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Local band Too Wet to Plow plays old time string music Saturday at Summit Coffee.

By BILL KISER
DavidsonNews.net ^[2]

One of the famed Second City’s touring comedy and improv troupes will perform at Davidson College at 8 p.m. Friday night as part of the college’s Artist Series.  The Second City performance — a one-day-only show — is among the variety of things to do for residents this weekend in Davidson and surrounding communities.

Summit Coffee in Davidson will host live music performances Thursday through Saturday evenings, including a rare appearance by Too Wet to Plow, a local band that plays old time string band music.

Havana Social Club in Cornelius will host the Lake Norman Rotary Club’s annual Wine Spectacular on Saturday night.

For the community-minded, the Loaves & Fishes Food Drive will begin Saturday morning, with area Girl Scouts out all day collecting canned goods door-to-door; while the 25th-annual Big Sweep — the yearly cleanup of Lake Norman — will be held Saturday.

Want to get your sports fix? Some of the region’s top college tennis players will be at Davidson College on Friday and Saturday for the Jeff Frank Invitational tournament, Davidson College’s women’s soccer team hosts Elon at Richardson Stadium on Friday night, and Hough High School’s football team plays at nearby rival North Mecklenburg on Friday night.

And for those interested in something for the whole family, a backyard wildlife fair will be held Saturday morning at McGuire Nuclear Station’s EnergyExplorium.

These events and more below, or in our day-by-day calendar at right. Also, at right on this page, see our movie show times listings for Our Town Cinemas.

THURSDAY, SEPT. 29
Green Drinks Lake Norman, 5:30 to 7 p.m., Campania Cafe, 416 S. Main St., Davidson. Alex Castro from Lime Energy, which recently moved its headquarters Huntersville, will speak at the monthly Green Drinks Lake Norman meet-up. He’ll discuss how companies are transforming traditional energy costs into a competitive advantage. Sponsored by PiES green business incubator. www.pies-northcarolina.org ^[3].

Theology on Tap, 5;30 p.m., Conference Room, Davidson Village Inn, 117 Depot St., Davidson. Dr. Doug Ottati and Dr. Matt Samson from Davidson College lead the group in God Talk in an informal setting. Join us for discussions every Thursday through Nov. 17. Bring your own beverage for an hour of lively debate and questions. Open to all.

Centering Prayer Retreat, 7:30-9 p.m., Sprinkle Room, Davidson College, Davidson. Fr. William Meninger will be facilitating a Centering Prayer Retreat. The event is free and open to the public.

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

FRIDAY, SEPT. 30

Jeff Frank Invitational, all day Sept. 30-Oct. 1, Covington Tennis Center, Davidson College, Davidson. The Wildcats’ men’s tennis team hosts some of the region’s top college tennis players in a two-day tournament. Admission is free.

Amazing Maize Maze, 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Rural Hill farm, Neck Road, Huntersville. The Amazing Maize Maze is an outdoor challenge in a 7-acre cornfield. Find your way out by following clues and assembling pieces of a map puzzle. Open Fridays to Sundays through Nov. 13. Friday night flashlight mazes Sept. 30 to Nov. 4 (till 8:30 p.m.). Food and drink available. $10 for ages 13 and up, $7 for kids 5-12. Info: www.ruralhill.net ^[4].

Chemistry lecture, 2:30 p.m., Room B25 of Martin Chemical Laboratory, Davidson College, Davidson. Dr. Glen Wensley, director of research and development at Celgard, will speak about “One Possible Use for a Chemistry Degree.” Light refreshments offered. Free. Info: 704-896-2306.

Davidson women’s soccer vs. Elon, 7 p.m., Richardson Stadium, Davidson College, Davidson. The Wildcats host Elon in a Southern Conference match.

Hough High football at North Mecklenburg, 7 p.m., North Mecklenburg High School, Huntersville. The Huskies face nearby rival North Mecklenburg.

Second City comedy troupe, 8 p.m., Duke Family Performance Hall, Davidson College, Davidson. Davidson College invites the public to an Artist Series performance by the Second City comedy troupe. Second City, now in its 52nd year of operation, has been the training ground for some of the world’s top comedians. Among its alumni are Mike Myers, Bill Murray, Tina Fey, Steve Carell and Stephen Colbert, and the late John Belushi, Gilda Radner and John Candy. General admission tickets are $20. For reservations and more information call 704-894-2135 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, or visit www.davidson.edu/tickets ^[5].

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

SATURDAY, OCT. 1
Jeff Frank Invitational, all day Sept. 30-Oct. 1, Covington Tennis Center, Davidson College, Davidson. The Wildcats’ men’s tennis team hosts some of the region’s top college tennis players in a two-day tournament. Admission is free.

Davidson Farmer’s Market, 8 a.m.-12 p.m., Davidson Town Hall, Main and Jackson Streets, Davidson. Weekly gathering of local farmers and producers including growers of certified organic, naturally grown and conventionally grown fruits and vegetables, grass-fed beef, pastured pork and free range chicken and ostrich, free-range chicken eggs, fresh baked goods, prepared foods, fresh cut flowers, herbs, plants and more. Information: Call 704-400-0880 or visit www.DavidsonFarmersMarket.org ^[6].

Loaves & Fishes Food Drive, 9 a.m., Ada Jenkins Center, 212 Gamble St., Davidson. Girl Scout troops in Cornelius, Davidson and Huntersville will be out all day collecting canned goods door-to-door for Loaves & Fishes. The Ada Jenkins Center will serve as a drop-off point from 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m. for those wishing to make donations. Food collected will be used to fill the Loaves & Fishes food pantries at the Ada Jenkins Center and Huntersville United Methodist Church. Details: Call 704-523-4333 or visit www.loavesandfishes.org ^[7].

Big Sweep, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Lake Norman. Volunteers are sought to participate in the 25th-annual Big Sweep, a one-day clean up of creeks, streams and lakes in Mecklenburg County. Individuals or groups can volunteer by calling Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services at 311 or by visiting www.charmeck.org ^[8].

Children’s Schoolhouse Carnival, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Davidson Village Green, Main Street and Concord Road – The Children’s Schoolhouse, a pre-school in Huntersville, hosts its annual family Carnival and fun day to raise money. Bounce house, pony rides, face painting, music, food. http://www.thechildrensschoolhouse.com/index.php/about/carnival/ ^[9]

Amazing Maize Maze, 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Rural Hill farm, Neck Road, Huntersville. The Amazing Maize Maze is an outdoor challenge in a 7-acre cornfield. Find your way out by following clues and assembling pieces of a map puzzle. Open Fridays to Sundays through Nov. 13. Friday night flashlight mazes Sept. 30 to Nov. 4 (till 8:30 p.m.). Food and drink available. $10 for ages 13 and up, $7 for kids 5-12. Info: www.ruralhill.net ^[4].

Backyard Wildlife Fair, 11 a.m., EnergyExplorium, McGuire Nuclear Station, Highway 73, Huntersville. The EnergyExplorium at McGuire Nuclear Station is hosting “Wild Over Lake Norman,” an outdoor backyard wildlife fair. Duke Energy is partnering with the Lake Norman Wildlife Conservationists, the National Wildlife Federation, the N.C. National Wildlife Federation and many other community groups. The backyard wildlife fair will feature many booths and speakers on topics such as attracting wildlife and birds throughout the winter, organic gardening, preparing your garden for spring and more. Participants will learn how to qualify their backyards as wildlife habitats, meet exotic animals from Zootastic Park or explore the EnergyExplorium’s mile-long nature trail. Children will ride ponies, get their faces painted and participate in many fun activities. This event is free and open to everyone. Barbeque, hot dogs, pretzels and ice cream will be available for purchase from local vendors. Participants are also invited to explore the EnergyExplorium’s interactive hands-on exhibits. For more information, visit www.duke-energy.com/energyexplorium ^[10] or call 980-875-5600, option 1.

Wine Spectacular, 7 p.m., Havana Social Club, 8325 Copley Road, Cornelius. Join the Rotary Club of Lake Norman-Huntersville for the 14th-annual Wine Spectacular. This year’s event features fine wines, a live and silent auction and the famous champagne-diamond reverse raffle. New to the Wine Spectacular this year will be a “man cave” with beverages and cigars. Tickets are $75 per person, and can be purchased at Black Lion in Huntersville or online at www.lakenormanrotary.org ^[11]. For more information, call 704-765-1196, email lnrotary@gmail.com ^[12], or visit www.lakenormanrotary.org ^[13].

Live Music at Summit Coffee, 8-11 p.m., Summit Coffee, 128 S. Main St., Davidson – Live music old time string-band music with Too Wet to Plow. Davidson’s Chris Sekerak on fiddle, Josh Campbell on banjo, Pam Englebert on guitar and Michael Plumley on bass. Info: 704-895-9090. More about the band on Facebook. ^[14]

SUNDAY, OCT. 2

Crisis in the Horn of Africa, 9:45 a.m., Jetton Hall, Davidson College Presbyterian Church, corner of Main Street and Concord Road, Davidson. The church will celebrate World Communion Sunday with a lecture by Dr. Ken Menkhaus, professor of political science at Davidson College. Dr. Menkhaus is an expert on Somalia, having taught for two years at the American University in Cairo, and in the early 90’s, he served as special political advisor in the UN Operation in Somalia. Dr. Menkhaus is on leave this semester studying the famine and has just returned from the area of crisis. Admission is free and open to the public. Information: Call 704-892-5641.

DCPC Covenant Class discussion, 9:45 a.m., Room B, Congregation House, Davidson College Presbyterian Church, corner of Main Street and Concord Road, Davidson. DCPC’s Covenant Class meets weekly in a seminar-style class discussing current issues of theology and faith. This week, Dr. Lance Stell, director of Davidson College’s Medical Humanities program and a clinical professor of medicine at the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Medicine, will lead a discussion entitled “Ethical Issues in Drug Development and Marketing.” Information: Call 704-892-5641.

Amazing Maize Maze, 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Rural Hill farm, Neck Road, Huntersville. The Amazing Maize Maze is an outdoor challenge in a 7-acre cornfield. Find your way out by following clues and assembling pieces of a map puzzle. Open Fridays to Sundays through Nov. 13. Friday night flashlight mazes Sept. 30 to Nov. 4 (till 8:30 p.m.). Food and drink available. $10 for ages 13 and up, $7 for kids 5-12. Info: www.ruralhill.net ^[4].

Woodlawn School Open House, 1 p.m., Woodlawn School, 135 Woodlawn School Loop, Mooresville. The independent kindergarten through Grade 12 school will hold the first of its monthly admissions open houses. All opehn Houses are held in the Lodge, a new multipurpose building near the center of Woodlawn’s campus. Prospective families who are looking for an engaging academic experience, along with rich opportunities in athletics, arts, and service, are invited to join us. Information and schedule of the open houses is available by calling 704-895-8653 or on the school’s website at www.woodlawnschool.org ^[15].

Animal Rights Lecture, 7 p.m., Smith 900 Room, Alvarez College Union, Davidson College, Davidson. Davidson College invites the public to a lecture by Kristie Middleton, the Humane Society of the United States’ manager of corporate policy and supply chain strategy. She will speak about “The Animals We Eat: Improving the Quality of Their Lives.” There is no charge to attend the talk. Refreshments will be provided. For more information, call 704-894-2095.

Send events listings to listings@davidsonnews.net ^[16]. Our calendars and events columns appear on both www.corneliusnews.net ^[17] and www.davidsonnews.net ^[18].