For many area students, next week is Spring break, and the Cornelius Parks, Arts, Recreation and Culture Department offers some fun ways to stay busy. See a list of different activities on the CorneliusNews.net GUIDE page >>  Read the full story

Families enjoy the 2011 Have a Heart Day, hosted by the Community Arts Project. (CAP photo)

The Community Arts Project hosts its annual Have a Heart Valentine’s Party Saturday, Feb. 4 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Cornelius Arts Center, 19725 Oak Street.

The free event includes card making and other crafts for all ages, with a suggested donation of $5 to benefit CAP and the Buddy Kemp Caring House in Charlotte.

Starting this fall, the Community Arts Project, in partnership with the Town of Cornelius PARC Department, is expanding its music class offerings to include a class for babies up to 18 months. And over the next two weeks, parents interested in learning more about the class or about CAP’s “Toddler Tunes” class are invited to preview the classes for free.

Taught by music instructor Charity Helms, “Baby Beats” combines music and movement for babies, and provides an intimate space for mothers and babies to bond through dance, massage, and lullabies. Read the full story

Path along the creek at Fisher Farm Park. See a photo gallery below.

Even though it has been ridiculously hot, we decided to get outside to explore this week. We hopped in the car and headed to Fisher Farm, the local nature preserve/park on Shearer Road, in east Davidson. Our timing was impeccable, as a gathering storm cooled the air nicely. It also added a bit of excitement to our trip when the clouds broke around us, letting down torrents of much needed rain.

After stepping out of the car in the parking lot, we picked a trail that led downhill, toward the creek. When the path turned uphill, we decided to bail on that trail, and bush-whacked through some grass to a neighboring trail that also went downhill. However, that one ran out, too, so we gave up on trails. Read the full story

By KARYN JESTER
DavidsonNews.net

This week starts off with a couple of book clubs: Guytime at Davidson public library on Monday and the Daylily book club at Cornelius public library on Tuesday. There’s a business seminar at the Lake Norman Chamber about how to grow your business on the internet on Monday. On Wednesday, “Little Fockers” will be screened at Torrence Chapel Park as part of the Summer Outdoor Cinema Series. The Soul Food Festival comes to Rural Hill on Saturday and the July 3rd Summer Celebration will be at the Lowe’s YMCA in Mooresville on Sunday.

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 “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” opens on Wednesday and “Larry Crowne” opens on Friday, joining “Cars 2,” “Green Lantern,” “Super 8,” and “Bridesmaids.” Read the full story

The Charlotte Symphony Orchestra played just before the storm rolled in (Rachel Goldstein / DavidsonNews.net)

Despite an ominous weather forecast, about 1800 people turned out to Bailey Road Park Saturday night for the annual “Symphony in the Park.” Part of the Cornelius Parks, Arts, Recreation and Culture department’s ‘Concerts in the Park’ summer series, the event included games and face painting starting around 6 p.m., pre-show music by the Bam Jazz Trio, and music by the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra starting at 8:15 p.m. Read the full story