Got any books you don’t need? Annie Wacker, a junior at Woodlawn School, is collecting books to be sold at a used book sale at the Davidson Farmer’s Market on Saturday, May 19, from 8 a.m. to noon. Proceeds will go to the Cornelius Animal Shelter. If you have books to donate, contact her: aewacker@gmail.com
Books also may be dropped off Summit Coffee, 128 S. Main St.

UPDATE: Annie reports that she has the books she needs for the sale. Please stop by her table at the market on Saturday and browse.

By BILL KISER
DavidsonNews.net

The spectator areas at Davidson College’s Belk Arena will resemble a winter whiteout Monday night when the Wildcats’ men’s basketball team hosts Wofford during WhiteOut Belk night. It’s one of a series of Kicks From Cats fund-raisers. Elsewhere this week, several meetings with information about the Red Line Regional Rail Project are planned in Mooresville, Davidson and Cornelius.  Rotary Club of Lake Norman has its annual pancake breakfast and talent show Saturday morning at Bethel Presbyterian Church in Cornelius, and Davidson Farmer’s Market has another winter tailgate market in downtown Davidson. Read the full story

By BILL KISER
DavidsonNews.net

Opens Friday at Our Town Cinemas.

With Christmas just 10 days away — have you finished your shopping yet? — the holiday theme dominates theater and dance performances this weekend. Davidson Community Players wrap up their holiday show “Retrieving the Lamb” with performances Thursday through Sunday at the Armour Street Theatre in Davidson. In Mooresville, students from Masterworks School of the Arts perform the Christmas classic “Miracle on 34th Street” on Friday and Saturday.  And two area productions of Tchaikovsky’s holiday ballet “The Nutcracker” are on tap: by Dance Davidson Sunday at Davidson College and by the Piedmont Dance Theatre and Salisbury Symphony Orchestra Saturday and Sunday at Salisbury’s Keppel Auditorium.

The holiday theme carries over into music, with Davidson College Presbyterian Church’s Geneva, Chancel and Youth choirs combining to perform Antonio Vivaldi’s “Gloria” on Sunday; and Mt. Zion United Methodist Church in Cornelius is holding its annual Christmas concert on Sunday, with the church’s Chancel Choir, Bell Choir and Orchestra performing. And in a holiday twist, Tanya and Tim Chartier will depict stories of Christmas through the art of mime in a Sunday performance at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church in Davidson. Read the full story

Mimes Tanya and Tim Chartier present "Miming in Advent" Sunday at St. Alban's Episcopal Church.

By BILL KISER
DavidsonNews.net

Several holiday concerts  are among the highlights of our calendar in the region this week, from the award-winning U.K.-based classical ensemble Stile Antico and the North Mecklenburg Community Chorus to a performance of Vivaldi’s “Gloria” at Davidson College Presbyterian Church and the annual Christmas concert at Mt. Zion United Methodist Church.

The Grammy Award-winning classical singing group Stile Antico brings its U.S. tour to Davidson United Methodist Church Tuesday night.  The ensemble will perform works from its latest album “Puer natus est,” which features English Tudor music for Advent and Christmas seasons.

On Monday night, North Mecklenburg Community Chorus will be at Davidson College Presbyterian Church. Three different choral groups will combine for two performances of Vivalid’s “Gloria” at Davidson College Presbyterian Church on Sunday morning. And  Mt. Zion United Methodist Church in Cornelius will hold its annual Christmas Concert on Sunday morning. Read the full story

Lots of local tomatoes.

Summer has been good, but now it’s officially over for all the area schools. For our final article in this series, we decided to visit the Davidson Farmers Market, where Emma is a volunteer. On a recent Saturday, we checked out all the produce as the seasons change from summer to fall. We hope you had a great summer and enjoy a cooler fall!

Emma: For me, the day started at 6:30 a.m. with set-up. We had tents to put up, and tables to put under the tents. I also had to set up the information booth, with brochures, T-shirts, and other miscellany. The sky slowly changed from gray to blue. At 8 a.m., the scene 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