Weekend Plans: Egg hunts, Science Festival, BrickUniverse, more

From egg hunts to the launch of the massive N.C. Science Festival to BrickUniverse for Lego lovers, the weekend is full of family-friendly fun.

Posted 12:55 a.m. Apr 6, 2017 — Updated 2:03 p.m. Apr 6, 2017

Happy weekend! Here’s what’s happening on the family fun front. As always, check WRAL.com’s Out & About calendar for more ideas. Our spring break guide also offers all kinds of activities to do with kids over the next week or so.

Saturday is a big day for egg hunts across Raleigh and beyond. Our Easter events database has the details.

It’s time for strawberry picking! Some farms are open for the season. Other farms are just starting to open. Check our strawberry and fresh produce list and make your plans!

The N.C. Science Festival kicks off Friday with more than 400 science, technology, engineering, art and math events at parks, museums and other venues across the state. Here in the Triangle, they include (but aren’t limited to) the following:

Saturday’s free SciTech Expo at the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday.
Sunday's Engineer It at Marbles Kids Museum, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Engineers from NC State’s The Engineering Place will talk about what engineers do and offer some hands-on activities. It’s free with admission, which is $5 per person. You also can catch Dream Big 3D at Marbles’ IMAX theater. The movie explores the field of engineering.
And Working on the Railroad from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday, at New Hope Valley Railway in southwestern Wake County. Take a train ride and learn more about how trains work. Tickets are between $7 and $10.

The BrickUniverse Lego fan convention is Saturday and Sunday at the Raleigh Convention Center. Last year, tickets sold out so it’s best to get them before you go to ensure you can actually get in. Tickets are $15. The sessions feature lots of opportunities to play with Lego bricks, learn new ways to build with Legos and see amazing pieces made from Legos.

The N.C. Museum of History opens a new exhibit focusing on North Carolina’s contribution during World War I on Saturday with a day of family-friendly activities.

In Raleigh, Hillsborough Street's 2017 Spring Fest is noon to 8 p.m., Saturday, and offers all kinds of free activities for kids and families. The kids' activities will be centered around Compiegne Park, 106 Chamberlain St., and include bird feeder decorating, a fossil dig, entertainment, a community weaving project, a coloring station and more.

The Ackland Art Museum in downtown Chapel Hill is hosting an all-ages celebration of Los Trompos, a large-scale, interactive installation featuring much-larger-than-life spinning tops that people can actually get inside. The celebration is 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, on the grounds of the museum. Admission and parking are free. There will be music, food trucks, arts, crafts and more.

Read With Me, the new children’s book store in downtown Raleigh, will mark its grand opening on Friday. It will be open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday. It’s a beautiful store. I'll have more about the store on Thursday.

Hill Ridge Farm, the popular outdoor play area for kids in Youngsville, opens for the season on Saturday.

The 18th annual Frog Fest is 11 a.m. to 3 p.m, Saturday, at Crowder District Park in Apex. Learn all about frogs and enjoy some crafts, games and music. It’s free.

The 19th annual Lebanese Festival is 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday, on City Plaza in downtown Raleigh. The day includes food, dancing, music, children’s activities and more.

And, a little further afield, but worth the drive, the Charlotte Hawkins Brown Historic Site in Sedalia, about an hour from Raleigh, will host a free day of stories and activities inspired by the temporary exhibit, "Crossroads: The Life of Wilhelmina Crosson." Children are invited to explore the exhibit, take part in hands-on activities, and hear stories that center around African American life and culture. At the close of the event, the museum will host a question and answer session designed specifically for children. It runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

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