Weekend Plans: 9/11 events, Go Ask Mom at North Hills, much more

It's a busy weekend with a lot of special events. But first, let's start with some local events to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.

Cary will present a special concert at 3 p.m. Sunday at the town's Sertoma Amphitheatre in Fred G. Bond Metro Park. The free concert will feature the Cary Children's Choir, along with other performers representing Cary's diverse community. A reading of greetings from each of Cary's sister cities will start the event.

The N.C. Symphony has a free concert, North Carolina Remembers 9/11, at 7 p.m. Sunday at Meymandi Concert Hall in Raleigh. All of the free tickets have been distributed. But the symphony's website says it's likely they will have some tickets available on a first-come, first-served basis at 6:45 p.m. Sunday. The concert also will be televised, including on WRAL-TV after the conclusion of CBS's 60 Minutes.

And The Streets at Southpoint in Durham will offer two events. Give Thanks is from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday at Center Court. Give thanks to our area's first responders with a handwritten thank you note. And there will be a flag raising ceremony at 11 a.m., Sunday, outside the Panera Bread entrance. Riverside High School's JROTC will raise the flag.

Here's what else is happening this weekend ....

So you've probably heard that Go Ask Mom has a big event at the farmers' market at North Hills in Raleigh from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday. We'll have a giant chess board, the Sandbox band, an activity from Lil' Chef, the Chick-fil-A cow, Wool E. Bull, snacks and crafts (while supplies last), giveaways and more. Plus, Lil' Chef, the cooking studio for kids and teens, will be celebrating its grand opening at North Hills with cupcakes, face painting and much more. Lil' Chef's event is from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Click here and here for more on the Go Ask Mom event. And here's more about Lil' Chef and its new space at North Hills. I hope to see you there!

The long-running The Fair at St. Raphael the Archangel Catholic Church in north Raleigh is 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday at the church on Falls of Neuse Road. There will be carnival rides, games, food, music, crafts and more. Admission to the fair is free.

A lot is going on at the N.C. Museum of Art in Raleigh this weekend. The Paperhand Puppet Intervention brings its big summer show The Serpent's Egg to the museum park theater with shows at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are $15 for adults and $7.50 for kids ages 3 to 12. Kids 2 and under are admitted free. See larger-than-life puppets turn the theater into a magical realm with fantastical creatures and landscapes, all set to live music. The museum also will have one of its Family Fun Saturdays for kids 5 to 11 and their families on Saturday (registration strongly recommended). And Sketchbook Saturday for tweens and teens is 10:30 a.m. Saturday. Click here for the details on all of these events.

The Scrap Exchange in Durham is celebrating its grand (re)opening this Saturday and Sunday with live music, free art making, sales specials, food trucks, a community clothing swap and more. The event celebrates the Scrap Exchange's new and permanent home in the Cordoba Center for the Arts at 923 Franklin St. in Durham. It's been a challenging summer for the Scrap Exchange after moving out of its former home when the roof partially collapsed and the building was condemned. There's a lot to celebrate.

As I wrote earlier this week, The Red Hen consignment shop in Carrboro is in danger of closing and Red Hen fans and friends of its owner are organizing an event from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday to gather support and encourage people to shop. There will be arts and crafts, face painting, food and more.

We have The Friendship Closet children's consignment sale in Apex and the Chapel Hill-Durham Mothers of Multiples yard sale in Durham this weekend. Read my earlier post for more.

Downtown Hillsborough will have its final Family Fun Day of 2011 on Saturday with special events across the town, including a storytime, scavenger hunt and colonial kids day at Burwell School Historic Site.

Duke Homestead in Durham will host its annual Harvest and Hornworm Festival from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. This free event includes two performances by Durham's legendary bluesman John Dee Holeman, a mock tobacco auction, a tobacco looping contest and a hornworm race, plus mule-drawn wagon rides, homemade ice cream and more. Duke Homestead is at 2828 Duke Homestead Rd.

As you may have read earlier here on Go Ask Mom, the Western Wake Farmers' Market will hold its annual Pig Pickin' Palooza Fundraiser from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday in Cary. There will be lots of food, entertainment for kids and a silent auction.

Duke Gardens will host one of its free drop-in nature storytime for kids ages 5 to 8 and their adults from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Saturday. This is a free event. No registration is required. Check at the front desk of the Doris Duke Center to find out where the storytime will be held in the gardens.

A 1980s-themed teen party at BounceU in Apex on Saturday will raise money for The Water Project, which provides drinking water to those in need in Africa. Read my earlier post for more about the event.

It's a busy weekend at Marbles Kids Museum in Raleigh. LEGO lovers can build all they want during Leggo Your LEGO at Marbles on Saturday. Workshops are at 1 p.m,, 1:30 p.m., 2 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. And Sunday is Grandparents Day from noon to 5 p.m.. Grandparents accompanied by a grandchild will receive free admission to the museum. Special events will celebrate grandparents. And Science Solvers Guest Star: NC First Robotics from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday features crazy experiments with real scientists.

Finally, N.C. Parent Consultants will offer tips on discipline in a forum for parents of kids age 12 and under. Talk about ways to respond to misbehavior and increase your child's cooperation. It's 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Saturday at 7009 Harps Mill Rd. in Raleigh. It's free, but pre-registration is required at least 48 hours before the program. Click here for details.