By BILL KISER
DavidsonNews.Net

It’s a new work week – I know, you’re groaning right now – and the kids are back at school. That doesn’t mean life has to turn into days and nights of drudgery. There’s plenty to do in the region this week, and even more this weekend.

The Hurricane Hugo Juggling Festival is Friday and Saturday in Davidson. That includes  fire juggling outside the college union Friday nights, and a public juggling event Saturday morning on the Village Green, where everyone’s invited to help set a world record for most people bouncing paddle balls at once. And Saturday night, it’s the annual Vaudeville Extravaganza at Davidson College’s Duke Family Performance Hall, followed by more outdoor fire juggling. On Monday with the Lake Norman Kiwanis annual golf tournament at noon at Cowan’s Ford Golf Club. And The Light Factory in Charlotte hosts its monthly Cult Movie Monday; the screening of “The Big Lebowski” is free and so is the popcorn. Public meetings this week include the Davidson Planning Board Monday, and another Davidson Town Board “Commissioner Chat” Tuesday. Davidson College’s sports teams are busy this weekend. And the Carolina Panthers play their final preseason game Thursday, and a huge tailgating party is planned near Bank of America Stadium. The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art in downtown Charlotte will host a tribute to jazz great Dizzy Gillespie on Friday. Also Saturday, Fall into Huntersville promotes downtown Huntersville. To cap off the week, the Sunday Union Band will perform a Davidson Concert on the Green Sunday evening. Read the full story

Davidson Express plays Cornelus Presbyterian Church's Bluegrass and BBQ festival Saturday.

By BILL KISER
DavidsonNews.net

Ready for the weekend? There’s plenty to see and do in the Lake Norman region – from arts and entertainment, all the way to the Warrior Dash for those in search of more physical activities. Chaz Willomon plays at Summit Coffee in Davidson on Thursday and there’s also live music during the weekend at Hickory Tavern in Huntersville, Unleashed in Cornelius and Campania Cafe in Davidson. Friday, the Movies in the Park series screens “Tangled,” on a inflatable outdoor screen at North Mecklenburg Park in Huntersville. Saturday, the Davidson Farmer’s Market will be open with local farmers offering a variety of produce, and on Sunday concerts are being held at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church and Davidson United Methodist Church.

Oh yeah, there’s also the Warrior Dash at Rural Hill in Huntersville, a three-mile road race that takes competitors through a variety of obstacles – walls, water and mud pits, cargo nets, even fire.

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 “Winnie 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

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

Summit Songwriters Showcase Thursday features (from left) Lindy Dobbins, Mike Alicke, host Rob McHale, and Billy Jones.

By KARYN JESTER
DavidsonNews.net

Summit Coffee hosts its August Songwriters Showcase on Thursday, featuring Billy Jones, Lindy Dobbins, Rob McHale and Mike Alicke. Public radio station WFAE-FM in Charlotte hosts an open house Friday to mark its 30th anniversary. Cornelius Presbyterian Church’s Bluegrass and BBQ Festival and Cornelius’s 70s Night in the Park are both on Saturday. The weekend comes to a close with a Concert on the Green with the Rusty Knox Band.

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 “Fright Night” and “Spy Kids 4: All the Time in the World” open, joining “The Help,” “Rise of the Planet of the Apes,” “Crazy, Stupid, Love,” and “Cowboys & Aliens.”

Read the full story

Rusty Knox and his band play a Concert on the Green Sunday in Davidson.

By KARYN JESTER
DavidsonNews.net

ReadDavidson kicks off the 2011 Davidson community reading series this week with a screening Tuesday of the movie “The Help,” based on this year’s book. The next Summit Songwriters Showcase is Thursday, featuring Billy Jones, Lindy Dobbins, host Rob McHale and opening act Mike Alicke. On Friday, WFAE-FM celebrates its 30th anniversary with an open house at its University City studios. It’s 70s Night in the Park on Saturday in Bailey Road Park, with Da Throwback Band, while the Rusty Knox Band plays a Davidson Concert on the GreenSunday. And just a reminder: Summit Coffee in Davidson is closed Monday while they install new counters.

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 “Fright Night” and “Spy Kids 4: All the Time in the World” open, joining “The Help,” “Rise of the Planet of the Apes,” “Crazy, Stupid, Love,” and “Cowboys & Aliens.” Read the full story

"The Help," a new film based on the best-selling book by Kathryn Stockett, opens at Our Town Cinemas this week.

By KARYN JESTER
DavidsonNews.net

The Cornelius Planning Board and the Lake Norman Marine Commission have meetings on Monday and the Davidson Board of Commissioners and the Lake Norman Community Development Council have meetings on Tuesday. Other meetings this week include Davidson’s Coalition for Fiscal Responsibility and the Lake Norman Transportation Commission. There’s an International Tournament of Champions wheelchair basketball tournament this week in Huntersville, where 250 athletes from around the world will be competing. The Baroque Orchestra of North Carolina will be playing at Davidson College Presbyterian Church on Friday and Davidson College Wildcats Fan Day is on Saturday.

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 “The Help” opens on Wednesday, joining “Rise of the Planet of the Apes,” “Crazy, Stupid, Love,” “Cowboys & Aliens,” “Captain America: The First Avenger,” and “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2.”

“The Help” is also this year’s DavidsonReads community reading book.  The 7 p.m. screening next Tuesday, Aug. 16, is a kick-off for a series of events related to the book. That show is sold out, but tickets remain for all other shows, Our Town Cinemas’ Jan Black said Monday. Some book clubs may be planning to see the film. Ms. Black said reservations for groups are available by contacting the box office (see information at right).  Read the full story