Weekend Plans: MLK Day activities, rodeo, puppets

Here’s your weekend family fun. As usual, check WRAL.com’s Out & About calendar to learn more about other activities across the region.

If you’re looking for Martin Luther King Jr. Day activities, groups across the Triangle are offering events and opportunities for kids and families to give back. The Town of Cary has a variety of events and activities this weekend to mark the day. So does Raleigh, including a march at 11 a.m., Monday, starting at the State Capitol.

Stars Youth Theatre in Fuquay-Varina will put on “Little Mermaid Jr” with shows Friday and Saturday. Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for kids.

The World’s Toughest Rodeo makes its stop at the PNC Arena at 7:30 p.m., Saturday. The show brings top cowboys and cowgirls to the region to show off their skills and stunts. Before the event, fans are invited to meet the cowboys and enjoy a free pony ride. Tickets start at $18 and are half off for most seats for kids ages 12 and under.

Marbles Kids Museum in Raleigh will host one of its regular Family Fun Nights for kids with special needs and their families. The after hours event is 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., Friday, when the museum is closed to the general public, making for a calmer, quieter experience. It’s free for kids with special needs and their families.

If you’re tracked out or a homeschool family, Mordecai Historic Park near downtown Raleigh will offer free tours from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday. Free tours are offered twice a year here. Tours start every 30 minutes. The first tour is at 10 a.m. The last tour is at 3 p.m.

The Discovery Nook at Northgate Mall will feature successful children’s book author (and Triangle mom) Kelly Starling Lyons at 12:30 p.m., Saturday. Lyons will read from her newest book, “Hope’s Gift,” which is about a young girl waiting for her father’s return and her hope for freedom during the Civil War. There also will be a related craft. At the end, kids can take home a book courtesy of Reading is Fundamental.

Daniel Wallace, bestselling author of “Big Fish,” will stop at The Regulator in Durham with his new children’s book “The Cat’s Pajamas.” Wallace will visit the store in his pajamas for a reading and to sign books. It’s at 11 a.m., Saturday, at the store. It’s free. Pajamas are welcome!

The Paperhand Puppet Intervention will present an hour-long show as part of The ArtsCenter’s SuperFun series at 11 a.m., Saturday, in Carrboro. Donovan Zimmerna, the artistic director of Paperhand Puppet Intervention, will offer an interactive performance for all ages. Meet, up close and personal, some of the characters from Paperhand’s rich history as they are brought to life by an experienced puppeteer. Tickets are $10 for adults; $8 for kids; and $32 for a family four pack. Kids under 2 get in free.

UPDATE: I've received notice that this event has been canceled. And the Raleigh Charter School Fair is 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday, at Longleaf School of the Arts in downtown Raleigh. The free event gives parents and students a chance to learn more about the area’s charter schools. Families can meet representatives from Casa Esperanza Montessori Charter School, East Wake Academy, Envision Science Academy, Hope Elementary Charter, Longleaf School of the Arts, and Raleigh Charter High School, among others.