It is a very busy weekend, so let’s just get to listing all of the opportunities for weekend family fun. As always, check WRAL.com’s Out & About calendar for more.
Raleigh
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The Got to Be NC Festival, which is kind of like a mini State Fair, opens at the NC State Fairgrounds Friday and runs until Sunday. This free event - no charge for admission or parking - includes lots of opportunities to see animals, take in some entertainment and ride various carnival rides.
Artsplosure, the long-running art festival in downtown Raleigh, is Saturday and Sunday along Fayetteville Street. Admission is free. If you’re going with kids, don’t miss the Kidsplosure stage and activities and the Squonk Opera Cycle Sonic.
Get some deals on Adidas wear at the Adidas warehouse sale, which is at the NC State Fairgrounds through Sunday.
Historic Oak View County Park will be celebrating its goats' birthdays during the Barnyard Birthday Bash from 10 a.m. to noon, Saturday. There will be games, activities and cake
Celebrate the royal wedding at Lafayette Village in north Raleigh during the Royal Wedding Watch and FA Cup (that’s an English soccer competition). It’s 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday. Watch the taped royal wedding ceremony starting at 10 a.m., take part in a prince and princess contest for kids ages 0 to 11, enjoy afternoon tea and more.
Carolina Ballet wraps up its season with Sleeping Beauty. Shows run through Sunday at the Duke Energy for Performing Arts.
The world’s biggest bounce house is coming to Raleigh this week, complete with adults-only evening events, a DJ and more. Featuring 20,000 sq. ft., The Big Bounce America will visit the MAC Sports & Entertainment field located near RDU at 8924 Midway West Rd., Friday through Sunday.
The N.C. Museum of Art will host a Family Day: Light Play event from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday. Create projection art using the Tagtool light play app (which looks really cool) and participate in other free art-making activities. It’s free, but a ticket is required, which you can get online. Of note: Because of the forecast of inclement weather, the N.C. Museum of Art’s two Night Bright community festivals planned outside this weekend have been canceled.
Raleigh-based neon artist Nate Sheaffer will debut his interactive public art installation at Dorothea Dix Park titled Light the Woods with Sound on Friday. This one-of-a-kind installation will be on display Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings through May 27. Performances will begin at 8 p.m. This looks like a lot of fun.
Durham
The long-running Bimbe Cultural Arts Festival is noon to 8 p.m., Saturday, at Rock Quarry Park, 701 Stadium Dr. Admission is free. The day includes live music, a family fun zone, arts and crafts, community resources, lots of ethnic food and performances from local talent.
MoogFest runs through Sunday in Durham. The annual event explores science, technology, music, art and more and includes both free and ticketed events. A couple of things for families: There’s a free stage designed for any skill level to explore and experience the “joys and magic of analog synthesis” and a “sonic playground.” WRAL Out & About has more details about these.
The Nasher Museum of Art will host a free family day from noon to 4 p.m., Sunday, with hands-on activities and performances for all ages. It is free.
The Durham Bulls has a bunch of special events and deals during its homestand this week. They include a birthday celebration for Wool E. Bull, its beloved mascot, on Sunday.
Old Mill Farm @ the Vineyard, 8913 NC 751, Durham, is hosting a Fridays at the Farm Series and is inviting farm lovers for an evening of farm animals, hay rides, gemstone mining, vendors and more. Limited advance tickets available for $10 donation. The series starts this weekend - 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Friday.
Apex
Apex will host its fourth annual Touch-A-Truck event. It’s 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday, at Apex Community Park, 2200 Laura Duncan Rd. A horn-free hour is 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Kids can explore all kinds of vehicles during the event.
Carrboro
Rock the Baby Family Festival is 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday, at 301 W. Main St. The event includes live music, food trucks, crafts, a bounce house, vendors and more.
Transactors Improv will perform a family show at 6 p.m., Saturday, at The ArtsCenter. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and $6 for kids and students.
Cary
Wheels on Academy is rolling back into downtown Cary on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with a new feature in tow, Public Safety Day. Check out the cars of yesteryear alongside some of today's modern hot rods and exotic cars plus a number of police and fire vehicles as part of Public Safety Day. There will also be a GoCary bus, garbage truck and much more in the Touch-A-Truck area.
New Hill
The 9th annual Longleaf Fest is 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, at Harris Lake County Park, 2112 County Park Dr. Learn about the life of the longleaf pine, how it is managed with fire, its history and the wildlife and plants that depend on this unique natural habitat.
Youngsville
And Hill Ridge Farm will open its splash pad for the season on Saturday. It’s included with admission, which is $8 per person (under age 2 is free).