In conjunction with the St. Thomas Players production of ‘Arcadia,’ Center for Faith & the Arts will host a special free lecture at 5 p.m. Sunday.
Dr. Bethany Sinnott and Dr. Laurel Eason, professors emeriti at Catawba College, will speak.
Sinnott will lead the audience through the English gardens of the early 19th century, and Eason will enlighten them on the poetry of Lord Byron, the rock star of his day.
Come sip wine for an hour and enjoy.
Center for Faith & the Arts, 207 W. Harrison St., is in the lower level of Haven Lutheran Church.
Kids can paint a tie for Dad from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday in downtown Salisbury.
They can pick up free blank cloth ties from participating shops that they can then paint with supplies provided free in the Square.
All supplies are being provided by participating downtown merchants for this free event that celebrates Dad.

The Gospel Plowboys will perform a benefit concert at 7 p.m. Saturday at Gay’s Chapel United Methodist Church, 5545 Woodleaf Road, to help a local liver transplant recipient.
Greg Noble, who has very poor liver function, has been on the transplant list since November.
Donations will help offset medical expenses, travel, fuel, lodging, lifelong medications and more.
We are hoping this will also bring awareness to be an organ donor and saving a life,” said Noble’s wife, Sherie.

The Bumper Jacksons are a big, fat party. Hot and sweet, their trad jazz and pre-war country repertoire paint’s America’s story from New Orleans’ brothels to Appalachian hollers. Each show is raunchy and riotous, with the occasional hush of tenderness.
Hear them live at 9 p.m. Friday at The Blue Vine, 209 S. Main St. The cover is $5.
Salisbury’s own Brian Rogers and Billy Bussey will return to the stage Saturday.
For more information, visit www.thebluevine.com

Spoon carving classes

GOLD HILL — Instructor Steve Martin will teach two one-day spoon carving classes from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday June 8 and June 15 at River Pines Art in the Historic Gold Hill Village.
Martin has 20 years of spoon carving and traditional woodworking experience.
The class is $40, which includes all tools and supplies. Lunch is available in Gold Hill or nearby.
Each class will be limited to a maximum of five students.
Pre-registration is required; students under the age of 16 will be accepted only with prior discussion with instructor and written permission from a parent or guardian.
For more information or to register, call 704-279-9087 or e-mail stephensmartin@msn.com

St. Thomas Players will present Tom Stoppard’s comedy about love and history on June 13-15 and 19-23 in the Florence Busby Corriher Theatre on the Catawba campus.
The production is directed by David Pulliam and Claudia Galup.
Tickets are $15 for adults and $8 for students.
For more information, call Center for Faith & the Arts at 704-647-0999 or visit www.faithart.org/stthomasplayers/upcoming.html.
There will be an opening night reception following the Thursday performance at the Salisbury Wine Shop, 106 S. Main St.

Summer movies at Rowan Public Library
Rowan Public Library in Salisbury will be showing free movies in the Stanback Auditorium at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday nights his summer. The line-up for June includes:
June 11 – James and the Giant Peach (PG): Adventures abound after James escapes from his fearful aunts by rolling away inside a giant peach. Based on the book by Roald Dahl.
June 18 – Holes (PG): Based on the book by Louis Sachar.
June 25 – The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (PG13): A Based on the novel by Deborah Moggach.
Admission is free and complimentary popcorn and lemonade will be served.

Salisbury artist Mark Stephenson will hold an all-day painting workshop focused on learning the techniques of painting in oil from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 22.
The group class is open to beginning or experienced painters. Pre-registration is required.
The cost is $80 and the class size will be limited.
More information and registration is available at www.markstephensonpainting.com/teaching
Stephenson is a nationally recognized artist with recent awards from the Portrait Society of America.
Earlier this spring, he was selected to complete a portrait of Hood Theological Seminary’s outgoing president, Dr. Albert Aymer.
Stephenson’s studio and gallery has been located in Salisbury since 2011 at 110 S. Main St., Suite A.
The artist may be contacted directly at markstephensonart@mac.com or 704-984-3843.
The UNC Nutrition Research Institute is celebrating its five year anniversary by encouraging healthier lifestyles.
The institute is challenging students to think about how their community could improve the health and fitness of youth.
How do you see yourself, your family and your neighbors living a healthy lifestyle?
Ideas can be presented in either art format or essay format.
Each person may submit one entry per category. Parental permission is required to participate.
Those eligible to participate are all rising students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grades.
Age categories are pre-kindergarten through third grades, fourth through eighth grades and high school students.
Winners will be announced in September at the UNC Nutrition Research Building at the NC Research Campus in Kannapolis.
There are two overall grand prizes worth $100, and $50 for each age category’s top winner. Twelve honorable mentions will be awarded with various prizes.
Artwork and essays must be submitted to: UNCNRI, 500 Laureate Way, Suite 1139 , Kannapolis, NC 28081 by Aug. 2, 2013.
For details contact Ryan Dayvault or Jana Harrison at 704-250-5012 or 704-250-5004. Reach them by email at ryan_dayvault@unc.edu or jana_harrison@unc.edu

The Rowan Museum is offering its 15th annual Summer History Camp for rising third through eighth graders. There will be elementary and middle school sessions.
The camp location will involve all museum sites, as well as local historic cemeteries and sites.
Campers will participate in activities that include period skills and crafts, local lore, games and folk music. The camp staff is made up of museum personnel, local history teachers and local college history majors.
Refreshments will be provided, but campers should bring their lunch every day. Camp hours are from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
For information on cost and session dates and to request an application, call 704-633-5946 or email tdcreel@fibrant.com
Information is also available on the five-day Civil War camp for middle school students.

KANNAPOLIS — “Captain America,” (PG 13) will be shown about 8:45 p.m. Friday at Village Park, 700 West C St.

SALISBURY — “The Odd Life of Timothy Green,” will be shown about 8:45 p.m., June 14. City Park lawn, Club Drive at Jackson St.

Central UMC will continue its Circus Train puppet show every Saturday in June and July at the Library Park on 3rd Street in Spencer beginning this week.
Free hot dogs will be served at 7 p.m. with the show beginning at 7:30 p.m.
Singing Sandy and all the talking animals will be back this summer as they play games, sing songs and hear stories about God’s love.
Bring a lawn chair or a blanket and all your friends for some good old-fashioned fun for the whole family and enjoy the free snow cones all summer long.
For more information, call 704-636-4101.

Salisbury-Rowan County artists and art organizations are invited to participate in Arts Night Out from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday June 21 in downtown Salisbury.
This is a free opportunity.

Each vendor will be allocated one 10 by 10 foot vendor space at no cost.
A limited number of spaces are available, and applications will be accepted until spaces are filled on a first come, first served basis.
They must be received no later than Wednesday.
Contact Kristen Trexler at 704-239-2019 or trexler@visitsalisburync.com for an application.
Confirmation will be sent to accepted vendors by Friday, June 14.
Applications received after all spaces have been assigned will be added to a wait list.
To ask about other display opportunities available that night, contact Trexler at the Rowan County Tourism Development Authority as soon as possible.

CHARLOTTE — The Carolina Renaissance Festival, a combination of outdoor theater, circus, arts and crafts fair, jousting tournament and feast, will hold open auditions from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 26 and from 8:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, June 29.
They will be held at Wedgewood Church, 4800 Wedgewood Drive.
Professional and amateur opportunities are available. Prepared material, headshots and resumes are appreciated but not required.
Auditioners should be age 16 or older. Contact 704-896-5555 or email Vreanie@renfestinfo.com to schedule an audition appointment.
The Carolina Renaissance Festival returns for its 20th anniversary on eight consecutive weekends, Saturdays and Sundays, Oct. 5 through Nov. 24, on a 325 acre site minutes north of Charlotte, between Concord and Huntersville, at the junction of NC 73 and Poplar Tent Road.
Audition information and more can be found online at RenFestInfo.com

ASHEBORO — The Randolph Arts Guild’s free Literary Night program will feature limerick poetry at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 18 at Lumina Wine & Beer, 152 Sunset Ave., downtown.
Anyone may share their favorite limerick poem, and attendees may also make their own limerick during the evening.
This event is designed for audiences ages 21 and up. Do feel free to bring your most creative verses.
A limerick is a short, often humorous poem that contains a strict rhyming scheme. The bawdy humor of the limerick dates back to early 18th century England.
For more information, call 336-629-0399 or visit www.RandolphArtsGuild.com