With the official beginning of fall on Saturday, it’s another busy weekend. The region’s pumpkin patches are opening for the season. Be sure to check our Halloween and fall fun database for details.

And Raleigh’s new indoor water park, Buffaloe Road Aquatics Center, is open for its first weekend. The center, which includes a three-story water slide, opened Tuesday. I’ll have much more about it on Friday.

Here’s the rest of your weekend family fun!

The Museum of Life and Science in Durham holds its very popular Heroes, Villains and Special Effects from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday. The event explores the science behind entertainment. Experts in the fields of special effects, make-up artistry, video game design and simulation, comic book art, and staged combat will be there for programs and meet and greets. It’s free with admission, which is $14 for adults and $10 for kids ages 3 to 12.

Crowds will be heading down to Benson for its Mule Days, which runs Thursday to Sunday. This annual fall festival carnival rides, music, food, an arts and crafts show and, of course, mules. There’s  mule judging, a mule race and mule pulling. A parade, which starts at 10 a.m., Saturday, lasts for about 2.5 hours and includes mules, marching bands, floats and much more.

The Wade Edwards Learning Lab in Raleigh will host College 101 for Wake County high school students considering college. It’s from 10 a.m. to noon, Saturday, at the learning lab across from Broughton High School. Read my earlier post for more about the learning lab and Saturday’s event, including how to RSVP.

Kids Together Park in Cary will hold a Walk for Inclusiveness at the playground on Saturday. The event features a 1.4-mile wheelchair and stroller friendly course along the Hinshaw Greenway from Kids Together Playground to MacDonald Woods Park and back. There will be refreshments, a silent auction, games and more. Read my earlier post for details. The fee is $15 per family or $5 per person.

Friday is an early release day for many Wake County students. If you’re looking for something to do, head over to Annie Louise Wilkerson MD Nature Preserve in north Raleigh for one of its Nature Play Days. It’s from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Friday, at the preserve off Raven Ridge Road. Explore the preserve and participate in activities that might include mud pie making or kite flying. It’s free and designed for all ages.

The Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University in Durham will host one of its free Family Days from noon to 4 p.m., Sunday, at the museum. Activities include a gallery hunt, make-and-take crafts and live entertainment. Admission is free for everybody.

Faulkner’s Dance & Gymnastics of Hillsborough and Neill’s Taekwondo and Fitness of Chapel Hill will mark National Gymnastics Day with a show from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Saturday, at Northgate Mall in Durham. Local gymnasts will perform for two hours to raise money for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Last year, a nationwide effort brought together 20,478 gymnasts and fans from more than 400 locations to set the world’s record for the most handstands performed at the same time. The activities will take place inside the mall in front of Macy’s. Donations will be accepted.

The Pilot Club of Cary will be raising money and awareness of brain-related injuries and illnesses on Saturday. The group will hold Touch a Truck at Dorton Arena on the N.C. State Fairgrounds. The charge is $5 per child and no more than $20 per family. Parents are free. Kids ages 2 to 10 will get a chance to see a variety of vehicles and meet the drivers. There will be face painting and other activities. It’s from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday. From 11 a.m. to noon, the event is lights and “beep” free for kids with sensitivities. The club supports a variety of efforts including Project Lifesaver, which provides GPS tracking bracelets for kids and adults who may wander because of autism or dementia, and Camp Royall, which serves kids with autism.

Illuminate 2012, the first conference of Raleigh Mompreneurs, is Saturday in Raleigh. The conference will offer all kinds of information for moms who happen to be business owners. Speakers are all local moms. Read my earlier post for details.

We have consignment sales in Raleigh, Apex, Fayetteville and Wake Forest this week. Read my earlier post for details.

Author Annette Simon will visit Quail Ridge Books & Music in Raleigh at 4 p.m., Saturday, with her new book "Robot Zombie Frankenstein!" It’s best for kids ages 4 to 8. Read my earlier post for details about this and other events for kids and teens coming up at Quail Ridge.

Historic Oak View County Park in Raleigh will hold a fundraiser from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday, to raise money to restore the tenant house that was recently moved to the Wake County property. The event includes live music and food from the Chick-N-Que Food Truck. Admission is free, but donations are encouraged.

Morehead Planetarium and Science Center will hold one of its regular skywatching sessions from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday, at Jordan Lake. This is a great opportunity to ask experts about what you’re seeing in the night sky. It’s free. Be sure to check the website for directions and updated weather information.