Parks & Rec

The Rootle Roadster Tour is back and rolling into Moore Square on Saturday, May 17, for a free, fun-filled morning designed especially for young children and their families! From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Square will transform into a vibrant hub of hands-on learning, creativity, and play. This unique, on-the-go event supports early childhood education through joyful activities that foster curiosity and discovery. Families can look forward to: Interactive crafts and sensory play stations Music and movement activities that get everyone grooving Literacy and learning games to spark little imaginations Community resources from local partners and educators Meet-and-greets with favorite Rootle characters (while supplies last!) Designed with children ages 2–8 in mind, the Rootle Roadster Tour brings the trusted, educational programming of PBS Kids off the screen and into your community. Join us at Moore Square for a joyful celebration of learning, family, and fun—right in the heart of Downtown Raleigh! Presented by PBS North Carolina in partnership with Raleigh Parks and Marbles Kids Museum. Details Date: Saturday, May 17 Time: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Ages: All/Family-friendly Cost: Free Does not include admission to the Marbles Kids Museum.

Attention foodies and music lovers alike... Join us for our first night of a series of evenings featuring curated pairings of music genres and delicious cuisines. Dance the night away while savoring yummy bites! Location: John Chavis Memorial Park Ages: All Cost: Free

The Guinness Book of World Records doesn't have a record for Oldest Cope's Grey Tree Frog, so we are celebrating our special friend and Animal Ambassador, Pudge, with a surprise 8th birthday party! Join our staff naturalists and educators for an afternoon of frog-themed fun. Learn about how Pudge came to the Wetland Center, talk about why frogs are so special, and learn ways to be good friends to all the frogs in our lives. There will be crafts, a story, animal encounters, and nature lessons. Please come prepared to spend some time in the outdoors and have a blast! Location: Walnut Creek Wetland Center Date: Sunday, May 25 Time: 1:30 - 3 p.m. Ages: 5 - 8, families welcome Cost: Free Register on RecLink

Please join us for our National Senior Health and Fitness Day Event! Hosted by Barwell Road Community Center, Centerwell Senior Primary Care & Humana. Come out and learn about maintaining a healthy lifestyle. We will have an outdoor walk, games, presentations, refreshments, and fun for everyone! Location: Barwell Road Community Center Date: Friday, May 30 Time: 9 a.m. - noon Ages: 50 and older Cost: Free Registration is not required

Wanting to learn more about your family tree? Join us for a free two-hour Find Your Family Event hosted by the Wake County Genealogical Society! Using their laptops, they will aid you in a search on Ancestry or FamilySearch websites. There will also be more information about genealogy through an informational video to be played throughout the event! Location: Laurel Hills Community Center Date: Saturday, May 31 Time: 10 a.m. - noon Ages: All Cost: Free Register on RecLink

Friends of the City of Raleigh Museum in collaboration with Artist Studio Project Publishing invite you to our Third Annual International Children’s Day. We all have an inner child and stories have a way of awakening the magic in all of us. Come join us for a free, fun-filled day of storytelling and magic for the whole family. Part of the 10th Annual El Quixote Festival - Voces Cervantinas Ages: All Cost: Free

Join artist, Jim Gallucci, for a scratch block workshop at Sertoma Arts Center. Participants will carve their own design into a sand mold that will be cast with molten iron during an iron pour event later this year. Jim will incorporate the completed iron blocks into his design for new art that will be a part of the Sertoma expansion. All materials will be provided. The activity involves scratching into sand, so be prepared to get a little sandy.   Register for the Scratch Block Workshop. Learn more about Public Art at Sertoma Arts Center.

Ready to turn memories into living history? Join Raleigh Arts and StoryShed Studio for an energetic, hands‑on workshop that shows you—step by step—how to record and preserve the stories that matter most. From cherished family tales to neighborhood legends, you’ll learn how to capture oral histories through your smartphone and help keep these stories alive. Add your story to Raleigh’s ever‑growing Living Archive and help showcase the city’s vibrant voices. Register for the workshop.

Join Raleigh Historic Sites for a 'Pride Ride' celebrating the city's LGBTQ+ history! This tour will highlight historic locations, neighborhoods, businesses, churches, and other points of interest important to the evolution of Raleigh’s LGBTQ+ community. Tickets are $12 per person. For questions or more information, please call the Mordecai Historic Park Visitor Center at 919-996-4364. Times: 1 p.m., 2 p.m., and 3 p.m. Ages: All Cost: $12 per person Get Tickets on RecLink

Join us for a talk by Craig Thompson Friend, author & professor of history at North Carolina State University, and celebrate Dr. Friend’s upcoming book “Becoming Lunsford Lane, The Lives of an American Aeneas. Lunsford Lane's story is a biography for our times: a man searching to define life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness in a changing American society scarred by contentious politics, economic challenges, class tensions, loss of political rights, and racial violence. Date: Sunday, June 8 Time: 2 - 3 p.m. Ages: All Cost: Free

Join us for a live music event at Pullen Dance! The Triangle Jazz Orchestra, a 20-piece band will be playing at 2 special dances. Don't miss out on a night of dancing and fun! Can't make it to the dance on April 9, the band will be back for another live performance on June 11. Pre-registration is not required but encouraged, so we can plan accordingly. Location: Pullen Community Center Ages: 18 and older Cost: $10 at the door

Explore the history of North Carolina’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Learn about the evolution of education and its political ties following emancipation, as well as considerations for the future—presentation by Dr. Lesa Redmond and Representative Nasif Majeed. Sponsored by the Friends of the City of Raleigh Museum. Location: City of Raleigh Museum Date: Friday, June 13 Time: 7 - 8 p.m. Ages: 18 and up Cost: Free No Registration Required