Where: Downtown Raleigh in and around Moore Square (near Marbles Kids Museum and City Market)

What: Artsplosure, Raleigh's biggest arts festival, celebrates its 29th year. Over two days, 80,000 people are expected to come to shop for arts and crafts and enjoy the live performances, among other activities, including lots to do for kids.

Who goes: All ages

What to know before you go: Go prepared. Check the Web site at www.artsplosure.org to plan your visit and find an event map.

There's lots to see and do. And, thankfully, most of the activities that kids will enjoy are on Moore Square along Hargett and Blount streets or at Marbles Kids Museum (across Moore Square on Hargett Street).

Don't miss the giant wand bubbles, created by a Pittsboro artist, and the huge caterpillar, designed by the Paperhand Puppet Intervention and big enough for a dozen people.

Artsplosure is bringing back the sand area and making it bigger because kids loved digging and dumping out buckets in it so much many of them just stayed there.

It's an arts festival, so there are crafty activities for kids too, including opportunities to build their own wind chimes (kids will be able to make their own melodies) and create a caterpillar and butterfly.

Artsplosure also has partnered with Marbles Kids Museum to offer Kids Rock Artsplosure.

Kids Rock opens earlier than Artsplosure, at 9 a.m. on Saturday, perfect for tiny early risers. It opens at noon on Sunday. There will be crafts and activities. Kids can dress up like a rock star, check out some rock instruments and design their own CD covers.

And local kids bands Baron Von Rumblebuss, Sandbox Band and others will perform.

Activities and performances for Kids Rock are in Marbles' main courtyard and are free and open to the public. Regular admission still applies for the museum and the IMAX theater.

The festival isn't especially stroller friendly, organizers say. So it might be best to leave the Graco at home. Most of the festival is spread across the grassy Moore Square.

Feel free to bring folding chairs or blankets if you plan to check out some of the live performances.

Lots of food vendors will be spread throughout the festival. And local restaurants and coffee shops will be open too.

Parking on the street is free on the weekends. And several state-owned parking lots within walking distance are free.

For more information, including a full schedule of events, directions and parking information, go to www.artsplosure.org or call 832-8699.

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