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Weekend Plans: Honoring veterans, family fun at Duke Gardens, pools open, more

Remember the American solider at Bennett Place Historic Site, enjoy some family fun at Duke Gardens, pick strawberries, jump in a pool and more family fun this weekend.

Posted Updated
Fayetteville Memorial Day 5
By
Sarah Lindenfeld Hall

With folks headed to the beach, the mountains or their backyard for a picnic, Memorial Day weekend is always on the slower side when it comes to community events for the family. But there are still things to do.

Here are some ideas ...

Bennett Place Historic Site will remember the American soldier during a special program from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Re-enactors representing soldiers from the American Revolution; Union and Confederate sides of the Civil War; the Spanish American War; and both World Wars will participate.The site's grounds, nature trails and picnic area, along with its visitors center, will be available for visitors. The farm is the site of the largest troop surrender of the Civil War. See my earlier post about Bennett Place. It's located at 4409 Bennett Memorial Rd. in Durham.
The Raleigh City Museum will host a program about life during World War II for kids ages 10 and up and their family. The free program is from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Kids can learn about military and civilian life in Raleigh and North Carolina in the 1940s. There will be costumed living historians and a special presentation at 2 p.m. by author and historian Dr. John Duvall.
Fayetteville has been honoring veterans all month with special events and many more are planned for this weekend. Check out the 31 Day Salute website for more information.
Duke Gardens in Durham will hold its Family Fun Day from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. The free event offers a variety of nature-themed activity stations and events in the gardens, which are gorgeous this time of year. Kids and their families can build fairy houses, make volcanoes in a bottle, dissect lima beans, paint with plants and more. There is a Great Fish Release, where the first fish will be placed in the newly refurbished fish pool at the foot of the Terrace Gardens. And the Paperhand Puppet Intervention will lead a parade that everybody can be a part of. That will start around 1:45 p.m. UPDATE: Paperhand's ticketed 1 p.m. show is *not* sold out. Tickets will be available at noon Saturday at the Doris Duke Center at the Gardens. Parking is free on Saturday until 1 p.m.
There are still strawberries in the fields, though the season is slowing down (I just bought peaches at the State Farmers Market!). Still ... I'm thinking strawberry shortcake sounds pretty good for this Memorial Day weekend. Check our database of strawberry farms if you want to pick your own.
Public pools across the Triangle will start to open this weekend though many won't open until school is out for the year. Check our recently updated public pools database to get the details about the pools near you. And check back here on Friday for a look at the pools and sprayground at Millbrook Exchange Park in north Raleigh. The outdoor wading pool and sprayground opened for the season a couple of weeks ago.
Kids Fest returns to Triangle Town Center in north Raleigh on Friday. The free event features inflatables, face painting, a performance by Pamlico Joe and more. It's from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday (and continues June 24, July 29, Aug. 26, Sept. 30 and Oct. 28).
The Barnes & Noble bookstore at 760 SE Maynard Rd. in Cary will host a family fun night and summer reading kickoff at 7 p.m. Friday. Kids in grades one to six can earn a free book just by reading eight books and turning in a completed journal sheet. Participating families also will be entered into a national drawing to win a Nook, an eReader.
Yoga is the theme during Marbles Kids Museum's Family Fit Series from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Karma Kids Yoga will lead the program. It's free with admission to Marbles, which is $5 per person. Marbles will be open on Monday (when the museum is normally closed).
In Orange County, there are a variety of events that are part of a Tibetan Cultural Pageant. You'll find the performances and programs (including some for kids) on Franklin Street and at The ArtsCenter in Carrboro on Friday through Sunday. Check the website for a full schedule and a lot more details.
We have sports! The NCAA Division II Baseball Championships will be at the USA Baseball National Training Complex, 200 Brooks Park Lane, in Cary. The games start Saturday and run through June 4. Tickets are $10 for adults; $5 for seniors and children; and $30 for a championship pass. Parking is free. Click here for more information.
The Carolina Mudcats and Durham Bulls are in town. Both will have fireworks on Friday evening. Yogi Bear will be at the Mudcats games Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

And we have some outdoor concerts:

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