Weekend Plans: Earth Day, spring festivals, farm tours and more

Cary's annual Spring Daze Arts & Crafts Festival is from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at Bond Park, 801 High House Rd. The event features games and activities, a children's village and its own Earth Day celebration. And, this just in, Anoop Desai of American Idol fame will perform at 1 p.m.

Durham's Earth Day Festival is from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday at CCB Plaza, 201 Corocan St. You'll find live music, hands-on activities for kids and lots of green activities and demonstrations. The Museum of Life and Science, Piedmont Wildlife Center and other local organizations will have booths in the Kid's Zone.

The N.C. Museum of Art opens its new building with a grand opening festival Saturday and Sunday. It's free, but tickets are required to get into the building. But there's lots to do even if you don't have a ticket. Read my earlier post for details.

The Southern Women's Show at the State Fairgrounds starts Friday and continues until Sunday. If you're there Sunday, be sure to stop by the WRAL booth and say hi.

Wake Forest is kicking off its popular spring concert series. The town's 6 Sundays in Spring series begins at 5 p.m. Sunday at the 1,000-seat E. Carroll Joyner Park Amphitheater, 701 Harris Rd. The town's youth advisory board also is sponsoring a free concert in the park for area high school students and their families from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

The 15th annual Piedmont Farm Tour is 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at farms across the Piedmont area of North Carolina. Tickets are $25 per car load. You'll have the opportunity to tour lots of farms across the region. If you go, I'd recommend you map out the farms that you want to go to and start early. Or just visit a few (especially if you have antsy kids on the car). And if you're in Carrboro, don't forget to have your kids pick up their free tomato seedling Saturday morning.

Explore! in Cary will be showcasing its summer camps at an open house and fair from 10 a.m. to noon and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at its new location on 280 Towerview Court (the old Impace location). There will be live performances and activities. Teachers will be there to talk to you and answer any questions.

Meredith College will play host to the ¡Levantate, North Carolina! College Fair from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. The fair is for Latino high school students.

The Cleveland Strawberry Festival in Johnston County is from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. You'll find inflatables, arts and crafts, entertainment and, I'm guessing, strawberries.

The Horace Williams House in Chapel Hill will host a Civil War Living History Day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday in Chapel Hill. There will be costumed reenactors, period songs and other demonstrations. Tickets are $5 per person. Kids under 6 are free. There also will be a Civil War walking tour in Hillsborough on Saturday.

Kids in grades 6 to 12 will vie for state honors in the National History Day contest at the N.C. Museum of History. Kids in grades 6 to 12 will present their findings in exhibits, performances and other projects from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the downtown Raleigh museum.

The Chavis Community Center, 505 MLK Jr. Blvd. near downtown Raleigh, will host its Springfest Celebration from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday. The event includes entertainment, rides and displays. Admission to the event is free but there is a small fee for some activities.

Help a Boy Scout troop raise money for North Carolina Children's Hospital's Promise Grant program at Touch A Truck from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday at University Mall in Chapel Hill. Kids can touch, climb on and ask questions about their favorite trucks. Tickets are $5 per person with a maximum of $20 per family. Kids under 2 are free.