Weekend Plans: Veterans Day, Santa arrives, kindie rock star performs, more

We have a Veterans Day parade, museums showcasing new exhibits, Santa turning up at local malls and lots of live performances for kids. Your weekend family fun.

Posted 2:00 a.m. Nov 10, 2011 — Updated 2:00 a.m. Nov 10, 2011

Sarah Lindenfeld Hall

We have a long Veterans Day weekend ahead of us with most kids out of school on Friday. As I wrote earlier this week, the North Carolina Veterans Day Parade is at 9:30 a.m. Friday morning. The parade, which includes local veterans groups, JROTC programs, marching bands and more, weaves through downtown Raleigh before it ends at the State Capitol for a special ceremony at 11 a.m.

Downtown museums also have some new exhibits to showcase. The N.C. Museum of History's major "The Story of North Carolina" opened last weekend. And Marbles Kids Museum has upgraded its popular Power2Play exhibit and will open it Friday with some special events. Read my earlier post for details on the parade and museum exhibits, along with other Veterans Day events across the state.

And here's the rest of your weekend family fun.

Santa arrives! Well ... he actually already arrived at Triangle Town Center in Raleigh last weekend to begin sitting for Christmas portraits. This weekend, he'll turn up at Crabtree Valley Mall in Raleigh and Cary Towne Center in Cary. Check our new Go Ask Mom Holiday Events Guide for more holiday fun!

Acclaimed musician Elizabeth Mitchell, along with her husband and young daughter, will perform children's songs at an 11 a.m. concert Saturday at The ArtsCenter in Carrboro. Called a "kindie rock star" by NPR, Mitchell is the first new children's musician added as a Smithsonian Folkways Recording artist in the 21st century. Her music is uplifting, inspiring and gentle. Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for kids. Kids 2 and under are free. Click here to learn more about Mitchell and to watch a couple of her videos.

Also at The ArtsCenter this weekend, the UNC Pauper Players will present Guys and Dolls. The performance, probably best for kids 9 and up, features classic Broadway tunes like "Luck Be a Lady" and "Sit Down You're Rockin' the Boat." Shows are 8 p.m., Friday through Tuesday, and 2:30 p.m., Sunday. Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door for the general public.

To highlight its new Rembrandt in America exhibit, the N.C. Museum of Art will present Stories in Art: Dutch Folktales with Jukebox Radio at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturday. The hour-long performance is part of its children's performance series. Dutch folktales come to life through song, dance, and puppetry with the children’s performance group. Best for kids ages 5 and up. Tickets are $5. The museum also will offer some free. drop-in crafts from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. You do not need a ticket for the concert to participate in the crafts.

Raleigh Little Theatre continues its run of "Merry Christmas, Strega Nona." It runs through Nov. 20. Based on the Tommy dePaola story, the holiday musical follows the story of Strega Nona, who is planning her traditional Christmas Eve feast. She vows to do it without magic. But thanks to the well-meaning yet bumbling Big Anthony, the feast almost doesn't happen. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for kids ages 12 and under. Shows are generally Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It's part of the Raleigh Little Theatre's youth series.

Cary's Marvelous Music Family Series debuts with Tangle of Tales presented by the Grey Seal Puppets at 3 p.m., Sunday, at the new Cary Arts Center, 101 Dry Ave. Puppeteers will bring to life three folktales: The Frog Prince, Three Billy Goats Gruff and The Three Little Pigs. Tickets are $5 per person.

Morehead Planetarium and Science Center will host a Family Science Day from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday in Chapel Hill. Activities include a chemistry magic show, rocket building and storytimes. It's free.

The Museum of Life and Science in Durham will hold a Fall Harvest event with a variety of hands-on activities. Meet local experts who will share information on agritourism, sustainable farming, green living and more. It's 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Activities are included in the price of admission to the museum.

As I mentioned earlier this week in my feature on Tiny Peepers as part of our Made by Mom Gift Guide, The Handmade Market, featuring all kinds of arts and crafts, is at Cobblestone Hall in downtown Raleigh's City Market from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

Other craft shows include the Garden Guild Craft Sale at Duke Gardens in Durham from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday. The State Farmers Market's craft show is Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the market in Raleigh.

Saturday is Pecan Pickin' Day at Historic Oak View County Park in Raleigh from 8:30 a.m. to noon. Learn all about the pecan. There will be some game handouts for kids. Unfortunately, this year's crop is a lot smaller than past years so there will not be any pecans to sample or purchase.

The ACC men's soccer championships are at Cary's WakeMed Soccer Park this weekend. The women played last weekend. We've taken our older daughter to games at the park and she's loved them.

Partners for the Advancement of Gifted Education of Wake County will have a Fall Super Saturday event with a variety of classes. Check the website for more information and how to register.

And in addition to opening the new Power2Play, Marbles Kids Museum also will have a couple of special events this weekend. Hooray for Ballet! will feature dancers with the Carolina Ballet from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday. There will be crafts, mini-performances and more to celebrate the Ballet's upcoming Nutcracker performances. Marbles' Science Solvers series will focus on the weather from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.

And, don't forget: Next Saturday, Nov. 19, is a big one with the WRAL Raleigh Christmas Parade, the opening of Pullen Park in Raleigh and the N.C. Symphony's first Young People's Series concert. More on all that next week! Can't wait!

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