Waterworks event

Waterworks Visual Arts Center announces that tickets are now available for the 2007 Oyster Roast. This celebrated fundraising event, scheduled for Jan. 27, 2007, is an “aw shucks” crowd pleaser for people of all ages and interests.

Tickets are $50 per person. Funds raised help to support Waterworks’ education, exhibition and outreach programs. Catering for the event will be provided by Big Daddy’s Seafood and Gary’s Barbecue. The menu includes steamed oysters, peel-and-eat shrimp and Brunswick stew. Childress Vineyards will be providing a selection of fine wines and Silver Eagle Distributors will provide beer. Soft drinks will be available.

The event also features raffle prizes with $25 tickets available in advance and at the door.

For event tickets, call 704-636-1882 or visit the Waterworks’ Web site using the special events tab at www.waterworks.org.

HomeTeam coming

CHARLOTTE — “HomeTeam,” the nationally syndicated show that gives unsuspecting individuals or families the chance to own their very first home, is coming to the Charlotte area.

The show’s producers are looking for a recipient for the Charlotte episode. Eligible first-time home owners may be nominated at www.hometeam.com/web/guest/hometeamTV. Applications will be accepted through Dec. 31, but the earlier you apply the better chance you will have of being selected. HomeTeam airs on WMYT in Charlotte. Check local listings for times.

For each show, unsuspecting individuals or families receive a down payment, the first year’s mortgage payments, closing costs, costs of house renovation and furnishings for their first home. Friends and family are enlisted over a four-day period to add the final touches that will make the house a home. Host Troy McClain tells the story of each family’s dreams despite challenging life struggles, through home videos, photographs and interviews from family and friends.

At the end of each episode, their new home is revealed. “HomeTeam” is making the American Dream a reality, one home at a time.

Depot Fine Art Gallery MOORESVILLE — The Depot Fine Arts Gallery, located at 103 W. Center Ave. in Mooresville, will be featuring artists Tim Tobey and George Thompson in January. There will be an opening reception 7-9 p.m. Jan. 5, coinciding with the Downtown Mooresville Gallery Crawl.

The gallery will be closed Dec. 24-Jan. 1.

The Mooresville Artist Guild is sponsoring a new adult beginners art course. It will be taught by Mary Setzer at the Depot.

Classes begin Jan. 8, and will meet 6:30-8:30 p.m. on Mondays for six weeks. Supplies will be furnished for the first class meeting, and a supply list will be given at that time.

Course fee is $60 for members and $90 for non-members. To register, call 704-663-6661.

The Artist Guild is looking for qualified people who are interested in teaching art classes for children and adults. Contact Lois Smith at 704-896-9803 for more information.

For information about Depot Visual Arts Center, visit www.mooresvilleartistguild. com.

Early music

Salisbury’s Carolina Baroque is featured in the Winter 2006 edition of “Early Music America” magazine in an article titled “Early Music in the Land of the Longleaf Pine.”

The article states that, overall, the arts are thriving North Carolina “thanks in large part to the generosity of many families associated with the one-thriving tobacco and textile industries,” but that the opportunity to hear early music played authentically is rare in this state.

Carolina Baroque is one of the few groups and artists proving exceptions to the rule, and highlighted in the article. There is a brief profile of Carolina Baroque’s director, Dale Higbee, and a description of how the group operates. A photo of the ensemble appears as well.

For information about “Early Music America” visit www.earlymusic.org.

To learn more about Carolina Baroque, visit www.carolinabaroque.org.

Decoration winners

The Salisbury Community Appearance Commission recently selected winners for its second annual Holiday Storefront Decorations Awards.

Storefront seasonal displays were created by 54 businesses. Winners were as follows:

Best Overall Holiday Display — Textile Products, for their own elegant display windows and for volunteering their decorative talents to beautify other building windows. (121 and 114 N. Main St.)

Outstanding Public/ Private Display — F&M Financial Center and A Step in Time for the charming holiday stroll down Easy Street (221 N. Main St. and 5 Easy St.)

Best Themed Window Display — Rhonda’s Picture Place for its display based on the movie “A Christmas Story.” (113 W. Fisher St.)

Best Display for Children — 106 S. Main St., owned by Steve and Lina Drinkard and generously decorated by adjacent shop The Stitchin’ Post.

Most Creative Display — Queen’s Gifts (125 S. Main St.)

Best Nostalgic Display — Salisbury Square Antiques (111 S. Main St.)

Best New Shop Display — Caniche 200 S. Main St.)

Golden Rail passes

BLOWING ROCK — Tweetsie Railroad season passes are now available for the 2007 season. Guests can take advantage of pre-season rates and save $10 per pass. By purchasing the Golden Rail Season Pass prior to opening day, May 4, 2007, adults can visit North Carolina’s first theme park all season long for $60, and children ages 3-12 for $40. After May 6, season pass rates will be $70 for adults and $50 for children.

The 2007 season marks a milestone in Tweetsie Railroad history as the park will be celebrating its 50th anniversary. Throughout the year, there will be special events to commemorate Tweetsie’s golden anniversary. The official kickoff date for the anniversary celebration will take place on July 4, 2007, 50 years to the date when Tweetsie first opened its doors to the public.

Tweetsie Railroad will be open on weekends from May 4-20 (Friday-Sunday), and seven days a week May 25-Aug. 26. The park will be open just on weekends again Aug. 31-Nov. 4. The park’s regular hours are 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Tweetsie is located on U.S. 321 between Boone and Blowing Rock. For additional information on Tweetsie’s 2007 season, call 1-800-526-5740 or visit www.Tweetsie.com.

Old Stone House

GRANITE QUARRY — The Rowan Museum Inc. is sponsoring its 22nd annual German Christmas Celebration at the Old Stone House (1766) on Stone House Road in Granite Quarry 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 30, and noon-4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31.

The house is closed through March, but will open for the holiday celebration. The Old Stone House will be decorated as it would have been during pre-Revolutionary days, very simply with natural greenery, herbs, fruits and berries.

Tours of the historic house and the observation of a colonial family’s Christmas celebration in Rowan County will highlight the weekend. Guides in period costumes will be on site, and guests will learn about customs, see crafts, musket firing, woodworking (benches, bowls and spoons), weaving, candle making, open fire cooking, music, children’s games, blacksmithing (new this year) and more.

Holly sprigs will be available for all to toss into the fire to burn their troubles away for the year, looking forward to a new year.

Rowan Community Bank is the major sponsor for the event. Other sponsors are Ramsay, Burgin, Smith Architects Inc., Cato Corporation and Food Lion Stores.

Admission to the celebration is $4 for adults and $2 for students. For more information, call the Rowan Museum at 704-633-5946.

The house is located one half mile down Old Stone House Road off U.S. 52 in Granite Quarry.