Special Events
Really Really Free Market — First Saturdays from 2:30-5:30pm. Town Commons. Come, swap, take!
N.C. Children’s Hospital Benefit Concert with Vince Gill— 100 percent of the proceeds benefit the Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology. $50-$100. Wed, Apr 30, 8pm. Memorial Hall, Cameron Ave, UNC Campus. 843-3333, carolinaperformingarts.org
ClydeFest — Bynum, N.C., celebrates folk artist Clyde Jones with art, food, games and more. April 26, 11am-4pm at Bynum Ball Park. 542-0394, chathamarts.org
ComedySportz — improv for the whole family. Saturdays, 7:30pm. $12. DSI Comedy Theater, Carr Mill Mall, 338-8150 www.dsicomedytheater.com This Saturday: $2 from each ticket donated to the YMCA!
Fishy Fourth Friday — showing of The Thin Man in downtown Pittsboro at about 6pm, Apr 25 in the Capital Bank Parking Lot. Shops and galleries open late. pittsboroshops.com
Fourth Friday Studio Stroll — downtown Pittsboro artists open studio doors from 6-8pm, Apr 25. Demonstration at Side Street Gallery 6:30pm pittsboroshops.com
Healthy Kids Day & Family Fest — parents learn about local program services while children enjoy music, games, crafts, nutrition demos, exercise clinics and more. Sat, Apr 26, 10am-2pm. Chapel Hill-Carrboro YMCA, Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. 442-9622, chcymca.org.
4th Annual Kids Walk — opportunity for children 14 & under to participate in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. Games, entertainment and refreshments included. Sat, May 3, 9-11am. Orange County Speedway, 9740 NC Highway 57, Rougemont, 27572. 563-0177, hillsboroughrelayforlife.com
Carrboro Day — 13th Annual Carrboro Day Celebration. Music, games, magic show, art, stuff for kids, poetry, gardening, history food and more. Town Hall Lawn, from 1-6 p.m. on Sunday, May 4.
Outdoor activities
Growing Green Earth Day Tour — Tour the grounds and trails of the N.C. Botanical Garden and see the construction project for a green visitor center. Sat, Apr 26, 10am. Old Mason Farm Rd, Chapel Hill. 962-0522, ncbg.unc.edu
Niche Gardens guided garden walks — Saturdays through June, 10am. Spring planting, garden maintenance, design & gardening for wildlife with bird and butterfly gardens. Free. Niche Gardens, 1111 Dawson Rd, Chapel Hill. 967-0078 or www.nichegardens.com
Guided Tours — of the N.C. Botanical Garden’s Plant Collections, every Saturday at 10am. Led by trained volunteer tour guides and Botanical Garden curators. Free.
Digital Camera Workshop — Lecture and photo sessions in the gardens. Free, Fridays from 12:30-4pm
Kayak trips — small-group, local flatwater trips hosted by Kayak Adventures. 929-3805, kayakadventuresnc.com
Kids
Toddler Time — at the Carrboro Branch Library. Every Thursday at 4pm. 969-3006.
Preschool Story Time – at the Carrboro Branch Library. Every Saturday at 10:30am.
Express Yourself! — art program for ages 3-8 & their caregivers. Weekly art projects for children & adults to explore their own creative paths. Saturdays, 10:45-11:15 & 11:30am-noon. $2. Kidzu Children’s Museum, 105 E Franklin St, 933-1455, www.kidzuchildrensmuseum.org
Nature Tales: Storytime in the Garden — NC Botanical Garden. Thursdays, 10-11am Children 3-5 years old are invited to attend a storytime in the garden. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Free.
Volunteers
RSVP 55+ Volunteer Program — seeks volunteers to match other volunteers with opportunities for public service. 968-2056.
Meals on Wheels — seeks volunteers to deliver meals and/or bake simple desserts for recipients in the Chapel Hill/Carrboro area. 942-2948.
English as a Second Language Conversation Club — seeks volunteers to talk with groups of international students Fridays from 11:30am-1:30pm. University Methodist Church on Franklin St. 967-1448, harwellja@bellsouth.net.
Health & Wellness
Living with Advanced/Metastatic Cancer — a bi-weekly support group. Meets 1st and 3rd Wednesdays, 3:30-5pm. Drop-in, no charge. Cornucopia House Cancer Support Center. 401-9333, cornucopiahouse.org.
The Compassionate Friends: Self-help support after the death of a child — free and open to all adults grieving the loss of a child or sibling. Third Mondays, 7-8:30pm. Evergreen United Methodist Church. 967-3221chapelhilltcf.org
Museums
Planetarium & Digital Theater Shows — science LIVE Demos. Ongoing. Morehead Planetarium, 250 E Franklin St, Chapel Hill. Info hotline 549-6863, office 962-1236, tickets 843-7997. Thu-Sat 10am-5pm, 6:30-9:15pm. moreheadplanetarium.org.
Dance
Havana Nights —Cuban Salsa. 1st and 3rd Thursdays, 10pm. Mansion 462, 462 W Franklin St, 967-7913, www.mansion462.net.
Salsa/Mambo —3rd Saturdays, lesson 8pm, dance 8:30-11pm. $7, 358-4201, salsa_4u2@yahoo.com. Fred Astaire Dance Studio, 4702 Garrett Rd, Durham.
Ballroom — 4th & 5th Thursdays, 7-9:30pm, $2. 933-8982. Seymour Senior Center, 2551 Homestead Rd, Chapel Hill, 968-2070.
Carrboro DanceJam —free-style dance to an eclective mix of music. First Fridays. Balanced Movement Studio. 304 W Weaver St, upstairs. Smoke & alcohol free. Call 968-8776 for more info.
Lectures, Discussions & Open Mics
Open Mic —Poetry, music & short fiction. Tuesdays, 7pm, Market Street Books & Maps, Southern Village. 933-5111, www.marketstreetbooks.com
“What’s the Big Idea? Genetics, Ethics, and Human Health†— lecture at the Friday Center. Apr 24. Call 962-2643 or visit fridaycenter.unc.edu/pdep for more information and online registration.
“A View from the Bench†— forum and discussion with women candidates for the N.C. Court of Appeals of the importance of women’s voices in our judiciary. Thu, Apr 24, 7:30pm. The Chapel Hill Museum, 523 E Franklin St. 644-0869.
“Why We Garden†— A Conversation with Ken Moore. Sun, Apr 27, 2pm. Carolina Inn, 211 Pittsboro St, Chapel Hill. 962-0522, ncbg.unc.edu
Politics and Immigration — fourth lecture in the series “Immigration: Asking the Hard Questions.†Co-sponsored by CHICLE. Sun, Apr 27, 4pm. FedEx Global Education Center, 301 Pittsboro St, UNC Campus. 933-0398, chicle.com
“Happier Endings: A Psychiatrist Looks at Choice in Dying†— 2pm, May 4. Dr. E James Lieberman will speak. Judea Reform Congregation. 967-5193.
Literary
The Gathering — discussion of Anne Enright’s novel. 7pm Apr. 25. Carrboro Cybrary. Contemporary Fiction Book Club. New participants welcome.
Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace… One School at a Time — discussion of the book by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver relin. Carrbororeaders Non-Fiction Book Club. 7pm May 22, Carrboro Cybrary.
Then She Found Me — May 28 at 7:00pm. Movie/Book Club meets to discuss Then She Found Me and the book it was based on by Elinor Lipman. See the movie, read the book, or both and you are invited. Carrboro Cybrary. 918-7387.
Films
“Searching for Angela Shelton†— screening and discussion of Angela Shelton’s documentary about sexual assault across America. Sat, Apr 26, 5-7pm. Tate-Turner-Kuralt Building Auditorium, UNC Campus.
Other
Haiku Holiday — readings, workshops and walks with experienced haiku poets. Hosted by the Haiku Society of America. Sat, Apr 26, 9am-3:45pm. Bolin Brook Farm. 929-4884, nc-haiku.org.
Seven Points of Mind Training — Wednesdays, 7:30-9pm. All are welcome. Piedmont KTC Tibetan Buddhis Meditation Center, 35 Perkins Dr. 933-2138, piedmontktc.org