Special Events
The Eno River State Park will host several events this holiday season. Visitors to the park will be able to bird watch on Saturday, December 29 at 9 a.m. On Tuesday, January 1 at 2 p.m., the Eno River Association will host a New Year’s Day Hike at the Eno River State Park. Call 383-1686 for more information and to RSVP.
Kids
Preschool Story Time – At the Carrboro Branch Library. Every Saturday at 10:30am. Miz Moon will start off a new year of Toddler Times with an Anansi story and The Three Snow Bears by Jan Brett at the Carrboro Branch Library on Thursday, Jan 3. All preschoolers are invited to this free program. For more info, call 969-3006.
ComedySportz 4 Kidz – Games & improv for the 12 & under crowd. Saturdays, 5pm. $10, students $8, kids under 5 $5. DSI Comedy Theater, 200 N Greensboro St, Ste B-11, Carr Mill Mall, Carrboro, 338-8150, www.dsicomedytheater.com.
Express Yourself! – Art program for ages 3-8 & their caregivers. Weekly art projects for children & adults to explore their own creative paths; registration requested. Saturdays, 10:45-11:15 & 11:30am-noon. $2. Kidzu Children’s Museum, 105 E Franklin St, Chapel Hill. 933-1455, www.kidzuchildrensmuseum.org.
Volunteers
Meals on Wheels – Seeks volunteers to deliver meals and/or bake simple desserts for recipients in the Chapel Hill/Carrboro area. For more info, call 942-2948.
Goathouse Cat Refuge – Seeks volunteers to help with rescued cats & kittens. For more info, call Bonny at 545-2825 or email her at brooze@embarqmail.com.
Health
Living with Advanced/Metastatic Cancer – A bi-weekly support group. Meets 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of every month, 3:30-5pm. Drop-in, no charge. Cornucopia House Cancer Support Center, Chapel Hill. 401-9333, www.cornucopiahouse.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. Tickets $5.25; $4.25 seniors, students & children. For more info, visit www.moreheadplanetarium.org.
Wilson Library – A Nursery of Patriotism: The University at War, 1861-1945. Exhibit on war’s historic impact on UNC-Chapel Hill. In the Manuscripts Dept (4th floor) at Wilson Library, UNC Campus, through Feb. www.lib.unc.edu/spotlight/universityatwar.html.
Theater
PlayMakers Repertory Company will present playwright Lisa Kron in the one-woman play 2.5 Minute Ride, from Jan. 9-13. Kron weaves the story of a pilgrimage with her father to Auschwitz with a tale about visiting the roller coaster capital of the world in Ohio. Shows will be at 8 p.m. nightly and 2 p.m. on Jan. 13. Tickets are $24 to $32, available at www.playmakersrep.org or (919) 962-PLAY.
Dance
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 (Hillsborough).
Ballroom Dancing — 4th & 5th Thursdays, 7-9:30pm, $2. 933-8982. Seymour Senior Center, 2551 Homestead Rd, Chapel Hill, 968-2070.
Studio A Dancers present a dance theater performance of “The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles†, adapted from the book by Julie Andrews Edwards. Performances Saturday Jan. 19 at 2pm and 6pm. East Chapel Hill High Auditorium. Tickets $5.00 available at Dancentre (967-4100/www.dancentre.net) and at the door. The performance will be narrated and is appropriate for young audiences.
Comedy
New Year’s Eve Comedy Explosion – 5pm: ComedySportz® for Kidz; 7:30pm: ComedySportz ®; 10pm: New Year’s Eve Party with DSIWitness News & Cajones. Mon, Dec 31, 5pm. DSI Comedy Theater, 200 N Greensboro St, Ste B-11, Carr Mill Mall, Carrboro, 338-8150, www.dsicomedytheater.com.
Literary Discussion/Open Mic
A Being More Intense: British Romantic Writers Exhibit in the Rare Book Collection – Through Dec 31. UNC Campus: Wilson Library, 201 South Rd, Chapel Hill.
Open Mic – For poetry, music & short fiction. Tuesdays at 7pm, Market Street Books & Maps, Southern Village, 610 Market St, Chapel Hill. 933-5111, www.marketstreetbooks.com.