Weekend Plans: Consignment sale, family day at the Nasher, more

It's the first Friday of the month, which means its First Friday in downtown Raleigh. As usual, the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences will screen an old sci-fi flick. This time it's "Cosmos: War of the Planets" at 7 p.m. Friday. It's free. The museum will be open until 9 p.m. on Friday and also will include live music and more. Tickets to its special exhibit "Animal Grossology" are reduced to $4 after 5 p.m. The last ticket is sold at 7 p.m.

And the folks at Marbles Kids Museum are excited to show off their renovated IMAX theater and screen, which now includes a new state-of-the-art 3D IMAX projection system. The theater opened to the public Wednesday. On the schedule this weekend is "Hubble 3D," "The Ultimate Wave Tahiti 3D" and "Sanctum 3D." Marbles also is open late - until 8 p.m. - on the first Friday of the month. From 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, Marbles will present Be a Star! with N.C. Theatre. The whole family is invited to dance, sing and act with N.C. Theatre's Live On Stage workshop. You'll learn a choreographed routine and perform. It's free with admission, which is $5.

The public sale for Twice As Nice consignment sale runs Friday and Saturday at Hope Chapel in Apex. The sale features gently used clothes, toys and other gear for kids, along with a homeschool corner. See my earlier post on that for more details about the homeschool corner and the sale. It's one of the first in the area for this season. Check our list for more.

Raleigh Little Theatre's teen performance ensemble will present "Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp at 3 p.m. Saturday at the North Regional Library off Falls of Neuse Road in north Raleigh. This is the first of several free performances of the 45-minute show. Check my earlier post for more information and other dates.

Marvel at all the boats at the annual Raleigh Convention Center Boat Show, which runs Friday through Sunday in downtown Raleigh. Tickets for kids ages 3 to 12 are $3. Children 2 and under are free. Everybody else pays $8.

N.C. Parent Consultants will hold one of its regular Saturday Morning Coffee Forums from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Saturday. The discussion will focus on the myths and truths about only children. It's free and open to parents of all ages. Just send them an email at enroll@ncparentconsultants.com to let them know you're coming. The office is at 4904 Waters Edge Dr. Suite 151 in Raleigh.

The East Regional Library in Knightdale offers a family storytime from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday featuring members from the N.C. Symphony and the classic story of "Peter and the Wolf." The symphony will perform the piece as part of its Young People's Concert Series on March 12. The symphony is joining forces with the Triangle Youth Ballet and the North Carolina Theatre for that concert, which also includes pieces based on storybook characters such as Huckleberry Finn and Cinderella. These are great concerts and I'm very excited to take my older daughter in March. If you want to go, I'd recommend getting your tickets now. There are still some available for the 4 p.m. concert, but the 11 a.m. concert is already sold out. The storytime on Saturday at East Regional is free.

The Nasher Museum of Art in Durham will hold one of its regular family days from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. The day celebrates the opening of "The Jazz Loft Project: W. Eugene Smith in New York City, 1957-1965" and "The Record: Contemporary Art and Vinyl," which closes this weekend. "The Jazz Loft Project" is a collection of photographs and recordings featuring jazz greats from the period. Families are invited to explore the exhibitions and permanent collection with gallery hunts. Hands-on activities include drawing on vinyl records, working with clay and more. Local youth jazz groups JAZZFORCE and Triangle Youth Jazz Ensemble will perform at 1 p.m. and 2:45 p.m., respectively. Activities are designed for kids ages 3 to 12 and their accompanying adults, but all ages are welcome. I think older kids, particularly those studying the period covered by "The Jazz Loft" in school, might find the new exhibit interesting. Best of all, it's free. Check back here for more on the Nasher programs on Friday.

And, finally, a note about a preschool open house. Hillel Preschool at 7410 Falls of Neuse Rd. in Raleigh will hold an open house at 2 p.m. Sunday. If your favorite preschool has an open house soon, please share in the comments.