Saturday marks the 11th Annual African American Cultural Celebration at the N.C. Museum of History, and this free event has something for everybody - regardless of skin color, ethnicity or personal interests.
From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., more than 75 presenters will enlighten guests about all facets of African-American culture, from music to literature, beauty to the culinary arts, history to dance.
Family-friendly music performances will take place throughout the day, including R&B, blues and jazz sets, as well as a visit from KidZNotes, where 30 children will demonstrate their classical music skills in partnership with the N.C. Symphony.
There will also be arts and crafts projects ideal for children, along with dance demos from Zumba specialists. There will be dramatic re-enactments of the Civil War, and a performance from the group Voices in Concert paying homage to Sojourner Truth, the 19th-century abolitionist.
And because this year is the 11th celebration, the festival is acknowledging North Carolina's 11 historically black colleges and universities - the largest number of four-year HBCUs of any state. Dr. Dianne Boardley Suber, president of St. Augustine's College in Raleigh, will speak about her school's outstanding student-athlete graduation rate, one of the highest in the nation.
For more information, visit http://nc museumofhistory.org .
Also Saturday, there is a public camp-in at Marbles Kids Museum in Raleigh. At 6 p.m., families can start the night with dinner, and then enjoy camplike activities, as well as free time to explore the museum. The night will wrap up with campfire stories, s'mores and hot chocolate, after which folks can camp "under the marbles" in their own tents, or one reserved from the museum. The next morning includes a continental breakfast, as well as a screening of an IMAX movie.
This is open to the general public and all children must be accompanied by an adult over the age of 18. The museum asks that adults be responsible for no more than five children, and the staff recommends this activity for children ages 5 and up.
The cost is $42 per overnight camper, or $150 for a family of four. Registration is required, so visit www.marbleskidsmuseum.org/groupcampin for details.
