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December 9th - December 15th
by Pam & Michael Davison
Happy Holidays! There were some great parades and tree lightings last weekend and the fun continues this weekend.
We have over forty events listed this weekend. In this newsletter, we are concentrating on the holiday events. Feel free to go to ParkGeek.com and look up this weekend's dates on the event search for a complete listing of the Triangle's events. Parades and Tree Lightings
The fun starts Friday night in Holly Springs with A Main Street Christmas. Not only will Santa be there to light the tree, but there will also be caroling, a hay ride, storytelling by Mrs. Claus, treats, hot beverages, arts & crafts for kids and musical entertainment. The fun continues on Saturday with the Happy Holly Days Christmas Parade. There will be floats and marching bands including Holly Springs High School, plus Scout troops, Holly Springs School of Dance, Shriners in their miniature trucks, and much more. Make sure to stop by the Cub Scout tent in the Town Hall parking lot for a nice, warm, juicy hot dog before, during or after the parade. The Cary Christmas Parade is a joyful celebration, which includes bands, mascots, local businesses, community groups, and churches. Chapel Hill-Carrboro Holiday Parade will also bring the holidays alive with their annual Holiday Parade. Enjoy music and dancing, marching bands, scout troops and more in this annual celebration of their community spirit.
Join the Governor for the State Tree Lighting Thursday night. The evening will include the lighting of luminaries and musical performances on the Capitol grounds. Then the Governor and First Gentleman will light the state Christmas Tree. While at the Capitol, make sure to peek inside and enjoy the State Capitol Holiday Open House. The building is decorated for the season and there will local performers featured. The North Carolina Museum of History will even stay open late to join in on the festivities before and after the Tree Lighting. The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences will also extend their hours with a Meet the Animals opportunity and a lecture on Grizzly Bears.
History and the Hoildays
Step back into history this weekend at the State Capitol for a Civil War Encampment. Historical re-enactors will be on site to demonstrate how to make Civil War Era Christmas Ornaments, dip candles and invite kids to join in on Civil War Drills. Celebrate the holidays with the Raleigh City Museum for Miracle on Fayetteville Street. Come watch the original 1947 version of Miracle on 34th Street while you enjoy cider and festive cookies. Explore your creative side as you also make Christmas ornaments and holiday decorations. Each visitor will also have the chance to win a prize in their Kris Kringle Raffle from businesses such as Target, Theatre in the Park, and Carolina Ballet. Mordecai Historic Park is hosting three wonderful holiday events this weekend. There will be a Holiday Open House that is free and does not require reservations and Holiday Lantern Tours that do require reservations and have an admission charge. Santa's Trolley also runs this weekend at Mordecai Historic Park. Join one of Santa's elves in her search for Mr. Clause whose vacationing in the Raleigh area. Winter Tales and Storytelling continues this weekend at Historic Yates Mill County Park with "The Ingalls Family's Long Winter". Laura Ingalls Wilder and her family really had to tough it out. Learn what the family did to survive one really "long winter" and bring home a home-made holiday craft. Make a simple ornament based on 19th-century tree decorations Saturday at the North Carolina Museum of History during a Make It, Take It program. Visit Bennett Place during the holiday season for a Civil War Christmas in the Carolinas. The farm will be decorated as the typical yeoman farmer would have experienced Christmas. Music, caroling, and refreshments will be served. More Hoilday Happenings
The Sertoma Arts Center is hosting a Winter Dance next Tuesday. Come enjoy an evening of dancing or just tap your toes to the fabulous sounds of the Casablanca Orchestra the area's finest big band! The Raleigh Winterfest Ice Rink is open now through the end of January. Just $8 gets you onto the rink and skate rental. Click through for the times. Also Thursday, at the Holly Springs Cultural Center the Holly Springs Community Band will be entertaining their audience with a wide variety of musical styles including pops, classical, movie theme songs, patriotic tunes and seasonal favorites. Santa will visit the rustic Anderson Point Park cottage on Saturday and he wants all of the children in Raleigh to come see him. Children will get to create their very own holiday craft, and have Cookies & Milk with Santa. Have a "blue" Christmas with bluegrass trio Nixon, Blevins, and Gage at the North Carolina Museum of Histoty on Sunday afternon. Canned food donations will be accepted for the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina. A Few More Fun Things to Do
Bundle up Saturday night and head over to Jordan Lake State Recreation Area to look at Mercury, Jupiter & Mars with astonomers from Morehead Plantarium and Science Center during a Skywatching Session. Explore the forest at night, listening for animals and enjoying the beauty of the winter woods on a Night Hike Friday at West point on the Eno. You can also explore how the natural world has prepared for the onset of winter on a guided Winter Preparation hike at West Point on the Eno. Saturday afternoon you can all take a break from the hustle and bustle of the season at Anderson Point Park and take a Family Nature Walk. Now that most of the leaves have fallen, you can learn some Winter Tree ID at William B. Umstead State Park. Looking for that unique, on-of-a-kind gift? You may want to check out the North Carolina Pottery Fair at the State Fairgrounds. The Pottery Festival presents an excitiing holiday shopping experience featuring the flavor from the Seagrove and Sanford Pottery Festivals right here in Raleigh. Birds will be the focus of two Wake County programs this Saturday. Treats for Tweets at Blue Jay Point County Park will help you to identify and attract winter birds into your yard. Do some early morning Birdwatching while sipping hot chocolate at Harris Lake County Park.
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