If you like parades, if you enjoy being serenaded by singers, if you have pressing gift orders for Santa, or if you like trolleys or horse-drawn carriages – then head to Christmas in Davidson, the highlight of this weekend’s events in town. The out-of-town highlight is the Saturday noon face-off between the Davidson College men’s basketball team and Duke, in Charlotte. Also on tap: a church barbecue, the college’s Red and Black Ball, and more.

Weekend of Nov. 29 – Dec. 2

EVENTS

“Christmas in Davidson” runs 6-9 p.m. nightly through Saturday night. Read our preview, or visit the Christmas in Davidson website for a full schedule.

Summit Coffee will have live musical entertainment this weekend, featuring the Pop-Indie duo Pale Face playing with Grey Revell and Ben Henry Friday and Billy Jones Saturday. The music starts at 8 p.m. each night.

Mainstreet Books will be holding book signing events Friday and Saturday, including Davidson English Professor Emeritus Tony Abbott signing his new book, “The Three Great Secret Things,” Friday (See “New novel out, Abbott hits the road”) and Davidson painter Virginia Quillen and poet Jackie Jones signing copies of their new release, “Lake Reflections,” which includes paintings and poems about Lake Norman. (See “Painter, poet publish ‘Lake Reflections,” ) Signings will take place from 6-8 p.m.

Reeves Temple AME Zion Church will hold its annual barbeque Friday and Saturday, starting at 10 a.m., with pork and chicken dinners. The church is located at 213 Watson Street. 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

The Wildcats men’s basketball team takes on Duke starting at noon in downtown Charlotte at the Bobcats Arena. Davidson will be playing to win. Remember, this is the team that played the No. 1 ranked Tar Heels to the buzzer earlier this month and then ate Appalachian State for dinner in Boone Monday. Alumni will be watching – the pregame brunch for alums is sold out and special telecasts of the game at restaurants and clubs have been set up for alums in 13 cities, from Texas to Florida to New York.

The annual North Mecklenburg Christmas Parade, starting in Davidson and heading south on Main Street to Cornelius starts at 1 p.m. Saturday and features floats, marchers, Santa and more.

The annual Red and Black Ball will be held Saturday night starting at 8 p.m. at Chambers Hall in Davidson College and will feature music by Sunset Drive. The event is sponsored by Warner Eating House. Proceeds benefit Metrolina AIDS Project and Mwandi Christian Mission Hospital. Tickets cost $30 per person if pre-purchased at the union and $35 at the door.

SPORTS

Besides the men’s basketball game, this weekend will also feature the Davidson wrestling team making its home debut Saturday to host the Davidson Open in the Knobloch Indoor Tennis Center. Action for the 15-team tournament begins at 9 a.m. and admission is free. The team is led by senior Trebor Clavette, ranked 30th in the nation by WrestlingReport.com at 174. Sunday, it’s time for the women’s basketball team to take to the court, hosting conference rival Winthrop at 2:30 p.m. in the John Belk Arena. Head coach Annette Watts recorded her 100th career win earlier this month in Asheville.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

• 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.
• MONDAY, DEC. 3 and TUESDAY, Dec. 4, 7 p.m. Davidson College Presbyterian Church Room 216 – Auditions for Davidson Community Players’ March production of “Proof,” by David Auburn. Details in our Nov. 16 item.
• 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.
• WEDNESDAY, DEC. 5, 7-10 p.m., Summit Coffee – Holiday party to benefit Levine Children’s Hospital. Summit will begin a month long new-toy drive for the children at the hospital, and local author Tony Brown (photo) will sell and sign his recently released book, “A Happy Guide to a Short Life.” The book is a response to Anna Quindlen’s “A Short Guide to a Happy Life,” creating a verbal debate between the best-selling novelist and a middle-aged father, who are both trying to make sense of the world.
• WEDNESDAY, DEC. 5, 8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. and THURSDAY, DEC. 6, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m., 416 Armour Street – Open house for the new, more spacious, offices for the Davidson Parks and Recreation Department.
• 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.
• TUESDAY, DEC. 11, 7 p.m., Davidson Public Library – Local authors will be reading from “13 Terrifying Tales from the North Carolina Piedmont,” a collection of area ghost stories.