May 23rd - 29th 2019 Triangle

by Pam & Michael Davison

Happy Memorial Day Weekend! May your weekend be full of fun, relaxation and cookouts! Remember, if you are looking for a great park to play at this weekend, go to ParkGeek.com, click on Parks and check off the activities or amenities you are looking for. We will give you a list of parks that match your request. Could planning a great Memorial Day Picnic get any easier?

The North Main Athletic Complex in Holly Springs is excited to host the six day long 2019 NCBA World Series. The Fan Fest & DeMarini Long Ball Challenge are free events open to the public on Saturday. The games do require a ticket, but discount passes are available.

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...

Memorial Day Observations

Join them at Cary's Veterans Memorial Monday for an observance of Memorial Day with a patriotic ceremony and celebration honoring veterans of all wars and conflicts.

On Saturday and Sunday, Bennett Place will hold a Military Timeline Commemoration to remember soldiers who gave the ultimate sacrifice. Join military historians representing the American soldier throughout our nation's history.

The Town of Garner will host a Memorial Day Observance at the Garner Veterans Memorial in Lake Benson Park on Monday.

Fun at the Parks

Take a Walk in the Woods at Crowder District Park Saturday and help collect data for their Natural Resource Inventory Database and other citizen science projects or check out their Discovery Table all about Songbirds. Come back Sunday to explore Animal Senses.

Take a Tapestry Tour of Downtown Durham Friday evening to enjoy poetic presentations about the many "threads" of Durham"s Diversity:

Canoe with a Ranger Friday at Occoneechee Mountain. Come to the park Saturday and learn about Occoneechee Mountain's Geologic Wonders as you explore the pyrophyllite quarry with a real geologist.

Take a Beginner Birding Class Saturday morning at Lake Crabtree County Park.

Historic Yates Mill Pond County Park invites you to Paddle the Pond to explore the park's many features as seen only from the water Saturday. Also on Saturday, you can take an Old Mill Tour and on Sunday they are offering Mill Heritage & Local History Tours. Saturday through Wednesday, you can try creating some Art in the Park as you decorate with paper flowers.

Join them for some Citizen Science Saturday at Prairie Ridge Ecostation.

Join the City of Raleigh Museum on a Bike Tour of Historic Raleigh Saturday! Learn about the history while biking through the capital city.

Blue Jay Park will be featuring Frogs and Tadpoles Saturday afternoon for a family program.

The North Carolina State Fairgrounds hosts a Pet Bird Fair Saturday.

Join a Naturalist Saturday for a Haiku Hike at Eno River State Park. They'll read a few haikus, go on a short hike along the Buckquarter Creek Trail, and have the opportunity to try writing our own haikus at the end. Also Saturday, you are invited to take a Birthday Hike for Ralph Waldo Emerson & Rachel Carson. Kids are invited to Eno Sunday to do some of the Junior Ranger Activities or take an Introduction to Hiking.

Are you looking to be a little more spontaneous? Pre-registration not really your thing? The Triangle has several beautiful lakes that offer boat rentals so you can enjoy the serenity of the water at your own pace. Bass Lake Park, Bond Park, Lake Benson, Lake Crabtree Park, Lake Johnson Park, Umstead State Park and Lake Wheeler all offer seasonal boat rental and they are all open for business this weekend!

Join them at Oak View County Park Monday for a one-hour History Hike through the old farmstead.

For those of you who don't have to go back to school or work on Tuesday, head over to Yates Mill to take a Spring Flower Walk.

Music, Movies & Museums

Traditional Dance Caller, Connie Carringer will teach fun Dances for the Whole Family: Squares, Circles, Appalachian, and more with help from a live, old-time string band Friday night at the Halle Cultural Arts Center.

The Apex Outdoor Music Series kicks off Saturday featuring the Lithuanian Dancers & Moscow Nights at Apex Nature Park.

Iris After Dark kicks off the holiday weekend at the North Carolina Museum of Art with music, small plates and special drinks.

Join them for Fridays on the Front Porch of the Carolina Inn. Counterclockwise will play a concert and Food Trucks Bo"s Kitchen and Soom Soom Pita Pockets will be on hand.

Garner host a Friday Family Flick and an Overnight Camping opportunity at Lake Benson Park. The movie, Incredibles 2, is free and open to the public. The camping does have a fee and requires registration.

The Freight Train Blues Music Series kicks off their concert series Friday night in Carrboro with music by AJ Ghent.

Incredibles 2 will also be the featured flick at Saturday night's Family Movie Night at Carroll Joyner Park. Come early and bring a T-shirt so you can iron on Incredibles decal and make masks.

The Six Sundays in Spring Concert Series continues this weekend at Carroll Joyner Park with Tyson Brothers Band & Mister Felix.

This Wednesday's Josh Cellars Jazz Series Concert at Regency Park will feature Peter Lamb and the Wolves.

The Oakes and Spokes Bike Festival comes to a close Wednesday evening with a Light Up The Night Ride.

Holiday Weekend in Wilmington

If you are one of the lucky ones heading east to the coast, we wanted to let you know about some fun stuff going on this weekend in the Wilmington Area. The Battleship North Carolina will be hosting the Annual Memorial Day Observance. Remember those who gave their lives in service and honor veterans at a traditional Memorial Day Observance featuring a military guest speaker, an all-service Color Guard, a 21-gun salute by a Marine Corps Honor Guard, military band, Taps, and a memorial wreath cast onto the waters.

Wilmington's largest downtown arts festival returns this Memorial Day weekend. The Orange Street Arts Festival boasts the work of more than 80 artists, live entertainment and a food, beer, and wine tent.

Carolina Beach kicks off the season with a concert and Fireworks by the Sea. Local musician, Carl Newton will be playing Friday night followed by a fabulous fireworks display. Sunday starts their movie season with Rack Pack.

While you are in the Wilmington area, you may want to check out the Fort Fisher Aquarium. Membership to the three North Carolina Aquariums and the North Carolina Zoo are reciprocal. Our favorite is Luna, the albino alligator.