Mt. Zion United Methodist Church in Cornelius will kick off the 5th season of its Cornelius Concert Series Sept. 25 with The Toneblazers.

The Toneblazers

Based in the foothills of the N.C. Blue Ridge Mountains, The Toneblazers play favorites from different musical genres, including bluegrass, western swing, country, folk, rock and blues, as well as original pieces.

The Boy Scouts from Troop 10 will be providing lunch for the event, and donations are welcome but not required. Read the full story

The Warrior Dash, a 3-mile foot race full of obstacles, is Saturday at Rural Hill in Huntersville. (Warrior Dash/via Facebook)

By KARYN JESTER
DavidsonNews.net

This week is packed with arts & entertainment opportunities. Auditions for the Davidson Community Players’ production of “Love Letters” are scheduled Monday and Tuesday. The Daylily Book Club will be discussing “Loving Frank” by Nancy Horan on Tuesday at the Cornelius public library. On Thursday, there’s an opening reception for artists Kendall Buster and Chris Watts at Davidson College Visual Arts Center. North Mecklenburg Community Chorus hosts an open house Monday night. The movie “Tangled” will be playing at North Mecklenburg Park on Friday in Huntersville. Local favorites Davidson Express play this week’s Bluegrass & BBQ fest at CorneliusPresbyterian Church. The Warrior Dash comes to Rural Hill on Saturday, while Sunday brings a piano and organ concert on Sunday at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church.

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 where “Winne the Pooh” opens on Friday, joining “Fright Night,” “Spy Kids 4,” “The Help,” “Rise of the Planet of the Apes,” and “Crazy, Stupid, Love.” Our Town Cinemas is in the midst of its End of Summer Celebration – three weeks of kids movies. Everyone – kids and adults – gets in at kids’ admission price of $6.50.

Read the full story

By KARYN JESTER
DavidsonNews.net

This week features town meetings as well as entertainment events around the area. Monday night’s regularly scheduled Cornelius Board of Commissioners meeting will include a vote on Catawba Avenue improvements. On Wednesday, United Way of Central Carolinas will give a presentation on recommendations from the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute’s Community Needs Assessment. There’s also a Salsa & Merengue dance workshop at the Davidson public library on Wednesday. Davidson Community Players’ “Ragtime” starts up its second weekend on Thursday and there’s the ’80s Night in the Park in Cornelius’ Bailey Road Park on Saturday that features music from ’80s cover band 80z Enuff.

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 where “Cars 2” opens, joining “The Hangover Part II,” “Kung Fu Panda 2,” “Green Lantern,” “Super 8,” and “Bridesmaids.” Read the full story

The Rev. Amy Brooks and members of the Unitarian Universalism Fellowship of Lake Norman will host classes for people who are new to the Fellowship or new to the Unitarian Universalism faith.

The classes are an opportunity to learn more about the Fellowship, its history and its congregation, and newcomers are encouraged to ask questions. Read the full story

Volunteers from local congregations including St. Alban’s Episcopal Church and Davidson United Methodist Church will start raising money this month to help buy back-to-school shoes for needy area families.

They’ll be manning a booth this Saturday, June 18, at the Davidson Farmers Market for the “Count your shoes so they can count on shoes” drive. (Volunteers are needed – see below.) Read the full story

Davidson Express plays what could be a farewell concert Friday night at Summit Coffee in Davidson

By KARYN JESTER
DavidsonNews.net

Our weekend in and around Davidson brings an Israeli-style celebration of the holiday of Lag b’Omer Thursday, a grand opening for the newly completed West Branch Greenway Saturday in the River Run neighborhood, and Strawberry Shortcake Day at Davidson Farmer’s Market. On Thursday and Friday, regional artists will show their work at the All Arts Market in NoDa. And Friday, you can catch an outdoor screening of “Megamind” in North Meck Park or attend the Lake Norman Hospice Regatta.

Friday night will be your last chance to hear the popular folk/bluegrass group Davidson Express, at least for a while, as group members head in different directions. They’ll be at Summit Coffee from 8-11 p.m.

On Saturday, The Palace Bazaar Saturday will have vendors will selling their goods and services. And World War II re-enactors will be at Latta Plantation in Huntersville. Michael Reno Harrell, an award winning songwriter and a veteran storyteller and entertainer from the Southern Appalachian Mountains, will be playing at Mt. Zion United Methodist Church on Sunday.

These events and more below, or in our day-by-day calendar at right. At right on this page, see our movie show times listings for Our Town Cinemas where “Bridesmaids” and “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” opens, joining “Thor,” “Bridesmaids,” “Jane Eyre,” and “Water for Elephants.” The theater plans a special midnight opening Thursday for “Pirates of the Caribbean,” including half-price beer. Read the full story