Weekend Plans: Fair, Halloween activities, Beauty and the Beast, more

It's a really busy weekend full of all sorts of activities for families - from the N.C. State Fair and pumpkin patches to Disney's Beauty and the Beast on stage and lots of Halloween events.

Posted 12:51 a.m. Oct 22, 2015 — Updated 12:51 a.m. Oct 22, 2015

Sarah Lindenfeld Hall

It’s a busy, busy weekend. Let’s get to it. And, as always, check WRAL.com’s Out & About calendar for more weekend fun.

Let’s start with the big ones …

The N.C. State Fair in Raleigh continues through Sunday. If you’re going with kids, check out the new music garden in the Flower and Garden Show, rabbit hopping demonstrations in the rabbit barn, free horse riding lessons and a day of special characters and activities on Saturday at the UNC-TV tent.

Also, pumpkin patches, haunted houses and corn mazes are in full swing. Our Halloween and fall fun guide has all of the details. Some events to highlight include:

Downtown Cary’s Harvest Festival with games, food trucks and movies on the lawn from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday.
Mordecai Historic Park in Raleigh has its annual Haunted Mordecai Festival from noon to 4 p.m., Saturday.
In Middlesex, which is about 10 mile from Zebulon, the otherwise very scary Darkside Haunted Estates has its no scare afternoon for kids from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday (adults are $5, kids are free).
In Cary, Booth Amphitheatre hosts the Reel-ly Scary Cary Movie Series from Thursday to Saturday. For families, Friday’s movie “Paranorman” is rated PG.
The second annual Halloween Spooktacular takes place from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., Sunday, outdoors on the Plaza at Northgate Mall in Durham. The free concert features lots of music, performances from Paperhand Puppet Intervention and more.
Marbles Kids Museum’s Kooky Spooky Halloween Party is 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Saturday. Tickets are $15 for members and $18 for non-members. It includes special activities and after-hours play in the museum.
And the Chapel Hill Philharmonia will perform a classical music concert called “Halloween Treats” for kids and parents, at 3 p.m., Sunday, at Kenan Rehearsal Hall on the UNC-Chapel Hill campus. Audience participation is included. Admission is free.

Morehead Planetarium and Science Center’s regular skywatching sessions is 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Friday, at Little River Regional Park. The session depends on clear weather so be sure to check Morehead’s website for more information and directions.

The N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences will host an open house from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, with lots of free activities and opportunities to learn more about what happens behind the scenes at the museum.

Several local groups are hosting a party to mark the start of early voting. It takes place from 10 a.m. to noon, Saturday, at the Durham Main Library Auditorium, 300 N. Roxboro St.

The Durham Bulls will host their 2015 Fall Fan Fest from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Fans can take batting practice and play catch on the field, and enter into a raffle to win a Trick-or-Treat outing with Wool E. Bull. Additionally, the Ballpark Corner Store will be having a sale.

Chapel Hill Public Library’s Teen Read Week continues through Saturday and includes a program featuring bestselling young adult author Sarah Dessen on Friday.

The Children’s Cooperative Playschool consignment sale is 8 a.m. to noon, Saturday, at 2025 Ephesus Church Road, Chapel Hill.

And we have some family-friendly shows:

Disney’s Beauty and the Beast is at the Durham Performing Arts Center Friday through Sunday. Tickets start at $30. Kids under the age of 6 will not be admitted to the theater.

The N.C. Theatre is performing “Into the Woods” at the Duke Energy Center for Performing Arts in Raleigh through Sunday. Take note: This one is rated PG for violence and mature themes.

Red Herring Puppets will perform their show “Electricity!” at 11 a.m., Saturday, at the ArtsCenter in Carrboro. Tickets are $10 for kids and adults and $40 for family packs (limit of 6 tickets per pack). Kids under age 2 are free if they sit on a lap. According to a description of the show, “audiences learn how the discovery of Earth’s invisible magnetic force and static electricity led to a useful understanding of electromagnetic energy. Puppets portray historical figures and famous scientists who employ the process of careful observation and build on each other’s knowledge, to make related discoveries in various parts of the world resulting in the invention of the lightning rod, the battery, the electrical generator, and the electric light bulb." This one is best for preschoolers to grade schoolers.

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