STATESVILLE ó There will be an 18th-Century Trade Faire at Fort Dobbs State Historic Site in Statesville Oct. 3 and 4, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free.
At the site where soldiers once defended frontier settlers during the French and Indian War, visitors will have a chance to experience a recreation of a colonial American marketplace and reenactments, military and Cherokee camps.
More than 100 juried artisans and historic interpreters in colonial dress will demonstrate their trades and sell their wares while entertainers and musicians perform with 18th-century amusements. Concessions will be available.
For more information, visit www.fortdobbs.org or call 704- 873-5882.
Exhibit postponed
The exhibition of works by Rail Walk artists that had been announced for the month of October has been postponed.
Rail Walk Studios and Gallery is located at 409 N. Lee St. The artist group currently does not have regular posted hours. To know if they are open, look for the “open” flag.
For more information, call 704-431-8964. www.railwalkgallery.com.
Concerts for causes
DAVIDSON ó The Davidson College Symphony Orchestra is preparing for this year’s first concert on Oct. 7 and gearing up for the new “Concerts for a Cause” program to collect donations for a charitable organization at each of its four performances.
Orchestra Director Tara Villa Chamra noted that a music department marathon concert put on after Hurricane Katrina raised about $8,000 in donations, and she thought something similar could be done for orchestra concerts. Last spring, Chamra sent out an email to her students asking what organizations they would like to support.
At the beginning of each concert, an orchestra student will share with the audience information about the organization being supported that evening, and stress that 100 percent of the donations will be going to that organization.
The Oct. 7 concert will benefit Hole in the Wall Gang Camps, founded by Paul Newman in 1988 to provide fun camp experiences for children with serious medical conditions. The performance will begin at 7:30 p.m. in Duke Family Performance Hall and will feature Dvorak’s Symphony No.8.
The other concert dates, and organizations being supported, are:
Nov. 19 ó American Stroke Foundation;
Feb. 18 ó VH1 Save the Music
April 15 ó Building Tomorrow
May 5 ó Habitat for Humanity.
Owen-Leinert honored
MEMPHIS, TENN ó Susan Owen-Leinert, professor of voice for the University of Memphis, was named 2009 winner of the College of Communication and Fine Arts Dean’s Creative Achievement Award.
Owen-Leinert is a native of Rowan County, and daughter of Mildred Huff Simerson who lives in Salisbury. She is married to musician Michael Leinert, with whom she established the Memphis Opera and Song Academy, a two-week summer workshop.
Since coming to Memphis in 2005, she has performed frequently, started an opera company, recorded, published scholarly papers and given masterclasses.
Barbecue train
LEXINGTON óThere will be a hospitality area dedicated to the comfort and convenience of the passengers riding North Carolina’s Amtrak trains to the 26th annual Barbecue Festival on Saturday, Oct. 24. The Rail Passenger Hospitality Area will include an enclosed 1,800 square foot tent located immediately adjacent to the passenger train stop and a short walk from the Barbecue Festival area in Uptown Lexington.
The area will be staffed all day by volunteer hosts and available to passengers from the time the first train arrives in the morning until the last train departs in the evening. Refreshments will be available throughout the day as well as seating and tables in the tent for train passengers who wish to take a mid-day break from the festival activities.
Amtrak passengers will also be able to drop off any purchases at the tent that they do not wish to carry with them through the day.
Train 80 will depart Charlotte at 7:40 a.m. making stops to board passengers in Kannapolis and Salisbury and arriving in Lexington at 8:42 a.m. Train 79 will depart Lexington at 7:17 p.m. for Salisbury, Kannapolis and Charlotte.
For complete information on riding North Carolina’s Amtrak to the Barbecue Festival, visit bytrain.org. Tickets can be purchased on line at Amtrak.com; by calling Amtrak at 1-800-USA-RAIL, or by picking up the red reservations phone at Amtrak stations.