Arts and entertainment briefs

Folk singer and songwriter Timmy Abell will be performing in Salisbury at the Waterworks' Family Fun Day. He will be joined on stage by the Amadeus Youth Chorus.

Tonight's "Meet the Artist: Coffee and Conversation" at the Waterworks Visual Arts Center features artist Mimi Howard, 6-8:30 p.m.

Meet the Artist events are casual evenings getting to know a local artist who presents his or her work and shares inspiration, art materials, techniques, and what being an artist means to him or her. The presentations are followed by coffee, snacks, and informal conversation with the artists.

These events are for ages 14 through adult. The cost is $10 for nonmembers, $8 for members, and ARTPartners pay $5.

Before moving to Salisbury, Howard spent 25 years as an exhibiting artist, participated in over 20 solo shows and numerous regional and national professional juried and invitational exhibitions/work held in several public and private collections. She taught 14 years as a middle school art teacher before moving on to 25 years of university teaching.

She was owner and operator of a pottery studio located in Southern Indiana before moving to Salisbury.

Waterworks Visual Arts Center is located at 123 E. Liberty St. For more information, call 704-636-1882.

Civil War mystery

As of 11 a.m. Thursday, this event has been postponed due to weather.

SPENCER — The N.C. Transportation Museum welcomes author, historian and documentarian Kevin Duffus for his program, "The Lost Light: The Mystery of the Cape Hatteras Fresnel Lens."

Duffus will present this Civil War era story Jan. 30 in the Bob Julian Roundhouse. The program starts at 1 p.m. and is free to public.

The story of "The Lost Light" begins in 1861 when Confederate supporters removed the 6,000-pound, 12-foot tall, bronze and crystal optic from the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in an effort to keep the beacon from aiding Union ships. It was supposed to have been transported to Richmond, Va., but the lens disappeared into history.

Union forces searched for the missing lighthouse optic throughout the Civil War. The story became what Lighthouse Digest magazine called, "one of the great unsolved mysteries of American lighthouse history." But in 2002, Duffus solved the mystery after searching through century-old documents, myths and urban legends. In 2006, the optic was returned to Cape Hatteras and the historic lighthouse.

Duffus' program is free to the public, but seating is limited. Reserve seats by calling 704-636-2889 ext. 232. Duffus will sign copies of his book, "The Lost Light: A Civil War Mystery" following the program.

Visit www.nctrans.org for more information.

Historic Gold Hill

The annual meeting of the Historic Gold Hill and Mines Foundation Inc. will be held 7 p.m. Feb.1, at the Russell-Rufty Memorial Shelter in Gold Hill Mines Historic Park. Doors will open at 6 p.m.

Historic Foundation president, Jay Culp, will host the business meeting, introducing key members of the board who will offer reports and updates of the foundations projects over the last year. The Events Committee will outline coming events for 2010. Rick Shulenburger, chairman of the Nominating Committee, will offer a slate of nominees for the expiring board seats.

Keynote speaker, Tony Hill, will give a program on EarthCache Sites in Gold Hill Mines Historic Park and the surrounding Gold Hill Region.

A social hour will be held following the meeting with refreshments in the Veterans Room. The public is welcome, and reservations are not required. Renewing member dues can be paid on arrival the night of the meeting, but membership is not required to attend.

Gold Hill Mines Historic Park is located 14 miles southeast of Salisbury just off US Hwy 52 on St. Stephens Church Road.

More information can be obtained at www.HistoricGoldHill.com.

Groundhog ceremony

RALEIGH -- The most accurate groundhog in the Southeast visits the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences for the 12th annual Groundhog Day celebration on Feb. 2. The free event starts at 10 a.m. and runs through 2 p.m. with the shadow ceremony beginning promptly at noon out on Bicentennial Plaza. Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker will join museum educator John Connors, who will be outfitted in top hat and tails, to assist Wally with the forecast.

Following the ceremony, Wally moves inside to his special station where those with cameras can pose for pictures alongside the famous weather prognosticator.

Visitors can also take advantage of educational stations and several presentations every 30 minutes from 10 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. in the auditorium. For kids 6 and under, there will be a sand art activity sponsored by Franklin County Soil and Water Conservation and games.

Anyone can download a free Groundhog Day kit from the museum Web site.

For more information, contact Liz Jones at Liz.Jones@ncdenr.gov or 919-733-7450, ext. 523 or visit www.naturalsciences.org.

Youth chorus begins

The Amadeus Youth Chorus resumes Feb. 4, rehearsing Thursdays, 5:30-6:30 p.m. at St. Lukes Episcopal Church on the corner o f Church and Council Streets.

New members, age 8-18, are welcome. No audition is required. Tuition is $25 with all materials provided, and the cost of a chorus shirt is $15.

This spring's theme is "Songs That Tell Stories." A highlight of the semester will be May 15 when Amadeus performs at the Waterworks Visual Arts Center's Family Fun Day in the F&M Trolley Barn with noted folk singer and songwriter Timmy Abell.

Abell is one of the nation's top contemporary songwriters for children with multiple awards from Parents' Choice, the American Library Association and NAPPA, and he is a recipient of the North Carolina Arts Council's Fellowship for Songwriting.

His family concert has been featured on NC Public Television, The Kennedy Center, The National Theater, Spirit Square, The Peace Center, Picolo Spoleto, The Savannah Music Festival and Merlefest. He has recorded five national award-winning CDs.

For information about joining, contact Dr. Phillip Burgess, 704-633-3221 or Sarah Fuller Hall, sfhall@carolina.rr.com.

Princess party

The Delphinian Society, a female service organization at Catawba College, will host a Princess Party beginning at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 7, in the Cannon Student Center on campus.

The event, geared to young children, ages 3-12, will feature four princesses: Cinderella, Ariel, Sleeping Beauty and Snow White.

In addition to "spending time with the princesses," each participant will receive a photo with their favorite princess and a "Stuff A Bear" (10-inch bear and shirt). Participants will also create crafts, including picture frame decorating, cookie decorating, coloring and fingernail painting. Refreshments will be served.

The cost for the Princess Party is $25.

For more information or to make a reservation, contact Jen Trout at 516-225-1402 or jltrout@catawba.edu.

Relay for Life dance

The annual Sweet Potato Queens/Relay for Life dance and fundraiser takes place 7:30-11 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13, in The Trolley Barn, 125 Liberty St.

This year's theme is the "Barbeque, Brew, and Blues Bash."

Entertainment will be provided by Triple C and The Blues Brothers. There's also dancing, raffles, silent auction, bingo, corn toss and more.

Tickets are $25 per person, available at the door. Tax deductible checks may be made payable to the American Cancer Society.

The Sweet Potato Queens are a group of area women who have personally battled cancer or know someone who has. Their mission is to provide awareness and raise charitable donations for Rowan County Relay for Life and the American Cancer Society.