Weekend Plans: Paperhand Puppet shows, fire truck parade, Engineers Day, more

Here’s what’s happening this weekend. As always, check WRAL.com’s Out & About calendar and our Summer Fun Guide for more ideas.

Paperhand Puppet Intervention begins its run of its big annual summer show, a tradition for many Triangle folks. This year, it’s called “Invisible Earth.” The show, with live music and puppets of all sizes, shapes and forms, is described as a “paradoxical pageant of hope, impending doom and planetary possibilities,” on Paperhand’s website. The show begins at the Forest Theater in Chapel Hill where it runs from this weekend through Sept. 8. Shows are Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Labor Day. Tickets are a suggested donation of $12 for adults and $8 for kids at the door. Nobody is turned away for lack of funds. It moves over to the N.C. Museum of Art for shows Sept. 13, Sept. 14, and Sept. 15. Tickets at the art museum shows are $17 for adults, $8.50 for kids ages 7 to 12, and free for kids ages 6 and under.

The Museum of Life and Science holds its annual Engineers Day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday. This is one of the Durham museum’s most popular annual special events. It brings in professional engineers and students from across the region for lots of interactive experiments. There are a variety of workshops, including some on Alice 3D programming and LEGO robotics, to sign up for. This event is especially great for older kids interested in science and engineering.

The fire truck parade returns to downtown Raleigh! The event is part of the annual South Atlantic Fire Rescue Expo at the downtown Raleigh Convention Center. The event is geared toward those who work in fire and rescue and includes workshops, professional development and a trade show. But, for the public and especially fire truck loving kids, is the fire truck parade. It's scheduled for noon, Saturday, and runs along Fayetteville Street and South Salisbury Street in downtown Raleigh, starting at the State Capitol and ending at the convention center. You'll see modern and antique fire equipment and that's pretty much it. The parade is limited to only fire service related groups and equipment. After the parade, there will be a display area at Lenoir, South Salisbury and South streets. We've been a couple of times. It didn't draw a giant crowd, but was a lot of fun.

The N.C. Museum of Art will hold family tours of its special exhibit 0 to 60 this Saturday and Sunday. The exhibit closes on Sunday. The 25-minute tours for kids ages 6 to 12 and their families take participants through this very family-friendly exhibit. Read my earlier post for details about the exhibit and the tours.

The state department of cultural resources, which includes North Carolina’s historic sites and many of its public museums, is wrapping up its Second Saturday summer series this weekend with lots of free programs across the Triangle and state. They include a Summer Children’s Festival at Duke Homestead in Durham; History Mythbusters at Historic Stagville in Durham; storytelling at Bennett Place in Durham; Civil War camp life displays at Bentonville Battlefield in Four Oaks; and a Summer Arts Fest at the Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex in Fayetteville. Check the Second Saturday’s website for more information about all of the events. It’s a great opportunity for a little road trip.

We have two consignment sales this week: Kids EveryWear in Morrisville and Wings Consignment in Raleigh. Read my earlier post for details.

For all ages, Snow Camp Outdoor Theatre, will present “The Ugly Duckling” this weekend. It’s one of several shows at the theater, about 30 minutes west of Chapel Hill, this summer. It’s set for 10 a.m., Saturday. Tickets are $5.

Logan's Trading Company’s annual Festival of the Arts is 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, at the store off Peace Street near downtown Raleigh. The free art show features local art, music and more. A silent auction and raffle will raise money for a local charity.

The summer youth theater camp run by the Towne Players of Garner will present Disney’s “Mulan Jr.” at the Garner Performing Arts Center, 742 W. Garner Rd. Shows are 8 p.m., Thursday through Saturday, and 2 p.m., Saturday. Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for seniors and students.

Another low-sensory movie screening is set for 10 a.m., Saturday, at the theater at The Streets at Southpoint in Durham. The special event is designed for kids with sensory disorders. The lights are turned up and the sound is turned down. This weekend’s movie is “Smurfs 2.” Read my earlier post for details.

Open Arts, a new dance and movement studio in Morrisville, will hold a grand opening celebration from 10 a.m. to noon, Saturday, with lots of free activities. Read my earlier post about the studio for more information about the programs, including dance and yoga, it offers.

And Sunday is the date for the next Downtown Food Truck Rodeo. It’s from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. with more than 70 food trucks and carts across 10 city blocks. Read my earlier post about the rodeos if you’re going with kids. (Big tip: Get there early!).