7.30.2011

Summer seems like its going by so fast. Spend some time outdoors walking the trail before school starts back, stop in the museum to cool off and look around, and bring a picnic to eat outside at our picnic area.

We have lots of events coming up, including several lectures, a concert, and Night at the Museum 2! Details on all of these events will be coming shortly!

Summer Camp

Friday was the last day of the Roanoke Canal Museums kids camp, "blast from the past". We had a great time exploring our town and learning some local history. To kick things off on Monday, we took a tour of the Roanoke Rapids dam, which was very informative and helped us learn how water helps generate power and electricity. We then went back to the Museum for a snack and made handmade brooms. On Tuesday we toured the Museum and learned all about the history of the canal. Afterwards we made beautiful flowers out of pine cones. Wednesday was out day to go to the Aqueduct and play at the park, then we made necklaces out of vintage buttons. On Thursday we had some time to play at the park and then made a visit to the Dallas Jones Veterans Museum, where several wonderful people showed us around and helped us to understand the importance of our local veterans and what they did for us, our town, and our country. Friday was our last day together, and to finish up we had a cookout on the Museum lawn, made a decorative campfire craft, played a great game of baseball, and had an exciting scavenger hunt! A big thanks to everyone who helped make the camp come together!

"Blast from the Past" Summer Day Camp

Attention kids ages 9-12! Experience the Canal Museum and Trail and the history of your hometown in a fun and interactive way this June 27-July 1. The camp will begin each morning at 9:00am and will end at 12:00noon daily. See the aqueduct and the Roanoke Rapids Dam first hand. Make amazing historical art and crafts. Play fun and entertaining games from the past. This camp promises to be an amazing experience for all kids ages 9-12, so call the museum at (252) 537-2769 and register now! The following is the itenirary for the day camp: Monday, June 27 9:00 - Depart for Tour of the Roanoke Rapids Lake Dam 9:30 - Tour of the Dam 10:30 - Snack and Play in the Park 11:00 - Depart for Canal Museum 11:15 - Heritage Craft! 12:00 - End Day Tuesday, June 28 9:00 - Tour Canal Museum 10:00 - 19th Century Games and Interactive Fun! 10:45 - Snack and Play 11:00 - Heritage Craft! 12:00 - End Day Wednesday, June 29 9:00 - Depart for the Aqueduct 9:30 - Tour Aqueduct 9:45 - Scavenger Hunt! 10:15 - Depart for Canal Museum 10:40 - Snack and Play 11:00 - Heritage Craft! 12:00 - End Day Thursday, June 30 9:00 - Depart for Haliwa-Saponi Tribe Location in Hollister, NC 9:30 - Haliwa-Saponi Program 11:00 - Depart for the Canal Museum 12:00 - End Day Friday, July 1 9:00 - Depart for the Roanoke River Boat Ride 10:45 - Arrive at River Falls Park via boat 11:00 - Hot Dog Cookout and Play at the Park 11:30 - Depart for Canal Museum 12:00 - End Camp

Location : Roanoke Canal Museum, 15 Jackson St Extension, Roanoke Rapids, NC, 27870 Contact : (252) 537-2769

Concert Venue Change!

The 60's music concert is still right on track for tomorrow, May 14th, at 7pm! It was going to be outside on the lawn at the canal museum, but with rain in the forecast, we have decided to move indoors, to the Roanoke Rapids Theatre! Plan on all the food, fun and music, but none of the rain! The Theatre is located at exit 171 on interstate 95. Directions can be found on the Theatre website, www.rrcitytheatre.com. Get in with your all access pass, concert ticket, or you can get in at the door for $5. We hope you will come out, we are going to have a great time!

Countdown to the 60s

The countdown to Roanoke Valley in the 1960s is on! In just a little over a week the Roanoke Canal Museum will be reliving the era with three days of music, food, and fun! On May 12th, learn a little history and see some really neat memorabilia at the opening of our brand new 60s themed exhibit. May 13th will be the premier of our documentary at the Roanoke Rapids High School auditorium, and May 14th is the huge 60s concert on the Roanoke Canal Museum lawn. The Redublic will be performing, along with the Roanoke Valley's very own Aretha Franklin, Brenda Balmer, as well as Alan Stallings, who will sing in the style of Roy Orbison, and in their premier performance, The What! Comprised of students from RRHS, The What formed in December of 2010, and under the guidance of Lance Jenkins, have been preparing for this concert since their formation. Tickets are on sale now, and can be purchased at the museum, at the Daily Herald office, and here. All access passes to all three days are only $10 each, and individual tickets to each event is $5 each. We are really excited and hope you will join us for 3 nights of fun for the whole family.

Nature Walk

This weekend, join us at the Museum for a leisurely walk along the canal trail with Dr. Riddick and Alice Ricks. We will be focusing on the different wildflowers that can be found along the trail. Saturday's walk will begin at 1pm, and Sunday's will begin at 2pm. Space is limited but there is still time to sign up by calling the Museum at 537-2769.

The Roanoke Canal Mountain Biking Club started back up last Thursday. Riders can meet at the Museum entrance on Thursdays at 5:50pm to ride with the group. There will be a points system for all riders to gain points to earn prizes each month. Riding with the group on Thursdays will earn you double points per mile, while riding any other time gains you a single point per mile. Mileage can be reported to the Museum, where we will keep up with everyone's points. At the end of the month, different prizes will be awarded to each age division. There will be a 5-12 age division, 13-17 age division, 18-30 age division, 30-55 age division, and a senior division. All ages and skill levels are encouraged to come out and ride. 

You can sign up for the Mountain Biking Club by visiting www.roanokecanal.com and filling out the online sign up form, or by picking up a sign up form at the museum during normal hours, Tuesday-Saturday 9am-4pm.

Don't forget about our "Music of the 1960's" lecture coming up on April 19th with Christopher Wright from Halifax Community College. It starts at 6:30pm, and admission is $4 for the general public, $3 for friends of the canal. Reserve your seat by calling 537-2769.

As always, planning for "Roanoke Valley in the 1960's" is still ongoing. We are really excited to see everything come together and hope you will join us for what promises to be a fun time. Come out on May 12th, 13th, and 14th for all the festivities. Our official Roanoke Valley in the 1960's t-shirts are now on sale. They are $12 each and can be purchased at the Museum. All Access Passes can be purchased at the Museum, and now at the Daily Herald office as well. At $10 each, they are a great deal and get you into all 3 days of the event. You can get individual passes to each event for $5 each.

1960's music sneek peek

"Roanoke Valley in the 1960's" is just a little over a month away. We are really excited, and wanted to share some of the great acts that will be performing at our concert on the 14th! We will have "The Redublic", a great band right out of Roanoke Rapids. Also performing will be "The What", another local band made up of students from Roanoke Rapids High School. A free preview of "The What" can be found right here on "countdown to the 1960's" with Lance Jenkins. Alan Stallings will be performing the music of Roy Orbison, and we will have the Roanoke Valley's very own Aretha Franklin! Come out and see these acts and other great local bands! The concert will be May 14th, and you can get your tickets now by visiting the Roanoke Canal Museum, or calling us at (252) 537-2769. All access passes, which include admission to the exhibit opening, documentary premier, and concert, are only $10 each. Individual tickets to each event cost $5 each.

In other news, the Mountain Biking Club is set to start riding again on Thursday, April 14th, at 5:30pm.

The club will feature a points system where bikers can compete for monthly prizes. Riders who ride every Thursday, the official club riding day, will receive double points for each mile ridden. Mountain Biking Club members who ride on their own can earn points for each mile they ride, too. Those who ride on their own simply report their miles ridden at the museum, and the points are logged there. At the conclusion of each month, points will be tallied and those in each division who have ridden the most will be rewarded with prizes. There will be a 5-12 age division, 13-17 age division, 18-30 age division, 30-55 age division, and a senior division. One person in each division will be rewarded each month for the most points accrued. The club is a great way to get out and get some exercise, and all ages and skill levels are encouraged to ride. If you're just starting to ride or are a pro, we want to see you!

On Saturday and Sunday, April 16th and 17th, join us for a walk on the trail with Dr. Riddick and Alice Ricks. This tour is specifically designed for wildflower lovers, and will focus on the flowers along the trail. Space is limited, so reserve your spot by calling the museum at (252) 537-2769.

Last but certainly not least is our upcoming lecture, "Music of the 1960's", presented by Christopher Wright, humanities professor at Halifax Community College. This will be a great lead in to "Roanoke Valley in the 1960's". Admission is $4 to the general public, $3 for members of the Friends of the Canal. Ask how you can join the Friends of the Canal and reserve your seat today by calling (252) 537-2769.

The warmer weather means it's a great time to get out and enjoy the trail. With over 7 miles to walk, run, or bike, it's the perfect way to get out and enjoy the sights and resources we have right here in the Roanoke Valley.