Family Picks: Food and culture at Latino Festival in Apex

What to do in this first weekend of June? It might be fun to watch a movie with the kids or take a walk in the woods. What about food – why not treat yourself and your family and eat well? You could also take your firefighter-loving toddler to meet one – and all within the Triangle or not far from it. Here are just a few of the excellent events going down this weekend:

▪ As it does on First Fridays, the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh shows a b-movie. This month’s guilty pleasure is the 1976 film “At the Earth’s Core.” It’s exactly what it sounds like – a campy sci-fi film filled with high adventure and bad makeup. And it’s free. The film starts at 7 p.m. Visit naturalsciences.org for more.

▪ The N.C. Forest Service’s centennial celebration is Saturday at the Jordan Lake Educational State Forest, a quiet tract on the Pittsboro side of the water. Kids can check out firefighting equipment, make tree cookie crafts, or meet a 21-foot-tall talking Smokey Bear (seriously). While you’re there, check out the Talking Tree Trail – a short, easy loop that skirts the lake and features regular educational stations where native tree species “introduce” themselves. The free celebration runs 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visit ncforestservice.gov and select “current news releases” for more information, or call 919-857-4801.

▪ Saturday’s Apex Latino Arts and Culinary Festival brings food and music from at least ten different countries. So take the family, eat well, and maybe even dance a little. Free family arts and crafts workshops last from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Halle Cultural Arts Center, while the culinary and musical portion of the fest runs from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at downtown Apex’s historic depot. It costs $5 a person. Visit apexlatinofest.com.

▪ Northgate Mall’s Discovery Nook brings EMS, firefighters, police and other first responders to its “every hero has a story” event Saturday. It runs from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. and is free. Visit northgatemall.com.

This story was originally published June 4, 2015 at 9:00 AM with the headline "Family Picks: Food and culture at Latino Festival in Apex."