Weekend Plans: St. Patrick's Day Parade, table tennis, children's theater, more

After a dip in temperatures, it looks like we have a beautiful spring weekend ahead of us with highs in the 60s. Here’s what’s happening in the family fun department. As always, check WRAL.com’s Out & About calendar for more ideas.

Raleigh’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade starts at 10 a.m., Saturday, in downtown Raleigh. The parade starts at Lane and Wilmington streets about a block north of the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences and N.C. Museum of History. It continues down Wilmington Street and then turns at the State Capitol to make its way along Fayetteville Street (where my family has always watched it). It ends at City Plaza where the annual Wearin’ ‘O the Green Festival takes place this year instead of Moore Square. The parade and festival are free. You’ll find food vendors, games and more at the festival.

Cary’s Bond Park Community Center will showcase some of the top table tennis athletes from across the United States and the world this weekend in the country’s largest round-robin table tennis competition. The Cary Cup Table Tennis Championship is free to watch. Competition is 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday. The finals are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday. This is definitely not something you see everyday.

We have eight consignment sales this week, including one that features high-end, boutique clothing for kids and another that offers clothing and accessories for women. Read my earlier post for details.

Raleigh Little Theatre opens “OPQRS, etc.,” on Friday. The show is part of the theater's youth series. Read my earlier post for more about this show; “Pinocchio,” which opens next month; and a contest.

Cary will host an Arbor Day celebration from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, at Town Hall Campus, 316 N. Academy St. It’s free. They’ll have a tree planting ceremony, free tree saplings, education booths and nature crafts. There’s also a showing of the G-rated “FernGully: The Last Rainforest” at 11 a.m. at the new downtown Cary movie theater (tickets are $5) and a tree scavenger hunt.

Reptile and Amphibian Day is 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, at the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences. It’s free. The day includes a variety of exhibits and discussions about reptiles and amphibians of all kinds. 

Quail Ridge Books & Music has several activities for kids to teens this weekend. They include math activities for ages 4 and up at 2 p.m., Saturday. The activities will be based on the book “Bedtime Math 2: This Time It’s Personal.” There’s a Divergent Fan Party at 4:30 p.m., Saturday, for ages 12 and up, just in time for the release of the movie based on the popular book. Quail Ridge is hosting a fan party with trivia, cake and Divergent swag as prizes. And at 3 p.m., Sunday, author Richard Peck, winner of the Newbery Medal for “A Year Down Yonder” and Newbery Honor for “A Long Way from Chicago” visits with his latest book, “The Mouse with the Question Mark Tail.” Best for ages 8 and up.

The Carolina Hurricanes host a Family Night at its 3 p.m., Sunday, game against the Edmonton Oilers. Family four packs, including vouchers for food and drink, start at $99. Read my earlier post for more about this opportunity to see professional hockey.

Family entertainer Billy Jonas, known for his ability to make music out of just about everything, will perform as part of Cary’s Marvelous Music Family Series, at 3 p.m., Sunday, at the Cary Arts Center. Tickets are $8.

And from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday, JC Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh will host Tea and Stories with guest Miss North Carolina. Advanced purchase of tickets is required for this one. Tickets are $25 for kids 12 and under and $35 for everybody else. Click here for details about the event which includes tea, treats, stories and nature lessons.