On this spring weekend, take a serene paddle or work up a sweat at a festival.
Coast
Warmer weather means more paddling opportunities. Saturday’s three-hour guided kayak trip down the Lumber River, for instance. Bring sunscreen, drinking water, a snack “and any other necessary items,” says trip organizer Eric Siratt, a ranger with Lumber River State Park. It’s free, but space is limited for this trip that shoves off from the Chalk Banks Access Area at 10:30 a.m.; call 910.628.4564 to register.
Here for more info about Lumber River State Park.
Piedmont
Sometimes you go to a spring festival with kids and there’s no real focus — which often means you end up spending a small fortune on bad food and cheap toys that won’t last the car ride home. Not the case with Saturday’s Spring Daze in Arts and Crafts Festival in Cary. This year, stop by any one of eight fitness and wellness stations, pick up your Passport to Fitness, get it punched at all eight stations and win something that will last the car ride home. In the process you’ll learn about “bad” snakes, play with food (and learn about the healthier stuff), work on your backhand and more.
For more on the Passport to Fitness, go here. For more on Spring Daze, go here.
Mountains
With a mountain festival you can almost always count on some active mountain fun. This weekend’s 14th Annual French Broad River Festival, which starts Friday and runs through Sunday in Hot Springs, is a prime example. Take Saturday’s FBRF Raft Race: Teams of rafters run a 9-mile stretch of the French Broad with Class 1-4 rapids and, according to organizers, “bumping boats, crazy people, and a lot of heckling. It’s always a good time!” Also on Saturday is the 7th Annual FBRF Mountain Bike Race (for more info on this, email markmickey@yahoo.com). And for more accomplished paddlers there’s the chance to learn from one of whitewater’s best, three-time World Freestyle Rodeo Champ Eli Helbert (a k a the Canoe Guru). And there’s all the usual festival stuff, from food to live music, in wonderful Hot Springs.
More info, go here.
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Those are GGNC’s thoughts for an active weekend. Find out other ways you can get out this weekend by browsing our super calendar, a collection of events calendars from throughout the state, below.
Coast
CapeFearCoast.com
Comprehensive calendar for the Cape Fear/Wilmington/southern N.C. coast searchable by date and event name.
Coastal Guide
Comprehensive calendar including nature programs from a variety of costal conservation and research agencies that offer nature programs. Covers the entire coast.
Crystal Cost Tourism Authority
Comprehensive calendar focusing on the Crystal Coast. Good source for programs offered by N.C. Coastal Federation, Cape Lookout National Park, N.C. National Estuarine Research Reserve and other costal conservation and research agencies that offer nature programs.
NCCoast.com
Comprehensive calendar including programs for the Outer Banks and Crystal Coast.
North Carolina Coast Host
Comprehensive calendar for the entire coast that lets you search for events by day, by region, by county, by city or by event (based on key word).
This Week Magazine
Primary focus is the Crystal Coast (North Carolina’s coastal midsection).
Mountains
Asheville Citizen-Times
From the main page, click on “Outdoors,” then WNC Outdoors calendar.
Blue Ridge Outdoors
Searchable calendar lets you extend your reach to events throughout the mid-Atlantic and Southeast (or you can just limit it to North Carolina). Also lets you search a boatload of categories, ranging from Hiking, Mountain Biking and Climbing to Trail Running, Triathlon and Road Walking.
The Mountain Times
From the main page, click on “Calendars,” then Main Events.
Piedmont
Charlotte
Charlotte Observer events calendar
Comprehensive calendar searchable by category, including Nature, Recreation, Recreation & Wellness, Running
Charlotte Parent
Comprehensive calendar concentrating on things the family can do together.
Triad
GoTriad.com
Comprehensive calendar includes a Sports & Recreation category.
Piedmont Parent
Comprehensive calendar concentrating on things the family can do together.
Triangle
Triangle.com
Comprehensive calendar searchable by category, including: Birding, Boating, Cycling, Nature, Rec & Wellness, Recreation, Running, Swimming, Tennis, Yoga.
Carolina Parent
Comprehensive calendar concentrating on things the family can do together.
Statewide
Office of Environmental Education
One calendar for the numerous Environmental Education Centers statewide.
North Carolina State Parks
Lets you search for programs at the state’s parks, recreation areas and natural areas by location, by month, by topic. To reach the calendar from the home page, click on “Education,” then “Fun & Free Programs at Parks.”
National Forests in North Carolina
From the home page, click on Carolina Connections for news updates on the state’s four national forests as well as hints on recreational opportunities and a detailed rundown of recreation areas and the amenities at each.
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