It’s a quiet weekend in Davidson, folks. Your best option for shaking off that post-turkey dinner feast sloth is heading to the college arena to cheer the nationally ranked Wildcats men’s basketball team Saturday. Also consider live music at Summit Coffee Friday and Saturday or helping the college church hang up their greens Sunday evening.

Weekend of Nov. 23-25

EVENTS

Summit Coffee will have live musical entertainment this weekend, featuring indie pop artist Josh Pender, also known as the “Ninja Panda,” Friday and folk rock by the Rick Spreitzer Trio Saturday. The music starts at 8 p.m. each night.

The Wildcats men’s basketball team will prepare for next weekend’s big faceoff with Duke by taking on North Carolina Central at 2 p.m. Saturday. The Eagles, based in Durham, are in their first Division I season, and began the year by losing to Duke 121-56 in their opening game and then taking another hard loss, 105-51, against the University of Florida. NCC won its first game as a Division I team Wednesday against Tennessee Tech U, 73-70. The Wildcats are currently ranked 25th in the ESPN/USA Today coaches poll, the first appearance in that poll since the 1969-70 season. Davidson is coming off a 76-83 loss Wednesday in Kalamazoo to Western Michigan.

Davidson United Methodist Church will host its annual “Hanging of the Greens” Sunday evening starting at 6 p.m. Participants will sing holiday music, decorate the church, make Advent wreathes for home and enjoy refreshments and fellowship. Childcare available. Reserving Advent wreath supplies ($8) is suggested. Contact Menita Mercuri at mmercuri@davidsonumc.org or 704-892-8277 to do so.

With only 31 shopping days until Christmas, two venues are ready to offer you local trimmings for your Christmas tree. Downtown Davidson Inc. has commissioned the first in a planned series of commemorative holiday ornaments to help raise money for Christmas in Davidson festival. The gold 2007 ornaments are available at several Main Street stores. Meanwhile, the college bookstore is offering Davidson College reindeer ornaments (see photo) and other seasonal gifts at the union.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

• MONDAY, NOV. 26, 2:30 p.m., Ben & Jerry’s, 202 S. Main St. – “Give a Pint, Get a Pint” blood drive. When you donate a pint to the Red Cross, you get a coupon for a free pint of ice cream or frozen yogurt. A donors also entered in a prize drawing.
• MONDAY, NOV. 26, Town Hall, 216 S. Main St. – November Planning Board meeting. Issues may include the 100-foot Meeting Place tower off Exit 30 and the 34-home Davidson Hall luxury home subdivision off Pine Road.
• TUESDAY, NOV. 27, Town Hall, 216 S. Main St. – Monthly Town Board work session. Work sessions are typically information and discussion meetings, but the board has agreed to depart from its rules to vote on several items before the new board is sworn in next month. The meeting is expected to include votes on a rezoning request by developer Rick Mack for a 100-foot tower off Exit 30, called Meeting Place; and a 34-unit luxury housing subdivision proposed off Pine Road by developer Ray Killian and property owner Lawrence Kimbrough, called Davidson Hall.
• THURS. – SAT., NOV 29 – DEC. 1 – The town of Davidson will be hosting its 19th annual Christmas in Davidson celebration. Planned events include Santa and Mrs. Claus, strolling carolers, horse-drawn carriages, hot cider, live music, street magicians and more. The celebration concludes with a parade through town Dec. 1.
• FRIDAY, NOV. 30 – SATURDAY, DEC. 1, 213 Watson Street, 10 a.m. – Reeves Temple AME Zion Church will hold its annual barbeque each day with pork and chicken dinners. Choice of a plate of food or 3 sandwiches are available for $7. Church members will deliver five orders or more within 25 mile radius. Contact Castella Alexander at caalexander@davidson.edu
• SATURDAY, DEC. 1, noon, Bobcats Arena, Charlotte – Davidson men’s basketball vs. Duke.
• MONDAY, DEC. 3, 7:30 – 9 p.m., Duke Family Performance Hall – The college’s Concert Choir will join members of the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra to perform Handel’s “Messiah.” Tickets are $20 for general admission, $15 for staff and seniors, free for students.
• TUESDAY, DEC. 4, 7 – 8:30 p.m., Summit Coffee – Informal discussion of Doug Marlette led by Mark Ethridge, managing editor of the Charlotte Observer during Marlette’s tenure. This will be the final DavidsonREADS event related to “The Bridge.” The talk by Mr. Ethridge will be followed with a concert by folk rock acoustic guitarist and singer Jon Troast, performing at Summit that night from 9-10 p.m.
• THURSDAY, DEC. 6, 7 to 8:30 p.m., Davidson Public Library – Local author Tony Abbot will discuss and sign copies of his new novel “The Three Great Secret Things.” The book is a sequel to the 2003 novel “Leaving Maggie Hope” by Mr. Abbott, a professor emeritus of English at Davidson College. Admission is free. To register, call 704-892-8557.
• THURSDAY, DEC. 6, 7 p.m., Davidson College Visual Arts Center, Main and Griffith streets – Andrew Dunnill (photo), the Town of Davidson’s first artist-in-residence, lectures on public art sculpture and his own monumental cast iron and steel sculptures. Reception following, where he will discuss plans for public art in Davidson.
• SATURDAY, DEC. 8, 7:30 p.m. and SUNDAY, DEC. 9, 3 p.m., St. Alban’s Church, 310 Caldwell Lane – The Beggar Boys (photo). The Celtic Christmas concert by the Beggar Boys is a popular annual feature of the St. Alban’s series. The group consists of Boston musicians playing with Davidson’s own Henry Lebedinsky and Kate Minogue. In addition, the musicians will be joined by Irish step dancers from Charlotte’s Rince na h’Eireann academy of Irish Dance. A portion of proceeds from this concert will benefit the Ada Jenkins Center. Ticket info on the series website.
• SATURDAY, DEC. 8, 9:30 and 11, Davidson Town Hall – “Mrs. Happy Holiday Shares Stories of the Season,” a story program for kids with storyteller Janet Harllee. Ages 5-7 in the 9:30 hour and 8-10 in the 11 a.m. hour. Cost, $5 per child. Register on http://www.d-recs.org (barcodes 1888, 1889) or call 704-892-3349.

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