First Friday offers fun for families this week

This Friday is the first Friday of April and that means downtown Raleigh will be celebrating First Friday.

Downtown Raleigh museums, galleries, restaurants and other venues will be open late with special exhibits, deals or hours. For more First Friday activities, check WRAL.com's Out & About section.

Here are some First Friday activities for families:

• Raleigh Fashion Worx will feature local designers at three boutiques at the corner of Wilmington and Hargett streets in downtown Raleigh. It's from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday. Light food and drinks will be available for a suggested donation of $5, which will go to Pretty in Pink Foundation, a local group that helps breast cancer patients. Feelgoodz, Moon and Lola and Stitch boutiques will host the event.
• Tir na nOg Irish Pub, 218 S. Blount St., will feature The Rubbersoul Band's 50-year tribute to The Beatles. First Friday hours are 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Tir Na nOg is just steps away from Marbles. It's a spacious restaurant with a room designed to look like a cottage that includes an 8 foot by 6 foot screen which the restaurant plays cartoons on if there are lots of families there. The restaurant offers a children's menu, along with crayons and coloring pages.
• The show at Gallery C, 540 N. Blount St., is called "Best of North Carolina." It offers an historical perspective with works of art from some of the best and well known artists from North Carolina. It's open from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m., Friday.
• City Market is celebrating the 80s from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Friday. The 80s Street Party includes live music from the M80s, an 80s tribute band; a raffle; giveaways; food; and an 80s dance off. Also, it's an opportunity to pull out your jelly shoes, neon scrunchies and bangles and really embarrass your kids. Eighties gear is encouraged.
• Blake Street Studios' show is called Chrominance. It features a variety of art, including works from the N.C. Museum of Art "Teenspired" competition. They'll also have live music by gypsy folk duo Pisces Rising. The studio tells me that they always welcome kids and families on First Fridays. They'll have snack and finger foods available for kids to munch on, along with "art that will challenge and delight both the younger and older members of your family," gallery manager Jenn Hales. It's open from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
• The N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences is open until 9 p.m., Friday. It will screen "Beneath the Planet of the Apes," from 1970 at 7 p.m. It's free. At 6 p.m., the museum will offer its monthly Teen Science Cafe in the Daily Planet Cafe. Dr. Bill Goldman from the University of North Carolina will talk about the plague. And First Friday visitors will get $3 off adult tickets to see "Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition."
• Kids eat free at Dickey's Barbecue Pit, 170 E. Davie St., on first Fridays. The same conditions apply on first Fridays as they do on Sundays when kids eat free. Limit one kid per adult meal, must order from kids menu, dine in only, can't be combined with other offers or discounts. There is free ice cream everyday with any purchase as always.
• The Cupcake Shoppe, 104 Glenwood Ave., hasa buy one get one half off on all cupcakes deal from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on the first Friday of each month.
• Marbles Kids Museum will be open until 8 p.m., Friday, and will officially kick off the 2013 N.C. Science Festival with a Statewide Star Party. The evening includes a 6 p.m. showing of Hubble 3D at Marbles' IMAX theater. Get free admission to the museum with your ticket stub (the offer is good on First Friday, April 5 only).
• And CAM Raleigh's First Friday includes new hands-on activities in its creation station, music, Porchetta and LaFarm food trucks, pop-up performances by the North Carolina Opera and a nighttime rainbow. Admission is free for all visitors on First Friday.