Special Events

Ackland Art After Dark — see a variety of artwork, listen to jazz, commune with art lovers. Fri Apr 19, 9pm.

ClydeFest — Bynum, N.C., celebrates folk artist Clyde Jones with art, food, games and more. April 26, 11am-4pm at Bynum Ball Park. 542-0394, chathamarts.org

Fishy Fourth Friday — showing of The Thin Man in downtown Pittsboro at about 6pm Apr 25 in the Capital Bank Parking Lot. Shops and galleries open late. pittsboroshops.com

Fourth Friday Studio Stroll — downtown Pittsboro artists open studio doors from 6-8pm Apr 25. Demonstration at Side Street Gallery 6:30pm pittsboroshops.com

Healthy Kids Day & Family Fest — parents learn about local program services while children enjoy music, games, crafts, nutrition demos, exercise clinics and more. Sat, Apr 26, 10am-2pm. Chapel Hill-Carrboro YMCA, Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. 442-9622, chcymca.org.

International Creativity and Innovation Day — free workshop where participants learn about creative processes, exercise their imaginations and generate ideas. Mon, Apr 21, 1-2:30pm. Seymour Center, 2551 Homestead Rd, 932-7234, applyimagination.com

Outdoor activities

Niche Gardens guided garden walks — Saturdays through June, 10am. Spring planting, garden maintenance, design & gardening for wildlife with bird and butterfly gardens. Free. Niche Gardens, 1111 Dawson Rd, Chapel Hill. 967-0078 or www.nichegardens.com

Guided Tours — of the N.C. Botanical Garden’s Plant Collections, every Saturday at 10am. Led by trained volunteer tour guides and Botanical Garden curators. Free.

Digital Camera Workshop — Lecture and photo sessions in the gardens. Free, Fridays from 12:30-4pm

Kayak trips ­— small-group, local flatwater trips hosted by Kayak Adventures. 929-3805, kayakadventuresnc.com.

Kids

Toddler Time — At the Carrboro Branch Library. Every Thursday at 4pm. 969-3006.

Preschool Story Time – At the Carrboro Branch Library. Every Saturday at 10:30am.

ComedySportz 4 Kidz — Games & improv for the 12 & under crowd. Saturdays, 5pm. $10, students $8, kids under 5 $5. DSI Comedy Theater, Carr Mill Mall, 338-8150 www.dsicomedytheater.com

Express Yourself! — Art program for ages 3-8 & their caregivers. Weekly art projects for children & adults to explore their own creative paths. Saturdays, 10:45-11:15 & 11:30am-noon. $2. Kidzu Children’s Museum, 105 E Franklin St, 933-1455, www.kidzuchildrensmuseum.org

Nature Tales: Storytime in the Garden — NC Botanical Garden. Thursdays, 10-11am Children 3 to 5 years old are invited to attend a storytime in the garden. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Free.

Volunteers

RSVP 55+ Volunteer Program  — seeks volunteers to match other volunteers with opportunities for public service. 968-2056.

Meals on Wheels — seeks volunteers to deliver meals and/or bake simple desserts for recipients in the Chapel Hill/Carrboro area. 942-2948.

English as a Second Language Conversation Club — seeks volunteers to talk with groups of international students Fridays from 11:30am-1:30pm. University Methodist Church on Franklin St. 967-1448, harwellja@bellsouth.net.

Health & Wellness

Living with Advanced/Metastatic Cancer — A bi-weekly support group. Meets 1st and 3rd Wednesdays, 3:30-5pm. Drop-in, no charge. Cornucopia House Cancer Support Center. 401-9333, cornucopiahouse.org.

The Compassionate Friends: Self-help support after the death of a child — Free and open to all adults grieving the loss of a child or sibling. Third Mondays, 7-8:30pm. Evergreen United Methodist Church. 967-3221chapelhilltcf.org

Museums

Planetarium & Digital Theater Shows — Science LIVE Demos. Ongoing. Morehead Planetarium, 250 E Franklin St, Chapel Hill. Info hotline 549-6863, office 962-1236, tickets 843-7997. Thu-Sat 10am-5pm, 6:30-9:15pm. moreheadplanetarium.org.

Dance

Contra Dance — presented by The Carolina Song & Dance Association with a live caller and music by the Fabulous Shamrocks. Century Center. 967-9948, www.csda-dance.org

Havana Nights —Cuban Salsa. 1st and 3rd Thursdays, 10pm. Mansion 462, 462 W Franklin St, 967-7913, www.mansion462.net.

Salsa/Mambo —3rd Saturdays, lesson 8pm, dance 8:30-11pm. $7, 358-4201, salsa_4u2@yahoo.com. Fred Astaire Dance Studio, 4702 Garrett Rd, Durham.

Ballroom — 4th & 5th Thursdays, 7-9:30pm, $2. 933-8982. Seymour Senior Center, 2551 Homestead Rd, Chapel Hill, 968-2070.

Carrboro DanceJam —Free-style dance to an eclective mix of music. First Fridays. Balanced Movement Studio. 304 W Weaver St, upstairs. Smoke & alcohol free. Call 968-8776 for more info.

Lectures, Discussions & Open Mics

Open Mic —Poetry, music & short fiction. Tuesdays, 7pm, Market Street Books & Maps, Southern Village. 933-5111, www.marketstreetbooks.com

“What’s the Big Idea? Genetics, Ethics, and Human Health” — lecture series at the Friday Center. Lectures Apr 17 and 24. Call 962-2643 or visit fridaycenter.unc.edu/pdep for more information and online registration.

Role of Human Rights Commission in Orange County — discussion of racial profiling, immigrants’ rights and cooperation of human rights organizations in Orange County. Thu, Apr 17, 7pm. Chapel Hill Public Library, 100 Library Dr. 942-2535.

“A Tar Heel Cartoonist in Texas: Drawing the Line in the Lone Star State” —Editorial cartoonist John Branch. Accompanies a student cartooning exhibit. Wilson Library, 5pm, April 17.

“The Stone Center Cafe” — evening of tea, desserts, music and poetry. Readings of Harlem Renaissance authors and original works. Mon Apr 21, 7pm. Stone Center Theatre, UNC Campus.

Poetry Readings — in conjunction with Rare Book Collection exhibit “The Beats and Beyond: Counterculture Poetry, 1950-1975.” Tue, Apr 22, 3:30-4:30pm. Bull’s Head Bookshop.

“Avant-Garde Poetry in America After World War II” — panel discussion of post-WWII American Poetry. Wed, Apr 23, 6pm. Pleasants Family Assembly Room, Wilson Library.

“A View from the Bench” — forum and discussion with women candidates for the N.C. Court of Appeals of the importance of women’s voices in our judiciary. Thu, Apr 24, 7:30pm. The Chapel Hill Museum, 523 E Franklin St. 644-0869.

Films

“Searching for Angela Shelton” — Screening and discussion of Angela Shelton’s documentary about sexual assault across America. Sat, Apr 26, 5-7pm. Tate-Turner-Kuralt Building Auditorium, UNC Campus.

Other

Haiku Holiday — Readings, workshops and walks with experienced haiku poets. Hosted by the Haiku Society of America. Sat, Apr 26, 9am-3:45pm. Bolin Brook Farm. 929-4884, nc-haiku.org.