"5 Things You Need to Know About..." Graduations, Fitness, and Weekend Activities

1. Manchester High School's Class of 2011 will hold its commencement ceremony at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Comcast Theatre in Hartford. 

2. Children ages 5-10 are invited to the Lutz Children's Museum to learn about . Participants will learn the joys and hardships of castle life and investigate the form and function behind castle construction and design (and even get the opportunity to build their own 3-D castle).

3. The American College of Sports Medicine recently announced the results of its annual , and the Hartford metropolitan area was ranked 7th due mainly to the high activity rate of residents as well as access to great medical facilities and hiking and biking trails. 

4. If you're interested in helping to spruce up your local community, will meet Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Arbor's at 403 W. Center St. 

5. And if you're looking for some fun, family-friendly activities this weekend, our latest column features TONS of local options to help get you out of the house.