Weekend Roundup October 13-15
We are on an eternal mission to be positive here at RCM and honestly, some days that is easier than others. The past few weeks have been hard all around and we’re guessing it’s not just us. But there is one thing that ALWAYS brings us joy and it’s spending quality time with our families. As we do every week we’ve curated what we think are your best bets for finding a little family fun (and joy) below but be sure to check out our 2017 Fall Guide as well as our full calendar if you don’t see anything you like below.
Free & Cheap
[themify_hr color=”orange” width=”75%” border_width=”1px” ]50th Annual Gem & Mineral Show
Friday – Sunday
Cost: $3-5, kids under 5 free
Huntsville Jaycees | More Info
National and International Dealers will have gemstones, fossils, jewelry making materials and equipment, art pieces, and custom jewelry of every type and price. Bring the whole family! Kids can look for treasures in the gem dig, mining flume, and more!
Concerts on the Dock
Friday at 6:00 PM
Cost: FREE, $5 parking
Lowe Mill ARTS & Entertainment | More Info
Grab the kids, your lawn chairs, and a picnic supper and head to our favorite live music venue in town! Major and the Monbacks is performing – their modern spin on 1960’s psychedelic garage rock, soul, and ska all fused together is eclectic and original and surely a performance you will not want to miss. Get our Parent Pro-Tips here before you go!
Touch-A-Truck & Fitness Fest
Saturday from 8AM – 10:30 AM
Cost: FREE
Randolph School Track | More Info
You’re invited to a morning of outdoor family activities that include: a Kid’s Fun Run & obstacle course, a Touch-a-Truck showcase for younger children, raffle giveaways & refreshments, and interactive activity stations. Plus, families can stroll around the track or watch the college football pregame show on the big screen!
Rocket City Hot Wheeler’s Fall Diecast Show
Saturday from 9AM – 2PM
Cost: FREE
Madison United Methodist Church | More Info
There will be lots of fun, food and prizes as well as lots of dealers to get your diecast fix at a really great deal. There will be Down-Hill Hot Wheels Racing on the 50-foot track – a Hot Wheeler’s dream!
Toddler Paint Party!
Cost: FREE, donations accepted
Artis Studio | More Info
You and your little one between the ages 1-4 years are invited to an hour of pure fun! Heads up – it will get messy so make sure you both wear something you don’t mind getting paint on. Please RSVP by emailing artis@artisartstudio.com; limited spaces available.
Watch the Punkin’ Chunkin’
Saturday from 11AM – 3PM
Cost: FREE to watch
Big Spring Park East | More Info
The Make-A-Wish Alabama Punkin Chunkin Fall Festival will feature a group and individual punkin chunkin contest, food trucks, live music, a kids area full of pumpkin-inspired carnival games, costume contest, and more! All proceeds will benefit Make-A-Wish Alabama and will help grant wishes to the 90 children waiting for wishes.
Spooky Halloween Makeup & Prop Classes
Saturday from 1-4 PM
Cost: FREE
Parkway Place Mall | More Info
These spooktacular demos will take place outside Halloween Express on the lower level of the mall. Learn how to do lifelike makeup to look like a zombie, ghost, goblin, and more. Hear from Halloween Express props expert, Ronnie Young, on how to take an average $5 prop and turn it into one that looks like a $300 prop! There will be a kids corner for families to play with coloring sheets and candy. Bring a pack of diapers to the Customer Service desk for the Great Diaper Drive!
Maple Hill Cemetery Stroll
Sunday from 2:00 – 4:30 PM
Cost: FREE, donations accepted
Maple Hill Cemetery | More Info
Encounter voices from Huntsville’s past as you stroll through beautiful Maple Hill Cemetery. You’ll ‘meet’ some dearly departed citizens from Huntsville’s earlier days and hear wild stories about their adventures in their lifetime. Visit the gravesites of seventy-plus characters to hear their stories and see Huntsville’s history come to life!
Worth the Money
[themify_hr color=”orange” width=”75%” border_width=”1px” ]“Motown” Comes to Huntsville
Friday – Sunday
Cost: starts at $39
VBC Concert Hall | More Info
Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations — Motown the Musical shows how these legendary artists and so many more created the soundtrack that transformed America. Broadway Theatre League brings this amazing show to the Rocket City!
Schoolhouse Rock Live!
Shows Friday – Sunday
Cost: $15
VBC Playhouse | More Info
Fantasy Playhouse invites you to revisit your childhood with the whole family as Schoolhouse Rock Live! The Emmy Award-winning Saturday morning cartoon series you loved growing up springs to life onstage as an energetic musical that proves learning math, science, history and grammar can be fun when your teacher wins you over with imagination and music! We guarantee the entire family will be singing along!
Punkin’ Pickin’ Train Ride
Saturday at 9:30 AM, 11:00 AM, 1:00 PM, & 2:30 PM
Cost: $20
North AL Railroad Museum | More Info
The pumpkin patch awaits – ready for every child to take home their very own pumpkin! This train has overbooked every year, so if you want to ensure the best seats, get your tickets ASAP! Read about why we love NARM here.
Be a Saturday Scientist
Saturday at 11:30 AM
Cost: $16-24, FREE for members
U.S. Space & Rocket Center | More Info
This monthly hands-on activity emphasizes the development of “STEAM” (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics). Today’s experiment? Glowing & Exploding Pumpkins! Spooky physical and chemical reactions allow your pumpkins to glow and explode before your eyes. Recommended for ages 6-9.
Princess Bride Quote-Along
Sunday at 2:00 PM
Cost: $6.75 – $7.25
Monaco Pictures at Bridge Street | More Info
Come out and watch The Princess Bride on the big screen for its 30th anniversary! Get your tickets, your popcorn, and be prepared to quote along with Westley, Buttercup, Inigo and the rest!
#EpicWeekendChallenge
As you go on your weekend adventures, remember to use the hashtag #RCMEpicWeekend on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. You just might win something cool from the Huntsville MadCo Visitor Center! We love to see families spending time together and making memories – why not win something while you’re at it?
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- [box style=”lavender rounded” ]DISCLAIMER: We do our best at Rocket City Mom to provide accurate, useful information about events and activities. This information (such as times and locations) is gathered from user submissions, press releases, local newspapers, signs around town and word of mouth. While we always try to confirm details before they are posted in the Huntsville Weekend Roundup, sometimes details change or we are given inaccurate information. Whenever possible we link our write-ups to the source in which our information came from and strongly urge you to confirm details before you go, especially when it comes to outdoor events and weather. [/box]
Rocket City Mom is a website about raising children in and around Huntsville, Alabama. Started in late 2010 by a local mom and newcomer to Huntsville, Rocket City Mom has grown into a thriving community of local parents and now boasts a staff of four, thirteen regular contributors, and tens of thousands of Tennessee Valley readers making it the #1 Parenting Resource in North Alabama.