Weekend Plans: Disney on Ice, parades, open houses, holiday shows, more

As always, check WRAL.com’s Out & About calendar for more ideas, WRAL.com’s Holiday Guide and Go Ask Mom’s Holiday Central (where you can find information about lights, Santa trains and more).

The region’s Santa trains continue this weekend, including the Holiday Express at Pullen Park (which is sold out), the Museum of Life and Science’s Santa Train and the Santa Train at the New Hope Valley Railway in southwest Wake County. Read my earlier post for more information about that. If you have tickets to Holiday Express or don’t have tickets but were planning a trip to Pullen, read this update to my post from last week.

State government is getting into the holiday spirit with a holiday open house at the Executive Mansion from Thursday to Sunday and the State Capitol tree lighting Thursday, which also launches an open house at the historic building in downtown Raleigh. Read my earlier post for more about that.

Disney on Ice stops at the PNC Arena with multiple shows through Sunday. Tickets start at $15 each.

Frosty the Snowman continues his run at the Duke Energy Center for Performing Arts in Raleigh. Read my review.

Cinderella is on Raleigh Little Theatre’s stage through Dec. 21. Read my review.

A Christmas Carol, Theater in the Park’s big annual Christmas show, starts this week at the Duke Energy Center in Raleigh. It moves to the Durham Performing Arts Center next week.

In Apex, Halle Cultural Arts Center hosts performances of a family-friendly holiday double feature: The Toys Take Over Christmas and Broadway Santa. Shows are Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are $8; $6 for kids 16 and under.

There are all kinds of opportunities to see The Nutcracker this weekend. Read my earlier post for more information.

And the Carolina Dance Foundation will present The North Star this Saturday and Sunday at Southeast Raleigh High School. The performance comes thanks to a grant from the Raleigh Arts Council. The foundation was able to commission a children's story from Dolly Sickles, a local author and illustrator (and mom) and commissioned local artists to interpret the story through dance. Tickets are $12. Shows are 7 p.m., Saturday, and 3 p.m., Sunday.

The Chapel Hill-Carrboro Holiday Parade is 10 a.m. to noon, Saturday, and is expected to draw about 10,000 people. It starts in front of Morehead Planetarium and then moves through Chapel Hill on Franklin Street until it reaches Carrboro Town Hall.

Cary’s Christmas Parade is 2 p.m., Saturday. It starts at East Chatham Street and Ward Street and ends at the Cary Art Center at the intersection of South Academy Street and Kildaire Farm Road.

Wake Forest’s parade is 1 p.m., Saturday. It runs through downtown Wake Forest.

Holly Springs’ parade starts at 11 a.m., Saturday, and runs along Main Street.

And Clayton’s parade starts at 3 p.m., Saturday, and runs along Main Street.

Christmas by Candlelight at Duke Homestead in Durham is 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Friday. Costumed interpreters will lead you on a candlelit tour through the historic area festooned with period decorations as we celebrate Christmas in the 1870's. Live music and historic dancing, plus Christmas carols, storytelling, hot apple cider, and other holiday goodies. Tickets at the door: $6 for adults. $3 for kids 10 and under.

Christmas in Carolinas During the Civil War at Bennett Place in Durham is 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday. Celebrate the Christmas season with a traditional 19th century atmosphere. Cooking, decorating, caroling, and a visit by Ole St. Nick will be shared by civilians and soldiers. Free.

The N.C. Museum of Art will host the 26th annual performance of the Raleigh Flute Choir. The group will play a variety of holiday favorites with the sounds of the entire flute family. As a flutist who, at one time played with one of the groups led by the choir, I’ll add that this is beautiful music and so interesting for kids (and adults) who rarely see the entire family of flutes - from piccolo to contrabass - together. It’s 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday. Tickets are $6 to $10 each.

Marbles Kids Museum will host its Gingerbread Jamboree with two sessions on Saturday. Pre-registration is required for this one. Tickets start at $10 per person. Also this weekend, the museum will host the N.C. Symphony, which will bring out its instrument zoo so kids can check them a variety of instruments. That’s 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday. Speaking of flutes, the Raleigh Area Flute Association will perform holiday music from 11 a.m. to noon, Sunday. And the Carolina Youth Ballet will perform parts of The Nutcracker from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. All but the Gingerbread Jamboree are free with admission (which is $5 per person).

Bull City Craft in Durham will hold its annual ornament party from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., Friday. Kick off your holiday season at the store's third annual holiday party. Make cute ornaments for the holidays. Refreshments, treats, special discounts, and crafts for all ages. Create three ornaments for $6 per person, kids aged 2 and under are free. All ages. No registration required.

Mrs. Claus will read “Elf on the Shelf” at 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m., Saturday, at Northgate Mall in Durham. It’s free. And she’ll stick around for pictures and other holiday activities.

Santa will stop at A Southern Season from noon to 3 p.m., Saturday and Dec. 21. They’ll also have holiday activities, including decorating gingerbread cookies at the Chapel Hill store, one of my absolute favorite places to get stocking stuffers.

And the Garner Great Gift Extravaganza is 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, at Garner Magnet High School gym, 2010 Spring Dr., Garner. Proceeds benefit the school’s PTSA. More than 100 vendors will be there. Santa will pose for pictures. Breakfast, hot dogs and hamburgers will be for sale.