Weekend Plans: Easter Bunny, science festival, vet school open house, more

The Easter event season starts in earnest with the Easter Bunny taking a seat at malls for pictures starting Saturday. Find out where he is and where the egg hunts are in the next few weeks in our Easter events database.

Spring Break also begins for most public school students around here. Check our spring break guide for lots of activity ideas.

And there’s more. Here’s your weekend family fun! As always, check WRAL.com’s Out & About section for more activities.

The N.C. Science Festival kicks off on Friday with events across North Carolina. Here in the Triangle this weekend, they include the opening of a new exhibit called Stemosphere and a Family Science Fair at Marbles Kids Museum; a tour of Oakwood Cemetery in Raleigh; and an eagle watch boat tour on Jordan Lake. It runs through April 13.

N.C. State’s College of Veterinary Medicine holds its annual open house with activities for all ages - young kids to teens and adults. There’s a teddy bear clinic and carnival for little ones and opportunities for older kids to learn more about careers in the field. It’s 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday.

Also, the Carolina Hurricanes will offer science-themed fun during its pre-game Plaza Party at 5 p.m., Saturday, at the PNC Arena in Raleigh. Science educators will be on hand for hands-on science experiments. There’s also a live band, street hockey and inflatables. It’s free (you’ll need tickets if you want to go to the game).

The N.C. Zoo is marking 40 years and celebrating the opening of new exhibits, including a renovated kidzone play area and Bugs: An Epic Adventure, which features giant animatronic bugs. The zoo in Asheboro, about 90 minutes from Raleigh, will have live music, crafts and other activities on Saturday and Sunday.

Raleigh Little Theatre’s run of “OPQRS, etc.,” wraps up Sunday. It's part of the theater's youth series.

The town of Apex will open its new nature park and athletic fields on Evans Road with activities from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday. UPDATE: The event was canceled because of stormy weather in the forecast, but the park will still be open.

Abbey Road Live, a Beatles cover band, will play an all ages matinee at 1 p.m., Saturday, at Cat’s Cradle in Carrboro. Tickets are $8 for kids, $10 for adults and $30 for a family pack. The band, which also has an evening show for adults on Friday, will play kid favorites from the Beatles like “Yellow Submarine,” Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” and “Octopus Garden.” They’ll take request from kids and might even invite some on stage. Snacks and soda will be for sale at the bar.

We have consignment sales in Raleigh, Clinton and Nashville this weekend.

Also, the Apex Prom Shoppe is open Friday with dresses and accessories for high school girls who can't afford to buy their own. Everything is free.

The Junior League of Durham and Orange Counties is putting together Touch A Truck from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, outside the Belk at The Streets of Southpoint in Durham. Kids can touch, explore and climb on a variety of trucks, including a fire engine, cement truck and police car. A horn and light free time is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. for kids with sensory issues. Tickets are $5 per person or $15 for a family of four. Other activities include a visit from mascots, games, healthy eating station and more. Proceeds support the league’s work in the community.

And the N.C. Museum of History will mark its new exhibit Cedars in the Pines, which focuses on the history and contributions of Lebanese immigrants who have made North Carolina their homes since the 1880s, with a Cedars in the Pines festival from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, outside the downtown Raleigh museum. Exhibit admission and weekend parking are free. The festival includes dances, foods, crafts and activities for all ages. UPDATE: This event is postponed because of stormy weather in the forecast.