Yes, Wildcats, there is a life after Stephen Curry in Davidson. To prove it, we have a full plate of exciting non-basketball-related events to enjoy this weekend, from the “Art on the Green” festival to the dedication of the new sculpture in front of the post office to an Autism Awareness concert at Summit Coffee to the first in a new season of concerts on the green.

WEEKEND OF APRIL 23-26

Lake Norman is hosting the 2009 National Guard Open Bass Fishing Tournament.  That means 300-plus top anglers from around the country will be on hand to seek a $1.1 million purse.  Contestants will take off from Blythe Landing in Huntersville at 7 a.m. each day and return for weigh-ins at 3 p.m. Thursday and Friday.  The final weigh-in will be at 4 p.m. Saturday at the Cabarrus Arena Events Center.  Click here ^[1] for results and more details.

Student art will be on display at Davidson College's main gallery through May 6.

The 2009 Student Art Exhibition for Davidson College officially opens this weekend with a reception Thursday, 7-9 p.m., in the atrium of the Belk Visual Arts Center. The exhibition will run through May 6.  Gallery hours: weekdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekends, noon to 4 p.m.

This is Reunion Weekend at Davidson College, which means lots of alums strolling about, no doubt still buzzing with the news of Stephen Curry going pro. Details on the college website ^[2].

Davidson College’s next “Musical Interludes” concert features flutist Shirley Gilpin and pianist Cynthia Lawing performing Friday at 12:30 pm in Tyler-Tallman Hall, Sloan Music Building.

The North Mecklenburg Soccer Club ^[3] will host its 2009 Club Day Saturday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., at Richard Barry Park in Huntersville.  The event includes a Youth Health and Wellness Festival, representatives from the Huntersville Police Department Child ID service, a fire truck, dunking booths, moon bounce, face painting, food and more.

Radiant Life Fellowship ^[4], locatd at 412 Armour St., will host “G-Live” Saturday, 9:30 a.m. -4 p.m.  This event is for K – 5th graders. Parents may join children at 3 p.m. for some fun. The theme is “Wild and Crazy” stories in the Bible. Registration is $25, and the fee covers T-shirt, lunch, snack, and activities.

Booths on the Green at the 2008 arts festival.

The 2009 Art on the Green festival will be held this weekend, with 45 artist’s exhibits, demonstrations, food, and live music. Music includes The Merrow’s Celtic Band, Rusty Knox and Michael Orlando, Billy Jones, Lexi Vo, and the Off Main Jazz Quintet. The festival marks the final weekend of the “April is for Arts” program ^[5]. Artists from Creative Art Exchange and the juried show will be demonstrating their talents.  The festival runs from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday, and from noon – 4 p.m. Sunday, with all events centered on the Davidson Village Green at the corner of Concord Road and Main Street. Also during the event, the Davidson Historical Society will offer 30-minute walking tours of downtown.  Tours start at the info tent on the Green Saturday (noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.) and Sunday (1 p.m. and 3 p.m.).

Andy Dunnill's "Bouquet for Davidson" will be dedicated Saturday. (David Boraks photo)

Davidson officials will host the dedication of the town’s first public artwork, “Bouquet for Davidson,” Saturday, starting at 11 a.m. at the post office plaza.  The event features a 15-foot metal sculpture to be installed by artist Andy Dunnill. More about the work and the artist, as well as past coverage of the town’s development of a public art program, can be found in the DNN “public art ^[6]” category.

Summit Coffee will host its third “Summit Cares” community outreach benefit concert Saturday, with live music from 12:30 – 11 p.m.  Bands will play on the coffee shops back patio.  Cash donations will be accepted for the Autism Society of America ^[7] as part of Autism Awareness month.  Find more details, and a schedule of bands in our previous coverage ^[8] of this event.

Our Towns Habitat for Humanity invites the Lake Norman community to celebrate is selection as “Affiliate of the Year” by Habitat for Humanity International at a “Racin’ Rockin’ ‘n Roofin’” event with hors d’oeuvres, cash bar, and music and dancing to the Center City Groove band.  The event will be held Saturday, starting at 7:30 p.m. at Raceworld USA, 20310 Chartwell Center Drive, off I-77 Exit 28, Cornelius.  Free, donations welcome. For reservations or information, contact Donna Nestor ^[9].

Students from Davidson College’s Pre-Medical Health Professionals group will offer a free community health fair Sunday, 3-6 p.m. at the Ada Jenkins Center. Details on our Health & Fitness ^[10] page.

Dr. Raymond Arsenault

Raymond Arsenault, the John Hope Franklin Professor of Southern History and co-director of the Florida Studies Program at the University of South Florida, will give a free public lecture Sunday, starting at 3 p.m. in the Davidson College union’s 900 room. Dr. Arsenault will deliver the college’s biannual Kendrick Kelley Program lecture, discussing the refusal in 1939 by the Daughters of the American Revolution to let African American opera singer Marian Anderson sing at Constitution Hall. Dr. Arsenault is the author of the 2006 book Freedom Riders and many other works on the history of civil rights and Southern history.

Concerts on the Green 2009 debuts Sunday, 6-8 p.m. with the Davidson College Symphony Orchestra and Davidson College Jazz Ensemble sharing the stage outside the public library. Pack your most artistic picnic for the picnic contest and bring family and friends to enjoy the music. Details: www.downtowndavidson.org

SPORTS

Wildcat sports ^[11] this weekend features the following home events on the campus of Davidson College:

• The men’s baseball team will face UNC-Greensboro in a three-game series this weekend at Wilson Field.  Games are at 7 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday, and 1 p.m Sunday.  Friday’s game also features “Beach Night,” with family-fun activities that start at7 p.m.
• The 15th annual Dr. Tom Scott Memorial Golf Tournament, benefiting Davidson Athletics and men’s golf will be held Friday in conjunction with Reunion Weekend.  The tournament will be held at the Birkdale Golf Club in Huntersville.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

• MONDAY, APRIL 27, 1 p.m., River Run Country Club – Davidson Lions Club and other area Lions club host the annual Russell B. Knox Memorial Golf Tournament, with proceeds benefiting the club’s programs and services. Details: Ed Roberts, 704-892-0276.
• THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 8:30 a.m., South Main Square conference room, 442 S. Main St. – South Main Square Business Networking Group.  Coffee, doughnuts and conversation with folks from professional and service businesses in Davidson. Email krose@roseassociates.com to confirm your attendance.
• SATURDAY, MAY 2, 8 a.m., Davidson Village Green – Davidson Town Day Day Care Dash, a fund-raising 5k race and fun run/walk to benefit Davidson-Cornelius Day Care. Packet pickup and race day registration: 6:30 to 7:45 a.m. More information, registration links, etc. in our April 14 news item in The Guide. ^[12]
• SATURDAY, MAY 2, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Davidson Village Green – Davidson Town Day, with food, music, fun and games for the whole family. Details in our April 8 news item in The Guide. ^[13]
• MONDAY, MAY 4, 7:30 p.m., Ada Jenkins Center, 212 Gamble St. – UU Fellowship of Lake Norman will hold its weekly meeting. Details: www.uulakenorman.org ^[14].
• SATURDAY, MAY 9, 5:30-9 p.m., Our Towns Habitat for Humanity ReStore parking lot, 20414 N. Main St., Cornelius – Our Towns Habitat for Humanity hosts its 2nd Annual Habitat for Humanity Car Show. Categories include sports cars, muscle cars, vintage cars, hot rods and show cars. With food, drawings, a DJ and dancing. All proceeds will help fund the 4th Youth United Habitat home. Tickets $1 general admission. Car Show entry fees are $20 for early registration and $25 the day of the event. To register a vehicle, please contact Sarah Heithoff at 704-896-9657, ext. 1120, or seithoff@ourtownshabitat.org ^[15]. For more information, visit www.ourtownshabitat.org ^[16].
• FRIDAY, MAY 15, 7 p.m., Ben &Jerry’s, 202 S. Main St. – The Lake Norman Teen Council and Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream offer wall-sized outdoor gaming, including Rock Band, Mario Kart and Wii sports. Come and play, cheer for your friends, or just hang out. There will be 2-3 game stations with 4 players per game. Free. Registration at 7, games begin at 7:30. Details: 704-892-0604.
• SATURDAY, MAY 16, 2 p.m., Torrence Chapel Field – Softball game face off between the Cornelius Police and the Cornelius Fire Department. Public is invited to see who will walk away with bragging rights.
• SATURDAY, MAY 16,, 3-6 p.m., Woodlawn School, Presbyterian Road off N.C. 115 – The Helping Paws Dog Show will raise funds for area shelters Project Halo and Lake Norman Animal Rescue while offering the public an opportunity to adopt dogs from Project Halo, a no-kill shelter. For registration information or to become a sponsor, go to www.helpingpawsdogshow.org ^[17] or email info@helpingpawsdogshow.org ^[18]. Details in our March 31 news item ^[19].
• SATURDAY, MAY 16, 6 p.m., Beaver Dam Park, Davidson-Concord Road – Slow Food Carolina Piedmont Region hosts a USA Ark of Taste feast, featuring 10 renowned North Carolina chefs and a local chocolatier preparing a 10-course meal featuring regional foods from local farms and producers. A limited number of tickets are available, $100 per person, which includes meal, wine and music. Proceeds benefit Slow Food Carolina Piedmont Region convivia, the Davidson Farmer’s Market and the Lincoln County Farmer’s Market at Denver.

OF REGIONAL INTEREST:

• APRIL 23-MAY 10, Overlook neighborhood, Mountain Island Lake, Huntersville – Our Towns Habitat for Humanity offers tours of the “High Performance Home by Schreiner Custom Homes,” built with eco-friendly materials and products. Public tours will raise funds for Our Towns Habitat for Humanity. Open Thursdays to Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays noon to 5 p.m. Tickets $5 at the door. For more information, visit www.HighPerformanceHomeNC.com. ^[20]
• FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2 p.m., Charles Mack Citizens Center, Mooresville – Dr. Mehmet Oz, heart surgeon, author and health expert on “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” will speak about health and wellness and answer questions in a fund-raising appearance for HealthReach Community Clinic ^[21] in Mooresville. The clinic offers free medical care to low-income residents. Advance tickets are required and may be obtained by sending a self-addressed stamped envelope and a check for $25 per ticket to the HealthReach Community Clinic, PO Box 1265, Mooresville, NC, 28115. Guests donating $100 or more per ticket get preferred seating and a private reception with Dr. Oz.
• FRIDAY, MAY 1, 6-9 p.m., downtown Mooresville – “A Taste of Wine on Main Street.” Wine tasting at participating businesses along Main Street, with wine and food pairings donated by local restaurants, wine shops and wineries. Sponsored by Food for Friends outreach at Saint Patrick’s Episcopal Church, to provide groceries for families supported through Winnie Hooper Center in Mooresville. Tickets available through Saint Patrick’s Episcopal, 201 Fairview Road (next to Lake Norman Regional Medical Center). Details: 704-663-5659.

SUBMIT YOUR EVENT

Send listings and press releases to us at editor@davidsonnews.net ^[22]. Don’t forget to include a contact phone number, in case we have questions.