You don’t have to be a kid to want to climb up in a big truck

The 9th annual Touch-A-Truck event, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, is the popular annual hands-on opportunity to explore vehicles and occupations by seeing, touching, and climbing inside a variety of vehicles and talking with those who use them every day.

This is a free event, held in the Salisbury Post parking lot downtown (rain date May 2). For more information, visit www.salisburync.gov/Play

 

Piedmont Bottle & Pottery Club’s 9th annual show and sale 

The Piedmont Bottle & Pottery Club presents its 9th annual show and sale on Saturday April 18, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. (dealer set up 6:30 a.m.) at the Salisbury Civic Center, 315 S Martin Luther King Ave.

Admission is free, parking is free and appraisals are free. 8-foot tables are available by reservation for dealers to display their goods.

For club information call Jimmie Wood at 704-692-7888 or Chuck Rash at704-732-0373. For dealer contract call show chairman John Patterson at 704-636-9510 or email at ncmilks@carolina.rr.com

Free two-day worship arts conference 

Catawba College Worship Arts is sponsoring a two-day worship arts conference Friday and Saturday, April 24 to 25 at Life Church, 710 Jake Alexander Blvd. W.

The free event features sessions, collectively entitled Tips for Tight Teams, About Praise Band Basics, Worship Guitar, Technology in Worship and Creative Worship Planning.

The conference opens at 7:30 p.m. April 24 with guest artist Sandy Hoffman and the Catawba Praise Bands. The conference itself takes place between 9 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on that Saturday.

Sandy Hoffman will lead keynote sessions, as well as worship guitar sessions.

Other conference leaders include John Kale of Life Church and Steve Hargett of Concord First Assembly.

An open panel lunch session on April 25 will be moderated by Dr. Phillip Burgess of Catawba College and St. Luke’s Episcopal Church.

Worship leaders, musicians, pastors, youth and volunteers are encouraged to attend. Register at www.catawba.edu/worshipcon

 

Annual Poetry SLAM

In celebration of National Poetry Month, the Rowan Public Library will host its annual Poetry SLAM for middle and high school teens.

A Poetry SLAM is a performance poetry contest where people share their original poetry with a wider audience. Because RPL’s SLAM is a teen event, topics and language must be appropriate for all ages; other than that limitation, any type of poem is welcome.

Judges will be looking at two components—the poem itself and the delivery. Cash prizes include $50 for first place, $25 for second and $15 for third.

The Poetry SLAM event is Tuesday, April 28 at 5:30 p.m. in the Stanback Auditorium at Rowan Public Library, 201 W. Fisher St. For rules and registration, visit www.rowanpubliclibrary.org or call 704-216-8229.

 

Events for Civil War Sesquicentennial

Historic Rosedale Plantation 

CHARLOTTE — Saturday-Sunday, April 18-19: Infantry camp street, medical tent, N.C. Militia, 200 year old plantation house, refugee camps and civilian demonstrations. Robert Hayes as President Jefferson Davis scheduled to appear. Tickets at http://historicrosedale.org/ or 704-735-0325. Historic Rosedale Plantation, 3427 N. Tryon St.

Re-enactment of the Civil War’s end 

DURHAM — Recreated Confederate camp at Bennett Place in Durham is the backdrop as Union Gen. William T. Sherman and Confederate Gen. Joseph E. Johnston negotiate the largest troop surrender of the Civil War on April 26, 1865, effectively ending the Civil War.

Across the state

For a list of other reenactments and programs call 919-807-7389 or visit ncculture.com/civilwar

 

OCT presents ‘Red, White and Tuna’ 

CONCORD — The much anticipated third installment in the Tuna trilogy takes the audience through another satirical ride into the hearts and minds of the polyester-clad citizens of Texas’ third smallest town.

Along with Tuna’s perennial favorites, some new Tuna denizens burst into the 4th of July Tuna High School Class Reunion. This sets the stage for a show full of fireworks and fun from the land where the Lion’s Club is too liberal and Patsy Cline never dies.

Performance dates are May 7-24 including three Sunday matinees.

This side-splitting spoof of life in rural America will be performed at the Old Courhouse Theater, 49 Spring St. NW. Call 704-788-2405 or visit www. oldcourthousethetre.org

 

Call for vendors at Gold Rush Days

GOLD HILL — Step back in time and join the folks in the Historic Village of Gold Hill for Gold Rush Days on Saturday, May 9, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. where local artists and craft persons will be displaying and selling their work throughout the village. In addition, there will be gold panning, live bluegrass music and food throughout the day.

The village is located at 840 St. Stephen’s Church Road. Artists and craft persons interested in being vendors may download the application at www.goldhillnc.com

Gold Rush Days is sponsored by the Gold Hill Merchants’ Association.

 

Saving Grace program to host NC Equine Expo

Saving Grace Therapeutic Programs will be hosting the NC Equine Expo May 30-31 at Chandelle Farms, 565 Trexler Loop.

The expo will feature clinicians, demonstrations, lectures and vendors all centered around horses and pets. The event will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day and tickets are $10 for one day, $15 for both days. Children 5-12 are $5 for one day, $8 for both days. Children 4 and under are free.

The purpose of the event is to educate the public and horse owners about equine wellness and the equine’s role in human health and wellness. The event is also a fundraiser for the therapeutic equine assisted programs at Saving Grace that are provided to people with special needs and disabilities.

Tickets are available at www.savinggracefarm.com and click the Expo link at the top of the page (also sold through Eventbrite).

For more information visit www.savinggracefarm.com, call 704-638-2339 or email janna@savinggracefarm.com

Vendors accepted until May 10. Sponsorships available as well.

 

The Back Creek Bluegrass Boys

CLEVELAND — The Back Creek Bluegrass Boys will be playing Friday at CJ’s BBQ Restaurant at 6:30 p.m.

Members include Daniel Thrailkill on guitar and lead vocals; Will Thrailkill on upright bass and vocals; John Lee on banjo and newest member, James Lee, on mandolin.

The group has been playing together for two years. Last weekend the group performed individually at the Union Grove Old Time Fiddler’s Convention where Daniel won first place in the adult guitar division and second place in adult male vocals. Will won second place in the upright bass division; and John Lee won second place in the youth bluegrass banjo division.

The group will perform bluegrass, bluegrass gospel and a few favorite country selections. CJ’s is located behind the IGA in Cleveland.

 

Call for plein air artists and patrons

Attention artists and patrons of the arts: The NC Open Plein Air Paint Out on Aug. 14-15 is being held in Salisbury and Rowan County.

Come paint the Piedmont with professional and student landscape artists; watch plein air artists at work; enjoy the culminating exhibit/reception/sale at the F&M’s Trolley Barn on Saturday, Aug. 15 from 7 to 9 p.m.

There is a $1,000 first prize, $500 second prize, $250 third prize, plus honorable mentions.

Find details at www.pleinaircarolina.com and register for the paint out at www.waterworks.org [scroll to NC Open Plein Air]

 

Call for photographers

HICKORY — Full Circle Arts will present a photography exhibition open to all photographers, from beginners to professionals. Up to three photographs, framed and ready to hang, will be accepted from each entrant at Full Circle Arts April 23 through 25.

The show opens May 7 with a reception and will be on display through June 6. Ribbons will be awarded for the most outstanding images.

More information is available at 828-322-7545 or www.fullcirclearts.org

 

Particiapte in Juneteenth 2015

The Juneteenth 20th anniversary celebration will be held Saturday, June 13 at Kelsey Park, 1920 Old Wilkesboro Road. This family-friendly fun-filled day includes games and live entertainment.

Applications are being accepted for Apollo Kids, Apollo Teens and Apollo Adults, with prizes for each category winner.

For the Gospel Program, applications will be accepted for soloists, gospel groups, choirs and praise dancers.

There is no charge to apply in the talent categories.

Food and merchandise vendors are invited to call for applications; food vendors must have permit 15 day prior to event.

Contact April Lee at 704-433-8521, Johnny Moser at 704-232-8291, Stanley McMullen at 704-202-4686, Lisa Henderson-Braswell at 425-210-5454, Jill Burch at 704-267-2567, Patricia Blackmon at 704-433-4639 or  Cheryle Moser at 704-267-4295.