The Summit Twilight 5K will be downtown Friday, with running, music and a downtown festival. Click for info.

By BILL KISER
DavidsonNews.Net

It’s a weekend made for the jocks in your house with a number of sporting events — for participants and spectators alike. Football tops the list, with high schools well into the postseason and Davidson College closing out its 2011 schedule at Homecoming. Meanwhile, Summit Coffee has the first of a planned series of Twilight 5K festivals in downtown Davidson. Read the full story

By BILL KISER
DavidsonNews.net

A performance by the Grammy-nominated Plain White T’s kicks off a weekend of performing and visual arts activities — both indoors and out — for local residents.

The Chicago-based rock band, whose hits include “Hey There Delilah,” “Rhythm of Love” and “1, 2, 3, 4,” visit Davidson College’s Duke Family Performance Hall on Friday night as part of their Wonders of the Younger Tour.

Following a night of rock Friday, spend Sunday enjoying some classical music. St. Alban’s Episcopal Church will host a performance by pianist Andrew Willis and cellist Brent Wissick as part of the church’s Music at St. Alban’s program on Sunday, and Davidson College will host a “Liederabend” vocal concert by students of artist associates Diane Thornton and Jacqueline Culpepper on Sunday evening at the Tyler-Tallman Hall. Read the full story

By BILL KISER
DavidsonNews.net

‘Shake’ things up a bit this weekend and see a new twist on a revered Shakespeare classic, Macbeth, opening Friday. And starting Thursday, spend some time downtown to support  local shops’ fundraisers for Hope in Uganda and Our Towns Habitat for Humanity.  Cap off the weekend with some classical music and even a little football – all happening in Davidson and the surrounding area. What will YOU do this weekend?

The Connie Company — the Davidson Community Players’ youth program — offers its own twist on Macbeth, Shakespeare’s classic tragedy, in five performances over three days beginning Friday night at the Armour Street Theatre in Davidson.

For a different sort of performance, check out the Hough High Huskies, who Friday night host their rivals, the Hopewell Titans from nearby Huntersville, and the Davidson College Wildcats, who on Saturday host Johnson C. Smith at Richardson Stadium.

Before heading to the theater or the games, head downtown Thursday night – several shops in downtown Davidson will remain open late for Downtown Davidson Ladies Night. La De Daa’s, Monkee’s on Main and the Village Store all will host special events to benefit Acres of Hope in Uganda.

On Saturday morning, grab the kids and head over to Our Town Cinemas in Davidson, which will show “Field of Dreams” and “Ratatouille” beginning at 10 a.m. to raise funds for Our Towns Habitat for Humanity.

And unwind Sunday with a classical music treat. St. Alban’s Episcopal Church in Davidson will host BachFest IV, featuring concertos by Bach, Vivaldi and Corelli, while Davidson College will hold a concert of Indian music by the ensemble “Vibrations.”

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. 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

"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

By KARYN JESTER
DavidsonNews.net

This week features town meetings as well as entertainment events around the area. Monday night’s regularly scheduled Cornelius Board of Commissioners meeting will include a vote on Catawba Avenue improvements. On Wednesday, United Way of Central Carolinas will give a presentation on recommendations from the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute’s Community Needs Assessment. There’s also a Salsa & Merengue dance workshop at the Davidson public library on Wednesday. Davidson Community Players’ “Ragtime” starts up its second weekend on Thursday and there’s the ’80s Night in the Park in Cornelius’ Bailey Road Park on Saturday that features music from ’80s cover band 80z Enuff.

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 “Cars 2” opens, joining “The Hangover Part II,” “Kung Fu Panda 2,” “Green Lantern,” “Super 8,” and “Bridesmaids.” Read the full story