Rockers Mane Alloy will perform at intermission of Saturday night’s show and fireworks.

A field of 63 entrants has been whittled to 15 finalists for Saturday night’s “Lake Norman Has Talent” Concert in the Park at Bailey Road Park in Cornelius. Their talents range from bands and singers to a drummer and a juggler. Gates open at 7 for the festivities, which include a competition for cash prizes, a concert by the rock band Mane Alloy, and post-concert fireworks.

The competition drew a crowd of hopefuls aged 5 to 66 years old. Most of the performers that made the cut for Saturday’s live competition are teens, between 11 and 17.

“We didn’t expect that,” said Mindi Stoner, special events coordinator for Cornelius Park, Arts, Recreation & Culture. “That’s just kind of how it came back.” Read the full story

Steve Langley really used his head on this trick, as Jay Leno watched.

Huntersville juggler, entertainer and “Paddle Ball King” Steve Langley hit new heights in his profession this week: On Tuesday night he found himself on stage in Hollywood on the “Tonight Show,” chatting with host Jay Leno and performing his “Human Paddle Ball” routine. (See video below) Read the full story

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An estimated 356 people young and old, from Davidson and beyond, swarmed the Davidson Village Green Saturday to set an (unofficial) Guinness Book of World Records mark for the most people bouncing paddle balls at one time. Here’s a 4-minute video of the record, produced by DavidsonNews.net.

RELATED LINK: Sept. 3, 2011, “356 paddleballers set a world record on the Green.”

Can’t see the video? Watch it directly on YouTube.

Steve Langley is emcee of the Vaudeville Extravaganza at Davidson College Saturday night, part of the 2011 Hurricane Hugo Juggling festival. Ed Haponik (right) will demonstrate his yo-yo prowess.

By BILL KISER
DavidsonNews.net

Had a tough week at work? Depressed because the kids are back in school? Cheer up – the weekend’s here, and there’s plenty to do – with kids and without. The Carolina Panthers play their final home preseason game on Thursday night, and an Extreme Tailgate Party is planned in downtown Charlotte before the game. The Hurricane Hugo Juggling Festival, including two nights of fire juggling and a world record attempt for most simultaneous paddle ballers, runs Friday to Sunday. And don’t forget the festival’s Vaudeville Extravaganza Saturday night at Davidson College. In Charlotte, Bechtler Museum of Modern Art in Charlotte will host a tribute to jazz great Dizzy Gillespie, and both Davidson Day and Hough High have high school football games on the road.

On Saturday, a Punt, Pass & Kick competition will be at Smithville Park in Cornelius, the two-day F2C Control Line Airplane Team Racing Trials begins at David B. Waymer Flying Field in Huntersville, while Fall Into Huntersville begins at Discovery Place Kids in downtown Huntersville. On Sunday, the Davidson-based Sunday Union Band will perform at  Davidson Concert on the Green. Read the full story

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

Greg Kennedy practices in the cone. (Christina Ritchie Rogers/DavidsonNews.net)

By CHRISTINA RITCHIE ROGERS
DavidsonNews.net

CONCORD – Anyone who has seen a Cirque du Soleil show at some point wonders, “How do they do that?” “Totem” cast member and former engineer Greg Kennedy knows the physics behind the fantastic. Read the full story