Special Events
- Fourth Friday Studio Stroll — downtown Pittsboro artists open studio doors from 6-8pm, May 23. Demonstration at Side Street Gallery, 6:30pm. pittsboroshops.com
- The Orange County Democratic Women Annual Meeting — election of 2008-2009 officers and reception. Thursday, May 22, 7:30pm. The Chapel Hill Museum. 644-0869
Outdoor activities
- 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
- Memorial Day Commemoration — Orange County Peace Coalition presents speakers Joe Cole, Professor of Ethics and Philosophy, Wally Myers, organizer, Triangle Area Chapter Veterans for Peace; singer Mary Moffit; the Raging Grannies; readings. Monday, May 26, 2-3:30pm, Carrboro Town Commons. 929-3316
- 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 at the N.C. Botanical Gardens. Free, Fridays from 12:30-4pm.
- Birdwatching Kayak Trip — for teens and adults. Visit a blue heron nesting area and see beaver lodges, herons, osprey and more. Jordan Lake. Saturday, May 24, 2-5pm, $30. Instruction, equipment and guide included. 929-3805 kayakadvendturesnc.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 — N.C. 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. $5/family.
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
- “Child’s Play: Early Childhood Development and Behavior†— free class presented by Kohl’s and N.C. Children’s Hospital. Thursday, May 22, 12-1:30pm. UNC Wellness Center at Meadowmont. 966-5500, ncchildrenspromise.org
- 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. 967-3221. chapelhilltcf.org
- Peer Connections — will have its next meeting at the Carrboro Town Hall on Thursday, May 29th from 5:30 -7pm. The topic will be dental health. Contact Ellen Perry at 942-5602 or peerconnections@gmail.com
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 eclectic 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
- “How Are Immigrant Rights Addressed in North Carolina?†—  Dani Martinez-Moore, Immigration Network Coordinator, NC Justice Center, will discuss her work with various organizations providing assistance to immigrants in their struggles against unjust treatment. 7 p. m., May 22, Chapel Hill Public Library, 942-2535.
Literary
- 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. Carrboreaders Non-Fiction Book Club. 7pm May 22, Carrboro Cybrary.
- Then She Found Me — May 28 at 7pm. Movie/Book Club meets to discuss Then She Found Me and the book by Elinor Lipman on which it was based. See the movie, read the book or both and you are invited. Carrboro Cybrary. 918-7387
- Not a Drop to Drink: America’s Water Crisis (And What You Can Do) — by Ken Midkiff. Join a discussion with panelists from the Sierra Club, OWASA, and UNC. Mon., June 2, 7pm. Century Center.
- The Alchemist — by Paulo Coelho. On Friday, May 30 at 7pm, the Contemporary Fiction Book Club. Carrboro Cybrary,
- Then She Found Me — Thursday, June 5 at 7pm, the Movie/Book Club meets to discuss the film and book by Elinor Lipman on which it was based. Carrboro Cybrary.
Film
- De Florida a Coauhuila — a film telling the story of the Mascgo people. Directed by Rafael Rebollar. Sunday, June 1 at 5pm. Free and open to the public. CHICLE, 101 E Weaver St, 3rd floor. 933-0398, chi-cle.com