Food, theater, music, lectures and public meetings fill our schedule this week. It’s the final weekend for the Carolina Renaissance Festival in Huntersville, and New York Times columnist David Brooks speaks Monday night at Davidson College. Food events include “United We Dine,” a daylong fundraiser at Cornelius restaurants Friday to benefit the United Way, while Community School of Davidson’s Friday night Food Truck Rally will help mark the groundbreaking for a high school addition. Davidson Community Players Connie Co. youth theater continues its performances of the fairy-tale-themed “Into the Woods Jr.,” while Davidson College’s theater department produces “The Pride.” Summit Coffee hosts its second annual Twilight 5K race on Saturday night, followed by a post-race festival in downtown Davidson. And the Carolina Thread Trail celebrates its fifth anniversary and its 100th mile of developed trail with an event Saturday off Shearers Road in Davidson. Read on for more about those and other events this week. Read the full story

Looking for a few laughs after a long Election season? Check out Saturday night’s improv comedy battle at the Warehouse PAC between two troupes of comedians: The Chuckleheads of Charlotte and Check!, an improv group from Marvin Ridge High School. Davidson College’s men’s basketball team tips off for a new season Friday night against Emory at Belk Arena. Kadi Fit in Cornelius plans a “Marketplace Day” at the Oak Street Mill in Cornelius. And there’s a Fall Festival at Jetton Village, also in Cornelius. This weekend also brings the annual Rural Sheepdog Trials and Dog Festival. Sunday brings the annual meeting and nature festival of the Davidson Lands Conservancy at Abersham Park Sunday, followed by a hike to an old mill and the Whale Rock site. Read on for the details about those and other events.

Our Town Cinemas in Davidson is showing “Wreck-It Ralph” on two screens, along with “Chasing Mavericks,” “Fun Size,” and “Argo.” Opening Friday is “Skyfall,” and here’s a reminder: Coming up next Thursday, it’s “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2.” They’ll also have a “Twilight” marathon. See showtimes on the right side of this page.
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The Birdsnest music studio and shop in downtown Davidson will host a daylong concert of live music and a bake sale on Sunday to raise money for the Red Cross and victims of Hurricane Sandy.

Billy Jones, the chief musician at the shop, said there also will be live musicians playing in front of various stores on Main Street Sunday. Read the full story

Our week is filled with civic events, including Monday’s Cornelius Town Board meeting and Tuesday’s election; symphony concerts at Davidson College, Bailey Middle School and the Charlotte Symphony Lollipops series; and the annual meeting and nature festival of the Davidson Lands Conservancy at Abersham Park Sunday. Davidson College’s men’s basketball team opens the 2012-13 season Friday at home against Emory. A Marketplace day is planned Saturday at Kadi Fit in Cornelius, and there’s a Fall Festival at Jetton Village in Cornelius. This weekend also brings the annual Rural Sheepdog Trials and Dog Festival. Read on the details about those and other events. Read the full story

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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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