Our Town Cinemas has "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" and other offerings this weekend.

By BILL KISER
DavidsonNews.net

OK, a show of hands — how many readers made resolutions for the New Year? And how many of you have kept them so far? If you’re in that majority that made (and broke) resolutions, make up for it by resolving to take advantage of the activities available in our area this weekend.

For the civic-minded, the second in a series of public planning workshops on Davidson’s plans for development along the proposed Red Line Regional Rail Line will be held Thursday night at the Davidson Town Hall.

Summit Coffee in downtown Davidson will have the grand opening of its new upstairs Freckled Dog Pub on Friday evening, with plenty of microbrews and music to go around. Summit Coffee also will also have live music on Thursday and Saturday nights.

A teetotaler (or just someone who vowed to lay off the hard stuff after a wild New Year’s celebration)? Then check out Tea Time at Wooden Stone Gallery on Saturday afternoon in Davidson. You can try out an assortment of teas, and sample cupcakes made by SweetCakes of Cornelius. Read the full story

Davidson Community Players' Connie Company offers performances and workshops for kids.

Davidson Community Players’ Connie Company children’s theater will offer a variety of performance and workshop opportunities for kids in 2012. Auditions begin this week for the youth production of “A Bear Called Paddington.” Auditions are Thursday, Jan. 5, and Saturday, Jan. 7 for the show, which is to be performed April 20-29. 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

Charlotte Children's Choir performs Sunday afternoon at St. Alban's.

By BILL KISER
DavidsonNews.net

While Mother Nature can’t seem to make up her mind what season it is — is it winter or spring? — the coming weekend has plenty of opportunities to get into the holiday spirit. On Friday, Community School of Davidson hosts a “Gifts for the Greater Good” fair. On Sunday, teens at Davidson College Presbyterian Church re-enact the story of Christ’s birth at the annual White Gift Christmas Pageant. That’s followed by a soup and sandwich supper. Meanwhile, the 80-member Charlotte Children’s Choir will perform a concert of holiday carols Sunday afternoon in the Music at St. Alban’s series. In other holiday events, Davidson Day School’s early childhood, kindergarten and first-grade classes will showcase the holiday traditions from around the world during the school’s second-annual Season of Light on Saturday morning; the Cornelius Town Hall will hold a holiday program for special-needs people and their families on Saturday afternoon. And Santa Claus will make a breakfast appearance at Davidson’s Lake Norman Cottage on Sunday. Read the full story

Casey Jacobus (left, as Travis) and Virginia Darcey (as Athalee) lead Davidson Community Players' production of the holiday play "Retrieving the Lamb," which continues this weekend at Armour Street Theatre. (Bill Giduz photo)

By BILL KISER
DavidsonNews.net

It’s the first full week of December, and a week for holiday performances of all kinds. They range from Davidson Community Players‘  “Retrieving the Lamb” to music by the North Mecklenburg Community Chorus. Davidson College’s men’s basketball team will Black Out Belk Wednesday night against Vanderbilt, in a fundraiser for the David Burns Memorial Family Trust. And there’s plenty more … Read the full story

The North Mecklenburg Moravian Band will play Thursday night at Wooden Stone, as part of Christmas in Davidson. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

By BILL KISER
DavidsonNews.net

Now that November’s behind us (and you’re tired of eating leftover Thanksgiving turkey), it’s on to December and thinking about a bigger holiday — Christmas! Well, there’s plenty going on this weekend in the area to get you in the right frame of mind – from Christmas in Davidson to the North Mecklenburg Christmas Parade to the Cornelius Holiday Celebration. Read the full story