The month of July at Rail Walk Studios & Gallery is somewhat female oriented.
As the area prepares for the third “Chickweed: a Celebration of Indestructible Women,” Marietta Foster Smith is exhibiting her one-person art show Chica! Chica! Chica! (Girl! Girl! Girl!) through July 26.
The exhibit covers four decades of Smith’s art in a variety of styles and features depictions of women and girls. Rail Walk Studios & Gallery is located at 409-413 N. Lee St. in the Railwalk Arts District.
Chica! Chica! Chica! includes work from as early as 1976 and as recently as this month. Styles range from illustration to painting from life and include oil painting, watercolor, sculpture, clay, pen and ink and even some stained glass work done with her husband, Mark Smith.
The reception will be held next Thursday, July 17, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Rail Walk Studios & Gallery in conjunction with the “Vernissage a la Paige” reception for Paige Thrasher next door at the Spoken Space Theater.
The two receptions are kick-off events for the Chickweed weekend. Both receptions are free and open to the public.
Rail Walk is open to the public Thursdays – Saturdays 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. It will be open until 8 p.m. on Saturday, July 19 during the Chickweed event.
For more information about the exhibit or the gallery call Marietta Smith at 704-431-8964 or visit www.railwalkgallery.com
Nine bands will compete in Salisbury’s first ever Battle of the Bands this Saturday at Spoken Space Theatre, 405 N. Lee St.
The battle, hosted by Sparky Simmons of Acid FM, begins at 4:30 p.m. and goes until midnight.
The bands will compete for a $400 cash prize. Each person who attends will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite band, by using a ticket stub. Tickets are $10.
The bands are also invited to appear on the Musical Conversations Radio Show, hosted by Stan Cocheo.
The bands performing will be My Revengence, Type A, HalfLife Hybrid, Infektion, Unhenged, Renowned Eternity, The Days Remain, Skyfold, Carolina Sinner and Acid FM (not competing).
Chickweed: Celebrating Indestructible Women will present its third annual fundraiser on Saturday, July 19.
From 5-11:30 p.m. this all-women revue will feature music, dance and art at the Spoken Space Theatre, 405 N. Lee St.
The goal of the event is to foster an awareness — for women, by women — of the Family Crisis Council of Rowan County and its advocacy for women victims of violence.
See Sunday’s Salisbury Post for more complete coverage of Chickeweed.
Lee Street theatre announces auditions for their One-Act Play Festival. Performance dates are Sept. 18-20 and 25-27.
Auditions will be held Aug. 10 and 11 from 7 to 9 p.m. at Lee Street Theatre & Performing Arts Center, 329 N. Lee St.
The One Act Play festival will feature three world premiere dark comedies. Each play is one act and approximately 35 minutes long. Plays include:
“Do Us Part” by Rob Smith, directed by Doug Stauter;
“Handsome Devil” by Jason Roland, directed by Jason Roland;
“Walt Grace” by Andy Rassler, directed by Heather Wilson Bowlby.
Character lists and summaries will be coming soon. These plays need a wide variety of ages and types. Auditions will consist of cold readings from the scripts.
For more information about auditions visit www.leestreet.org/auditions, email info@leestreet.org or call 704-310-5507.
Entry deadline is Friday, Aug. 8 and the show exhibits Aug. 20 through 22.
Entry forms and information is available at www.thecarolinaartists.org as well as at Fine Frame Gallery at 105 S. Main St., The Framing Gallery at 320 N. Main St., the Civic Center at 315 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. and at Rufty-Holmes Senior Center, 1120 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Ave.
The entry fee for paid members (member as of Aug. 1, 2014) is $25 for five entries. For non-members the entry fee is $25 for two entries; up to five additional entries will be $5 each.
Categories for entries are: oil, acrylic, watercolor, photography, pencil, pastel, pen and ink, charcoal, collage, mixed media. Note: some categories listed may be combined.
The Fin, Feather and Fur Outdoor Expo is coming to the Rowan County Fairgrounds Aug. 15 through 17, featuring Duck Dynasty’s Mountain Man and exhibiting all the latest in hunting, fishing, camping, golf carts, farming and riding in the outdoors. There will be things to do and indoor and outdoor vendors. Mud Bog is Friday night in the arena (to enter, see the website listed below. The fee is $25 to enter with 100 percent payout to the winners. Classes will be decided after registration is complete). Hear Blue Grass music on Saturday and Sunday. The Country Concert is Saturday and Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Daytona-winning #3 Race car will be on-site.
There will be RV displays, John Deere tractor displays, monster truck rides and Dodge Truck test drives.
Mountain Man will appear on Saturday afternoon for pictures and autographs.
If you would like to be a vendor, contact Randall Barger at 704-640-2326 or email randall.bar43@yahoo.com. More details are available at www.finfeatherfurexpo.com
HIGH ROCK LAKE — Friday night, TJ’s Restaurant and Lounge, 2675 Providence Church Road, is hosting ’80s night with the Hair Nation Band. Come dressed in your best ’80s costume for the chance to win a prize. See www.highrocklakerestaurant.com for more information.

Gold Hill — Motel Soap with Lonnie Carpenter is playing at Morgan Ridge Vineyards on Saturday from 3 to 6 p.m. Food, wine and craft beer will be available for purchase. $5 cover fee includes a glass of chilled wine or sangria. Visit www.morganridgevineyards.com for further details. Morgan Ridge Vineyard is located at 486 John Morgan Road, 704-639-0911.
CONCORD — The Union Street Live! series continues next Thursday, July 17, from 6 to 9 p.m., with the Fantastic Shakers taking the stage.
All concerts are free and take place on Means Avenue next to the Historic Cabarrus County Courthouse. Bring your lawn chair and enjoy the great music. Visit www.concorddowntown.com for details and the schedule for upcoming concerts
KANNAPOLIS — From 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, the Goldmine Toastmasters Club will host its annual Tall Tales and Homemade Ice Cream Contest. A tall tale is a 5 to 7 minute talk exaggerating as much of the truth as possible, and the public is invited to come and be entertained and amazed.
Toastmasters will also be competing in a homemade ice cream contest, and the public may partake as well.
This free event will be held at Baker’s Creek Park, West A St., Kannapolis. For more information, call Matthew Charity at 704-307-8187 or visit www.goldminetoastmasters.com
KANNAPOLIS — Kannapolis History Associates presents Jeremy Tutt, owner and operator of Dixie Cleaners, as he shares the history of this familiar local business.
The meeting is Monday, July 14 at 7 p.m. in the A. L. Brown High School social room. Note the date, July 14, which is the second Monday.
Park in the lot East of Trinity Methodist Church and use the sidewalk, following the signs to KHA.
For more information, call 704-796-0803.
Asheboro — The Randolph Arts Guild hosts “The Art of Improv,” a free evening lecture and performance by local comedy/theatre troupe, Operation Improv!, on Wednesday, July 16 at 7 p.m.  
The acting group is comprised of high school students from Randolph County, Moore County and area home schools and will include a brief history of improv, examples of techniques employed and even actual “improv-ing” with optional audience participation.
The free event is in the Sara Smith Self Gallery located at the Moring Arts Center, 123 Sunset Ave. in downtown Asheboro.  For more information call 336-629-0399.
Join the group from Davie County Senior Services as they take an overnight trip to Sanford and Smithfield on Sept. 25-26. The motorcoach journey includes on Thursday a tour of Sanford’s Ralihouse Museum, shopping, meals and a production of “Oklahoma” at the Temple Theater. On Friday, tour the Ava Gardner Museum in Smithfield which includes a viewing of her movie “Showboat.”
For information or registration, call 336-753-6230.