RCCC Autumn exhibit reception is Friday

The Rowan Cabarrus Community College Autumn 2014 Exhibit will be on display at the Rail Walk Gallery at 409-413 N. Lee St. starting today and continuing through Nov. 1. The opening reception is Friday, from 6 until 8 p.m. The event and the exhibit are free and open to the public.

Gallery hours are Thursday-Saturday 11 a.m.-4 p.m. or by appointment, in Historic Salisbury’s Rail Walk Arts District. Call 704-431-8964 or visit www.railwalkgallery.com for details. 

The exhibit is sponsored by the Rowan Arts Council, RCCC Foundation and
The RCCC Department of Fine and Applied Arts. 

American Idol champ headlines Lexington’s Barbecue Fest

LEXINGTON — Lexington-style barbecue and American Idol winner Caleb Johnson will share the spotlight during the 31st annual Barbecue Festival on Saturday, Oct. 25.

The festival salutes Lexington’s status as the “Barbecue Capital” and is one of the largest one-day festivals in the South with attendance of more than 150,000.

This year’s crowds will enjoy plenty of pork barbecue, along with a heaping helping of music from Johnson, an Asheville native and the reigning American Idol winner.

In addition to rock and rock, the lineup includes Grammy-winning country artist Kristian Bush of Sugarland, along with fellow country artists RaeLynn, Canaan Smith and the John King Band.

Folks come from all 50 states to sample Lexington’s unique brand of barbecue. Three large tents will serve up tens of thousands of pounds of sandwiches and plates.

The free festival is on Main Street in uptown Lexington, covering an area filled with arts and crafts vendors, street performers, seven entertainment stages, two beer gardens and a wine garden.

There’s also a family fun area, giant pig sand sculpture, bicycle stunt shows, antique car show, and hog races featuring specially trained racing pigs.

Festival hours are 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. The grand opening ceremony takes place at 9 a.m. on the main stage. For details, see www.barbecuefestival.com

  

Amtrak to make special stop at Lexington Barbecue Festival: The Carolinian and Piedmont operating between Raleigh and Charlotte will make several stops in the morning and afternoon of Oct. 25. The special stop is located at the Lexington Barbecue Hospitality Center on Railroad Street and is within walking distance to the festival. This special stop is not wheelchair accessible. The schedule of arrival and departure times is available at NC by Train. Find out more  at Amtrak.com or 800-USA-RAIL.

Comedy Night at Cartucci’s Grapevine

From 9 to 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, have a laugh at The Grapevine with Scott Meade, The Cooleemee Clown, followed by Evolution Frost, whose quick-witted views on popular culture, politics and society finds the humor and paradoxes in all of the above and ties them into personal experiences that all can relate to.

$8 cover. Cartucci’s Grapevine, 209 S. Main St.,  6704-870-2574, www. cartuccisgrapevine.com

Kaleidoscope Cultural Arts Festival Saturday

Kaleidoscope Cultural Arts Festival in downtown Kannapolis is a free festival that lets artists and performers set up for free. Last year’s festivals included oil painters, jugglers, woodworkers, magicians, jewelry makers, musicians, pottery makers, live painting, writers and metal workers.

The festival is open to all forms family friendly arts, culture and performances. Festival is from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 25. E-mail mknox@modernfilmzine.com or call 828-231-5037 for more information.

‘A Patriotic Salute to our Nation’ Sunday

Concord — The Piedmont Prime Time Community Band and Piedmont Choral Society will join together to present the concert “A Patriotic Salute to Our Nation” on Sunday, Oct. 26 at 3 p.m. It will be performed at First Baptist Church, 200 Branchview Drive SE.  The concert is under the direction of Dr. Laurence Marks.

This special pre-Veteran’s Day event will feature familiar patriotic selections and special music of local band composer Walter S. Hartley.

Admission is free for children up to age 13 and for seniors, age 65 or older.  A nominal charge of $5 is requested for all others. The Concord High School band color guard will also be included as part of a salute to our armed forces. For more information, call 704-608-2197.

‘Christmas Made in the South’ this weekend

Concord — The 34th annual Christmas Made in the South show is Friday through Sunday at the Cabarrus Arena and Event Center, 4751 N Carolina 49. Hours are  Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 11  a.m. to 5 p.m.

Admission for this southern Christmas idea show adults is $7 and one admission is good for three days with hand stamp. Children 12 and younger are free.

Parking is free. Visit www.cabarrusarena.com for more information.

Refresh & Relax Yoga

5-6:30 p.m. Sundays, Nov. 2 – Dec. 7: $90 for six-week class; registration required. Taught by Debra McNeil, OTR/L, HFS, RYT at 207 W. Harrison St., park and enter behind Haven Lutheran Church. This class lays a firm foundation for a holistic yoga practice for the beginner level student. See www.faithart.org for details or email Debra McNeil at inspiredwellness@bellsouth.net or call at 704-637-1671.

Dynamic Yoga workshop  Nov. 2

Artemesia Artworks & Yoga Studio is offering a workshop with Tim Keim, author of “The Dynamic Dozen, 12 Accessible Yoga Poses for Building Bone Density, Strength, and Balance.” The workshop is Sunday, Nov. 2 from 3-5 p.m.

Build bone density and boost your immune system through this practice.   Register to reserve your space by calling Lewellen at 704-637-7193. The cost is $40.

Artemesia Artworks & Yoga Studio is located at 323 W. Harrison St.

Donate or help at Trick or Treat Trail Ride

Nov. 1 is the Trick or Treat Trail Ride and Fall Fest at Chandelle Farms.  Proceeds will support Saving Grace Therapeutic Programs. It is a festival and riding event for children ages 3 to 15.

If you would like to help, a donation of a bag of treats or toys or child friendly promo items for the event (healthy items are preferred if possible), are welcome. Every little bit helps.

To donate contact janna@savinggracefarm.com or call 704-798-5955.  Donations can also be dropped off a the farm anytime before Oct. 31.

Volunteers are also welcome.

FirstARTS hosts New York soprano

FUMCSALISBURY news services

The FirstARTS series of First United Methodist Church will begin its seventh season with nationally acclaimed soprano Mari-Yan Pringle in recital Friday evening at 7:30 p.m. Based in New York City, Ms. Pringle will present a varied concert of music from operatic masterpieces of  Mozart, Weber and Wagner to arrangements of gospel hymns and spirituals. Matthew Michael Brown, a former colleague of Pringle’s at the Eastman School of Music, will accompany at the piano.

Ms. Pringle is a winner of the Schuyler Foundation for Career Bridges Inc. grant and semi-finalist of both the Elizabeth Connell Prize for Dramatic Voices under the auspices of The Joan Sutherland and Richard Bonygne Foundation Inc. and the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Ryan Opera Center.

A member of the cast of the 75th Anniversary National Tour of George Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, Ms. Pringle, initially cast as the Strawberry Woman, garnered glowing reviews; her success ultimately led to delivering what has been called a refreshingly and beautifully rendered fierce Serena and has reprised the latter role in theatres throughout the United States and Europe.

The concert is free and open to the public. An offering will be received for the music memorial fund. First United Methodist Church is located at 217 S. Church St. For more information, contact the church office at 704-636-3121 or visit www.fumcsalisbury.org

Waterworks Chili  Cook-off

Cathi Brandt

Administrative Director, WVAC

Saturday, Nov. 1 from 6:30 to 11 p.m. — Great food. Good friends. Lots of fun!

Round em’ up and head downtown to the F&M Trolley Barn for the 6th annual Big Chili Cook-Off. Taking place on Saturday, Nov. 1 from 6:30 to 11 p.m., this year’s event boasts the best chili recipes in town from 12 volunteer cooks. Your votes decide who takes home the “big chili” trophy, as well as bragging rights for the whole year.

The mechanical bull is back this year with a riding contest and a special “riding challenge.” So corral your friends and come dance, eat, and have an entertaining evening with great food, good friends, and lots of fun.

Cooking chili for the chuck wagon this year is: Karen and Henry Alexander, Chris Foote (Longhorn Steak House), Dr. Mike Miller, Country Club of Salisbury, Katherine and Will Meng, Salisbury Academy, Ted Blanton and John Blanton, Donny Clement, Rowan Helping Ministries, Go Burrito and others.

Tickets are $30 for members and $35 for non-members. Ticket price includes chili, beer, wine and other beverages, dessert, and tickets to vote for your favorite recipes. Attire is casual cowboy and cowgirl.

Order tickets online www.waterworks.org, call 704-636-1882 or drop by during regular gallery hours to purchase. All proceeds from this event support Waterworks’ education and outreach programs.