Weekend Plans: Halloween events, Christmas shows, fall fun

Happy Halloween weekend! If you’re wondering when to send your kids out trick or treating, our When is Halloween post has some guidance. We also have information about all of the pumpkin patches, haunted trails, corn mazes and more in our fall fun and Halloween database. (Keep reading for highlights of some of those scheduled events).

Here’s what’s happening this weekend. And, as always, check WRAL.com’s Out & About calendar for more weekend ideas for the kids and adults in your life.

The state museums in downtown Raleigh have two new exhibits. The N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences focuses on the science inside our bodies. The N.C. Museum of History focuses on the history of governors in an exhibit designed for kids.

And, at the N.C. Museum of Art, there’s an art deco car exhibit, along with new exhibits (including big bunnies!) in its beautiful Museum Park. (More about those bunnies on Go Ask Mom later this week).

Raleigh Little Theatre opens two holiday shows in one - “Charlie Brown Christmas” and “Jingle Bell Jukebox” on Friday. The shows, part of the theater’s youth series, run just one hour total. They run through Nov. 13.

The N.C. Symphony opens this season’s kids series with “The Music of Star Wars.” Concerts are Saturday and Sunday. The concert will feature music from the classic movies, a costume contest and a chance to take pictures with costumed characters from the all-volunteer 501st Legion. Tickets are $25 plus taxes and fees.

Holly Springs’ HollyFest is 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, at Sugg Farm Park at Bass Lake, 2401 Grigsby Ave. The free event includes music, a vendor fair, a children’s corner with activities and games and inflatables. Fire trucks and other emergency vehicles will be on display. The park also will host a haunted hayride from 7 p.m. to midnight, Saturday. The cost is $5. Not recommended for kids under age 10. (Warning: Scary clowns!).

TheatreWorks USA will present “Click Clack Moo,” part of N.C. State’s KidStuff series at Stewart Theatre. The show is 3 p.m., Saturday, and is based on the popular picture book. Best for kids in kindergarten to fourth grade. Tickets are $12.

In Durham, the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University will host one of its free family days from noon to 4 p.m., Sunday. There will be a costume parade at 1:30 p.m., a costume contest at 2:30 p.m., a performance from Paperhand Puppet Intervention, and a family-friendly holiday movie at 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Visitors also can paint their own pumpkins (while supplies last).

Cary has all sorts of activities - from a Halloween movie series at Booth Amphitheater to the Halloween Mall Crawl at Cary Towne Center (which replaces the annual Oct. 31 event at the mall) to a pumpkin carving event and Zombiepalooza.

Mordecai Historic Park in downtown Raleigh hosts its annual free Haunted Mordecai festival from noon to 4 p.m., Saturday. Fun for all ages.

In Chapel Hill, the N.C. Botanical Garden has Pumpkins in the Bootanical Garden from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., Friday. Tickets are $8 per person. Proceeds benefit the Wonder Connection. The event includes pumpkin viewing, live critters, crafts and treats. Costumes are welcome. Registration is required.

In Carrboro, head over to Weaver Street Market’s Stories under the Stars. It’s starts at 5 p.m., Friday. You’ll find spooky music, ghost stories, a costume contest and fire dancers.

Darkside Haunted Estates in Middlesex, not far from Zebulon, holds its Low Scare for Kids afternoon from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday. Adults are $5. Kids are free. Get a behind the scenes tour of the haunted house with trick or treating on the trail. The lights will be on for this one. Don’t expect any scares, the website says. Instead, get ready for face painting, glitter and tattoos. Costumes are welcome.

And Morehead Planetarium and Science Center in Chapel Hill will screen the family-friendly version of its Scare-o-lina Skies show at 3:30 p.m., Sunday. A scarier version for teens and adults is 8 p.m., Friday. Tickets are $7.68 for adults and $6.51 for kids.