October 18th - 24th 2018 Triangle

by Pam & Michael Davison

Fall is in full swing and Halloween is right around the corner! We have lots of family fun here in the Triangle this weekend!

The State Fair runs through Sunday. If you haven't made it there yet, it looks like the weather is going to pretty nice all the way through the weekend!

There are a few repeating events that kick off the weekend fun every Thursday. Marbles Kids Museum stays open late and offers reduced admission, Knightdale Station Park hosts food trucks for both lunch and dinner, and the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences stays open late and presents a weekly Science Cafe. This week will explore how Animals & Pathogens Co-Evolve.

Prairie Prairie Ridge Ecostation, which is free everyday, invites you to bring your little one every Thursday morning for a Nature Storytime or on Tuesday or Saturday afternoons to explore their Nature PlaySpace during a Nature Play Day. You can also find out how you can contribute to Citizen Science research every Saturday. Twice a month on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays, they offer a guided Walk Through the Seasons.

In addition to free admission, the North Carolina Museum of Art offers Weekend Family Friendly Tours and Guided Tours of the Museum Park, the amazing outdoor exhibits every weekend.

Getting in the Halloween Spirit

Mordecai Historic Park will host their Haunted Mordecai Lantern Tours and Haunted Mordecai Free Festival next weekend, but they invite you to join them on a Haunted Trolley Tour both this weekend and next weekend.

If You're a Monster and You Know It. Come to Historic Yates Mill Park Friday afternoon to practice your spooky scary monster moves as we read If You're a Monster and You Know It by Rebecca Emberley.

Look for Spooky Spiders at Friday night's evening program at Crowder County Park. Join them as they explore a few arachnids found in the park and search out some of these 8-legged creatures.

Explore the darker side of nature during Saturday's Creepy Crabtree festival at Lake Crabtree County Park. This FREE park-wide event promises lots of fun activities, as well as an opportunity to get out and enjoy Lake Crabtree in its fall splendor.

They will be Celebrating Senses at the Zoo this Saturday. Investigate how animals use their amazing senses in a challenging world. Celebrate Boo at the Zoo both Saturday and Sunday next weekend with trick or treat games, storytelling, live entertainment and a children's costume contest.

Witches and Demons: A History of Culture will be the theme of Saturday's special program at the North Carolina Museum of History. Come learn about the cultural history of witchcraft and demonology from the viewpoints of literature, art, music, and history,

Join WakeMed pediatric surgeons on Saturday at Marbles for Operation Pumpkin, some pumpkin carving.

The Carroll Howard Johnson Environmental Education Park will host a Haunted Trail Saturday evening. There will be both a Family Version and a Full Fright Version.

Come to Falls Lake and have a Spooktacular time! Join the Falls Lake Park Rangers at the Holly Point Amphitheater for games, crafts, refreshments, campfire stories, a costume contest and a night hike Saturday evening.

The Pumpkin Patch Express returns to the Museum of Life and Science both Saturday & Sunday. Ride the train, take home a pumpkin and enjoy crafts and games. There is an extra fee for the holiday fun and reservations are recommended.

The annual Scarecrow Festival & Pumpkin Patch Bash returns to Pullen Park Saturday. Stuffing materials and supports for your scarecrow are provided. Come prepared with a scarecrow wardrobe, head, and your creativity!

Lake Lynn Park hosts their Spooky Fun Pumpkin Patch Wednesday evening. Each child will get their own pumpkin to decorate how they want using a variety of craft supplies. Please pre-register.

Fall Festivals & Fun

BugFest is back with its rescheduled date this Saturday! This years theme is the crayfish. Join them for the ultimate festival focused on everything bug. There are bugs of every shape and size, lots of hands on opportunities and even the chance to eat a few creepy crawlies prepared by area chefs.

The West End Poetry Festival brings over 50 poets, 4 days of readings, workshops, and panels to Carrboro Wednesday through Saturday.

Art it Up is a collection of different events during the month of October in the Hillsborough Street district. This week Burk Uzzle offers a artist presentation at the Gregg Museum of Art & Design, Ranky Tanky plays a concert at the Stewart Theatre in the Talley Student Union, "Strange City of Edgar Allan Poe," is a theatre production at Sonorous Road, ARCY Live! Graffiti Artist presents at the N.C. State Fair and ther will be a Back stage tour of the Raleigh Little Theatre. Click through for all the information.

The 5th Annual Triangle Oktoberfest comes to Regency Park Friday and Saturday. There is an admission fee along with lots of beer and brats.

History, Art, Music & Movies

Ride the Pink Horse will be the featured flick for Friday's Fall Film at the North Carolina Museum of Art. Come early and enjoy Iris after Dark.

Join Traditional Dance Caller, Connie Carringer and an old-time string band Friday night at the Halle Cultural Arts Center for a Family Dance. There will also be an Art Exhibit Opening Reception for Whether the Weather Juried Exhibition & Susan Peters Friday evening at the Halle.

This week features the Third Friday Gallery Crawl in Downtown Durham with live music and more.

Come back to Downtown Durham Saturday morning for a Civil Rights Heritage Walking Tour to explore Durham's Civil Rights Legacy during the 1950s and 60s Civil Rights movement.

North Carolina and World War I, the 6,500-square-foot exhibition that highlights approximately 500 artifacts, period photography, a trench diorama, historical film footage, educational interactive components, and video re-enactments will be on display at the North Carolina Museum of History through January 6th It is also free.

Historic Yates Mill Pond County Park will offer Costumed Corn Milling Demonstrations this weekend. Step back in time and take a tour with 19th century costumed interpreters as you watch the millstones at work grinding corn into meal.

Also at the Mill this Satuday, you can join in on some Country Dancing and explore the historic trade of the Candy Maker.

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

Enjoy Fall at the Parks in the Parks

Friday afternoon brings another Nature/Sensory Play Day to Durant Nature Park. Self-guided activities to delight the senses and encourage nature play will be provided. The park will host a Meadow Campout Satuday to Sunday.

Family Nature Night returns to Sertoma Arts Center on the Third Thursday of every month. This month's theme will be Owl Prowl.

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

Historic Oak View County Park will host a guided History Hike property tour Saturday. It will include all of the buildings and features of Historic Oak View, including hands-on interactive activities for kids.

Break up your week Tuesday evening at Raven Rock State Park with a Full Moon Hike to the Overlook and S'mores!