The Rowan Museum highlights in the Civil War in the museum’s latest show, “When We Fought Ourselves-1861-1865.”
This exhibit remembers the events that changed America 150 years ago with a local emphasis on events taking place in Rowan County, like soldiers’ wives rioting in the streets of Salisbury because of high prices and thousands being imprisoned just across the railroad tracks.
You’ll learn about Margaret Beall Ramsey, a young widow, who described “missiles … flying thick and fast around and upon the house. … Thousands of cavalrymen were in hot pursuit of our Confederate soldiers, through yards, gardens and fields on to the Town creek [south of Salisbury].”
The exhibit continues through mid January of 2012. The Museum is located at 202 N. Main St. For more information or to schedule group tours, call the Museum at 704-633-5946 or email rowanmuseum@carolina.rr.com.
Ukulele artist at LGAC
Ukulele singer/songwriter Aaron Lee is back on the road again, touring on his bicycle to promote the values of living simply and sustainably, community and local action through song.
Lee will bring his ukulele to the black box theater of Looking Glass Artist Collective on Wednesday, April 27. The show starts at 8 p.m. and admission is free.
Lee rides up to 60 miles each day and performs four or five concerts in a week, mostly partnering with local groups, organizations and venues that share the tour’s values. Donations to Aaron and his mission will be accepted.
Looking Glass Artist Collective is located in the Rail Walk Arts District at 405 N. Lee St.
For more information, see www.salisburyartists.com, http://ukulelebybicycle.blogspot.com or call 704-633-ARTS.
Purple Shoe exhibit
The Spencer Woman’s Club, in conjunction with the Family Crisis Council of Rowan, is sponsoring the 2011 North Carolina Purple Shoe Exhibit, a moving statewide memorial, at the Spencer Library from now until the end May.
The Purple Shoe exhibit honors homicide victims, friends and family members, and is on loan from the Family Violence Coalition of Yancy.The Spencer Library is located on Fourth Street.
Faith Fourth parade
Entries are now being accepted for the Faith Fourth parade which will begin at 10 a.m., Monday, July 4.
The entry fee is $25, exempting Legion and Legion Auxiliary Posts, Veteran organizations and military organizations. Deadline for entries is Friday, June 17. No late entries will be accepted.
Contact James, Sylvia or Pam Alexander at 704-279-2256.
Pfeiffer Jazz concert
MISENHEIMER — The Pfeiffer University Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Combo will present their annual spring concert at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 26 in the campus theater, located on the third floor of the Administration Building on the Misenheimer campus.
The concert is free and open to the public.
Directed by Pfeiffer music faculty members Rusty Smith and David Kirby, the ensemble will present a number of favorites from the Jazz Ensemble repertoire and will feature several outstanding student soloists.
The Ensemble will play numbers such as “Green Onions” by Booker T. and the MG’s. The Saxophone Ensemble will also play a piece entitled “St. Louis Blues” by W.C. Handy.
For more information about this performance, contact Dr. David Kirby, director of instrumental music, at 704- 463-3182 or david.kirby@pfeiffer.edu.
J.C. Price egg hunt
The Children and Youth Committee of J.C. Price Post #107 will sponsor a free Easter egg hunt on Saturday, April 23 at the Post on Old Wilkesboro Road.
The event goes from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. with hotdogs, chips and drinks. Children under 8 years old must be accompanied by an adult. For more information, call Leonard Hall at 704-278-9116.
Concord art exhibit
CONCORD — A group invitational exhibition, “Imprints – Impressions – Improvisations,” will be on display at The Galleries through May 19.
The exhibition brings together 17 artists who use impressed designs, traditional impressionistic approaches or improvisation in their work.
The show includes paintings, sculpture, pottery, photographs, etchings and even an original artwork vending machine. Clark Whittington takes retired cigarette machines and refurbishes them into “Art-O-Mats” that dispense original works of art for $5. He has more than 90 machines around the world with works by 400 artists. The Art-O-Mat in the exhibition is one of his first ones and will sell paintings, small sculptures, origami, jewelry and other original art objects for $5.
Gallery hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday. There is no admission charge. The Galleries are located in Cabarrus County’s 1876 historic courthouse at 65 Union Street S.
Call 704-920-ARTS or email info@cabarrusartscouncil.org for more information.
‘Hot Rods and Horror’
WINSTON-SALEM — Reynolda House Museum of American Art brings the classic drive-in experience indoors with Reynolda After Hours: Reynolda’s Indoor Drive-In, Friday April 29 at 8 p.m.
Guests can customize their own dream ride, watch actor Steve McQueen in his first leading role in the 1958 drive-in classic “The Blob,” and enjoy movie theater refreshments and blob-like Jell-O shooters.
The museum will provide cardboard frames to be decorated into original hot rods, and prizes will be awarded for the craftiest car.
Admission to Reynolda’s Indoor Drive-In is $5 for members and students, $8 for non-members.
Admission includes access to the current exhibition, “Trains that Passed in the Night: The Photographs of O. Winston Link,” and there will be a cash bar.
For information, call 336-758-5150 or visit reynoldahouse.org/rah.
Rural Hill egg hunt
HUNTERSVILLE — Rural Hill will hold the second annual Egg Hunt and Great Spoon Race on Saturday, April 23 from 11 a.m.–3 p.m.
The event schedule is as follows • egg hunt – 11:15 a.m. • scavenger hunt – noon • great spoon race – 1 p.m. • free facepainting – anytime • $3 hayrides – anytime • $1 highland cow feeding – anytime • nature trail and historic sites open, maps available.
Admission to the event is free and donations are accepted, with proceeds going toward the preservation and advancement of the educational mission of Historic Rural Hill. For more information contact Zac Vinson at 704-875-3113 or zac@ruralhill.net or visit www.ruralhill.net.
Rural Hill is located at 4431 Neck Road (off Beatties Ford Road) in Huntersville.
Wine festival and barbecue cook-off
All four Davidson County wineries will join together on April 22-23 for the first ever Southern Gateway Wine Festival being held in Uptown Lexington in conjunction with the inaugural Barbecue Capital Cook Off. Davidson County wines will be available at the festival for tasting by purchasing an armband for $5 and positive identification verifying a date of birth.
The Inaugural Barbecue Capital Cook Off brings competitive teams of chefs and judges to Lexington from across the United States. Currently 54 competitive barbecue cooking teams are registered from as far away as Illinois and Texas. Competitors are vying for prizes and bragging rights in four categories including barbecued chicken, ribs, brisket and Boston butt.
Other activities include a musical stage sponsored by 104.1 WTQR, a classic motorcycle show with the Antique Motorcycle Clubs of America and a children’s inflatables jump and slide sponsored by Camp Walter Johnson. All proceeds from this activity help the Salvation Army provide a summer camp experience to underprivileged children.
The Inaugural BBQ Capital Cook-off will take place behind the Edward C. Smith Civic Center on South Main Street between East Second and East Third Avenues. Event hours are Friday, April 22 from 6-9 p.m. and Saturday from 9:30 a.m. – 5 pm. For more information call 336-249-0383 or visit www.uptownlexington.com.
Redlair NatureFest
CHARLOTTE — Catawba Lands Conservancy will host the fourth annual Redlair NatureFest on Saturday, April 30 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The festival will be held at Redlair Farm and Forest in Gaston County, a private preserve that features more than 70 miles of hiking trails and river vistas, just 30 minutes from downtown Charlotte.
NatureFest is free and family-friendly, with live music, food, refreshments, local artisans, animals, face painting, crafts and hayrides. Float trips along the Carolina Thread Trail blueway are available for a small fee.
For details visit www.catawbalands.org or www.carolinathreadtrail.org.
Cruise-In and burnout
OAKBORO — The Oakboro Cruise-In and Burnout will start up its eighth season on Friday, April 22.
If the weather cooperates, cars start arriving after lunch but the official hours are 5-9:30 p.m. The burnout will occur at 9 p.m.
Food vendors and souvenir concessions will be set up, restaurants and retail stores will be open. The Cruise-In is held in downtown Oakboro on NC Hwy. 205 between Albemarle and Charlotte. It is one of the largest cruise-ins held in a small North Carolina downtown.
For information, visit the Oakboro Cruise-In on Facebook, email info@oakborocruisein.com, log onto www.oakborocruisein.com or call 704-467-4992.
Jazz and poetry night
The Rowan Blues and Jazz Society and Festival will host a fundraiser on April 30 at 7:30 p.m.
The David Payne and Friends Jazz Band will perform, along with the Great Minds Poetry Society with Teresa Vinson and Ms. Riley’s “Me Time and Friends.”
The event takes place at the Looking Glass Artist Collective’s black box theater at 405 N. Lee St.
Advance tickets are $8 and are available at the Literary Book Post in downtown Salisbury. For more information email rbjs@carolina.rr.com or call 704-636-3277.
Merlefest opens Thursday
WILKESBORO — MerleFest begins next Thursday, April 28, and runs through Sunday, May 1, on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina.
There will be 90 artists on 14 stages, including festival host Doc Watson.
The award-winning lineup represents a group of artists who have collectively earned 47 Grammy Awards, more than 50 International Bluegrass Music Awards and four Americana Music Association Awards, among many others.
Thursday will feature performances by the Zac Brown Band and Randy Travis. Friday includes performances by the Doobie Brothers. Saturday’s lineup includes Lyle Lovett and Sam Bush. Sunday will feature performances by Robert Plant and the Band of Joy.
The complete lineup and stage schedules, plus ticket information, can be found at www.merlefest.org
Gates open on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. and on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 9 a.m.