Tonight: The Carolina Artists Guild hosts an open reception at 6 p.m. for its annual judged show of original works by local artists. The exhibit is free and open to the public through Friday at 4 p.m., at the Salisbury Civic Center, 315 Martin Luther King Jr Ave. South. For information, call 704-633-2852.

 

Big Muddy Challenge at Patterson Farm

MT. ULLA — Big Muddy Challenge, a back-to-school event for families, is Saturday from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at Patterson Farm Market & Tours, 10390 Caldwell Road. The obstacle race is team-based, and participants must be six or older. Teams will be assigned a start time prior to the event. More than 1,300 participated in last year’s Challenge, where the emphasis is on fun, not competition. Register at bigmuddychallenge.com

Faith Fun Day 

FAITH — 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, Faith Legion Park. Bounce house, slide, tire relay game, food for purchase, Touch-A-Truck with police, fire, EMS. Cheerwine donated drinks, Chick-fil-A Cow, Sweet Frog, mechanical bull, donation site for school supplies and for teachers.

Annual train show at the NC Transportation Museum 

 SPENCER — The N.C. Transportation Museum hosts the annual Historic Spencer Shops Train Show Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 20-21.

Multiple train rides will be offered, along with railroad memorabilia, great model train layouts, an up-close look at the Civil-War era Texas locomotive, special tours, visiting rail equipment from Norfolk Southern, motor car and turntable rides, hobby experts, authors, and more.

Event vendors will cover more than 100 tables with railroad memorabilia of all types.

Visitors can take a spin on the roundhouse turntable rides and ride along in track repair motor cars from Red Springs and Northern Railroad.

Model railroad enthusiasts will have lots to see with HO, N, S, and G scale layouts and will be able to practice their skills switching freight cars on several small layouts, courtesy of the Carolina Southern Division of the National Model Railroad Association.

There are restoration tours with the Civil War era Texas locomotive, now visiting from Atlanta. This participant in the Great Locomotive Chase of the Civil War ran down the stolen General locomotive, and later became an icon of the rebuilding of the city of Atlanta during Reconstruction.

Also visiting will be the Norfolk Southern hazmat safety train. The 2,000-horsepower, 273-ton locomotive at the head of this train features a paint scheme honoring emergency responders with insignia recognizing police, fire, and emergency services.

Railroad author and NC historian Matthew Bumgarner will discuss his book, “Saluda: From Top to Bottom,” detailing the 66 miles of dangerous track that includes the Saluda grade.

Tony Reevy will present his publication, “The Railroad Photography of Jack Delano,” Reey details the stunning photographs created by the Ukrainian immigrant. Best known for his work for the Office of War Information during 1940–1943, Delano is said to have captured the face of American Railroading.

A full listing of ticket options is available at www.nctrans.org