The weekend is here, and it’s time for some frugal family fun!

Jacksonville Area Activities:

All weekend:

• 26th Annual Hoggetowne Medieval Faire – Friday, 9:30 am to 3:00 pm, Saturday & Sunday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm – $14/adult, $7/child (half-price tickets on Friday) – The Faire, held at the Alachua County Fairgrounds, is the perfect place to bring even the youngest members of the kingdom. Children delight in visiting the royal pavilion, where they will become lords and ladies of the court of Hoggetowne. Indulge not only your children, but also yourself with rides on a camel, pony or even an elephant. Human-powered push rides further add to the authentic medieval fun.  Enjoy entertainment like jugglers and magicians, shop for goods from over 160 artisans, and visit the food court for a feast fit for a king.
• Regal Cinemas Weekly Deal – Thursday through Sunday – Get a coupon for $2 off any candy purchase.
• First Weekend Union Garrison at Fort Clinch State Park -Saturday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Sunday, 9:00 am to 12:00 pm – $2/person, plus park entrance fee of $6/vehicle – Living historians recreate life at Fort Clinch during the War Between the States.  Activities may include black powder artillery demonstrations and marching drills, as well as soldiers and civilians taking up duty in the laundry, infirmary and kitchen.  Candlelight viewing on Saturday evenings every First Weekend except December.

Friday:

• $5 Fridays at the MOSH – 10:00 am to 8:00 pm – $5 per person – The Museum of Science & History (MOSH) inspires the joy of lifelong learning by bringing to life the sciences and regional history.
• Friday Family Night at Adventure Landing- 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm – $24.99 – Enjoy a Large Pepperoni Pizza, Unlimited Laser Tag and Unlimited Miniature Golf for just $24.99!  Valid up to 4 guests. Each additional family member is $5 (does not include additional pizza).  This is a great value – a single round of laser tag or golf is regularly $7.25 per person!!

Saturday:

• 75 Years of Imagination with Dr. Seuss – 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm – FREE! – Help us celebrate 75 years of imagination at the Avenues Mall as your whole family participates in activities that celebrate all things Dr Seuss: * View episodes of The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That * Cat in the Hat costume character * Parade * Decorate your own Parade hat * Dr Seuss Activity Booklets * Bookmark Coloring Activity * Book Readings * Goody Bags (while supplies last) * Prizes and more!!
• Water Education Festival at MOSH – 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm – FREE! – Join the City of Jacksonville Environmental Protection Board, MOSH, St. Johns Riverkeeper and St. Johns River Water Management District for this free admission day. Guests will celebrate one of our most precious resources, the St. Johns River, as they enjoy activities and presentations inside MOSH and around Friendship Fountain. The Water Education Festival is from noon to 4 p.m.
• Jacksonville Giants vs. Columbus Riverballers – 7:00 pm – as low as $6/person – The Giants currently have a wonderful 11-2 record!  Two hours before the game, there are bouncy houses for the children and clowns handing out free balloons.  Upon entering the Arena, volunteers are painting faces and offering programs.  The Giants games are always fast-paced and fun!!

Sunday:

• Family Free Days at MOCA – 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm – FREE! – Admission to the Museum of Contemporary Art is free to children and accompanying adults on Sundays.

Throughout the U.S.:

• Home Depot Kids Workshop- Saturday from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm – FREE! – Kids can build a Keepsake Box to hold private treasures, or to give as a gift for Valentine’s Day!
• Lakeshore Learning – Saturday from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm – FREE! – Kids design a cool, flip-open book they’ll be proud to draw & write in!
• A.C. Moore – Saturday from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm – FREE! – Nicole Crafts Tri-Bead Valentine Heart
• Michael’s – Sunday from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm – FREE! – Create a fun mailbox for Valentine’s Day goodies, with purchase of foam or white craft mailbox.
• Michael’s – Sunday from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm – FREE! – Craft a sophisticated card for a loved one.

If you need some more ideas, check out the Jax4Kids event list. What frugal fun do you have planned for this weekend? Leave a comment and share your idea!

Pottery Works on Southside Blvd. is offering a Mommy and Me Pottery Session for $15 or $20 worth of pottery and studio time for $10!  I think my 5 year old is finally old enough to do something like this.  It will be a great way for her to make her own (usuable!) Christmas gifts for family members.  Quite a few years back my oldest made plates for my parents and siblings, and my mom still pulls hers out every Christmas!

Friday through Sunday, you can bowl for 99¢ a game until 6:00 pm at Bowl America.  Our local Bowl America is usually $3 to $5 per game depending on the day, so this would save our family of five around $20 per game!  What a fun & frugal family outing!!  Go here to find a location near you.

Fine Print:  This does not include shoe rental, and there is a three-game limit if there are other customers waiting.

The weekend is here, and it’s time for some frugal family fun!  Lots of back to school events going on this weekend!!

Jacksonville Area Activities:

All weekend:

• Jacksonville Zoo “92° at the Zoo” Promotion – Between July 5 and August 31, 2011, you can get a coupon for 50% off admission to the Zoo on days that the temperature is predicted to be 92 degrees or higher.
• Sales Tax Holiday – All day Friday, Saturday, and Sunday there will be a sales tax exemption on clothes less than $75 and school supplies less than $15.

Friday:

• Healthy Jacksonville Obesity Coalition 10th Anniversary Celebration – 9:30 am to 11:30 am – FREE! – Children are invited to test their skills on the Saturday Night Lights Rock Climbing Wall, run the HERO obstacle course, learn how to Zumba with First Coast YMCA children’s instructors and more.  Also, don’t miss out on your opportunity to meet Olympic Gold Medalist Shannon Miller and Wimbledon Tennis champion MaliVai Washington.
• $5 Fridays at the MOSH – 10:00 am to 8:00 pm – $5 per person – The Museum of Science & History (MOSH) inspires the joy of lifelong learning by bringing to life the sciences and regional history.

Saturday:

• Family Saturday at Tree Hill – 10:00 am – $5/family – This week’s activity is an Egg Carton Caterpillar.
• Florida Orienteering Festival – 10:00 am to 3:00 pm – $2/person – Bring the family for a day learning how to navigate through the Florida wilderness. Open to all ages and levels of experience, this trail-hiking program is a light competition with different skill level trails (one, two and three mile courses). Compasses are available for rent.
• Florida Blue Back to School Carnival – 10:00 am to 4:00 pm – FREE – The Jacksonville Florida Blue center invites local families to the Florida Blue Back to School Carnival where attendees will be offered FREE children’s sports physicals (must be  accompanied by parent), food, giveaways, carnival games and fun for the entire family. The Carnival offerings also include FREE health screenings including cholesterol and glucose tests, blood pressure measurements and more; FREE expert one-on-one consultations; FREE relaxing massages; and opportunities to win prizes.
• Avenues Mall Back 2 School Expo – 10:00 am to 6:00 pm – FREE – Gear up for the school year with amazing deals and information from the area’s Back To School experts! Enjoy special offers and prizes, an inflatable fun zone, a live stage and much more.
• Art for Two at the Cummer – 10:30 am to 12:00 pm – $10/members, $15/non-members – Learn about Jacksonville’s own Norman Studio’s western movies, then create a cowboy/cowgirl hat collage.

Sunday:

• Birding for Kids – 9:00 am to 10:30 am – FREE – This fun, educational program will introduce kids ages 8-12 to birding at Fort Mose Historic State Park.  The program will begin with a session on how to identify birds followed by a scavenger hunt to find a list of common birds in the park.  Space is limited to 15 children; call 823-2232 to register.
• Family Free Days at MOCA – 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm – FREE! – Admission to the Museum of Contemporary Art is free to children and accompanying adults on Sundays.

Throughout the U.S.:

• Lowe’s Build and Grow Clinic – Saturday at 10:00 am – FREE – Kids make a School House Photo Holder.
• Michael’s – Saturday from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm – FREE (with purchase of clay pot) – Create a crafty bookworm from a clay pot–great place to hold your bookmarks and other knickknacks.
• Lakeshore Learning – Saturday from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm – FREE! – Children bring their favorite dinosaurs to life as they decorate delightful puppets with horns, scales, and fun foam claws.
• Michael’s – Saturday from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm – FREE – Create a stylish and sturdy folder to keep you organized with Duck Tape.
• Joann’s – Saturday from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm – FREE! – Crayola Bookmark Make It Take It.
• A.C. Moore – Saturday from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm – FREE – Hands-On Demonstration of Cricut Autumn Celebrations Cartridge.
• Joann’s – Saturday from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm – FREE! – Fabric Crafting with Wrights & Jacquard.

Exploring a park is a great frugal activity!  Did you know that Jacksonville has 111,669 acres of parks??  We have the country’s largest urban park system, which means lots of FREE and cheap places spend a fun weekend!  Check out one of Jacksonville’s city or state parks with your family.

If you need some more ideas, check out the Jax4Kids event list. What frugal fun do you have planned for this weekend? Leave a comment and share your idea!

The weekend is here, and it’s time for some frugal family fun!  It’s hot out, so try to stay cool!!

Jacksonville Area Activities:

All weekend:

• Jacksonville Zoo “92° at the Zoo” Promotion – Between July 5 and August 31, 2011, you can get a coupon for 50% off admission to the Zoo on days that the temperature is predicted to be 92 degrees or higher.

Friday:

• $5 Fridays at the MOSH – 10:00 am to 8:00 pm – $5 per person – The Museum of Science & History (MOSH) inspires the joy of lifelong learning by bringing to life the sciences and regional history.

Saturday:

• Jacksonville Landing 2nd Annual Family Fun Day -10:00 am to 4:00 pm – FREE - Activities and events include dance and musical performances by local dance groups and bands, Family Expo (featuring local children’s boutiques, summer camps, organizations, health and safety awareness and more!), Bounce houses, Water activities, Arts and crafts, Face painting, Petting Zoo, Balloon animals, Giveaways, Special appearances by some of today’s most popular characters, and MUCH more!
• Family Saturday at Tree Hill – 10:00 am – $5/family – This week’s activity is an Egg Carton Caterpillar.

Sunday:

• Family Free Days at MOCA – 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm – FREE! – Admission to the Museum of Contemporary Art is free to children and accompanying adults on Sundays.

Throughout the U.S.:

• Michaels – Saturday from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm – FREE (with purchase of crown) – Passport to Fun – United Kingdom Crown & Shamrock Event:  Travel to the UK through craft. Create an artful crown and shamrock.
• Lakeshore Learning – Saturday from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm – FREE! – Kids get creative as they make a colorful jellyfish that gently waves in the breeze like it would in the sea!
• Joann’s – Saturday from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm – FREE! – Papercrafting with Fiskars & Core’dinations.
• Michaels – Saturday from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm – FREE! – Wilton Cupcake Cookie Demo:  Learn how to decorate cookies to look like cupcakes and candies with fresh ideas from the BRAND NEW Wilton 2012 Yearbook of Cake Decorating.
• Joann’s – Saturday from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm – FREE! – Floss Kits.
• AC Moore – Saturday from 1:00 to 5:00 pm – FREE (with purchase of T-Shirt) – Tie-Dye a T-shirt.
• Michaels – Sunday from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm – FREE (with purchase of frame) – Christmas In July Frame Event:  Decorate a festive frame for the holidays.

Exploring a park is a great frugal activity!  Did you know that Jacksonville has 111,669 acres of parks??  We have the country’s largest urban park system, which means lots of FREE and cheap places spend a fun weekend!  Check out one of Jacksonville’s city or state parks with your family.

If you need some more ideas, check out the Jax4Kids event list. What frugal fun do you have planned for this weekend? Leave a comment and share your idea!