Happy Wednesday Smarties! Time to gear up for the weekend and there is plenty to choose from. Hip Hop the afternoon away to support Birthday Blessings, check out the butterflies, take a hayride or hit a consignment sale. Grab the kids, celebrate school beginning, just get out and enjoy!
Funk Fest
The Fountains Shopping Center, 8155 Ardrey Kell Road
August 25, 2:00pm-5:00pm
This is a FREE family event celebrating the 5 elements of Hip Hop. Live DJ, MC, Bboy battle, Graffiti Artist and Culture. The event will include live DJs, all styles and B-boy dance battles, live performers and activity booths with air-brush hats, tie dye t-shirts, vendors, games and more. You are encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped toy or baby item for the event’s charity partner, Bright Blessings, which provides birthday parties for homeless children and services for mothers. Free food, drinks, prizes and more. You don’t want to miss it!
funkytownparties.com
Fields-A-Flutter
Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden
Through Sept. 7, 9:00am-3:00pm
The Gardens Meadowood Walk becomes home to hundreds of butterflies during this popular summertime exhibit. Visit the Caterpillar Crib to see the butterfly life cycle up close and personal. Learn how to attract generations of butterflies to your home and much more. Cost is $6-$12.
Movies Under the Stars: Kung Fu Panda (PG)
Symphony Park, SouthPark
August 24, 7:00pm
Cool down this summer at Symphony Park with SouthPark at the annual Movies Under the Stars series presented by Carolinas Medical Center. Enjoy sizzling summer entertainment on an impressive 30-foot screen every Friday beginning August 3 through August 24. Friends and families are encouraged to soak in the remaining days of summer with movies and more! Before settling down at dusk to enjoy one of the kid-friendly feature films, partake in a variety of pre-event activities beginning at 7 p.m. including a live band, children’s activities and tasty concessions. Guests are invited to come early to take advantage of fantastic shopping and grab a bite to eat in one of the mall’s many delicious restaurants. Movie watchers are welcome to bring lawn chairs and blankets!
The Buzz on Honeybees by Cathy Kaemmerlen and Kathy Coates
Park Road Books
August 25, 11:00am-1:00pm
A honey of a time with Itty Bitty Betty, the Storytelling Honeybee, he introduces youngsters to the real “buzz” on honeybees. Betty’s stories accompany meticulously detailed and beautifully painted representations of bees. Filled with interesting facts, this educational adventure from the littlest of bees gives us plenty to think about. Illustrator Kathy Coates will be joining us. And as always, events at Park Road Books are free and open to the public.
http://www.parkroadbooks.com/event/cathy-kaemmerlen-and-kathy-coates-buzz-honeybees
The Amazing Castle
ImaginOn
Ongoing, Tues.-Thurs. 10am-7pm; Fri. -Sat. 10am-5pm
The Amazing Castle is an interactive exhibit that launches children into a world of dramatic play and imagination. Visitors will have the chance to become inhabitants of a fanciful castle village and playfully explore ideas related to community life. There are eight themed areas to explore within the castle walls. Visitors can work in the Royal Workshops with “Trim the Tailor” or “Gable the Carpenter.” They can pick vegetables in the garden, tote them to the Great Hall to cook up a royal meal and visit the tower to wake “Herald,” the sleeping dragon. Best for children ages 4-12. Cost is free.
Harrison UMC Kid’s Fall/Winter Consignment Sale
Harrison United Methodist Church,Pineville
August 23-25, Thurs. 6-8pm; Fri. 9am-1pm; Sat. 8:00am-noon
Fall and Winter Kid’s Consignment Sale! Great deals on gently used clothing for newborns – juniors/teens, maternity clothing, baby equipment, toys, furniture and more! No strollers allowed in sales area.
humcfaithcircle.org
Family Campfire
McDowell Nature Center
August 24, 7:00pm-8:00pm
Enjoy Stories, eat s’mores, and sing songs around a campfire with family and friends. Groups are welcome to attend, come early to get tickets to the Nature at Night Hayride immediately following the Campfire (May – September). For more information call McDowell Nature Center at 704.588.5224. Cost is free.
Nature at Night Hayride
McDowell Nature Center
August 24, 8:15pm-9:45pm
Bring your family and experience McDowell Nature Preserve at night. Weather permitting we will venture into our Prairie in search of coyote, bobcat, deer, and owls while taking in the sights and sounds of the night. Limited seating available, pre-register (17 spots) or come to the Family Campfire early to take advantage of first-come first-serve seating (min. 10 spots), contact McDowell Nature Center at 704-588-5224 for more information. Cost is free.
NFL Punt, Pass and Kick
Huntersville Athletic Park, Huntersville – August 25, 9:00am
Smithville Park, Cornelius – August 26, 1:00pm
NFL Punt, Pass and Kick is a national competition for boys and girls ages 6 to 15. There is no cost to participate, and winners go on to compete at sectional and national competitions. You can register online or at the event. Make sure to bring your child’s birth certificate to verify the age group he or she will compete in. Punts, passes and kicks are judged on accuracy and distance.
http://www.nflppk.com/competitions/search/local
National Geographic Crittercam
Discovery Place
Through September 16
What do wild animals do when humans aren’t around? Take a rare peek into the private lives of animals through Crittercams, imaging devices worn safely by wildlife. Designed to help researchers learn how animals live, eat and care for their young, these tools enable us to better understand how to protect the very animals that wear them. Take a wild ride as you experience the world from an entirely new perspective – dive deep with penguins, hunt with lions, lurk with crocodiles and much more.
