Weekend Plans: Kids Exchange, theater, Sandbox CD release, more

Here’s what’s happening in the weekend family fun department. As always, check WRAL.com’s Out & About calendar for more. We have links to lots of ideas in our Summer Fun Guide. And don’t forget about the search for Waldo across the Triangle this month.

The giant Kids Exchange children’s consignment sale is open to the public from Friday to Sunday at the N.C. State Fairgrounds. The sale features all manner of gently used and sometimes new clothes, toys and gear for kids. Read my earlier post for details. It’s the first of many consignment sales across the region.

The N.C. Museum of Art will screen “Cars” as part of its outdoor movie series. Showtime is 9 p.m., Friday. Gates open 90 minutes before the screenings. Bring a picnic and enjoy the museum park before the movie starts. Tickets are $5.

More than 60 local kids will help tell the story of “Beauty Lou and the Country Beast” at The ArtsCenter in Carrboro. Shows are 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., Saturday. The show is a twist on the classic tale of Beauty and the Beast. The performances are a culmination of a week-long program led by Missoula Children’s Theatre. Tickets are $8 for adults and $4 for kids. Kids ages 2 and under are free.

The Orange Community Players will present “Cinderella” at Orange High School in Hillsborough. The show runs Thursday through Sunday. The play tells the classic tale with some changes at the end. Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for students and seniors if you buy them in advance. Add $2 each if you get them at the door.

Make some ice cream at Marbles Kids Museum in Raleigh, part of an event sponsored by Breyers Ice Cream, on Friday. It’s free with admission to the museum, which is $5 per person. Read my earlier post for details.

Raleigh Little Theatre’s Teens on Stage continues its run of “Animal Farm” this weekend. It runs through Sunday at the theater near Cameron Village in Raleigh. It’s based on George Orwell’s cautionary tale. Best for ages 12 and up. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for kids 12 and under.

And, for all ages, Snow Camp Outdoor Theatre, will present “The Ugly Duckling” this weekend. It’s one of several shows at the theater, about 30 minutes west of Chapel Hill, this summer. It’s set for 10 a.m., Saturday. Tickets are $5.

The City of Raleigh Museum will hold One Building: Many Stories, Family Day, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The free event designed for the whole family will feature animals, crafts and performances. The event celebrates the museum’s home, the old Briggs Hardware Store, which is the oldest building on Fayetteville Street and Raleigh’s first skyscraper. Both the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences and the Raleigh Little Theatre, former residents of the building, will be there. The museum has some more events planned for families coming up so stay tuned for that.

Ackland Art Museum in Chapel Hill will hold a family day from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday. Explore the galleries, use watercolor pencils and check in for a storytime at 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. Best for ages 4 to 8 and their adults.

Durham County’s Main Library, 300 N. Roxboro St., will start hosting a new Dungeons and Dragons series this weekend. The first event is 2 p.m., Saturday. Dungeon Master John Davis will present an introduction and demonstration of the game targeted at new and returning players, a press release says. Players are invited to return each month. Davis has run introduction games for all ages. For more information, contact John Davis at 919-560-0125 or jwdavis@dconc.gov.

Prairie Ridge Ecostation in west Raleigh will host Moths at Night from 8 p.m. to midnight, Saturday. No registration is required. And all ages are welcome, but kids under 16 must be with an adult. Here’s your chance to celebrate National Moth Week. The event includes a quick orientation before you head out to the site’s black lights and baits to see what’s flying about. Be sure to bring a flashlight and your moth questions. Contact Chris Goforth at 919-707-8882 or chris.goforth@naturalsciences.org with questions.

And the Sandbox kids and family band will release its new CD at a free concert at Fletcher Park off Glenwood Avenue near Peace Street in Raleigh. The concert is 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Sunday, and is part of Raleigh parks’ outdoor summer concert series. This is a great concert in a fantastic space for kids to run around. Bring a picnic, chairs and blankets and set up for a fun evening. Read my earlier post about Sandbox for more about the band and their new CD.