The annual Hurley Park celebration of Spring’s arrival will be held Sunday, April 13 from 2 until 4 p.m. at the park, located at Lake Drive and Annandale Ave.

There will be live music by the Edwards Family, carriage rides, magic by Glenn Yost, the City of Salibsury Fire Department, Carolina Artists, Rowan County Master Gardeners, Wacky Doo the Clown, Arbor Day celebration, Salisbury Symphony Instrument Petting Zoo and free refreshments by Cheerwine and Hurley Park. Call 704-638-4459 for more information.

The FirstARTS series of First United Methodist Church will host “A Royal Affair: Celebratory Music for Brass, Organ, and Timpani” this Friday evening at 7:30 p.m.

The concert will feature a 10-piece brass ensemble composed of symphony musicians from across North Carolina and Virginia.

Joining the brass for several pieces will be First Church music director and organist, Matthew Brown. The concert will feature music of Richard Strauss, Giovanni Gabrieli, Sigfrid Karg-Elert, Johann Sebastian Bach, Renaissance Dances of Tylman Susato, Music for the North Carolina 26th Regimental Band, and Eugčne Gigout.

The concert is free and open to the public. An offering will be received for the Music Memorial Fund of First Church. The church is located at 217 S. Church Street. For more information contact Matthew Brown at matthew@fumcsalisbury.org, or 704-636-3121, extension 104.

St. Thomas Players, the award-winning theatre company of Center for Faith & the Arts, will hold auditions for both of its summer plays — “Driving Miss Daisy” and “Next Fall” – on April 28 and 29, Monday and Tuesday, at 7 p.m. at the Lee Street Theatre & Performing Arts Center at the Tom & Martha Smith Event Center, 329 N. Lee St.

Claudia Galup, artistic director of St. Thomas Players, will direct “Driving Miss Daisy.” Rehearsals begin in May, and the play runs June 19-28. Linda Jones of Salisbury will play Daisy, and Brian Daye of Huntersville will play Hoke.

Kurt Corriher, professor of Theatre Arts at Catawba College, will direct “Next Fall,” a 2010 Tony Award nominee by Geoffrey Nauffts. Rehearsals begin in June, and the production runs July 17-26. Actors need to be proficient at both comedy and drama, as the play runs the gamut.

Lee Street Theatre’s “Beach Blast!” beach party and fundraiser is April 26 at the Lee Street Theater & Performing Arts Center on Nprth lee Street. Put on your shagging shoes and enjoy an evening of food, drinks and dancing to benefit Lee Street theatre. Tickets are $40 per person.

Piedmont Players Theatre’s “Night on the Stage” starring four-time Tony nominee Gregg Edelman is May 30-31. There is very limited seating for this exclusive event. For reservations call the Meroney Theater at 704-633-5471.

Cauble Creek Vineyard and Winery is celebrating Wine & Women Saturday, April 12 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Yoga in the Vineyard begins at 11 a.m. and includes one hour of stretch yoga, a box lunch and a glass of wine for $35 per person.

See www.CaubleCreekVineyard.com for more information and to register for the yoga and lunch. The tasting room is open Friday and Saturday 11 am to 6 pm and Sunday from 1 pm to 6 pm., 700 Cauble Farm Road, Salisbury. www.Cauble CreekVineyard.com

CHARLOTTE — The next free Charlotte Folk Society Gathering concert is Friday, April 11, featuring acclaimed Irish singer/songwriter/author Danny Ellis. Dublin-born Danny Ellis has captured his experience of living eight years in one of Ireland’s most notoriously brutal orphanages in the beautiful, moving, healing, and even funny songs of his CD 800 Voices. Danny Ellis. Doors open 7 p.m. at the Great Aunt Stella Center, 926 Elizabeth Ave., Charlotte. For details, see www.folksociety.org

To sample YouTubes of Danny Ellis’ performances, see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fFglMHQntc or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iEFb2VA5l4

SPENCER — The Spencer Doll and Toy Museum is sponsoring an essay contest for elementary school aged students up to and including grade 5. The topic is “What makes your favorite teacher so special and why?” The essay should be neatly presented with at least three well constructed paragraphs. Include name, age, grade, and contact information. Hand-drawn pictures are not necessary but are always appreciated and enjoyed. The winning essay will win a Teacher Barbie Doll and a special gift for his/her teacher. The entry deadline is May 7 and winners will be announced May 14. Send or deliver the essay to the Museum at 108 Fourth St., 704-762-9359, www.spencerdollandtoymuseum.com

Lee Street Theatre is gearing up for their 7th annual 10-Minute New Play Festival. This year’s theme is “Office Hours,” directed by Jason Roland.

Auditions are Sunday and Monday, April 13 and 14, at 7 p.m., at 329 N Lee St., and will consist of cold readings from the scripts.

These plays are great opportunities for new performers and busy performers who can’t give up a lot of time for rehearsals. For more info and for the lis

Performance dates are May 8-17. This year’s six plays are:

“Hard Copy” by Elaine Alexander

“Serenity Island” and “Slick Dame” by Kay Poiro, Great Mills, Md.

“Kiss A Squid” by Andy Rassler, Concord

“Need to Know” by Drew Davis, Martinez, Ga.

“Office Showmance,” by Bill Greene

The Inn will celebrate its eighth anniversary on Saturday with WBFJ broadcasting live from 6 to 8 p.m. Bands performing include Caleb’s Bridge, Evolve, Walking the Horizon (changed their name from Sound of Faith) and 7th Vessel. Sean Spillane will also be performing between bands. Food and refreshments will be available from The Hot Dog Shack. This is also The Inn’s annual fundraising event.

LEXINGTON — Nationally known standup comedian James Gregory will take the stage for one night at the Smith Civic Center in Uptown Lexington. Dubbed “Funniest Man in America,” Gregory will perform an all-ages standup show on Saturday, April 26.

What’s most unique about the comedian is his clean jokes that appeal to an all-ages audience. “My mother wouldn’t let me them if they weren’t,” explains Gregory.

Doors open at 6 p.m.; showtime is at 7 p.m. VIP tickets, which include a reserved seat in the first three rows, are $40. Regular reserved seats are $25. Tickets can be purchased at www.GAALive.net or 336-283-9660.

WILKESBORO — MerleFest 2014 will take place on April 24-27 on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro. Festival favorites The Steep Canyon Rangers, will take the stage on April 25-26.

In addition, the full lineup of confirmed performers has been confirmed for the festival’s Midnight Jam, the Saturday after-hours hootenanny that has produced artistic collaborations and one-of-a-kind superstar jams that have become legendary in the festival’s history.

Participants in this year’s Jam, hosted for the second year in a row by festival favorites Scythian, include Keller Williams, Nora Jane Struthers and The Party Line, Peter Rowan, Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen, Steep Canyon Rangers, Della Mae, Moore Brothers, The Steel Wheels, Donna the Buffalo, I Draw Slow, The Waybacks, Pete and Joan Wernick, The Deadly Gentlemen, Jim Lauderdale, SC Broadcasters, Mandolin Orange, Mark Newton and Steve Thomas, Town Mountain and Lynda and Pattie.

The Midnight Jam, which this year will bear the stamp of The Bluegrass Situation, is a popular hub for everything central to the modern roots community. It is considered one of the more anticipated events at the yearly festival. The Midnight Jam will take place in the Walker Center; a separate ticket is required and available for purchase by four-day ticket holders and Saturday-only ticket holders.

For a complete line-up list and ticket information, visit http://www.merlefest.org or call 1-800-343-7857 or email merlefest@wilkescc.edu

Kennedy Hall Easter egg hunt — The annual Easter egg hunt for ages 12 and under (hunts are divided by age groups) is on Saturday, April 12 from 2 to 4 p.m. at Kennedy Hall American Legion Post on Hwy 801.

The Easter Bunny will be on hand for photo ops and there will be special prizes, candy and refreshments. All activities are free. For more information, call 704-232-0365.

Historic Gold Hill annual Spring Fest

GOLD HILL — Saturday, April 19 is the annual Easter Egg Hunt and Spring Fest in the Historic Village of Gold Hill.

The egg hunt is at 10 a.m. for children up to age 10. Meet behind the Bakery at 840 St. Stephen’s Church Road.

The Easter Bunny will be on hand for photo ops and shops will be open. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for a nominal fee there will be activities for children.

The Easter Egg Hunt and Spring Fest is sponsored by the Gold Hill Merchants’ Association. For information e-mail goldhillmerchantsassociation@gmail.com

Family Fest at Cornerstone features egg drop

A family event featuring a helicopter egg drop (to first 1200 participants) will benefit Rowan Helping Ministries. On Saturday, April 19 from noon until 3 p.m. on the Cornerstone Campus at 315 Webb Road, there will also be a car smash, a dunking booth, a puppet show, a car show, moon bounces and obstacle course, a rock climbing wall, games anda pre-school play area.

Admission is free but activities require a wristband for $5 or five non-perishable items. On the dayof the event, admission is $10 or 10 non-perishable items.

The egg drop/hunt is at 2:30 p.m., for kindergarten through 5th grade, with an Easter egg hunt for age 2 through pre-school. To purchase a wristband in advance, register at www.cornerstone-church.net or call 704.855.1218 x122.

The annual J.C. Price Easter egg hunt

The annual JCPrice Post 107 Easter egg hunt is coming up on Monday, April 21 from 2 to 5 p.m. at 1433 Wilkesboro Road.

There will be the traditional Easter egg hunt, along with a bounce house, a magic show by Glenn Yost, and anti-gang speaker Mr. Barksdale. There will be doorprizes and bicylce raffles as well plus food and drinks. Children 15 and under must be accompanied by parents or guardians. The event is co-sponsored by Salisbury City Council.

For details call Leonard Hall at 704-640-6360.

The Easter Bunny Express and egg hunt

SPENCER — The N.C. Transportation Museum hosts the Easter Bunny Express on April 12-13 and 18-19. The Iron Peddler’s Antique Tractor Show is April 12 and the massive museum Easter egg hunt for children up to age 10, plus the Steam Engine Caboose Train rides are April 19. For schedules and pricing, contact the Transportation Museum, 411 S. Salisbury Ave., at 704-636-2889 or www.nctrans.org

April 2-23: Rowan-Salisbury Middle School Exhibition, Reception: April 10, 5 to 6:30 p.m. Free and open to the public.

“Celebrating Rowan County’s Young Artists” Middle School Exhibition opens Wednesday runs through Wednesday, April 23. Each teacher has selected a number of pieces in a variety of media that are representative of the work of their middle school’s art program. The exhibition, now in its 31st year, provides young artists with the experience of exhibiting their work in an art museum for public view, and celebrates the efforts of the art specialists who teach the creative process. Gallery hours Monday-Wednesday-Friday 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Tuesday-Thursday 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m.-3 p.m. 704-636-1882, www.waterworks.org

The rotating exhibit “Celebrating Rowan County’s Young Artists,” now in its 31st year, is a display of artwork featuring the works of nearly 800 students representing Rowan-Salisbury’s public, independent, and home schooled students.  These exhibitions celebrate both the outstanding efforts of the art specialists who teach the creative process and the extraordinary talents of our county’s youth.  A reception to honor the student artists, their families, art teachers, and school administrators are held during each exhibition rotation. 123 E. Liberty Street in downtown Salisbury; 704-636-1882, www.waterworks.org

Deadline Tuesday: Rowan’s Got Talent contest — May 14-18: Held at the Rowan County Mat Fest. Deadline for entry April 15. Any talent accepted with the exception of bands. $500 first prize. To enter call Randall Barger at 704-640-2326. Talent show preliminaries May 14-16 with finals on May 17.