May 18th - 24th Triangle 2017

by Pam & Michael Davison

They often say if you don't like the weather here in North Carolina, wait a day. Well, no matter what the weather brings, there is a glorious selection of fun and festivals this weekend!

Festivals Around Town

Raleigh is the place to be this weekend for Artsplosure. This year the festival will be in Market and Exchange plazas between Fayetteville and Wilmington Streets. The festival boasts non-stop activities, entertainment and more than 170 juried visual artists and crafters from across the country. Along with multiple stages with ongoing live entertainment, your kids won't want to miss the variety of entertainers on the The Kidsplosure Stage, which boasts a weekend full of family and kid centered entertainers.

Celebrate North Carolina during the annual Got to be NC Festival. Come enjoy a mix of food, music, carnival rides and games, antique farm equipment and grandstand entertainment. And best of all, admission is free for all ages! There are a few events that do have an admission fee like the Masonic Carolina Pig Jig BBQ Cook-off and the carnival rides but others like the John Deere Gator Wars, Canine & Equine Shows, Antique Tractor Pulls, Raleigh Trans Jam BMX Contest and the fireworks are free!

This weekend at the Fairgrounds there will also be a Boat Show and the Island Spring Festival.

Leigh Farm Park will once again host the annual BioBlitz Festival Friday night and all day Saturday. Search through Leigh Farm Park to find as many species as possible in less than 24 hours!

Rock Quarry Park will be hosting the BIMBE' Cultural Arts Festival Saturday. The annual family event is a celebration of African and African American history, culture, art and traditions.

The Longleaf Festival at Harris Lake County Park will feature a hayride, living history programs, live animals, games, crafts, food trucks and over 30 agencies and organizations with interactive exhibits

Falls Lake will host the annual Youth Fishing Tournament and Centennial Celebration Saturday. Youth ages 5 to 13 are invited to pre-register for this exciting event. All fishing gear and bait will be provided for free, or you can bring your own gear.

Wheels on Academy brings antique cars, entertainment, food, and fun for the entire family to Downtown Cary Saturday.

Historic Oak View Park invites you to their annual Barnyard Birthday Bash. Come wish the goats "happy birthday!" with cake and festivities.

Apex invites kids to come Touch A Truck Sunday afternoon at Apex Community Center.

Sunday is Cary Public Safety Day. Join them to celebrate public safety. Visit the Bike Cary booth, explore police and fire vehicles, meet Town of Cary Police and Fire crews, enjoy a kid's fun zone, food trucks and more!

The Raleigh Times Third Sunday Kids Carnival will be rocking on Hargett Street in front of the Times! Bring the kids for fun and games, sidewalk chalk, bouncy castles and more.

The mid-week Raleigh Downtown Farmer's Market will be celebrating a Festival of Flowers next Wednesday at lunchtime.

Fun Thursday & Friday to Kick off the Weekend

Head over to the Halle Cultural Arts Center Thursday night for Pizza and a Movie Night. Take the night off from cooking dinner as the whole family enjoys the movie "Sing".

After Hours Early Summer will bring free music on Thursday nights on the lawn in Downtown Carrboro. They will be also be sampling and selling local beers. This week's concert will feature a Different Drum.

This Thursday's Science Cafe at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences explores Developing Anti-body Based Diagnostics for the Zika Virus

Sertoma Arts Center host Family Nature Night on the Third Thursday of every month. Bring the whole family to enjoy several activities and games so they may understand the amazing process of metamorphosis.

The Live and Local Music & Arts Series in Downtown Chapel Hill will feature Speaks & Beats II. Live & Local will feature various acts, such as Mariah M. and Yoni, and even open the floor for you to read some things you've been working on at the Open Mic.

Fridays on the Front Porch of the Carolina Inn, is back Friday! Come on out to enjoy a variety of food trucks available to entertain your palate along with live local music.

Art in the Evening Friday features music by the Onyx Club Boys and a sound bite about Studying Space at the North Carolina Museum of Art. The Friday's festivities also include a Contemporaries Third Friday Tour. Young professionals are invited on a walking tour of the Museum Park and then stay to mingle at the wine bar.

Its Third Friday in Downtown Durham! Come enjoy a Gallery Crawl with live music and more.

Historic Yates Mill Park will teach you how to identify planets, stars, constellations and then invite you to head outdoors to view the night sky through their telescope Friday night during a Starry Sky program.

The Historic Depot in Apex will feature David Childers and The Serpents Concert Friday evening.

You're invited to bring up to three objects to the North Carolina Museum of History Friday for assessment and advice on care from their conservators during Conservation Assistance Day. Call ahead for an appointment.

Getting Outside at the Parks

Join the Museum of Life and Science daily through Saturday for daily, special Meet the Keeper programs to celebrate National Bear Awareness Week.

As a Special treat this Saturday, Historic Yates Mill Pond will be conducting Corn Milling Demonstrations so you can see the mill wheel working. Also Saturday, they will explore the Historic Trades of Sheep Shearers & Wool Carders and invite you to join them for some Country Dancing in the Mill Yard.

Join Rangers each Thursday at Raven Rock State Park on a Hike for Your Health. Hikes are 3 to 6 miles on trails that can be flat, hilly and include steps. They also stop to observe wildlife, enjoy environmental education moments and to listen to the natural world.

Prairie Ridge Ecostation for Wildlife Learning invites you to join them on Thursdays for Nature Stories, on Saturdays for Citizen Science Saturdays and on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays for a Walk Through the Seasons.

Bring your kids ages 6-12 to Jordan Lake Sunday morning so they can C.A.S.T. (Catch A Sure Thing!). Rangers will provide the bait, tackle, and expertise to teach your kids to fish.

Stop by the Horseshoe Farm Nature Preserve farmhouse Sunday to participate in Cloud Painting, a fun art activity that uses elements of nature to create something beautiful.

Kids Get Crafty Monday at Crowder District Park. They will be making Spring Flowers with natural materials.

Music & Movies and Museum Fun

Classical Black-Figure Puppetry is the theme for this months Family Fun Saturday at the North Carolina Museum of Art.

The Halle Cultural Arts Center invites you to bring your kids for a SuperFun Saturday on the first and third Saturdays of the month so they can enjoy free arts and crafts.

The Movies Under the Stars series kicks-off on Saturday for a special baseball event at Boshamer Stadium at UNC after the last baseball game of the season. After a social media contest, the community picked "Field of Dreams" as the movie that will be showing on the giant screen.

Saturday after dark is Family Movie Night at Carroll Joyner Park. Bring a blanket and join them under the stars for "The BFG."

Round out your weekend with another installment of the Six Sundays in Spring Concert at E. Carroll Joyner Park. This week features Hank, Pattie & The Current.

Monday's featured movie at the Holly Springs Cultural Center will be Stuart Little 2.

Monday will be another Durham Community Day at the Museum of Life & Science. Durham County residents with ID can enjoy free admission to the Museum all day.

Page-Walker Arts & History Center presents the Preservation Speaker Series Tuesday evening featuring What Have We Got To Lose? An Annual Inventory on Cary's Historic Properties.

Wednesday's Hob Nob Jazz Series at Regency Park will feature Peter Lamb & the Wolves.