Capital Fest, April 5, 2023

Held every two years in Raleigh during the long session of the North Carolina General Assembly, the NCHE Capital Fest is a special day full of activities for NC homeschoolers to meet with their legislators and attend special workshops on North Carolina’s legislative, executive and judicial branches. You don’t have to be an NCHE member to attend this event. The workshops are lectures, and the speakers know that they will be speaking to all ages.


Sign in will start at 8:30am in the Family Life Center of the First Baptist Church, 109 S. Wilmington Street, Raleigh, NC 27601. The workshop sessions will be held in the same location. The Alexander Square Parking Deck is directly across S. Wilmington Street from the Family Life Center, and the parking rate from three to four hours is $8.00 and four to five hours is $10.00.

Tickets will be available for the following workshops and tours. There is a limited number of these. You will be able to register for these when the registration form is available.

  • Workshop #1 or Workshop #2 of the General Assembly
  • Workshop #1 or Workshop #2 of the Executive Branch
  • Tour #1, #2, or #3 of the Supreme Court
  • Tour of the NC Capitol
  • Tour #1 or #2 of the NC Legislative Building

 

Capital Fest, Legislative BuildingMeet with Your Legislators

The best time to meet with legislators is in the morning. Call at least a week ahead to a make an appointment with your NC representative and senator. If you don’t know who your representative or senator is click here and follow the instructions.

 

Bring Homemade Cookies

Due to General Assembly rule changes, NCHE will not have a table set up in the legislative building. However, most legislators really appreciate it when constituents bring cookies when they come to visit. Some legislators have taken a vow to accept no gifts, and that includes cookies. So be sure to ask the legislative assistant when you make an appointment to meet with your legislator.

 

Capital Fest, Capitol BuildingNorth Carolina State Capitol

The North Carolina State Capitol, completed in 1840, is one of the finest and best-preserved examples of a major civic building in the Greek Revival style of architecture. It is a National Historic Landmark. It originally housed the governor’s office, cabinet offices, legislative chambers, state library, and state geologist’s office. The building has been restored to its 1840 – 1865 appearance. We were only able to schedule one tour of the State Capitol Building, but you may take a self-guided tour.

 

 

 

Capital Fest, Justice BuildingNorth Carolina Justice Building

Across Morgan Street from the North Carolina State Capitol, the North Carolina Justice Building houses the Supreme Court. The five story building was completed in 1940. The façade and 12-ton statue above the façade was made from granite that was quarried in Mount Airy.

 

 

 

2023 Capital Fest Schedule

   8:30-11:30 Sign in (Family Life Center of the First Baptist Church, 109 South Wilmington Street, Raleigh, NC 27601)
     9:00-9:50 Workshop-The NC Executive Branch #1 (in Family Life Center, Family Life Center of the First Baptist Church)
     9:30-10:00 NC State Capitol Tour (1 E Edenton St, Raleigh, NC 27601)
10:00-10:50 Workshop-The NC General Assembly #1 by Senator Warren Daniel(Family Life Center of the First Baptist Church)
10:00-11:00 Tour #1, Supreme Court-Tour of the Supreme Court and learn about the judicial system. (The Justice Building, 2 E Morgan St, Raleigh, NC 27601)
11:00-11:50 Greetings from our government officials (Family Life Center of the First Baptist Church)
11:00-11:30 NC Legislative Building Tour #1 (16 West Jones Street. Raleigh, NC 27601)
12:00-12:50 Lunch-NC History Museum outdoor picnic area [Order a box lunch (Chick-fil-A sandwich, chips, a chocolate chip cookie and bottled water), or bring your own.]
    1:00-1:50 Workshop-The NC General Assembly #2 by Representative Dennis Riddell (Family Life Center of the First Baptist Church)
    1:00-2:00 Tour #2, Supreme Court-Tour of the Supreme Court and learn about the judicial system. (The Justice Building, 2 E Morgan St, Raleigh, NC 27601)
    1:00-1:30 NC Legislative Building Tour #2 (16 West Jones Street. Raleigh, NC 27601)
   2:10-3:00 Workshop-The NC Executive Branch #2 – Lt. Governor Mark Robinson (in Family Life Center, Family Life Center of the First Baptist Church)
   2: 10-3:10 Tour #3, Supreme Court-Tour of the Supreme Court and learn about the judicial system. (The Justice Building, 2 E Morgan St, Raleigh, NC 27601)

 

To help defray some of the costs, we will charge a nominal fee of $4.00 per family to attend the workshops and the tours. Families who choose to only visit their legislators will not be charged a fee, and they are welcome to attend the greetings from our government officials from 11:00 -11:50 am in the Family Life Center of the First Baptist Church. Box lunches from Chick-fil-A with a Chick-fil-A sandwich, chips, a cookie and bottled water may be ordered for $12.50. The deadline for ordering the box lunch is March 22.

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