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Calendar Highlights
Storytimes & Weekly Events
Long-Running Events
Family Fun
By Carol McGarrahan
Beat the summer heat without breaking your family’s budget. Start with this sampling of low-cost or free movies and free outdoor concerts in the area.
FREE MOVIES
Durham
Northgate Stadium 10 Free Summer Movie Camp – Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9:30 a.m. through Aug. 20. Visit www.eastcoastmovie.com/theatre_info.html for schedule.
Garner
Garner Towne Square 10 – Free kid-friendly features every Tuesday and Wednesday at 11 a.m. through Aug. 4. Call 919-226-2038 or visit http://bit.ly/9LrkV7 for the schedule.
Holly Springs
Friends of the Holly Springs Branch Library Family Movie Festival – Free movie series with G and PG movies on most Saturday mornings at 10:15 a.m. through August. Please call ahead to confirm schedule and arrive early for seating. For more information, schedules and movie titles, call 919-577-1660. Holly Springs Cultural Center, www.hollyspringsnc.us/dept/park/culture.
Raleigh
Raleigh Grande Kids Free Summer Shows – Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m. through Aug 4. Visit http://bit.ly/cx8szb for a complete schedule.
Wakefield Marquee Cinemas' Kid's Summer Movie Series – Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 9:30 a.m. through Aug. 11. Two movies to choose from each day with free admission. Call 919-453-2746 for more information or visit http://bit.ly/cJBXcq for a full schedule.
Multi-city locations
Regal Entertainment Group Free Family Film Festival – Features kid-friendly G or PG movies on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m. through Aug. 11 or 12 (depending on the theater). Triangle locations are Beaver Creek Stadium 12 in Apex, White Oak Stadium 14 in Garner, Brier Creek Stadium 14 in North Raleigh, and North Hills Stadium 14 in Raleigh. Visit http://bit.ly/colGXb for a complete schedule and statewide locations.
DISCOUNTED MOVIES
Apex
Halle Cultural Arts Center – Periodically offers Pizza and a Show nights. Visit www.apexnc.org/depts/parks/artsCenter.cfm for details.
Cary
Movies by Moonlight, Koka Booth Amphitheatre – Thursday evenings through Aug. 19. Gates open at 7 p.m. and the movies start at dusk (approximately 8:30 p.m.). Features PG and PG 13 movies including The Sting and New Moon. Adults, $3; children 12 and under, free. Picnic baskets allowed. A portion of the proceeds benefit the WakeMed Just for Kids Kampaign. www.boothamphitheatre.com/movies.htm.
Chapel Hill
$4 Movies on the Green – Friday and Saturday nights at dusk through July 31 at Lumina Theatre. Call 919-932-9000 for showtime recording,www.thelumina.com.
Raleigh
Blue Ridge Cinemas – Tickets are always $1.50. 919-828-8007 or visit www.carmike.com and choose Raleigh.
N.C. Museum of Art – Outdoor film series on Fridays through Aug. 27 at 8:30 or 9 p.m. Most films are for older kids, but there are a few family flicks on the schedule, including Where the Wild Things Are and Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs. Tickets are $4 and may be purchased at the museum box office, by calling 919-715-5923, or online at http://ncartmuseum.org.
Raleigh's Mission Valley and Six Forks theaters – Shows every Tuesday and Wednesday through Aug. 18. Doors open at 9:30 a.m. and the show starts at 10 a.m. Parents/chaperones admitted free with children. Season pass is $6 for 10 films per child. Individual tickets are $2 each. Popcorn and a drink for $2. For more information, contact the general manager of the appropriate theater atSix Forks, 919-846-3904, or Mission Valley, 919-834-2233, or visit http://bit.ly/9lJE51.
Raleighwood Cinema Grill – Weekday afternoon matinees are $2.50. Arrive 30 minutes before the show. Offers booths for dining while watching the movie. Call the office, 919-847-8370; the Movie Line, 919-847-0326; or visit www.raleighwoodmovies.com.
Other parks programs and libraries in the Triangle offer free movies throughout the year.
FREE OUTDOOR CONCERTS
Apex
Outdoor Concerts at the Historic Train Depot – Performances include brass, country, big band, rock and roll, beach, bluegrass, reggae and jazz. Visit www.apexnc.org for concert schedule.
Carrboro
Weaver Street Market – After Hours Music on Thursdays and Weaver Street Market Morning Jazz and More Brunch on Sundays – Through Oct. 3. To see if a musical event has been cancelled, call the store at 919-929-0010. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/c2AziR.
Cary
Sertoma Concert Series 2010 – All shows are free and are at the Sertoma Amphitheatre in Bond Park on select Saturdays and Sundays. Picnic baskets permitted. For more information visit http://bit.ly/9n87J1.
Chapel Hill
Carolina Inn Music on the Front Porch – Free concerts on Fridays through Oct. 15. Music from 5-8 p.m. For more information visit http://bit.ly/cz1Cb4.
Chapel Hill 5:40 Summer Music Series – Presented by The ArtsCenter on select Thursdays through Sept. 9. Located at Environ Way near UNC's Finley Golf Course. Concessions available. For more information visit http://bit.ly/dmWWGJ.
Clayton
Clayton Town Square Concerts Series – Free concerts in downtown Clayton through Sept. 16. All concerts are on Thursdays from 7-9 p.m. at the Town Square in downtown Clayton. Bring lawn chairs and blankets. Concessions available. For more information visit www.downtownclayton.org.
Durham
Brightleaf Square Summer Concert Series – Friday nights through Sept. 10 from 7-9 p.m. One Saturday event Aug. 14. Visit www.historicbrightleaf.com/news/index.html.
Music On the Lawn Free Concert Series at American Tobacco Historic District – American Tobacco and WUNC-FM present the Back Porch Music series to deliver 10 free shows at A.T.'s amphitheater on select Fridays at 6 p.m. through Oct. 8. www.americantobaccohistoricdistrict.com.
Southpoint Mall Summer Concert Series – Programs on Saturdays from 6-9 p.m. through October. Visit www.streetsatsouthpoint.com/events for details.
Third Friday Concert Series – Every third Friday through October, 6-8 p.m. Downtown Durham. Visit http://bit.ly/aaVBJC for details.
Garner
Garner Summer Concerts at Lake Benson Park – Free concerts on July 17 and Aug. 21 from 6-8 p.m. Bring lawn chairs. Concessions available. For more information, call 919-773-4442 or visit www.GarnerNC.gov.
Hillsborough
Last Fridays Free Concert Series – Concerts on the last Friday of the month through September presented by the Hillsborough Arts Council at 6:30 p.m. on the old courthouse lawn alongside visual arts, dance and literature. Arts, crafts and food vendors present.
Visit www.hillsboroughartscouncil.org/LastFridays.html.
Holly Springs
Holly Springs Cultural Center Outdoor Concerts – Second and fourth Fridays. Music starts at 7 p.m. For complete schedule, visit www.hollyspringsnc.us/dept/park/culture.
Raleigh
Free Summer Concert Series at Fletcher Park – One concert each month through September. Food, games and other family-friendly activities. For a detailed schedule visit www.fletcherparks.org/events/concerts.html.
Midtown Beach Music Series, On the Commons, North Hills – Free concerts on Thursdays from 6-9 p.m. include beach music bands such as the Embers and Liquid Pleasure. For the complete schedule visit http://bit.ly/c5S2hW.
Music on the Porch at Seaboard Station – Friday nights from 7-9 p.m. through the fall at Seaboard Station near Ace Hardware and Peace China, 802 Semart Dr. Includes a large area where kids can play. Dog-friendly event. Occurs rain or shine. Bring lawn chairs. Visit www.seaboardmusic.com.
Kidsfest at Triangle Town Center – Entertainment on the second and fourth Sunday of the month through September from 2-5 p.m. in the Triangle Town Commons. Includes kid-friendly activities.
www.TriangleTownCenter.com.
Wake Forest
The Factory Families After 5 Free Music Series – Thursday, July 8. Music from 5:30-8:30 p.m., http://eatshopplay.com.
See our our monthly calendar for more family-friendly events.
By Janice Lewine
Triangle families looking for ways to savor the last few weeks of summer together can take advantage of an abundance of waterways and spend a few hours boating — a great opportunity to enjoy the water without necessarily getting wet. With sailboat, canoe and other boat rentals available at area lakes and rivers, families don’t need to own a boat to get out on the water.
My husband Eric and I — along with our kids Matthew, 13, and Stephen and Sarah, both 8, — recently experienced a 3-mile, 90-minute quick trip at a local paddling spot that’s ideal for beginners and young families. Paddle Creek, a canoe and kayak outfitter in Wake Forest, runs scenic paddling trips on the Neuse River Canoe Trail, a winding, calm-water section of the Neuse River. Not only was it fun to float down a river, the outing was also a perfect way to catch a breeze on a warm afternoon. And for our three kids, 90 minutes ended up being just the right amount of time on the water.
Getting started
Our adventure began with the friendly Paddle Creek crew giving us and another family a brief safety lesson near the Falls Lake dam. We then donned our life vests, nestled into our boats and were pushed off onto the water. The Neuse’s current isn’t too brisk in this area, and within minutes I learned how to steer Stephen’s and my tandem kayak with ease, while Eric, Sarah and Matthew worked as a team to power their big canoe.
Stephen dipped his paddle in the water from time to time but found peering into the river to see what lay just below the surface much more interesting. Schools of darting gray fish entertained him, as did a baby turtle no bigger than a half dollar that bobbed up and down in the current. Eric and Sarah spotted a foot-long lone fish in a nearby section of shallow water, which Matthew measured with his outstretched hands.
Along the water
Iridescent blue dragonflies raced alongside our boats, turtles of all sizes basked on logs, and several large birds flitted from tree to tree above our heads. Along the Canoe Trail, hundreds of hardwood and pine trees reach up from the steep banks to create a shady canopy, which shielded us from the bright sun and provided some relief from the heat. We had hoped to spot deer and other wildlife along the river, but they most likely were enjoying afternoon siestas in the shade.
While some sections of the Neuse are quite deep, others are so shallow that our boats ran aground on sand, making it necessary to climb out and pull them to deeper water. Some parts of the river flow more swiftly than others, presenting occasional, but not difficult, steering challenges to avoid overhanging branches and partially submerged logs.
At the end of the journey, Paddle Creek’s crew met us at the stopping point, graciously lifted our boats out of the water, and took us back to the parking lot in their van. And although my family was fairly tired, we unanimously agreed to find a weekend before summer’s end to go canoeing together again.
Paddle Creek is at 9745 Fonville Rd., Wake Forest. Visit www.paddlecreeknc.com or call 919-866-1954 for boat and trip information, prices and reservations. Children must be 5 years old to paddle. Paddle Creek provides life vests for all boaters. A signed waiver is required.
Getting on the water
Various other locations throughout the Triangle offer boat rentals or trips for families who want to test the waters. The cost of boating trips can range from $4 per hour for small boat rentals to more than $100 for guided trips. Check websites or call ahead for details about the following area rental or trip options.
Cary
Bond Metro Park
801 High House Rd.
919-469-4100
www.townofcary.org
Canoe, kayak, rowboat, pedal boat and sailboat rentals. Private boats permitted.
Durham
West Point on the Eno
Frog Hollow Outdoors
919-416-1200
www.froghollowoutdoors.com
Guided paddle trips and canoe/kayak rentals.
Lake Michie Recreation Area
2303 Bahama Rd.
919-477-3906
www.ci.durham.nc.us
Canoe and Jon boat rentals. Private boats permitted.
Little River Lake
Intersection of Orange Factory Road and Blalock Road in north Durham County.
919-471-1623
www.ci.durham.nc.us
Electric motor and rowboat rentals. Private boats not permitted.
Garner
Lake Benson
975 Buffaloe Rd.
919-662-5703
www.garnernc.gov
Jon boat rentals. Private boats not permitted.
JORDAN LAKE
Crosswinds Marina
919-362-5391
www.crosswindsmarina.com
Fishing and pontoon boat rentals.
Jordan Lake Tours
www.jordanlaketours.com
Guided boat tours on Jordan Lake.
Triangle Boat Tours
919-585-1488
www.triangleboattours.com
Guided boat tours on Jordan Lake.
MORRISVILLE
Lake Crabtree County Park
1400 Aviation Pkwy.
919-460-3390
www.wakegov.com/parks/lakecrabtree
Sailboat, canoe/kayak, rowboat and pedal boat rentals. Private boats permitted.
Raleigh
Lake Johnson
4601 Avent Ferry Rd.919-233-2121www.raleighnc.gov
Pedal boat, canoe/kayak, Jon boat and Sunfish sailboat rentals. Private boats permitted.
William B. Umstead State Park
8801 Glenwood Ave.
919-571- 4170
www.ncparks.gov
Canoe and rowboat rentals on Big Lake.
Lake Wheeler
6404 Lake Wheeler Rd.
919-662-5704
www.raleighnc.gov
Pedal boat, canoe/kayak and Sunfish sailboat rentals. Private boats permitted. See website for details.
Falls Lake, Jordan Lake, Neuse River and Eno River also offer canoeing and kayaking with your own boat.
If your family is planning a boating trip, keep these tips in mind:
Wear comfortable clothes and sturdy shoes that can get wet and dirty.
Apply sunscreen liberally; it’s easy to get sunburned while on the water.
Use insect repellant.
Pack a hat, towel, sunglasses and bottled water.
Consider carrying a camera and binoculars, but take care they don’t get wet.
Take a change of shoes and socks.
Wear a life jacket.
By Janice Lewine
Old Salem Museums and Gardens in Winston-Salem is one of America’s most authentic historic attractions. Settled by Pennsylvania Moravians in 1766, Salem — which means peace — was a vibrant church town where family, community and faith were the centerpieces of life. Through self-guided tours of its buildings and gardens, most of which are staffed with costumed interpreters, families can spend a day traveling back more than 200 years to learn about the town’s charming history that is steeped in Moravian and German tradition.
During a recent visit, my daughter Sarah and I were transported to a simpler time when villagers traveled on horseback, women baked bread from scratch in brick ovens, and children played games in the town square.
Our first stop was the Salem Tavern Museum, which offered comfortable rooms for weary travelers, including George Washington in 1791. Visitors can tour the sparse guest quarters and even try out an 18th-century feather-and-straw reproduction bed. Sarah kicked off her shoes and climbed on top, but quickly declared that her own bed was softer. Downstairs in the kitchen, a docent described a woman’s domestic chores, which included rising early to prepare the day’s biggest meal (eaten at midday), sanitizing bed sheets and pressing linen tablecloths with heavy, searing irons.
With a school group in tow, we strolled over to the Single Brothers’ House that was both a home and spiritual center for the town’s unmarried men. In the Saal, or worship room, we learned about their daily gatherings and listened to the pure sounds of a 1797 organ.
Salem’s female inhabitants were invited to the house every day for congregational meetings but were required to sit apart from the men. Each woman wore a colored ribbon around her bonnet that indicated her age and marital status: bright red for young girls, burgundy for teenagers, blue for married women and white for widows.
Men who resided in the house were taught trades like pottery, woodworking and tailoring. Touring their workshops below ground, which appear exactly as they did in the 1800s, we met a silversmith still practicing his vocation who showed us his pewter and tin creations.
In the grassy town square, re-enactors demonstrated the game of quoits (a fancy word for ring toss) and a traditional hoop-and-stick game. Sarah quickly grasped the fun challenge of rolling what looked like a wooden hula hoop down a hill and guiding it with a short stick, just as Salem’s youngsters did two centuries ago.
We explored other buildings that were essential to the community, including the gun shop, blacksmith’s quarters and Winkler Bakery, where delicious breads, cookies and Moravian Sugar Cake are still baked in its 1800 oven and sold on the street level.
No trip to Old Salem would be complete without visiting the historic St. Philips Church, the oldest African-American church standing in North Carolina. Salem’s African-American Moravian congregation was organized in 1822 among a mostly enslaved population and built its house of worship in 1861. Our guide first showed us the church’s hallowed graveyard, where 131 of Salem’s earliest African-Americans rest.
Inside the primitive sanctuary, Sarah and I sat on a 148-year-old pew and listened to the moving stories of the parishioners, hundreds of whom attended Sunday school every week simply to learn how to read and write. We were especially uplifted to discover that a Union Army chaplain announced their freedom from slavery during church services here on May 21, 1865.
Young and old alike will enjoy the Old Salem Toy Museum, with its fascinating display of 1,200 European and American toys from around A.D. 225 to 1925 that includes adorable dolls, miniatures, puppets, and toys.
Old Salem’s upcoming Spring Festival, May 22, is one of many held throughout the year. At the spring event, visitors can learn about flowers and mycology, the study of fungi. Hands-on activities and demonstrations are offered and included in the price of admission.
All-in-one combination tickets are $10 for children 6-16 and $21 for adults. Two-stop tickets for families short on time are $7 for ages 6-16 and $14 for adults.
Before you go, visit www.oldsalem.org for complete details, including directions and operating hours for exhibit buildings, museums and shops. Exhibit buildings are open Tuesday through Sunday but are closed on Monday, and some operate on a rotating basis. The Visitors Center is at 900 Old Salem Rd., Winston Salem. Free parking is available.
By Janice Lewine
A rare white tiger sprawls out to soak in the sun’s afternoon rays, a binturong (pictured) briefly wakes to investigate rustling sounds, and two tigers playfully tussle on the ground, each baring savage teeth.
These exotic creatures are not found at any nearby zoo, but rather at The Conservators’ Center, a nonprofit wildlife sanctuary in Caswell County, north of Mebane, that rescues animals in need, preserves threatened species through responsible captive breeding, and provides educational programs and support worldwide.
My daughter Sarah and I recently visited The Conservators’ Center and were joined by other families for an engaging tour led by Julia Matson, the center’s director of fundraising and outreach. Since 1999, the center has cared for approximately 90 animals, including African lions, wolves, servals, lemurs and others suffering from illness, physical disabilities and behavioral issues. Some are elderly or at immediate risk of death. Many have been rescued from hazardous conditions, confiscated by government authorities or donated by private owners who were unable to care for them. (North Carolina law states that a city or county can restrict or prohibit the possession of wild animals.)
The Conservators’ Center is licensed by the U. S. Department of Agriculture and is inspected yearly. “We provide food, shelter, medical and psychological attention,” Matson says. “Our goal is to improve their quality of life in any way or shape we can.”
Along the compound’s dirt and gravel path, Matson introduced us to fascinating animals, each one with a heartwarming tale of rescue, emotional stability or physical improvement as a result of the center’s nurture. We met Taz, a Eurasian lynx who has spent his entire life in captivity, having been shuffled around by different owners; Yogi, a binturong, whose parents were illegally imported from Southeast Asia; and Reno, a bobcat, who suffered serious injuries years ago after being struck by a car.
We also met wolves Hopa, Trekkie and Roland and learned from volunteers who interacted with them in their den that not only is their species indigenous to North Carolina, they naturally keep a 7-mile distance from humans, making it rare to spot them in the wild. The volunteers explained that socializing with the wolves reduces their stress when they see visitors and allows for appropriate medical care.
Two friendly New Guinea singing dogs serve as the center’s educational ambassadors, at schools, Boy Scout presentations and street fairs.
Lounging in the sun inside their enormous steel cages were the big cats — lions and tigers — which enthralled our group with their magnificent size, beauty and chuffle, the tigers’ deep growling greeting to visitors. Matson explained that both species have suffered a severe population decline due to habitat loss, disease and poaching, and that the international black market trade for wildlife is a $10 to $20 billion a year business.
The center never sells or gives away animals, but does loan them for responsible breeding practices to maintain species whose survival is threatened by disease, loss of habitat and unrestricted breeding. The center also is known worldwide for its expertise in binturongs and maintains a studbook, or breed registry, of this rare species in captivity in hopes of repopulating them in their native Southeast Asia.
The Conservators’ Center offers a variety of guided tours, including 90-minute to two-hour educational tours for individuals, families and large groups; a photography tour; and a twilight tour that allows visitors ages 12 and up to witness the compound’s nocturnal species. Private tours can be arranged. Tours are offered most Saturdays and Sundays; weekday opportunities are periodically available. All tours and visits must be scheduled in advance; no one is permitted on the premises without an appointment. The center also hosts birthday parties.
The facility is entirely outdoors, so dress appropriately for the weather, wear comfortable walking shoes and carry a bottle of water. Strollers are not permitted. Visitors are not allowed to touch or feed animals, but are encouraged to take pictures, so bring a camera.
Janice Lewine is the calendar and directory editor for Carolina Parent and the mother of three children.
If You Go
to The Conservators’ Center
Location: North of Mebane near the intersection of Huffines Road (SR 1763) and E. Hughes Mill Road (SR 1762). Check the Web site for complete directions.
Cost: Tours for an individual or family are $10 adults, $7 for ages 2-11; twilight tours for ages 12 and up are $25 each. Discounts for groups of 15 or more are available.
Reservations: All visitors must have an advance reservation for a tour. A 50 percent deposit is required when the reservation is made.
Information: Visit www.conservatorscenter.org for information, reservations and directions. Call 336-421-0883 with additional questions. All visitors are required to sign a waiver.
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