12+ cheap things to do in the Triangle this weekend
15 Apr
Triangle residents rejoice! It’s that time of year when the area starts coming alive with festivals, outdoor events, and more. The randomness that will ensue every weekend between now and fall will be so much fun. And I will try to keep you posted on some of the more interesting events (especially for families and those of us on a budget).
Let’s start with this weekend:
* Dog owners might want to take their pooches to Moore Square between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday for the SPCA Dog Walk.
* Go camping, dancing, crafting, Earth-saving, concert rocking at the Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival, which starts Thursday and continues through Sunday.
* Listen to a free performance by the Durham Symphony at 5 p.m. Sunday at Trinity Park in Durham as part of the Pops in the Park concert series. And if the weather holds up to the forecast, then head over to Francesca’s Dessert Cafe on Ninth Street for some stellar gelato (the Sweet Cream is my favorite) or to LocoPop’s on Hillsborough Street for a gourmet popsicle treat.
* Check out the Durham Art Scene. This weekend is the annual Durham Art Walk. Make a day out of it by wandering over to the American Tobacco complex and hanging out by the water or head in the opposite direction to the Scrap Exchange to make crafts with the kids.
* The weather will also be perfect for a picnic at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens. I plopped myself down on a blanket there last weekend, played some frisbee and snacked on Peanut Butter sandwiches. Cheap way to be romantic with your honey or let the kids burn off some energy.
* Go to the North Carolina Museum of Life and Science for the Butterfly Bash. It features dung beetle races, butterfly releases, insect eating and more.
* Saturday is Earth Action Day at the Morehead Planetarium. The family-friendly event is from noon to 5 p.m.
* You can go see “Pride and Prejudice” on stage at 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday, Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Paul Green Theatre in Chapel Hill.
* The Durham Bulls are out of town this weekend. But UNC baseball has a home game against Miami at 1 p.m. Sunday.
* If you’re a Wilco fan, you might want to check out the screening of the band’s new documentary “Ashes of American Flags” which airs at 11:55 p.m. Saturday at Galaxy Cinema in Cary.
* Go to the N.C. State Fairgrounds. The flea market is best when the weather is beautiful, so I can almost guarantee this weekend’s market will be filled with a variety of vendors. The flea market is from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. every weekend. While you’re at the fairgrounds you can eat some Mediterranean food and learn about Turkish culture at the N.C. Turkish Festival, which runs from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday.
* And finally, consider supporting local comedy (you know I’m a fan). DSI Comedy in Carrboro has an out-of-town guest who tracked me down on facebook and made me laugh with her message, so I’ve got to give her a plug. Sara Benincasa will be performing a one-woman show at 9:30 p.m. Saturday at the theater.
Of course, I probably inadvertantly snubbed about 50 other local events happening this weekend. As always, feel free to promote them and post links to them in my comment section. Let us know if there’s other events we should be checking out.
These are great, I am always looking for cheap, fun things to do around the Triangle on the weekends. One of these Saturdays I really need to check out that Flea Market.
There is also the Planet Earth Celebration this Saturday in downtown Raleigh at the Bicentennial Plaza from 11am-6pm. Lots of fun things going on there which you can read about here:
http://www.planetearthcelebration.com/index.html
Also, you can ride the CAT free that day, all day, from anywhere in Raleigh!
There’s also DRAG BINGO (http://www.dragbingo.com) at the Durham Armory to benefit those Triangle residents living with HIV and AIDS via the Alliance for AIDS Services – Carolina (http://www.aas-c.org). Drag Bingo is family fun and draws a fantastic fun diverse crowd. Good fun for a good cause!! Can’t beat that!
ooooppps… Drag Bingo is at 7PM. Doors open at 6PM. February and March events were sold out, so stop by one of the ticket locations listed on the website to make sure you have a spot at bingo!
Support some other local comedy with the Third Annual i3 Raleigh Longform Improv Festival at ComedyWorx!
Five of Chicago’s finest long-form improv ensembles will be coming to Raleigh for this weekend only.
The I3 Raleigh Longform Improv Festival, invites some of the best and most innovative performers on the Chicago improv scene to perform with some of North Carolina’s best. The festival begins at ComedyWorx in Raleigh this weekend on April 17-18, 2009, with performances occurring on Friday and Saturday nights at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Cost is only $10 per person.
For more info and schedule, check out http://www.comedyworx.com/pages/i3festival.
A couple other recommendations:
Friday, April 17 at 7pm at the Carolina Theatre in downtown Durham is this month’s Retrofantasma double feature. Retrofantasma is a monthly film series that shows classic horror movies. This month is Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (1992) and Tourist Trap (1979).
http://festivals.carolinatheatre.org/retrofantasma/
I would also suggest checking out any of the local Farmer’s Markets. I will be at the Durham Farmer’s Market in downtown Durham on Saturday morning. You can go there first, and check out the Art Walk afterward.
http://www.durhamfarmersmarket.com/
Thanks for the shout out.
See you at the Tweetup on the 30th!
Saturday is Record Store Day- A national event. Support your local indy music store! Ed McKay Used Books will have DJ Castro in store from 2-5- he has a few specials he’ll be offering on vinyl too.
The Hope Valley Bottle Shop will be having a complimentary chocolate and wine tasting, featuring (for the first time in public) chocolates made by me! Friday, April 17th, from 5:30 – 8:00 pm. Located in the Woodcroft shopping center, back in the corner.
Free chocolate, what’s not to love?
There is also ‘Bark Around The Park,’ on Saturday from 11:00 – 3:00, at Millbrook Exchange Park in Raleigh. Bring your dog and have some fun!
More info:
http://tinyurl.com/capfnw
Thanks everyone for these suggestions. Isn’t it incredible how many things are going on in one weekend?
Please keep the suggestions coming!
@swerves7 Thanks for remind me about Record Store Day … I’m going to pick up the new Decemberists album that day.
Kid Koala is playing at the Cat’s Cradle Saturday night! $10 in advance/$12 at the door…
http://catscradle.com/schedule.html
Here’s what I have on my calendar for this weekend:
16-19 April: Play “1960″, Burning Coal Theatre, Raleigh
16-19 April: SignalFest (4th annual electronic music festival), Chapel Hill, multiple venues
(I’m playing as part of SignalFest Friday night)
17 April: Retrofantasma (monthly horror double feature), with Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me and Tourist Trap, Carolina Theatre, Durham
17 April: Third Friday Art Walk, Durham
18 April: Cary Wine Festival, Koka Booth Ampitheatre, Cary
18 April: National Record Store Day
18 April: Duofest III (bands of two members), Bull City Headquarters, Durham
19 April: San Jose Taiko, Carolina Theatre, Durham