Davidson Friends Meeting (Quakers) has an open house at its new meetinghouse Sunday on South Street in Davidson.

How’s this sound for a fall weekend in the Lake Norman area: High school football and soccer playoffs, a big church barbecue, and health-related community events at the Lake Norman YMCA and on the Davidson Green; the Renaissance festival and the final weekend of the Amazing Maize Maze at Rural Hill, both in Huntersville; and three theatrical productions on area stages: “A Month in the Country” at Davidson College, “Snow Angel” at W.A. Hough High School, and “American History: Abridged” at Warehouse Performing Arts Center.

Saturday brings the 73rd annual barbecue at Mt. Zion United Methodist Church in Cornelius, and the 2nd annual Chef Challenge at the Davidson Farmer’s Market, where the winter market season opens. Pine Lake Prep hosts a Walk for Stomach Cancer on its campus in Mount Mourne, while Davidson’s suicide prevention committee hosts a community gathering on the Village Green Saturday. At the YMCA, it’s Spirit, Mind and Body day. Details on those and other events this week are below.

Our Town Cinemas in Davidson is showing “Chasing Mavericks,” “Fun Size,” “Argo,” “Paranormal Activity 4,” “Taken 2,” and “Hotel Transylvania.” And opening Friday on two screens is “Wreck-It Ralph.” See showtimes on the right side of this page.

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The Pumpkin Patch runs daily through the end of October at Davidson United Methodist Church’s McKay Youth House on South Main Street, Davidson. Funds raised go for church missions. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

It’s fall and there’s no shortage of things to do in the Lake Norman area this weekend. How to choose? The ‘Tawba Walk art crawl and a history walk are scheduled Friday in downtown Cornelius. Saturday brings two festivals at the same time a block apart in Davidson: the Children’s Schoolhouse Fall Carnival on the Village Green, and Flatiron Kitchen’s Fall Festival. Around the lake,  Statesville’s Carolina Balloonfest runs all weekend, dedicated this year to Cornelius balloonist Ed Ristaino, who died in a March accident.  And the Lakeside Artists Studio Tour runs Friday and Saturday. Sporting events include Hough vs. Lake Norman and other high school games Friday, and the Davidson Wildcats Red-Black basketball scrimmage Saturday. Meanwhile, the Amazing Maize Maze continues at Rural Hill and the musical “Baby”has more performances at Armour Street Theatre in Davidson.

Our Town Cinemas in Davidson has one more day of “Looper” on Thursday. The cinema also is showing “Argo,” “Paranormal Activity 4,” “Taken 2,” and “Hotel Transylvania.” See showtimes on the right side of this page. Read the full story

Local nonprofit Angels in Need brings Romanian orphanage survivor Izidor Ruckel and Founder and Director of Romanian-based House of Angels Simona Stewart to Davidson to share their stories this Sunday, Oct. 21. They’ll speak at 4 p.m. at an event called “Think Occasionally” at the Homewood Suites, 125 Harbour Place Drive, Davidson. Read the full story

The Carolina Renaissance Fest is back this weekend. Readers sent their favorite photos from past festivals. Clockwise, from upper left: Singing women (Jamie Smith photo); Ava enjoying treats at the Mayor’s Tea, 2009 festival (Joe Szakaly photo); Fallen festival-goer 2011 (© 2011 Kevin Childress Photography). Thanks!

“Baby” opens this weekend and runs through Oct. 21 at Armour Street Theater. Click for tickets.

Our calendar this weekend is a busy mix of events, from the literary and theatrical to outdoor festivals and dog shows to Davidson College homecoming. The Carolina Renaissance Festival opens the gates at the festival grounds off Poplar Tent Road while the Amazing Maize Maze continues its run at Rural Hill in Huntersville. ReadDavidson hosts a discussion Thursday of this year’s townwide read, “State of Wonder” by Ann Patchett. There’s a wiener dog race in Mooresville and The All American Dog Show in Cornelius, both on Saturday. Final performances of “The Smell of the Kill” are offered at Warehouse Performing Arts Center in Cornelius, and “Baby: The Musical” debuts at Davidson Community Players Armour Street Theater.

Davidson College Homecoming takes place on Friday and Saturday with a football game, lectures and other activities. And Davidson Lands Conservancy hosts a stargazing party Friday at Fisher Farm. The Aloha Cup paddleboard races this weekend benefit Our Towns Habitat for Humanity.  Davidson Farmer’s Market returns Saturday in downtown Davidson, this week followed by a dedication ceremony for the new market-themed mural on the side of Summit Coffee. Read the full story

Celebrity scoopers (clockwise from upper left) Raeford, Spear, Queen, Ramirez

Ben & Jerry’s ice cream in downtown Davidson will host a benefit night featuring celebrity scooopers Wednesday from 6-8 p.m., to aid the Davidson Cornelius Child Development Center, the area’s only sliding scale day care. Read the full story

Former White House Chief Information Officer Theresa Payton will talk about online safety for small business at The Business Center at South Main Square on Wednesday.

This week is shaping up as another busy one, with charity golf, tennis and paddle board events, including the Lake Norman Rotary’s Monday golf tourney at Peninsula Golf Club in Cornelius and the Jill Lake Pro-Am Tennis Tournament at River Run in Davidson on Friday. North Meck Woman’s Club meets on Tuesday and Wednesday, and blood drives are happening throughout the week. Wednesday is International Walk to School Day and ReadDavidson holds a book discussion about Ann Patchett’s “State of Wonder” on Thursday at the Davidson Public Library. Davidson College hosts its annual homecoming this weekend, and there are lots of free lectures open to the public on campus. Meanwhile, final performances of “The Smell of the Kill” are Thursday to Saturday at Warehouse Performing Arts Center in Cornelius.

Our Town Cinemas in Davidson is showing “Hotel Transylvania,” “Looper,” “End of Watch,” and “Trouble with the Curve.” See showtimes at the right.
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