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Toxic Spouse from Davidson will play Sunday in the Battle of the Bands at Tremont Music Hall in Charlotte. Band members, from left, bass guitar Luann Gatlin, rythm guitar/keyboards Rodney Graham; vocalist Debbie Lauder; drummer Steve Gibbons; vocalist Matt Zimmerman; lead guitar Daniel Mahoney.

By BILL KISER
DavidsonNews.net
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Love Letters, A.R. Gurney’s character study on the lifetime exchange of letters between two people who grow from friends into lovers, begins its two-week run Thursday night at the Armour Street Theatre in Davidson. The performance by the Davidson Community Players will run through Oct. 23.

Latta Plantation will kick off its annual Haunting Hayride on Friday night at the Latta Equestrian Center in Huntersville. The hayride will be held Friday and Saturday nights through the Halloween weekend (Thursday-Saturday on Oct. 27-29), and will feature kid-friendly activities such as a straw maze, pony rides, cow train and bonfire marshmallow roasting. And speaking of mazes, the Amazing Maize Maze continues its run on Friday through Sunday nights at the Rural Hill Farm in Huntersville.

Want something to do involving the entire family — including your dogs? Stop by the All-American Dog Show at Bailey Road Park in Cornelius on Saturday afternoon.

Local rockers Wally & Dave will perform Sunday afternoon at the Joe Knox Theater in Mooresville’s Charles Mack Citizen’s Center. The classic rock duo will perform works from acts ranging from Bob Dylan and Steely Dan to Tom Petty and the Allman Brothers during the first performance of the Mooresville Concerts series.

Still thinking of things to do on Lake Norman? Check out the inaugural Aloha Cup standup paddleboard races, to be held Saturday at Vinnie’s on the Lake in Mooresville. In addition to the races, demonstrations of paddleboarding will also be held, so bring your swim trunks.

For those needing a football fix before Sunday’s New Orleans Saints-Carolina Panthers game at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium, Hough High plays at West Charlotte in a rare Thursday-night game, while Davidson College hosts Marist in a Pioneer League game Saturday at Richardson Stadium.

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, OCT. 6

Davidson Elementary Book Fair, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Media Center, Davidson Elementary School, 635 South St., Davidson – The Scholastic Book Fair will be held Monday-Friday, Oct. 3-7 in the school’s Media Center. The week-long event showcases great books, as well as some “out of this world” fun. Fair hours are Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., with extended hours on Wednesday until 8 p.m. Domino’s Pizza will be served that night between 5:30-7:30 p.m. in the school cafeteria.

Candidate Barbecue, noon-2 p.m., Cornelius Town Hall, 21445 Catawba Ave., Cornelius – Old Fashioned Cornelius Barbecue and Candidates forum, with local candidates from Cornelius and Huntersville. Proceeds benefit the Cornelius Veterans Monument fund.

Hough High football at West Charlotte, 7 p.m., Jack Martin Stadium, West Charlotte High School, Charlotte – Hough High’s football team plays West Charlotte in a rare Thursday night game.

Love Letters, 8 p.m., Armour Street Theatre, 307 Armour St., Davidson – Davidson Community Players presents “Love Letters,” by A.R. Gurney, directed by Wrenn Goodrum. A character study based on the lifetime exchange of letters of two people who grow from friends into lovers. Runs Oct. 6-23. Tickets $20. www.davidsoncommunityplayers.org ^[3].

FRIDAY, OCT. 7

Davidson Elementary Book Fair, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Media Center, Davidson Elementary School, 635 South St., Davidson – The Scholastic Book Fair will be held Monday-Friday, Oct. 3-7 in the school’s Media Center. The week-long event showcases great books, as well as some “out of this world” fun. Fair hours are Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., with extended hours on Wednesday until 8 p.m. Domino’s Pizza will be served that night between 5:30-7:30 p.m. in the school cafeteria.

Davidson Merchants Meeting, 9 a.m., Town Hall, 216 S. Main St. – Quarterly Davidson Merchants Meeting. Open to local business owners.

Financial Education, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Ada Jenkins Center, 212 Gamble St., Davidson. The Fifth Third Bank eBus, the bank’s mobile financial empowerment center, will spend part of the day at the Ada Jenkins Center providing individuals free credit reports, credit counseling, foreclosure prevention counseling, financial education, and more.

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].

Cannon School Admission Open House, 10 a.m. Oct. 7 for junior kindergarten through fourth grade, and 7 p.m. Oct. 13 and 1 p.m. Nov. 5 for junior K through 12th grade. Campus tours and information on the school’s admission process provided. Information: 704-721-7167.

Hot Dogs for Habitat, 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Peoples Bank, Cornelius – Join Mary MacDonald from Peoples Bank, who is competing to raise the most amount of money for Habitat in the Biggest Cheese competition. Cost: $5 for a hot dog, chips, and a drink.

The Haunting Hayride, 7 p.m.-midnight, Oct. 7-8, Oct. 14-15, Oct. 21-22 and Oct. 27-29, Latta Equestrian Center at Latta Plantation Nature Preserve, 6201 Sample Road, Huntersville. Park Avenue Properties and the Latta Equestrian Center present The Haunting Hayride, a Halloween-themed ride through the Equestrian Center’s wooded trails. A kid-friendly area is also on-site and includes a straw maze, pony rides, cow train and bonfire marshmallow roasting. Proceeds from the event benefit Kids Rein, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that promotes the use of the horse for individuals with physical, emotional and learning disabilities. The hayride will run Friday and Saturday nights in October (except for Halloween week, when it will run Thursday-Saturday). Tickets: $10 adaults, $8 children age 12-under for the hayride; $3 for the straw maze and pony rides, $2 for cow train rides and $1 for marshmallow roasting in kid-friendly activities. For more information, visit www.HauntedTrailLKN.com ^[5].

Love Letters, 8 p.m., Armour Street Theatre, 307 Armour St., Davidson – Davidson Community Players presents “Love Letters,” by A.R. Gurney, directed by Wrenn Goodrum. A character study based on the lifetime exchange of letters of two people who grow from friends into lovers. Runs Oct. 6-23. Tickets $20. www.davidsoncommunityplayers.org ^[3].

SATURDAY, OCT. 8

LungStrong, 6:45 a.m., Jetton Village, Old Jetton Rd. & Catawba Ave., Cornelius – A 15K and 5K that features live music, a wall of honor, massages, prizes, inflatables for the kids and more. Details: www.lungstrong.com ^[6].

Ahlara Art Fair, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Oct. 8, Joe Knox Avenue, Mooresville. Second-annual Ahlara Art Fair will feature potters, painters, photographers, jewelers, soap makers, fabric artists, wood turners and mixed-media artists in a day-long festival that will stretch along Joe Knox Avenue behind the Lowe’s YMCA to the parking lot at Ahlara International. Admission is free. Details: 704-663-6343 or email myrnagail@yahoo.com ^[7].

Aloha Cup, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Oct. 8, Vinnie’s on the Lake, Williamson Road, Mooresville. The inaugural Aloha Cup standup paddleboard races will be held on Lake Norman, with proceeds going to the Our Towns Habitat for Humanity. Demonstrations of paddleboarding will also be held. For more information, visit www.standuplkn.com ^[8].

Weathers Creek Writers’ Series, 10 a.m. Oct. 8, The Farm at Weathers Creek, 1170 Shinnville Road, Cleveland, N.C. Marjorie Hudson, author of “Accidental Birds of the Carolinas” and “Searching for Virginia Dare,” will be here to show us how to craft work with intention, to reveal its full humanity during her seminar on “Crafting the Creative Nonfiction Essay.” Participants may bring a work-in-process to review. Deadline for registration is Sept. 30, and is limited to 14 participants. Signup fee is $75, and includes a homemade lunch. Register online at www.weatherscreek.net ^[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].

Davidson football vs. Marist, 1 p.m., Richardson Stadium, Davidson College, Davidson – The Wildcats host Marist in a Pioneer League game.

Hollarpalooza fundraising concert, 2 p.m. until ??, 10824 Earnhardt Lake Road, Davidson – Hollarpalooza, a daylong fundraising concert to aid Davidson resident Paul Hollar, who is battling throat cancer. Musical lineup includes Rusty & Johnny Barkley, Rusty Knox Band and others. Tickets $10 at the door. Bring a blanket and a cooler. For more information call 704-516-9229.

Charlotte Oktoberfest, 2-7 p.m., Oktoberfest, Metrolina Tradeshow Expo, 7100 Statesville Rd., Charlotte. Live music, 300+ Craft Beers. Free parking, unlimited sampling. Tickets on sale at www.CharlotteOktoberfest.com ^[10].

All-American Dog Show, 5 p.m. Oct. 8, Bailey Road Park, Cornelius. The Cornelius Parks, Arts, Recreation and Culture Department hosts the 11th-annual Dog Show, which features fun categories for dogs to compete in for prizes. Industry vendors will also be on hand displaying their products and services, and local animal rescue agencies will have pets available for adoption. Admission to the public is free. Event registration is $5 in advance or $8 on show day. Register online for events at www.cornelius.org ^[11]. For more information, visit www.cornelius.org ^[12].

The Haunting Hayride, 7 p.m.-midnight, Oct. 7-8, Oct. 14-15, Oct. 21-22 and Oct. 27-29, Latta Equestrian Center at Latta Plantation Nature Preserve, 6201 Sample Road, Huntersville. Park Avenue Properties and the Latta Equestrian Center present The Haunting Hayride, a Halloween-themed ride through the Equestrian Center’s wooded trails. A kid-friendly area is also on-site and includes a straw maze, pony rides, cow train and bonfire marshmallow roasting. Proceeds from the event benefit Kids Rein, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that promotes the use of the horse for individuals with physical, emotional and learning disabilities. The hayride will run Friday and Saturday nights in October (except for Halloween week, when it will run Thursday-Saturday). Tickets: $10 adaults, $8 children age 12-under for the hayride; $3 for the straw maze and pony rides, $2 for cow train rides and $1 for marshmallow roasting in kid-friendly activities. For more information, visit www.HauntedTrailLKN.com ^[5].

Love Letters, 8 p.m., Armour Street Theatre, 307 Armour St., Davidson – Davidson Community Players presents “Love Letters,” by A.R. Gurney, directed by Wrenn Goodrum. A character study based on the lifetime exchange of letters of two people who grow from friends into lovers. Runs Oct. 6-23. Tickets $20. www.davidsoncommunityplayers.org ^[3].

SUNDAY, OCT. 9

DCPC Covenant Class discussion, 9:45 a.m. Oct. 9, 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, David Perry, director of Davidson College’s Vann Center for Ethics, will lead the class in a discussion of biomedical issues and the question of personhood. 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].

Love Letters, 2 p.m., Armour Street Theatre, 307 Armour St., Davidson – Davidson Community Players presents “Love Letters,” by A.R. Gurney, directed by Wrenn Goodrum. A character study based on the lifetime exchange of letters of two people who grow from friends into lovers. Runs Oct. 6-23. Tickets $20. www.davidsoncommunityplayers.org ^[3].

Wally & Dave, 3 p.m. Oct. 9, Joe Knox Theater, Charles Mack Citizen’s Center, Main Street, Mooresville. Local classic rock duo Wally & Dave will perform works from acts ranging from Bob Dylan and Steely Dan to Tom Petty and the Allman Brothers during the first performance of the Mooresville Concerts series. Tickets: $10 adults, $5 children, children under age 10 admitted free. Season passes for the six-concert series are $45. Tickets available online at www.mooresvillerecreation.org ^[13], at the Mooresville Recreation Department office, or by calling 704-663-7026. Tickets will also be available at the door the day of the concert.

Toxic Spouse at Tremont Battle of the Bands, 7:45-8:15 p.m., Tremont Music Hall, 400 Tremont Ave., Charlotte – Davidson-based band Toxic Spouse will take the stage at the Battle of the Bands. The all-ages show begins at 4 p.m., with other local bands including Blakley Leonard, Feeding Frenzy, Rehellion, Butterfly Corpse, The Fair Play, Sweet Relief, Under Mountains, All Thee Above. Tickets $10 in advance, $12 at the door.