At Saturday's Book Garden groundbreaking, from left: Karen Donnelly, chair of the Davidson Public Art Commission; Mayor John Woods; Louis Stephens, owner of the CVS building and a majority of the Book Garden parcel; J'Nell Bryson, landscape architect and designer of the project; and Betsey and David Stewart.

Ground was broken Saturday for the town’s second major public art project, a $110,000 “book garden” on Main Street, in the area between the CVS pharmacy and the west porch of the Davidson library. Town officials, members of the public art commission and citizens who helped make project possible hoisted shovels during a 10 a.m. ceremony under the big oak on the site. Read the full story

A 2011 site plan shows location of the Book Garden (J'Nell Bryson studio)

Town of Davidson announcement
Work will begin soon on a long-awaited public art project that will transform an empty space between the Davidson library side porch and CVS. A groundbreaking for the Main Street Book Garden will be Saturday, May 12, at 10 a.m. at the site. Read the full story

Henry Sneed, backstage at the World Championships in Belfast. (Sneed family photo)

Henry Sneed, 11, of Davidson, competed at the Irish Dancing World Championships on April 1 in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and finished 15th overall out of 44 world qualifiers in the Boys 10-11 category – the youngest group of competitors at the world championship. Also representing the Lake Norman area and the Rince na h’Eireann School of Irish Dance at the world championships were Grace Gregory, 16, of Cornelius, who competed in the Girls 15-16 group, and Stephen Borthayre, of Mooresville, who competed in the Boys 14-15 category and in team competitions. Read the full story

Leland Park lectures about the history of Phi and Eu halls upstairs at Phi Hall Sunday. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

Phi and Eu halls are some of the oldest buildings at Davidson College, completed around 1849 and 1850. Although the halls and the societies that built them are no longer at the center of campus life, they are among the most celebrated structures in town. Read the full story

It was a sunny Saturday at Art on the Green in downtown Davidson. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

Updated 1:08 p.m.
Hundreds of visitors strolled among artists’ booths under a bright sun at Art on the Green Saturday in downtown Davidson. Four artists won awards at the event, and they’re among the booths not to miss on Day 2 of the festival Sunday. Meanwhile, the rainy weather has brought cancellation of Sunday night’s first Concert on the Green of the season, which was to have been a performance by the Davidson College Symphony and Jazz Ensemble. Read the full story

Davidson Community Players’ Connie Company youth theater group presents “A Bear Called Paddington” beginning this weekend, with 11-year-old Davidson Elementary fifth grader Rixey Terry leading a cast of local youth actors. Meanwhile, Davidson College also has theater on offer the next two weekends, in the annual one-act play series directed and produced by college seniors. Details in our Theater News column today, in THE GUIDE»

Ben Orroth tries his hand at a pottery wheel with the aid of Davidson potter Melissa Reddick (left) during Friday's April Is for Arts Gallery Crawl on Main Street Davidson. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

Main Street was busier than usual Friday night and not because of an influx of youngsters swarming the Village Green. Hundreds of art aficionados strolled along Main Street and South Main Street for the annual April Is for Arts Gallery Crawl. The evening also brought folks downtown for music at Summit Coffee, ice cream, and other treats.

Downtown manager Kim Fleming (left) and Ben & Jerry's manager Karen Toney at Friday's Gallery Crawl. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

A crowd gathered outside Summit Coffee as the crawl began. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

Teens who met up downtown Friday night included, from left, Sylvie Stanback, Madeleine Wright, Mary Iris Gray, and Emma Boraks (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

The calendar may say Friday the 13th, but there’s nothing suspicious about the festivities in Davidson this Friday night. It’s time for the annual April Is for Arts Gallery Crawl in downtown Davidson, and for a Toast the Earth wine-and-art benefit for Davidson Lands Conservancy at Homewood Suites. Here are details about both events: Read the full story