This week brings public meetings, Election 2010 political events, a celebration of the history of The Children’s Schoolhouse, music and fund-raisers. Events include a Lake Norman Art League meeting tonight and a talk by retired FBI official Neil Gallagher to the Davidson Senior Scholars Tuesday. The Charlie Daniels Band plays Tuesday at Brickhouse Tavern in the 3rd annual Jail & Bail fund-raiser for a Nascar-related scholarship fund. The Davidson Town Board meets Tuesday night, while a north Mecklenburg Republican Pig Pickin’ is scheduled at the same hour. And DavidsonNews.net co-sponsors an election forum Thursday with candidates for Mecklenburg County Commission and other local races. Come get the information you need to make informed decisions next month.

Details about those and other events this week are listed below, or in our clickable day-by-day calendar at right. See also the latest listings for movies at Our Town Cinemas, at right.

MONDAY, OCT. 11

Lake Norman Art League, 7-9 p.m., Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce, 19900 W. Catawba Ave., Cornelius – Lake Norman Art League monthly meeting, featuring a presentation by photographer Mitchell Kearney. For more information, visit LKNArt.org. ^[1]

TUESDAY, OCT. 12

Senior Scholars hear from ex-FBI leader, 10:30 a.m. to noon, Davidson Parks & Rec, 416 Armour St. – Davidson Senior Scholars presents a talk by Neil Gallagher, former assistant director and counter-terrorism chief at the FBI. Topic: “Understanding Today’s Terrorism Threat.” Free. 704-892-3349 for more info. See also our preview article, “Senior Scholars to hear from ex-FBI official Tuesday” ^[2]

Davidson Rotary Club, 5 p.m., Sabi Asian Bistro, 130 Harbour Place Drive, off I-77 Exit 30 – Davidson Rotary Club weekly meeting. Details: lnrotary@gmail.com ^[3] or Rotary District 7680 website. ^[4]

Charlie Daniels Band/Jail & Bail fund-raiser, 5:30 p.m., Brickhouse Tavern, 209 Delburg St. – 3rd annual Jail & Bail fund-raiser for the Brienne Davis Scholarship Fund. Entertainment includes the Charlie Daniels Band and Bridgette Tatum. Tickets $20, includes food, drink and entertainment. Tickets available at the Brickhouse, 209 Delburg St., 704-987-2022 or at NASCAR Technical Institute, 220 Byers Creek Road, Mooresville, 704-658-1950.

Davidson Town Board, 6 p.m., Davidson Town Hall, 216 S. Main St. – Monthly meeting of Davidson Town Board. Agenda to be posted on the town website ^[5].

North Mecklenburg Republican Women’s Club,, 6 p.m., NorthStone Country Club, 5801 NorthStone Drive, Huntersville – Annual Pig Pickin’ and Politickin’ gathering, with U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick, U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry and state Rep. Thom Tillis. Meet Republican candidates in the November election, pick up yard signs and volunteer. Tickets, by reservation, are $20 and can be made by emailing nomeckrw@gmail.com ^[6]. Registration begins at 5:30 PM, dinner at 6. Dress casual.

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 13

McGuire Nuclear Station siren test, 11:50 a.m., McGuire Nuclear Station, Huntersville and surrounding area – Quarterly test of emergency sirens around the nuclear plant. No public action is required during this three-minute test. www.duke-energy.com ^[7]

Lake Norman Transportation Commission, 6:30 p.m., Davidson Town Hall, 216 S. Main St. – Lake Norman Transportation Commission monthly meeting. Guests will include local mayors. Cornelius Mayor Jeff Tarte will give a presentation on a cost analysis for the North Commuter Rail Line, done by CATS.

Lecture: Military and ethics, 7 p.m., Davidson College Alvarez College Union, 900 Room – Ronald Arkin, Regents’ Professor and Associate Dean for Research at Georgia Institute of Technology, speaks about “Military Robots: Ethics and Lethality in Autonomous Systems.” Free. For information call 704-894-2095.

New Catholic high school info session, 7 p.m., Highland Creek Prosperity Park Clubhouse, 5710 Fair Vista Dr., Charlotte – Information session for Christ the King High School, a new Catholic high school planned to open in August 2011 on Statesville Road in Huntersville. Enrolling for 9th grade through Oct. 15. Info: www.christthekinghs.com ^[8].

Live music at Summit Coffee, 8-10 p.m., Summit Coffee, 128 S. Main St. – Live music: Open mic night. Info: 704-895-9090.

THURSDAY, OCT. 14

Downtown Davidson annual meeting, 5:30 p.m., Homewood Suites, off I-77 Exit 30 – Downtown Davidson annual meeting. Gather at 5:30, Town Board Chat from 6-7, business meeting 7-7:15, finish the wine 7:15 until …

Children’s Schoolhouse “landmark status” celebration, 5:30-7 p.m., Children’s Schoolhouse, 17616 Caldwell Station Road, Huntersville – “Landmark Party” to celebrate the recognition of the schoolhouse as a Mecklenburg County Historic Landmark. All are welcome, especially anyone who attended the original school, which operated 1890s to to 1931, and their descendants. Prizes for youngest and oldest guests, refreshments, playground open. www.thechildrensschoolhouse.com ^[9]

Secrets of fly fishing, 7-8:30 p.m., Mooresville Public Library, 304 S. Main St. – Alan Baker of Huntersville, who is president of N.C. Wildlife Federation, will give a slide talk on “Wilson Creek Delayed Harvest: Fly Fishing for Trout.” Baker spent much time during his youth at Wilson Creek, in the N.C. mountains. He’ll discuss the NCWF’s involvement in the purchase of the water and surrounding land and give some fly fishing tips. Free.

Davidson women’s soccer youth soccer night, 7 p.m., Davidson College Alumni Stadium – Davidson women’s soccer vs. College of Charleston. It’s North Meck Soccer Club Night.

Art opening and lecture, 7 p.m., Davidson College Belk Visual Arts Center, Main and Griffith streets – Iraqi-American artist Wafaa Bilal will discuss his exhibition “Three Bodies,” which opens in the Van Every Gallery. Bilal’s exhibition presents documentary photographs, videos and recreations of his performance-based installations in which he uses his own body, both literally and virtually, to highlight the often contentious relationship between American and Middle Eastern cultures. Also opening in the Smith Gallery will be an exhibit of mixed media works entitled “Casual Language: a Mixed Emoticon,” by New York-based artist Darren Goins that were commissioned for the Davidson exhibition. Both exhibitions are on display through Dec. 8. Free. Galleries open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and weekends from noon to 4 p.m. For information call 704-894-2519.

Election 2010 candidate forum, 7-9 pm, St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, 301 Caldwell Lane, off Concord Road – Election 2010 candidate forum with county commission at-large, state Senate and Mecklenburg County sheriff candidates. Free. Hosted by St. Alban’s neighborhood, DavidsonNews.net and the Lake Norman Chamber.

Live music at Summit Coffee, 8-11 p.m., Summit Coffee, 128 S. Main St. – Live music: Sandcrawler. Info: 704-895-9090.

FRIDAY, OCT. 15

Rural Hill Amazing Maize Maze, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and nighttime flashlight maze, 6:30 till closing (last tickets sold at 8 p.m.), Rural Hill farm, 4431 Neck Road, off Beatties Ford Road, Huntersville – Rural Hill presents the annual Amazing Maize Maze, a 7-acre labyrinth with 2 1/2 miles of pathways cut into a cornfield. This year’s theme is the Conestoga Wagon that brought Major John Davidson from Pennsylvania to North Carolina in the 18th century. Admission $10 ages 13+ and $7 for ages 5-12. Children ages 4 and under free.
Details: www.ruralhill.net ^[10]

Midday musical interlude, 12:30 p.m., Davidson College Sloan Music Center Tyler-Tallman Hall – Mid-day musical interludes concert, with the Music Department’s Plott and Milner Scholars performing a variety of works. Free. Information: 704-894-2848.

Chemistry Colloquium, 2:30 p.m., Davidson College Martin Chemical Laboratory, Room B25 – Michael J. Sepaniak, professor of chemistry at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, leads a colloquium titled “Material Science Meets Analytical Chemistry: Nanostructured and Functionalized Materials in Chemical Separations, Sensing, and Spectroscopy.” Free. For more information call 704-894-2307.

Hough High football vs. West Charlotte, 7 p.m., W.A. Hough High School, Bailey Road, Cornelius – Hough High football vs. West Charlotte.

Viscera Dance Theatre performs “Path”, 7:30 p.m., Warehouse Performing Arts Center, 9216-A Westmoreland Road, Cornelius – Viscera Dance Theatre ^[11] performs its Metrolina Theater Award-nominated “Path.” It’s a multimedia production of dance, theatre, singing, live music, and film that deconstructs “Little Red Riding Hood.” Tickets $15, cash only at door, complimentary beverage bar included. Contact: Annie Vereen, 704-770-7376, for reservations. (Not recommended for children under 12)

Haunted Woods at Davidson, Haunted Woods at Davidson, 8-11 p.m., Maple Way Drive, Davidson – Haunted Woods at Davidson, with kid-friendly hay rides, refreshments, free petting zoo. Continues this Saturday and every Friday to Sunday through Halloween. Open till midnight on Halloween weekend. Admission $12, hayride $5. Directions from downtown Davidson: East on Davidson-Concord Road, at the roundabout bear left onto East Rocky River Road. Left onto Shearers Road, then left on Maple Way Drive.

Live music at Summit Coffee, 8-11 p.m., Summit Coffee, 128 S. Main St. – Live music: Case Federal. Info: 704-895-9090.

SATURDAY, OCT. 16

Multi-family yard sale, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Oxydendrum Hill Lane, at Shearer Rd., 0.8 miles north of East Rocky River Rd. – Multi-family yard sale, with clothes, mini fridge, microwave, handblown glass items and much more.

Davidson Farmer’s Market, 8 a.m. to noon, off Main Street next to Town Hall – Weekly Davidson Farmers Market, with local farmers and vendors selling meats, produce, dairy products, baked goods, and other items. Open every Saturday. For more information: www.davidsonfarmersmarket.org ^[12]. DavidsonNews.net is pleased to be a sponsor of the Davidson Farmers Market.

North Meck High pansy sale, 9 a.m. to noon, North Mecklenburg High School, N.C. 115, Huntersville – The high school hosts its annual pansy sale.

Rural Hill Amazing Maize Maze, 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Rural Hill farm, 4431 Neck Road, off Beatties Ford Road, Huntersville – Rural Hill presents the annual Amazing Maize Maze, a 7-acre labyrinth with 2 1/2 miles of pathways cut into a cornfield. This year’s theme is the Conestoga Wagon that brought Major John Davidson from Pennsylvania to North Carolina in the 18th century. Admission $10 ages 13+ and $7 for ages 5-12. Children ages 4 and under free.
Details: www.ruralhill.net ^[10]

Carolina Renaissance Festival, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., east of Davidson, off Highway 73 on Poplar Tent Road (between I-77 and I-85), Huntersville – 17th annual Carolina Renaissance Festival and Artisan Marketplace runs Saturdays and Sundays, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., through Nov. 21, rain or shine. The 22-acre village features artists, craftspeople, musicians, performance troupes and food vendors, as well as kids’ games and rides. Advance tickets available $18 for adults, $7 for kids ages 5-12; kids under 5 free. Also at the gate for $1 more. Print your own tickets online at RenFestInfo.com. Free parking. Information online at RenFestInfo.com, or by calling 704-896-5544, or toll-free 877-896-5544.

Davidson soccer vs. Greensboro, 7 p.m., Davidson College Alumni Field – Davidson men’s soccer vs. UNCG. Special events: Acrofitness at halftime; VIP Soccer Club National Anthem Buddies; Timmy Foundation Awareness.

Rotary Wine Spectacular, 7 p.m., Northstone Country Club, Huntersville – The evening is open to all who want to come support local charities. The evening will feature delicious food and wine, as well as entertainment, a live auction, and dancing. Tickets are $75 and purchased online at www.lakenormanrotary.org ^[13].
For more information on the event or sponsorship information contact lnrotary@gmail.com ^[3], call 704-765-1196, or visit their website ^[14].

Viscera Dance Theatre performs “Path”, 7:30 p.m., Warehouse Performing Arts Center, 9216-A Westmoreland Road, Cornelius – Viscera Dance Theatre ^[11] performs its Metrolina Theater Award-nominated “Path.” It’s a multimedia production of dance, theatre, singing, live music, and film that deconstructs “Little Red Riding Hood.” Tickets $15, cash only at door, complimentary beverage bar included. Contact: Annie Vereen, 704-770-7376, for reservations. (Not recommended for children under 12)

Haunted Woods at Davidson, 8-11 p.m., Maple Way Drive, Davidson – Haunted Woods at Davidson, with kid-friendly hay rides, refreshments, free petting zoo. Continues this Saturday and every Friday to Sunday through Halloween. Open till midnight on Halloween weekend. Admission $12, hayride $5. Directions from downtown Davidson: East on Davidson-Concord Road, at the roundabout bear left onto East Rocky River Road. Left onto Shearers Road, then left on Maple Way Drive.

Live music at Summit Coffee, 8-11 p.m., Summit Coffee, 128 S. Main St. – Live music: jazz and blues with Dennis Currier Trio. Info: 704-895-9090.

SUNDAY, OCT. 17

The Chinese Cosmos, 9:45 to 10:45 a.m., Davidson College Presbyterian Church – Dr. Hun Lye, Assistant Professor of Religion at Davidson College, will lead a three-week program on “The Chinese Cosmos of Heaven, Earth and Humanity.” This program will present an overview of the Chinese cosmos as it is understood, experienced and lived in by most Chinese from the 15th century on. It will examine the religious and philosophical underpinnings of Chinese family, politics and foodways. Free. Continues Oct. 24 and 31.

Rural Hill Amazing Maize Maze, 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Rural Hill farm, 4431 Neck Road, off Beatties Ford Road, Huntersville – Rural Hill presents the annual Amazing Maize Maze, a 7-acre labyrinth with 2 1/2 miles of pathways cut into a cornfield. This year’s theme is the Conestoga Wagon that brought Major John Davidson from Pennsylvania to North Carolina in the 18th century. Admission $10 ages 13+ and $7 for ages 5-12. Children ages 4 and under free.
Details: www.ruralhill.net ^[10]

Lake Norman Art League exhibit take-in, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Carolina Art Garden, 19725 Oak St., in the Oak Street Mill, Cornelius – Artists may drop off entries for the Lake Norman Art League’s 2010 Fall Exhibit. Exhibit runs Oct. 22-Jan. 2. Artists may enter up to two works. For more information or entry forms, visit LKNArt.org ^[15]

Carolina Renaissance Festival, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., east of Davidson, off Highway 73 on Poplar Tent Road (between I-77 and I-85), Huntersville – 17th annual Carolina Renaissance Festival and Artisan Marketplace runs Saturdays and Sundays, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., through Nov. 21, rain or shine. The 22-acre village features artists, craftspeople, musicians, performance troupes and food vendors, as well as kids’ games and rides. Advance tickets available $18 for adults, $7 for kids ages 5-12; kids under 5 free. Also at the gate for $1 more. Print your own tickets online at RenFestInfo.com. Free parking. Information online at RenFestInfo.com, or by calling 704-896-5544, or toll-free 877-896-5544.

Liederabend concert, 7:30 p.m., Davidson College Sloan Music Center, Tyler-Tallman Hall – “Liederabend” concert by vocal students from the studios of Jacquelyn Culpepper and Diane Thornton. Free. Info: 704-894-2848.

Haunted Woods at Davidson, Haunted Woods at Davidson, 8-11 p.m., Maple Way Drive, Davidson – Haunted Woods at Davidson, with kid-friendly hay rides, refreshments, free petting zoo. Continues this Saturday and every Friday to Sunday through Halloween. Open till midnight on Halloween weekend. Admission $12, hayride $5. Directions from downtown Davidson: East on Davidson-Concord Road, at the roundabout bear left onto East Rocky River Road. Left onto Shearers Road, then left on Maple Way Drive.

HAVE A LISTING?

Have a listing for our calendar? Send it to editor@davidsonnews.net ^[16] at least 10 days in advance. Please include a contact phone number in case we have questions. Photos welcome!