It's officially the start of the Christmas season this weekend with the big Raleigh Christmas Parade on Saturday (even though it's not even Thanksgiving yet).

Here we go ... 

The Raleigh Christmas Parade runs along Hillsborough Street and continues to Fayetteville Street. It starts at 9:30 a.m., but I usually get there around 8:45 a.m. for a decent seat along Hillsborough Street. The parade runs about 2.5 hours. I always bring some blankets and warm drinks.

Holiday Springs and Sprockets is back at the Museum of Life and Science in Durham. The exhibit featuring a world of "mechanical marvels and artful wizardry" opens Saturday and runs through Jan. 3.

Mark Nizer brings his show, which combines comedy, juggling, music and more, to the Holly Springs Cultural Center on Saturday. It's part of the center's Super Saturdays for Families series.

Popular family performer Red Grammer returns to The ArtsCenter in Carrboro as part of its SuperFun Family Series on Saturday at 11 a.m. 

There's a free Family Day at the Nasher Museum of Art in Durham on Sunday afternoon.

And finally, for some of the best (and affordable!) entertainment around, check out your local high school theater programs. Two kid-friendly shows are on tap for this weekend:

Seussical, the Musical
Fuquay-Varina High School
November 19, 20 and 21 at 7 p.m.
$8 in advance; $10 at the door

Honk!
A Musical Comedy Based on The Ugly Duckling
Orange High School
November 19, 20 and 21 at 7 p.m.
November 22 at 3 p.m.
$8 at the door

And there's more on the Mom2Mom calendar.