Weekend Picks

The best activities and things to do this weekend in northern Westchester:

Trek Our Trails Hike-a-thon Hike Teatown's 15 miles of trails and raise funds to support their environmental education programs, the care of the nature preserve, and regional conservation efforts. After the hike, enjoy an Earth Day celebration with music, birds of prey shows, and more. Saturday, 8:00 to 2:00. Teatown Lake Reservation

Sheep-to-Shawl Explore each step in the process of turning wool into cloth using 18th-century techniques. Sheep-shearing, dyeing wool, and weaving cloth are just some of the activities. Saturday, 10:00 to 6:00. Philipsburg Manor

Mufaro's Beautiful Daughter Based on John Steptoe’s Caldecott Award winning book, this African folktale (above) is brought to life by the Dallas Children’s Theater. Saturday, 2:00. Paramount Center for the Arts

Soap Making for Adults Join Mia Camacho from the Clean Ridge Soap Company as she demonstrates soap making with the cold process technique. Saturday, 1:00 to 3:00. Muscoot Farm

Learning Trees by Their Bark, Buds, and Leaves Many trees can be easily identified by their unique markings, growth habits, leaf shape, and bark characteristics. See how many species you can discover during this informative hike. Saturday, 1:00. Ward Pound Ridge Reservation

The Early Birder Is it true that the early birder gets the best birds? Meet at Cliffdale Farm to search the fields for bluebirds and early spring migrants. Sunday, 9:00. Teatown Lake Reservation

Earth Day Westchester 2009 Celebrate with live music and entertainment, free “Earth Machine” composting bins, raffles for prizes like a home energy audit, Farmers Market, lawn and gardening advice, “green” exhibits, and more. Held at Kensico Dam Plaza. Sunday, 10:00 to 4:00. Earth Day Westchester

Putting the 3D in 2D Kids can rip, tear, and create space and dimension in a figurative composition using color. Sunday 1:00 to 3:00. Neuberger Museum of Art

Family Discovery Sunday Enjoy a short tour and themed activity. Sunday, 2:00 to 5:00. John Jay Homestead State Historic Site

Westchester's National Book Award Winners Enjoy readings by Young People's Literature Winner Judy Blundell of Katonah and Poetry Finalist Patricia Smith of Tarrytown. Sunday, 4:30. Hudson Valley Writer's Center

Great Artist Concert Renowned for fresh and profound interpretations, the Brentano String Quartet rounds out the Mendelssohn celebration with the composer's second string quartet and second string quintet. Sunday, 4:00. Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts

Creating a Rain Garden Lasdon's horticulturist discusses how a rain garden works and how to create one. Sunday, 2:00. Lasdon Park, Arboretum & Veterans Memorial

Marc Von Em Enjoy the soulful, funky, sometimes bluesy, sometimes haunting sounds of Marc Von Em. Sunday, 6:00 to 9:00. 12 Grapes Music and Wine Bar