Weekend Plans: Dog Olympics, church fairs, free movies, more

Here’s your weekend family fun! As always, check WRAL.com’s Out & About calendar for information about more events in the region, including the very popular Hopscotch music festival in Raleigh through Saturday. (Note these downtown Raleigh street closures this weekend).

The Charlotte Brody Discovery Garden at Duke Gardens in Durham opened a couple of months ago, but its official grand opening is this weekend with special activities from noon to 3 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. This new garden, which features a variety of produce and herbs, chickens, a compost area and more, is a wonderful place for kids to explore. There will be garden stories, live music and samples of garden produce. Local experts from a variety of groups will be there to talk about gardening, beekeeping and more. Kids can make a seed bomb and create a vegetable print. Tours are scheduled for 1:30 p.m., 2 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. It’s free, though there are a couple of ticketed events that are geared more toward adults. I took my kids this summer. It is a great addition to Duke Gardens.

The N.C. Symphony will hold a free concert at 7:30 p.m., Sunday, at the downtown Raleigh Amphitheatre. The event celebrates the launch of the symphony’s 80th season and features a variety of music including Joplin’s “The Entertainer,” to Copland’s “An Outdoor Overture.”

Friday is the first Friday of the month, which means it’s First Friday in downtown Raleigh. Downtown museums, galleries and restaurants are open for special deals, events and extended hours. That includes the N.C. Museum of History, the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Marbles Kids Museum and Artspace in City Market. At Marbles, visitors can create and taste back-to-school snacks with the help of Pullen Place Cafe and The Produce Box. It’s all free with admission, which is $5 per person. Marbles is open until 8 p.m. on first Fridays. One note about Marbles: Its IdeaWorks and the Art Loft on the second floor is closed for maintenance until Sept. 26.

Paperhand Puppet Intervention’s 13th annual puppet pageant, called City of Frogs this year, wraps up its run at the Forest Theatre in Chapel Hill this weekend. This massive production features live music, masks, stilt walkers, shadow puppets and more. Performances are scheduled for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Suggested donations are $12 for adults and $8 for kids (though nobody is turned away for lack of funds). The show moves over to the N.C. Museum of Art in Raleigh on Sept. 14 to Sept. 16.

We have consignment sales in Durham and Apex. Read my earlier post for details.

Wake County schools will hold a back-to-school kickoff for parents on Saturday at Millbrook Magnet High School in north Raleigh. Activities for kids ages 4 to 13 will be provided while parents attend workshops about a variety of issues. It’s free.

The long-running Fair at St. Raphael on Falls of Neuse Road in north Raleigh is 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., Friday, and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday. The event at the Catholic church includes live music, carnival games, rides, food and more. Admission is free.

Brooks Avenue Church of Christ in Raleigh will hold a Health & Safety Fun Fair from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturday. The event is designed for all ages, but especially those with special needs. There will be fire trucks, rescue vehicles, bounce houses, face painting, healthy snacks and more.

N.C. State’s 21st annual Dog Olympics is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, at the Veterinary Health Complex on Centennial Biomedical Campus, 1060 William Moore Dr. This is a long-running and very popular event for families that features competition and canine demonstrations, along with rescue groups a free microchip clinic and a variety of vendors. Dogs of all breeds will compete in contests such as roll over rover, best trick limbo, musical sit, best beggar, and more. There also is a Paralympics demonstration for dogs with spinal cord injuries focuses on the bond owners of paraplegic dogs have with their pets. For kids, you’ll find glitter tattoos and games. Admission is $1 per person and $1 per dog. Kids five and under are free. It costs $7 to compete in the first event and $2 for each successive event. All dogs must be current on vaccinations and kept on leash when not performing in a ring.

Garner will offer a free screening of “The Lorax,” at 8 p.m., Friday, at Lake Benson Park, 921 Buffaloe Rd. No registration is required. Snacks will be available for purchase or you can bring your own (along with lawn chairs or blankets).

The N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh has a new exhibit featuring costumes, screen tests, scene props, a script, Vivien Leigh’s Academy Award and more from the classic movie “Gone with the Wind.” The museum will offer a free screening of the movie from 1 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., Saturday, on the large screen in Daniels Auditorium. Museum staff will give a brief introduction to the film.

Saturday is Potato Day at the Western Wake Farmers’ Market, 1225 Morrisville Carpenter Rd., in Cary. From 8 a.m. to noon, Saturday, find all kinds of potato-related activities and samples including a potato toss and potato sack races for kids.

A new farmers’ market will open in Durham this weekend. The South Durham Farmers’ Market will be open from 8 a.m. to noon, Saturdays, all year. Opening weekend events include a tractor and fire truck for the kids to explore, face painting, games, crafts, games and cooking demonstrations. The market is at Greenwood Commons Shopping Center, 5410 N.C. Highway 55, in Durham.

The Sandbox kids and family band will be part of the 2012 Triangle CureSearch Walk, which honors, supports and celebrates children with cancer. The day include prizes, music, food, and fun activities for families, along with a two-mile walk. You can register for the event at N.C. State’s Centennial Campus on Saturday starting at 9 a.m. Sandbox will perform around 11 a.m.

Bull City Craft will host a Kids Art Mart from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday, at the Durham store. The mart will showcase the art and crafts of four local preteen girls. Items for sale include photo cards, recycled art and hand stitched creatures. Read my earlier post about this and other events coming up at Bull City Craft.

And La Fiesta del Pueblo is noon to 8 p.m., Sunday, on Moore Square in downtown Raleigh. The annual festival features special activities for kids, live music, food and more. Marbles Kids Museum also will be offering some special activities as part of the festival.