Weekend Plans: Hanukkah festivals, 'Last Jedi,' Christmas fun, more

The weekend is nearly here! Here’s what’s happening on the family fun front. As always, check WRAL.com’s Out & About section for more ideas.

If you’re looking for holiday events, also be sure to check our Go Ask Mom Holiday Central page, which includes lots of information about where to find Santa, holiday light shows and more.

It’s Hanukkah! The holiday started Tuesday evening and runs through Dec. 20. We have several events, including Chanukah in Downtown Apex on Sunday, a special concert with Mispacha on Sunday at Quail Ridge Books, a Chanukah Palooza on Saturday and a Lights and Latkes event on Sunday. Our post on Hanukkah events has more details about each.

Marbles Kids Museum’s IMAX theater launches 30 consecutive hours of back-to-back screenings of "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" on Thursday and also has a bunch of Star Wars-themed activities lined up for ticket holders. Some of the showtimes are sold out, but there are tickets for many of them.

Gymnastics fans: N.C. State women’s gymnastics team will host an intra-squad meet at 2 p.m., Sunday, at Reynolds Coliseum. Admission is free. Season tickets also are on sale now for the team’s 2018 season. Meets are really family friendly and fun.

The Justice Theatre Project will perform Black Nativity, a retelling of the nativity story with an all black cast, Saturday through Monday, at Stewart Theatre on the campus of N.C. State. Tickets start at $20.

The Holiday Express continues this weekend at Pullen Park. If you don’t have tickets to the sold out event, know that Pullen Park will be closed to the general public during the run of the event - from Thursday to Sunday. If you do have tickets, bring a gently used or new children’s book to donate. The Rotary Club of Raleigh, which helps to put on the Holiday Express, will be collecting them.

You can Skate With Santa at Polar Ice Houses across Wake County at noon, Saturday. And Orange County Sportsplex in Hillsborough also has Skate With Santa from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Sunday.

Seasonally appropriate, Morehead Planetarium and Science Center in Chapel Hill has Friday through Sunday showtimes for its show, “The Longest Night,” with a winter solstice storyline. (Read the review).

Lafayette Village in Raleigh will host an outdoor screening of “The Polar Express” on Saturday. The event runs from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. It’s free.

The GeekCraft Expo Holiday Market is 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, at the Durham Armory

And, in downtown Raleigh, ArtSpace will host its Holiday Market from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday. One of ArtSpace’s Connect + Create classes also is slated for 10 a.m. to noon, Saturday. The program is designed for all ages and skill levels. On Saturday, you’ll get to make your very own jewelry. Classes are $10 per member and $15 for non-members. Pre-register online for the class.

The Santa Train at the Museum of Life and Science, now in its 40th year, continues with rides this weekend through Sunday. This year, it features more lights and after hours access to the museum’s butterfly house.

Spring Haven Farm in Chapel Hill offers Santa with Goats this weekend. Tickets are $10 for kids and adults. During the event, you can visit with Santa, play with baby goats, feed horses, meet Peppa pig, take a ride on the Farm Express Train or enjoy a hayride. There also will be some treats, hot cocoa and other activities for kids. The event is scheduled on weekends through Dec. 24.

We have a lot of holiday shows, including Theatre in the Park’s “A Christmas Carol,” Raleigh Little Theatre’s “Cinderella,” “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical” and lots of versions of the Nutcracker. Our round up of holiday shows has the details. Also, Burning Coal Theatre in Raleigh continues with shows of “Peter Pan & Wendy,” which is based on the classic book by J.M. Barrie. The show runs through Sunday.

Finally! Go Ask Mom will be at Imurj, a downtown Raleigh collaborative music and art space, at 3 p.m., Sunday, recording some really talented local kids performing holiday music. This is an informal and quick event, but I know the kids would love to see some people in the audience.