer extended hours and special gallery happening around the Triangle.

Celebrate the Last Friday Art Walk in Downtown Chapel Hill and Carrboro. Art Galleries, shops, restaurants, churches, museums and historic sites remain open and offer numerous special events. There will be a concert on the south lawn of the Courthouse. Artists, food vendors, musicians and craftspeople also set up their wares on the sidewalks around the courthouse.

Its Finally Friday in Downtown Apex. On the last Friday of each month from April to September, the Apex Downtown Business Association will be bringing entertainment and food to Salem Street for some after-work relaxation and fun.

Triangle arts and culture in the Cary area are highlighted with extended hours for participating art galleries, restaurants, coffee houses, and other businesses that showcase visual arts, and music during the Final Friday Cary Art Loop.

Fridays on the Front Porch of the Carolina Inn features live local music and food trucks.

Pullen Park and Pullen Place Café are excited to present the Dinner and a Movie series every Friday in April. Come for dinner and stay for the flick. Get there early and enjoy trivia and fun activities centered around this month's theme of Animals.

Art in the Evening returns to the North Carolina Museum of Art with music by Peter Lamb and the Wolves and the 1973 film, Don't Look Now starring Donald Sutherland.

Outside the limits of the city lights, Crowder by Night will explore who comes Alive After Dark. Take a moon lit hike, play some games and try to catch a glimpse of some nocturnal animals.

Powell Drive Park will host a Family Movie Night Friday night complete with popcorn.

The Hill Country Cosmopolitans will be playing an outdoor concert at the Historic Apex Depot Friday night.

The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences invites you to Final Friday festivities with the 1973 film "Westworld" and the hair-raising world of cyborgs.

Festivals and Special Events

Spring Daze Arts and Crafts Festival celebrates its 24th year Saturday at Bond Park. The festival boasts over 170 North Carolina artists, entertainment on four stages, delicious festival food and Cary's annual Earth Day Celebration.

HerbFest continues for a second weekend in Wake Forest. Along with a wide variety of herbs, vegetables and flowers for sale to jump start your gardens, there will be lots of kids activities, live music and a variety of entertainment. Click through for the schedule of events.

West Fest will be a 48 hr block party along South Nash Street in West Hillsborough. The event is a cooperative between the music stages at Mystery Brewing Company and Nash Street Tavern showcasing local Hillsborough musicians only, professional and amateur, beginning Friday and running through Sunday.

Saturday is Teen Day Fuquay. The focus of the event is the police department's distracted driving program but, there will also be plenty of free food and fun.

The North Carolina State Fairgrounds hosts the Easter Bunny Quarter Horse Circuit Horse Show Thursday through Sunday.

Ready to get your garden's going? Mordecai Historic Park hosts their Annual Plant Sale Saturday morning and the North Carolina Botanical Garden will hold their annual Native Plant Sale and Festival Sunday with four local nurseries and four local food trucks.

Uncover the difference between skin-covered amphibians and scaly reptiles at the NC Zoo's special event, Scales and Slippery Skin Saturday.

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

The Bee Movie will be playing on the big screen over at the Halle Cultural Arts Center Tuesday morning.

Did you know that the City of Raleigh Museum (COR) does Storytime on the first Tuesday of every month. Joined by Sammy the Squirrel, each month features a new theme, fun stories and a take home project.

Fun at the Parks

Saturday is Blue Jay Point County Park's annual Songbird Celebration! Join them for special hikes, mini-classes, story times, and educational programs.

Historic Yates Mill County Park invites you to come learn about Terrific Trees all day Friday through Sunday. They will also be conducting Old Mill Tours Saturday and Mill Heritage & Local History Tours on Sunday.

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

Bring your camera to Prairie Ridge Ecostation Saturday to learn how you can do Photography for Science.

Join them at Historic Oak View County Park Saturday for a one-hour History Hike through the old farmstead including all of the buildings, the pecan grove, the gazebo, and water tower. There will also be some hands-on activities.

This Sunday's Spring Hike at West Point on the Eno will be along the Laurel Bluffs Trail to see the mountain laurel in bloom.

Kids will join a Park Ranger Saturday afternoon at Falls Lake to learn all the Basic Fishing Skills for a lifetime of fun.

Spring Concerts

The Peak City Singers present USO Show on the Road both Saturday and Sunday afternoon at the Halle Cultural Arts Center featuring music from WWI and WWII, along with other songs of the 40's.

Sunday kicks off the annual Six Sundays in Spring Concerts at Carroll Joyner Park. Bring a picnic or buy food there while you enjoy local musician Marcus Anderson.

Come to the North Carolina Museum of History Sunday for a free concert by the Triangle Youth Jazz Orchestra and Triangle Youth Jazz Ensemble. The groups will be honoring Jazz Appreciation Month with selections from Duke Ellington, W.C. Handy, Dizzy Gillespie and Hoagy Carmichael.

The Hob Nob Jazz Series is back for the month of May at Koka Booth Amphitheatre. Tickets are just $5 or you can buy the whole 5 week series for $20. This Wednesday will feature Tea Cup Gin.