Happy Labor Day weekend! Here’s what’s happening on the family fun front. Keep reading for holiday hours for popular family destinations.
Or, head to downtown Raleigh for
First Friday, when shops, galleries and restaurants stay open later with special deals and activities. Marbles Kids Museum is open until 7 p.m., for instance. Artspace and its collection of galleries is open until 10 p.m. And the N.C. Museum of History will stay open until 9 p.m. and feature a new traveling exhibit, Selma to Montgomery, and a 6 p.m. screening of the movie “Selma,” rated PG-13.
The N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences will host a free
Teen Science Cafe from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., Friday. The hour-long event will feature a trivia night where teens can test their knowledge of science facts.
UPDATE: Friday's cafe was canceled because of the stormy weather.Check out
Jack Smith Park in Cary. The new park features a small sprayground and good sized playground. It’s at 9725 Penny Rd., Cary.
This is the final weekend for the
N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences’ American Adventure, which is open through Sept. 7. The exhibit, which includes a small rock climbing wall and short zip line, is a fun, active exhibit that tells the story of earlier American settlers. Admission is $5.
The annual African American Cultural Festival in downtown Raleigh is Saturday and Sunday. You’ll find music, dance, vendors, food and more. The festival’s family village includes a variety of educational, hands-on experiences for all age, including storytellers, dance troupes, drum circles and more. The family village is open 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday, and 1:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., Sunday. Festival hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday, and 1 p.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday.
The N.C. Museum of Art will screen “The Princess Bride,” at 8:30 p.m., Saturday, as part of its summer outdoor movie series. Tickets are $6.
The really popular
Big Muddy Challenge is Saturday at Hill Ridge Farms in Youngsville. The course for families features a variety of obstacles (including some muddy ones!) and is designed to be a lot of fun - not really competitive. Registration costs are between $30 and $50.
Cirque Italia will make its annual visit to Raleigh with shows Friday through Sunday. It’s at Villa Latina Plaza, 3424 Olympia Dr., Raleigh. Tickets are between $10 and $50. The show features an “aquatic spectacular” that requires a stage that holds 35,000 gallons of water. Performers perform all sorts of stunts - from aerial acts to hand balancing and contortion.
The
Raleigh GAA Gaelic Sports Festival is 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, at the Raleigh Rugby Grounds at 7417 Poole Rd., Raleigh. You’ll see exhibition games in football, hurling and more for kids and adults.
National Wildlife Day will be celebrated at Horton Grove Nature Preserve from 10 a.m. to noon, Sunday. Take a family hike and learn about all kinds of animals. Best for ages 4 and up. The trail does not accommodate strollers. Follow the link to register.
At 2 p.m., Sunday, author Mac Barnett and illustrator Adam Rex, two picture book talents, will bring their book "How This Book Was Made" to
Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh. Best for ages 3 and up.
And we have games. The
Carolina RailHawks have a game at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, in Cary. The
Carolina Mudcats have games Friday through Monday (and fireworks Friday and Sunday nights) in Zebulon. The
Durham Bulls have games Sunday and Monday.
Holiday Weekend Hours
The N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences and the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh are open all weekend. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays and Saturdays, and noon to 5 p.m., Sunday.
Marbles Kids Museum in Raleigh is open all weekend, including 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday, Labor Day.
The Museum of Life and Science in Durham is open all weekend and Monday - 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays and Saturdays, and noon to 5 p.m., Sundays.
Morehead Planetarium and Science Center in Chapel Hill has shows both Saturday and Sunday.
N.C. Museum of Art in Raleigh is open Saturday and Sunday, but closed Monday. It will have weekend family-friendly tours at 10:30 a.m., Saturday and Sunday.
