2012 Family Fun Concert
Attendees of Bookmarked! 2011's Family Fun Concert will be delighted to know that we're planning one again in 2012!
Our venue this year will be The Green at North Hills in Raleigh (with plenty of parking, restaurants, and restroom facilities!) on Saturday, May 5, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon.
Local children's band Sandbox (pictured at left) will headline the concert. A five-piece family music band from the Triangle, Sandbox play what they call “rockin’, rootsy music” for children of all ages—songs, they promise, moms and dads will enjoy, too! Their live shows mix traditional songs and their own original tunes that embrace the joys of childhood, including favorite kid foods, winning and losing, hopes and dreams, bath time, and car trips.
The most fun thing about family concerts, Sandbox member Jeff Morats says, “is watching the children enjoy the music, especially their dance moves! The second most fun part is watching the parents (and grandparents) watch their kids enjoy the music. Each demographic experience the songs differently, of course, but it's always a blast to see the kids dancing their little hearts out, while the parents and grandparents are singing along.”
The band will be joined throughout the morning by local celebrity-hero readers and other kid-friendly guests. Carolina Ballet's Elice McKinley (at right) will get things started with a reading at 9 a.m. 
Theatre in the Park’s Ira David Wood (at bottom) will make his second Family Fun Concert appearance at 10 a.m. They will be joined by Bookmarked! 2012 featured author Audrey Penn, who will read from her bestselling children’s books at 11 a.m..
Center volunteers will be on hand to sell 
autographed copies of Ms. Penn’s books as part of our Lucy's Book Club Book Fair in conjunction with Quail Ridge Books. Twenty percent of sales proceeds will benefit Lucy’s Book Club and the Center’s Family Support Fund in 2012-13.
Facepainting by Paint Savvy and other free children's activities will be offered as well.
The event is free and open to the public. Concessions will be available at nearby North Hills eateries. Visit http://www.northhillsraleigh.com/ for directions, parking, and other details about The Green at North Hills and North Hills Commons.
