U.S. Poet Laureate W.S. Merwin will be in Davidson Monday night to give Davidson College’s annual Joel A. Conarroe Lecture. Tickets are still available. Details in our latest Literary News column, in THE GUIDE »

A Metro School student listens at the Seicento String Band rehearsal (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

Members of the Seicento String Band and the Music @ St. Alban’s series provided an unusual outing for special needs kids from Charlotte’s Metro School on Friday: a chance to hear an open rehearsal at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, followed by a picnic on the lawn.

The event came as the musical group rehearsed for their concert “Vivaldi: The Storm” scheduled this Sunday, May 1, at 3 p.m., at St. Alban’s. Read the full story

Davidson’s annual Art on the Green festival is scheduled this Saturday and Sunday on the Village Green, with exhibits, demonstrations, music and food on the lawn in front of the Davidson library. And when the festival ends, the town’s 2011 Concerts on the Green series begins with a performance by the Davidson College Symphony and Davidson College Jazz Ensemble. For details, including an Art on the Green schedule and a season lineup for Concerts on the Green, see The Guide, CLICK HERE »

Click to download a map/guide to the gallery crawl.

The town of Davidson and local merchants will host the annual April is for Arts Gallery Crawl on Friday, April 8, from 6 to 9 p.m. at local businesses, restaurants, galleries and Town Hall.

About 30 businesses will participate this year, including two in the North Harbor area, off I-77 Exit 30. Flatiron Kitchen & Taphouse and the Brickhouse Tavern are also in on the crawl. Read the full story

A task force chaired by Bruce McMillen of Davidson told the Cornelius Town Board on Monday that The Cornelius Arts Center should move to a better facility within the next two years. The center is home to the Community Arts Project, which had its roots in the Children’s Arts Project and Creative Art Exchange. Read more about the idea in Christina Rogers’ story on CorneliusNews.net, CLICK HERE »

Steve Langley demonstrates his paddle ball prowess, with 9 paddles. Click the image to watch a video.

A Huntersville man will have the opportunity to paddle his way into the Guinness Book of World Records next week.

Comedian and variety entertainer Steve Langley, who performs as “The Great Fettucini,” has become master of the art of paddle ball. So much so, in fact, that he has been invited to take an all-expenses paid trip to Milan, Italy, April 4-10 to establish a record for that prop on the Guinness-sponsored prime-time television show “Lo Show del Record.” Read the full story

Davidson College’s music and theater department presents the Stephen Sondheim musical “Into the Woods” March 25-April 2, 2011. DavidsonNews.net‘s David Boraks interviewed director Mark Sutch and music director Jacquelyn Culpepper during a recent rehearsal and got a preview of the musical, Plus ticket information and other details about the college’s big spring show. In The Guide, CLICK HERE »

Charlotte Symphony officials were crowing Tuesday over a bit of new out of London: Their new music director will be conducting the music at the wedding of Prince William and sweetheart Kate next month. Read more in The Guide, CLICK HERE>