Pi Day is back this weekend at the Maryland Science Center, along with a pre-St. Patrick's Day event and egg decorating workshops. Thanks to Shruti Rastogi for the list. Find more family-friendly events on our Find Local database:
Thursday, March 11:
Weird science: The North Carroll branch of the Carroll County Public Library is holding a Homeschoolers Weird Science activity at 2 p.m. Kids can learn about the wind by observing a hair dryer make a ping pong ball float, making paper pinwheels, and making straws fly. It's for kids ages 7-11.
Circus symphony: The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and Cirque de la Symphonie will come together this Thursday through Sunday to put the French style of circus with performances by a contortionist, a head balancing artist, and more against the works of classical music. Thursday and Friday's performances at 8 p.m. and Sunday's performance at 3 p.m. will be at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, and Saturday's performance at 8 p.m. will be at The Music Center at Strathmore. Ticket prices start at $34.
Friday, March 12:
Tuneful Tales: The Aberdeen branch of the Harford County Public Library will offer Tuneful Tales, an interactive musical story time from 10:15 a.m. to 11 a.m. Kids from 18 months to kindergarten and their guardians are welcome to join in on the story time told totally in music and age-appropriate instruments.
Spelling bee: Sixty-four students from grades 4 through 8 will compete in the 6th Annual Howard County Library Spelling Bee at 7 p.m. in Howard High School. The event is free and the winner will advance to the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C in May.
Saturday, March 13:
Making masks: Make armored animal masks this Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for the Walters Art Museum's free Drop-In Art Activities. The masks focus on symbols and protection in armor and will be a collage made from mask forms, metallic papers, foils, etc. Kids can also discuss how to continue protecting animals, especially endangered ones.
Zoo opening: The Maryland Zoo will open for the 2010 season with a special "green carpet" event at the main gate. At 9:45 a.m. Don Hutchinson, the Maryland Zoo President and CEO, will meet and greet with patrons. Then at 9:55 a.m, weather permitting, African black-footed penguins Tux, Tails, and Ascot; ravens Rise and Conquer; and West African crowned crane Candy Crane will lead guests into the zoo. To celebrate its 134rd year in operation, the zoo is having a special gate ticket price of $5 a person for Saturday and Sunday. Kids under 2 are free.
Irish singing at the library: The Enoch Pratt Free Library is hosting performances by Batt and Maura Burns, a married couple from Ireland who will entertain viewers with traditional Irish storytelling, poetry, folk songs, Irish wit and humor, at two of its branches. They will perform at the Southeast Anchor Library at 11 a.m. and at the Brooklyn branch at 2 p.m. Copies of Batt Burns' new book, The King with Horse's Ears and Other Irish Folktales, will be on sale after the programs.
Film your own commercials: The Miller branch of the Howard County Library is letting teens star in and film their own commercials for an upcoming library event using the library's Flip cameras from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. The best commercial(s) may be featured on Youtube.com or the library Web site.
Sunday, March 14:
Egg decorating workshops: The Creative Alliance at the Patterson is holding two free Pysanky Ukrainian Egg Decorating Family Workshops at noon and 2:30 p.m. Halyna Mudryj will be teaching attendees about the art of wax and dye egg decorating she learned from her Ukrainian grandmother. Materials will be provided and kids must be accompanied by adults. Walk-ins are invited, but advance registration by calling (410) 276-1651 is recommended.
Pi Day at the Maryland Science Center: The Maryland Science Center is hosting its annual Pi Day celebration with pie-eating contests at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. using Key Lime pies donated by Morton's The Steakhouse. Anyone can sign up and 20 minutes before each competition, six people will be chosen to compete. There will also be a hula hoop endurance challenge and a Pi memorization competition. Events are free with regular admission, which is $14.95 for adults, $13.95 for those 60 and over, and $11.95 for kids 3 to 12.
(Photo of Pi Day at the Maryland Science Center by former Baltimore Sun photographer David Hobby)