Topics Related to Things to Do

Sit at home, turn on your laptop or tablet, and learn what resources and tools are available at the State Archives of North Carolina and the N.C. Government and Heritage Library for researching your family history. The annual Family History Fair streams on Saturday, November 4 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Beginning Nov. 1, admission fees at North Carolina aquariums will be reduced for patrons presenting an Electronic Benefits Transfer, or EBT, card along with a valid form of photo identification.

Take a ride on a wagon around the historic Harper House at Bentonville Battlefield’s annual fall festival Oct. 28.

Visitors can stop by a colonial tavern or get their hands dirty making bricks during Port Brunswick Days Oct. 21-22 at Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson State Historic Site. Living historians will demonstrate daily life in this early port town on the lower Cape Fear River.

Golden hues and flourishes of red span the horizon as autumn leaves drift in the crisp air. To celebrate the fall season, the Gov. Charles B. Aycock Birthplace State Historic Site welcomes you to the first annual Rakin’ in the Fun Festival Nov. 4, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., for a cross cultural celebration. Admission will be $2 for ages 5 and up. Ages 4 and under are free.

Historic Bath offers Halloween fun Tuesday, Oct. 31, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., with a night of Halloween movies, pumpkin painting, games, candy and more! Wear your favorite Halloween costume and enjoy a “no fear, all fun” night out at Historic Bath.

North Carolina State Parks challenges all residents and visitors to join the 100-Mile Challenge, a health and wellness program that encourages citizens to complete 100 miles of hiking, biking, walking, running, paddling, skating, rolling their wheelchairs or riding their horses within the state.

Join the fun in downtown Kinston at the Eastern North Carolina Brew & Que Fest with special events, food and history. The CSS Neuse Civil War Interpretive Center will host a free Shipbuilding Saturday program Oct. 21, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Experience history, paint a model ironclad for $2, and make a memory and keepsake.

From morning to night, Town Creek Indian Mound will pay homage to the harvest and respect to American Indian traditions at “Pumpkin Fest” Oct. 28. The celebration of early foods and pumpkins by day, and Jack-o-lanterns by night, will delight visitors with old-fashioned fun.

Pirates are taking over the north lobby of Dorton Arena during this year’s N.C. State Fair as the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources kicks off a celebration of North Carolina’s most notorious pirate, Blackbeard, for the 300th anniversary of his exploits along the N.C. coast. Check out a replica of Blackbeard’s flagship, the Queen Anne’s Revenge, and join in on all the swashbuckling fun at our new exhibit. Just be careful not to lose your head!