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TGIF

Neighbor, a jam band known for its eclectic performances, soulful ballads and improvisations, takes the First Bank Stage at the Sunrise, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines, for the June 6 edition of First Friday, from 5 – 9 p.m. The band is composed of Richard James singing and on keyboard, Lyle Brewer on guitar, Dan Kelly on bass and Dean Johnston on drums. And y’all know the drill — Cujo stays home. For additional information visit www.sunrisetheater.com.

Garden Party

Bring the entire family to the Garden Carnival from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 7, at the Sandhills Horticultural Gardens, 3245 Airport Road, Pinehurst. There will be relay games, live music, face painting, food trucks, a scavenger hunt and plant potting. The event is free for garden members and $12 for non-members. For additional information visit www.sandhills.edu/gardenevents.

Drums of Liberty

Step back in time to celebrate the 100th anniversary of James Boyd’s Revolutionary War novel Drums in conjunction with the 250th anniversary of the United States Army and the 250th anniversary of the start of the Revolutionary War. Yeah, we know, the Declaration of Independence was 1776 but Paul Revere mounted his horse in ’75. The weekend program, sponsored by a grant from America 250 NC, is June 14-15, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day, at the Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Activities include an encampment of the 2nd and 6th North Carolina regiments with cooking and musket demonstrations; an exhibit of the original N.C. Wyeth paintings for Drums; tours of the Boyd House; 18th century music along with a fife and drum corps; and local vendors and crafts for the kids. For additional information go to www.weymouthcenter.org.

Set Your Alarm

And wake up to Sleeping Beauty performed by the Paris Ballet in high def on Saturday, June 21, at 2 p.m., at the Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. The timeless Tchaikovsky classic was reimagined by Rudolph Nureyev when he came to Paris in 1961 on tour with the Kirov Ballet. Thirty years later he proposed new choreography for what he considered “the ballet of ballets.” For information and tickets go to www.sunrisetheater.com

Piano Men

The tribute band Face 2 Face performs the timeless songs of Elton John and Billy Joel beginning at 6 p.m. on Saturday, June 28, at the Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. This is an outdoor event, come rain or come shine. For information and tickets go to www.ticketmesandhills.com

Juneteenth

Join the fifth annual Juneteenth celebration beginning Thursday, June 19, from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., at Cardinal Park, 657 S. Walnut St., Pinebluff, and continuing June 20, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., at the West Southern Pines Center of Cultural Arts, 1250 W. New York Ave., Southern Pines. The two-day event celebrates freedom, unity and the richness of African American heritage. There will be food, vendors, music and more including live performances by Eclectic Soul, TY-YINDE West African Drummers and celebrated storytellers Willa Brigham, Obakunlé Akinlana and Mitch Capel. For more information call (910) 813-6901.

Prine Time

Tommy Prine, the son of legendary musician and songwriter John Prine, will be in the house on Friday, June 27, from 7 – 10 p.m. at the Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Prine carries on his father’s legacy of social commentary, satire and sweet songs with evocative music of his own. Tickets are $25 for general admission and $79 for the VIP package. For more information go to www.sunrisetheater.com.

Get Your Reading On

The summer FREADom kickoff, sponsored by the Southern Pines Public Library to celebrate reading and the start of summer, begins at 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 14, on the green space beside the Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Dance to the music of Will Johnson, pick up a prize and register for Summer FREADom. For additional information go to www.sppl.net.

Seeing Double

It’s opening night on Friday, June 6, for a couple of Sandhills art exhibits. The judged exhibit and sale “Art to Appreciate” will open from 5 -7 p.m. at the Artists League of the Sandhills, 129 Exchange St., Aberdeen. For information go to www.artistleague.org.

In Southern Pines, the Arts Council of Moore County presents “Blurred Boundaries” from 6 – 8 p.m. at the Campbell House, 482 E. Connecticut Ave. The show will hang through June 27. For more info call (910) 692-2787. Both exhibits are free and open to the public.

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Rites of Spring

The Carolina Philharmonic presents the “Ripples of Spring,” at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 3, at BPAC’s Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. The concert features Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring, Jean Sibelius’ Finlandia, and Cello Concerto No. 1 by Camille Saint-Saens with cellist Sophia Bacelar. For additional information visit www.carolinaphil.org.

Great Art, Big Screen

Go in-depth with exhibitions on screen of Vincent Van Gogh and Michelangelo Buonarroti in May at the Sunrise Theater. Van Gogh: Poets & Lovers explores the artist’s years in the South of France in an effort to better understand the troubled and iconic painter. The first showing is Thursday, May 8 at 7:00 p.m. with a second screening on Monday, May 11 at 3 p.m. On Tuesday, May 20 at 2 p.m. Michelangelo: Love and Death makes a cinematic journey through the great chapels and museums of Florence, Rome and the Vatican. There will be a second showing on May 22 at 7 p.m. For more info go to www.sunrisetheater.com or call (910) 692-3611.

Calling All Authors

At least the Sandhills variety. Meet the authors and illustrators of the Sandhills at the fourth annual Pages of the Pines, a festival celebrating the books of local writers and artists. The gathering begins at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 3, and lasts until 2 p.m. at the Southern Pines Public Library, 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. For more information go to www.sppl.net.

First of the Firsts

The TGI Friday tradition like no other — First Friday — debuts for 2025 on the outdoor stage at Sunrise Square, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines, featuring the music of J & The Causeways, a New Orleans soul and R&B band with backbeats and soaring horns surrounding the sound of vocalist Jordan Anderson. Festivities begin at 5 p.m. Y’all know the rules for this free, family event — Cujo stays home. For further information go to www.sunrisetheater.com or call the Sunrise Theater at (910) 692-3611.

Make Mine a Double

The Women of  Weymouth hold their annual happy hour on the grounds of the Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines, on Friday, May 30, from 5 to 9 p.m. There will be appetizers and desserts by Genuine Hospitality Catering, a wine bar, vendors and music by John McDonald. For more information visit www.weymouthcenter.org.

Bye-Bye Birdie

Susan Campbell, hummingbird bander, researcher, naturalist and PineStraw columnist, will talk about the birds of the Sandhills on Wednesday, May 7 at 1 p.m., at the Sandhills Horticultural Gardens, 3245 Airport Road, Pinehurst. She’ll offer identification tips and talk about our feathered friends’ preferred foods and nesting habits. The talk is free, but the audience is limited to 100. For information go to  www.sandhills.edu/gardenevents.

Fired Up

Starworks’ International Woodfiring Conference, “Sustain: Woodfire NC 2025,” takes place in Star from May 22-25. The gathering unites artists, students and ceramic enthusiasts from more than eight countries to explore every facet of woodfiring, examining its cultural, environmental, ethical and aesthetic dimensions. Registration begins at $190. For information go to www.WoodfireNC.com

Being a Dad

World-renowned bestselling author James Patterson sits down with David Woronoff, publisher of The Pilot and PineStraw, to discuss Patterson’s warm and relatable nonfiction book The #1 Dad Book. Filled with stories and advice to unlock the mysteries of fatherhood, they take the stage on Thursday, May 15, from noon to 1:30 p.m., at the Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Tickets are $30. For information go to www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Your Best Daffy Duck

If you can say “despicable” without spitting, you can throw down a blanket or put out a chair and watch Despicable Me 4 under the stars on Friday, May 16, beginning at 8 p.m. in Downtown Park, Southern Pines. Singer and songwriter Savanna Bassett will perform from 6:30 to 8 p.m. It’s all free. For information call (910) 692-7376.

Garden Party

Wear your fancy hats and spring colors when the Village Heritage Foundation hosts its Spring Garden Party at the Village Arboretum’s Timmel Pavilion, 105 Rassie Wicker Drive, Pinehurst, on Tuesday, May 6, from 4 to 6 p.m. There will be wine and grazing tables slam full of hors d’oeuvres. Tickets are $30 per person and can be reserved at www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Classical Chords

Enjoy the Astralis Chamber Ensemble from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Boyd House Great Room at the Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. The ensemble is a globally acclaimed group comprised of award-winning musicians featuring unique instrument pairings. For additional information go to www.weymouthcenter.org.

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PinePitch April 2025

Just Hanging Around

The Arts Council of Moore County opens its exhibit “Palustris: Nature’s Narrative” on Friday, April 4, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., at the Campbell House galleries, 482 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. The paintings will hang until April 25. If you need more info, call (910) 692-2787. Five miles away there will be an opening reception from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Artists League of the Sandhills, 129 Exchange St., Aberdeen, for the show “Light and Color: A Love Affair with the Sandhills,” featuring the work of Jennifer Walker. For additional information go to www.artistleague.org.

Jazzy Sunday

The Come Sunday Jazz Series will feature John Brown on Sunday, April 27, beginning at 2 p.m., at the Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Bassist, composer, producer, actor and educator, Brown is a native of Fayetteville. He has performed for President and Mrs. Barack Obama and appeared with artists like Wynton, Ellis and Delfeayo Marsalis, Elvin Jones, Diahann Carroll, Rosemary Clooney, Cedar Walton and Nicholas Payton. He received a Grammy nomination for his performance and co-writing Nnenna Freelon’s 1995 Shaking Free. Brown has taught at Duke University since 2001 and is currently the director of the jazz program and professor of the practice of music. For additional information visit www.weymouthcenter.org.

Shark Week

The Ruth Pauley Lecture Series will feature National Geographic Explorer and marine biologist  Dr. Jess Cramp speaking about “The Untold Story of Sharks” on Tuesday, April 29, at 7 p.m., in the Bradshaw Performing Arts Center’s Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Dr. Camp is a shark researcher specializing in conservation policy and engaging communities in ocean management. She co-championed a grass-roots campaign that resulted in formation of the Cook Islands Shark Sanctuary in 2012, an area exceeding 770,000 square miles. She is the founder and executive director of Sharks Pacific, a nonprofit organization that conducts research, outreach and advocacy throughout the Pacific Islands region. Dr. Cramp was named an AAAS If/Then Ambassador, a program created by the American Association for the Advancement of Science to bring together 125 women from different science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers to serve as role models for middle school girls. For more information and tickets go to www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Boogie Walk & Belly Roll

Indulge your inner Myrtle Beach Ocean Drive at the Moore Area Shag Society’s monthly dance on Saturday, April 5, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., at Down Memory Lane, 161 Dawkins St., Aberdeen. The doors open at 6:30, and there will be a cash bar. Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 at the door. For information call (919) 345-4105.

Burnin’ Up

Starworks is holding a two-day celebration of the Promethean arts, starting Friday, April 4, through Saturday, April 5. We’re talking hot stuff here. The creative contribution of fire is featured in tours, workshops, demonstrations, guest artists and food trucks. Ok, so the artists and trucks aren’t actually on fire. Both days finish with live music. Friday’s slate begins at 1 p.m. and features a “Kids Draw It, We Make It” glass demonstration. The Saturday events begin at 9 a.m. The live bands pack it in at 10 p.m. both nights. Tickets are $10. Workshops are extra. Gather at the Starworks Café & Taproom, 100 Russell Dr., Star. For the full schedule and all costs visit www.StarworksNC.org/Firefest.

Spring in Your Step

Southern Pines’ annual Springfest Arts & Crafts Fair will be held April 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Two blocks on both sides of Broad Street will be closed to accommodate the food, games, rides, music and 160 vendors offering art, jewelry, photography, woodworking and more. Kids ages 3-12 can sign up for bicycle, tricycle and electric car races in front of the Sunrise Theater. Registration begins at 10 a.m., with the races at 11. For additional info call (910) 692-7376.

Home & Garden Tour

The 77th Annual Home & Garden Tour sponsored by the Southern Pines Garden Club is Saturday, April 5 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets are available online prior to April 5 or in person on the day of by going to the Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities or to one of three locations, Birdwood Cottage or The English Cottage in Southern Pines or Twin Willows in Pinehurst. Cost is $25 in advance and $30 on tour day. The online address for tickets is https://www.tickettailor.com/events/spgc/1564777.

Dig In

Petunias, begonias, marigolds, oh my! It’s all on sale at the annual Landscape Gardening program’s spring bedding plant sale on Saturday, April 26, at the Sandhills Horticultural Gardens, 3245 Airport Road, Pinehurst. All plants are grown and cared for in greenhouses by students in preparation for the sale. Proceeds support the SCC gardening program. For more information go to www.sandhills.edu/gardenevents.

Get Your Motor Running

The 4th Annual Corvette Club Show will be on Saturday, April 19, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Sandhills Community College Automotive Technical Center, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. There will be prizes, music, food trucks, oohs and aahs. Vote for best in show. April 27 will serve as the rain date. For additional information go to www.corvettesofsandhills.com.

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PinePitch March 2025

In the Bookshop

The Country Bookshop, 140 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines will be hosting Ada Calhoun as she discusses her novel Crush, on Wednesday, March 12, from 6 to 7 p.m. Then, on Wednesday, March 19, also from 6 to 7 p.m., Eddie Huffman will be in the bookshop to talk about his recent release, Doc Watson: A Life in Music. More information and tickets can be obtained at www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Wee Bit o’ the Green

Pinehurst turns the whole village green when the Irish take to the streets for the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday, March 15, beginning at 10 a.m. If you put your folding chair down at James W. Tufts Memorial Park, 1 Village Green Road W., you won’t miss a single leprechaun. For more blarney go to www.vopnc.org.

Just Another Lazy Sunday

Bring a blanket or a folding chair and a picnic basket, kick back and listen to saxophonist Sarah Hanahan outdoors on the lawn from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines, on Sunday, March 23. There will be a cash bar with mimosas, beer, wine and non-alcoholic offerings. For info see www.weymouthcenter.org

One Man, One Microphone

Have a problem with old age? The great Garrison Keillor is here to provide a little perspective. Despite its inconveniences, old age brings the contentment of “less is more.” Your mistakes and big ambitions are behind you. There’s nothing left to prove. And small things give you great pleasure because, well, that’s what’s left. “Garrison Keillor Tonight” is an evening of wit, storytelling, audience song and poetry on Friday, March 28, at 8:30 p.m. on the main stage of Owens Auditorium in the Bradshaw Performing Arts Center, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. The show features sonnet singing, limericks and musical jokes. And there’s news from Lake Wobegon, a town booming with new entrepreneurs, makers of artisanal firewood and gourmet meatloaf, breeders of composting worms, and dogs trained to do child care. Age aside, there are some things that endure, and Garrison Keillor is one of them. For additional information and tickets go to www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Trunk o’ Flowers

The Pinehurst Garden Club wants your sunny disposition, water, a little fertilizer and for you to buy their plants during the annual garden pre-sale that runs from March 16 to April 10. You can check out the flower options and order online at pinehurstgardenclub.org, or by contacting a member. The pickup is Sunday, April 27, at the Green Haven Farm, 255 Green Haven Lane, Carthage. Just drive up and pop the trunk. The sale supports two students in the horticultural studies program at Sandhills Community College.

Gala for Guide Dogs

Mira USA, a national nonprofit organization providing guide dogs to blind children ages 11-17, will host its annual Mira-cles Happen Gala on Saturday, March 8, at 6 p.m., at the Country Club of North Carolina, 1600 Morganton Road, Pinehurst. Guests will have the chance to meet two 2024 guide dog recipients: 12-year-old Elijah with his guide dog, Maple, and 15-year-old Shaelin with her guide dog, Guiro. The evening includes a gourmet dinner, live music and entertainment, along with silent and live auctions. Individual tickets and sponsorship packages are available by visiting www.miraevents.org/mira-cles-happen-gala.

When 24 Hours Isn’t Enough

If your salute to the old sod lasts longer than just St. Patrick’s Day, grab a seat for Andy Clooney’s Irish Celebration on Tuesday, March 18, from 7 to 9 p.m., at the Fair Barn, 200 Beulah Hill Road S., Pinehurst. The show features Ireland’s comedy duo Mick Thomas and Sean Finnerty along with The Emerald Fire Irish Dancers backed by the Guinness Irish Band. For information and tickets go to www.cooneyshows.simpletix.com. Cheers.

Back in Bloom

The Garden Club of the Sandhills will host its 2025 “Blooming Art” exhibit featuring professional floral designers, local garden club members and local artists on Saturday, March 29, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and on Sunday, March 30, from noon to 4 p.m., at the Campbell House, 482 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Tickets are good for either day. For information go to www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Put a Little Spring in Your Step

Kids ages 3 – 12 can celebrate the arrival of spring at the Spring Fling in the Downtown Park, Southern Pines, on Friday, March 28, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The afternoon festivities include games, face painting and bounce houses, and will be followed by an outdoor movie, Moana 2. Concessions will be available for purchase. For additional information call (910) 692-7376.

It’s a Pine Thing

The Party for the Pine, the festival celebrating the oldest longleaf pine in the world, will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Weymouth Woods Boyd Tract meadow, Weymouth Woods, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines, on Saturday, April 5. The celebration features games, food trucks, turpentine demonstrations, lessons on the native habitat and, weather permitting, a live prescribed burn. For additional information call (910) 692-2167

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Spinning Wheel

Have a spot of tea with the people who make the pots on Saturday, March 8, shop-hopping along the N.C. Pottery Highway in Seagrove, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Enjoy tea tasting, homemade treats and samples from The Table, Seagrove Cafe and Carriage House Tea. For additional information visit www.teawithseagrovepotters.com.

Oh, How Times Have Changed

In 1946, with a campaign budget of $100, Jane Pratt was elected by a landslide to represent the state of North Carolina in the United States Congress. The Moore County Historical Association, in association with the Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities and The Country Bookshop, will host Marion Elliott Deerhake in discussion with Kimberly Daniels Taws about Deerhake’s book Jane Pratt: North Carolina’s First Congresswoman, on Thursday, Feb. 6, at 11:30 a.m. For further information go to www.ticketmesandhills.com.

And Not a Drop to Drink

The Artists League of the Sandhills will hold an opening reception featuring the work of its members in the exhibit “Water, Water, Everywhere” on Friday, Feb. 7, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., at the Artists League of the Sandhills, 129 Exchange St., Aberdeen. For additional information visit www.artistleague.org.

A Not So Hasty Judgment

The Ruth Pauley Lecture Series presents “Everyone’s a Critic,” with Adam Feldman, on Tuesday, Feb. 18, at 7 p.m. in BPAC’s Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Feldman is the chief theater critic at Time Out New York. He covers Broadway, off-Broadway, and off-off-Broadway, as well as cabaret, dance shows and other events of interest in New York City. He’s the president of the New York Drama Critics’ Circle, a position he has held since 2005. The lecture is free of charge, but registration is required at www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Be the Best Lawn You Can Be

Sure, it’s February, but can spring be far away? Flowers bloom. Birds sing. And the front yard is a disaster. When do I fertilize? How much water is too much? Where’d all those weeds come from? On Friday, Feb. 21, at 1 p.m. Dr. Grady White, a turf extension specialist at N.C. State, will answer those questions and more in a lecture at the Ball Visitors Center in the Sandhills Horticultural Gardens, 3245 Airport Road, Pinehurst. To register for his talk go to the Sandhills Horticultural website at www.sandhills.edu/horticultural-gardens and click on “upcoming events.”

Encore!

Joe DeVito reprises, well, Joe DeVito when the comedian from Fox News channel’s “Gutfeld!” returns to BPAC at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 28, in the Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. For information and tickets go to www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Big Voices in Little Bodies

The Sandhills Repertory Theatre presents Tiny Giants, a salute to the petite powerhouses from Judy Garland to Lady Gaga, with Kelli Rabke and John Fischer, beginning Saturday, Feb. 8, at 7 p.m., at the Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. There will also be a matinee performance on Sunday, Feb. 9, at 2 p.m. To learn more go to www.sandhillsrep.org or call (910) 692-3611.

Swing and a Hit

The Sandhills Community College Jazz Band gets you in the mood for Valentine’s Day with its concert “Swingin’ Sounds of Love and Romance,” featuring classic and modern songs in Big Band arrangements, on Monday, Feb. 10, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., at BPAC’s Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. For further information go to www.ticketmesandhills.com.

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Zee Zee at the Top

The 2025 Classical Concert Series sponsored by the Arts Council of Moore County hosts the electrifying pianist Zee Zee at the Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines, at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 20. An imaginative and electrifying performer, at the age of 5, after beginning her musical training in Berlin, Germany, Zee Zee quickly became one of the most sought-after young artists of her generation. For additional information go to www.sunrisetheater.com or www.mooreart.org.

Happy Birthday to The King

You can get your wiggle on celebrating Elvis’ 90th all day long — we’re talking all day long — on Wednesday, Jan. 8, at the Bradshaw Performing Arts Center, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. From 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. there will be an examination of Elvis’ roots in gospel music. Then, at 3 p.m., watch an expanded version of his comeback 1968 TV special, “Elvis: One Night with You.” Finally, beginning at 7 p.m., Vivian R. Jacobson will discuss the connection between Elvis and Marc Chagall, and their shared passion for life and art. All programs are in the Owens Auditorium. For information and tickets go to www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Four Part Harmony

The North Carolina Harmony Brigade, an elite group of barbershop singers, comes together one weekend a year for the annual Harmony Extravaganza, from 7 – 9 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 18, in BPAC’s Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Singers come from all over the United States, Canada and Europe to perform songs like “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love,” “Moonlight Becomes You,” “Make ’Em Laugh,” and more. For tickets and info go to www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah

Who doesn’t love a bluebird? David Kilpatrick will answer all your questions about the beloved birds beginning at 10 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 24, at the Ball Visitors’ Center at the Sandhills Horticultural Gardens, 3245 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Then, on Tuesday, Feb. 4, Amanda Bratcher, horticultural agent with the N.C. Cooperative Extension in Lee County, will speak on the subject of decorative ornamental grasses. For additional information or to register for either program go to www.sandhills.edu/horticutural-gardens/upcoming-events.

At the Met

If you can’t get to Cairo this month do the next best thing and attend the Metropolitan Opera’s live streaming presentation of Giuseppe Verdi’s tragic opera in four acts, Aida, at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 25, at the Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. For more information go to www.sunrisetheater.com.

One if by Land, Two if by Sea

Join the professional tribute band The British Invaders, dressed in proper black Nehru suits and playing vintage instruments, as they recreate the excitement that swept across America from the other side of the pond in the 1960s. The performance begins at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 25, at BPAC’s Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. For more information got to www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Ruth Pauley Lecture Series

Dr. Katy O’Brien, a past chair of the Brain Injury Association of Georgia, a member of the Academy of Neurological Communication Disorders and Sciences, and a 1994 graduate of Pinecrest High School, will discuss “The Thinking and Talking Brain: Communication, Connection, and Mental Health after Brain Injury and Concussion” on Tuesday, Jan. 21, in BPAC’s Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. For more information and tickets go to www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Do You Know That in D Major?

Showbiz superstars hit the stage and things get lively with a few special guests in Jim Caruso’s “Cast Party” with Billy Stritch on the piano at BPAC’s Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst, on Friday, Jan. 31, at 7 p.m. Every Monday night since 2003, Cast Party’s open mic night and variety show has brought Broadway glitz and wit to the legendary Birdland in New York City. Caruso and Stritch have taken the show on the road, celebrating talent in London, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Chicago, Austin, St. Louis, Minneapolis, Dallas, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, the Hamptons, Provincetown, Miami, Orlando, Delray Beach and now Pinehurst. For more information go to www.ticketmesandhills.com.

A Good Man

The Sandhills Community College Department of Theater will perform the 1957 off-Broadway production of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown based on Charles Schulz’s comic strip Peanuts that first appeared 75 years ago in 1950. Opening night is Friday, Feb. 7, at 7 p.m. in BPAC’s Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. There are additional performances on Feb. 8 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and on Feb. 9 at 2 p.m. For information and tickets go to www.ticketmesandhillscom.

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Round and Round They Go

Enjoy local marching bands and a red-dressed elf during the Southern Pines Christmas Parade on Saturday, Dec. 7, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Did someone say Santa? The parade route begins at Vermont Avenue and proceeds down the west side of Broad Street to Massachusetts Avenue, crosses the railroad tracks, then comes back down the east side of Broad Street. For info call (910) 692-7376. If you missed Mr. Claus on the seventh, the town of Vass will be giving him a lift on Saturday, Dec. 21. You can get more information at www.townofvassnc.gov.

A Pinehurst Tradition

What better way to get into the holiday spirit than by kicking back and enjoying the sweet sounds of “Holiday Pops” performed by the Carolina Philharmonic on Friday, Dec. 6, and Saturday, Dec. 7? Both concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. in Owens Auditorium, BPAC, Sandhills Community College, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. For more information go to www.carolinaphil.org.

Pops II

You can celebrate the season with your holiday favorites and your North Carolina Symphony at the other “Holiday Pops” on Thursday, Dec. 12 at 7:30 p.m. in BPAC’s Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. The performance features songs like “Sleigh Ride,” “White Christmas,” “Carol of the Bells,” “Christmas at the Movies,” music from Frozen, and more. For more information visit www.ncymphony.org.

And Now For Something Completely Different

If you’re looking for that one-of-a-kind, where-did-this-come-from knick-knack, bric-a-brac piece of art, the Starworks Holiday Market opens to the public from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7 at Starworks, 100 Russell Drive, Star. For information go to www.StarworksNC.org.

Look Out Below

Wash away the old and ring in the New Year with family and friends at First Eve in downtown Southern Pines from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 31. There will be live music, carnival games, face painting and good cheer. The pine cone drops at precisely 8. For additional information call (910) 692-7376.

Ho, Ho, Choo, Choo

All aboard the Carolina Christmas Train on Wednesday, Dec. 4, from 5:30 to 7:15 p.m. hosted by the Aberdeen Carolina Western Railway, at Starworks Café & Taproom, 100 Russell Drive, Star. There will be additional train rides on Dec. 5 – 9 and Dec. 13 – 20. For information and tickets go to www.ACWR.com

Mozart Magic

When the Queen of the Night persuades Prince Tamino to rescue her daughter Pamina from the high priest Sarastro, we get to watch. It’s Mozart’s The Magic Flute, beamed in from the Metropolitan Opera at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7, at the Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Tickets are $29.50. For information call (910) 692-3611 or visit www.sunrisetheater.com.

Let There Be Light

The annual Christmas Tree Lighting in the village of Pinehurst, with music, vendors, holiday cheer and a chance to see Santa, happens from 5 to 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 6, at Tufts Memorial Park, 1 Village Green Road, Pinehurst. There will be food and beverages available for purchase, and the Sandhills Trolley Company will be providing free shuttles from the Cannon Park Community Center. For additional information go to www.vopnc.org.

Film Feast-i-val

A cornucopia of holiday movies is coming to the big screen at the Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. First up is National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 5. Next is Home Alone at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 12, followed by How the Grinch Stole Christmas on Thursday, Dec. 19. Batting clean-up is a free showing of Polar Express on Friday, Dec. 20, at 7 p.m. And last, but far from least, is the classic It’s a Wonderful Life on Thursday, Dec. 26, at 7 p.m. For information call (910) 692-3611 or go to www.sunrisetheater.com.

Wee Bit of the Old Sod

Featuring the return of vocalist Caitríona Sherlock, the “Irish Christmas in America” show at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 11 in BPAC’s Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst, is filled with lively instrumental tunes on fiddle, flute, uilleann pipes and harp, along with old-style Irish dancing. Evocative photographic images provide a backdrop to some of the rich historical traditions of Ireland. For information go to: www.ticketmesandhills.com. And, if that doesn’t get your Irish up, the music and dance company A Taste of Ireland will present “A Celtic Christmas” at BPAC on Tuesday, Dec. 17 at 7:30 p.m. Check out www.eventbrite for more info.

Does Santa Get Syrup in His Beard?

You can find out on Saturday, Dec. 14, at the Sandhills Woman’s Exchange, 15 Azalea Road, Pinehurst, at a breakfast featuring you know who, pancakes, bacon, a magic show, face painting, and balloon animals. Cost is $30 for adults; $10 for children 4 and over; and free for 3 and under. There is limited seating, however. Hey, it’s a cabin. For more information call (910) 295-4677 or go to www.sandhillswe.org.

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Sound and Swagger

The high octane swing band Good Shot Judy pumps up the jazz on Friday, Nov. 14, at 7 p.m., at the Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. A Good Shot Judy show offers all those tunes you can hum along to, if you don’t know most of the words. But the music itself is only part of the allure. Tickets are $27. For information call (910) 692-3611 or go to www.sunrisetheater.com.

Hail the Sugar Plum Fairy

Gary Taylor Dance presents that family holiday tradition like no other, Tchaikovsky’s timeless ballet The Nutcracker, at BPAC’s Owens Auditorium, at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 29. Join Clara on her magical journey to escape the Battle of the Toy Rats and Soldiers and travel through the Land of Snow to the Land of the Sweets. There will be additional matinee performances on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 at 2 p.m. For information go to
www.ticketmesandhills.com.  

Wave a Flag. Thank a Veteran.

The annual Veterans Day Parade up and down Broad Street in downtown Southern Pines begins at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 9. It may not be exactly the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month — it’s not 1918 either — but the meaning remains exactly the same. For additional information visit www.southernpines.net.

BYO Pepcid

Come for the chili. Stay for the heartburn. The annual SoPines Chili Cook-Off supporting the Special Forces Association Chapter 62 and sponsored by O’Donnell’s Pub, 133 E. New Hampshire Ave., closes down a city block in front of the pub on Sunday, Nov. 10, from noon to 3 p.m. A pinch of this, a dash of that, and pretty soon you got a three-alarm fire in your mouth.

Et Tu, Puccini?

Torture, murder and suicide during the Napoleonic Wars with some of Giacomo Puccini’s best-known arias. What’s not to love? Tosca, Puccini’s opera in three acts, comes to the screen at the Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines, on Saturday, Nov. 23, beginning at 1 p.m., courtesy of the New York Metropolitan Opera. For additional info call (910) 692-3611 or go to www.sunrisetheater.com.

The Guitar Man

World-renowned guitarist Lukasz Kuropaczewski will appear in the Bradshaw Performing Art Center’s McPherson Theater, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst, from 7 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 7. Kuropaczewski, who started playing the guitar at the age of 10, has toured in Europe, the United States, Canada, South America and Japan, giving solo recitals in London’s Royal Festival Hall, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Warsaw’s National Philharmonic Hall, Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow, the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, and New York’s Carnegie Hall. He was a member of the faculty at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia from 2008-2010, and is currently on the faculty of the Academy of Music in Poznan, Poland, and the Kunst University Graz, Austria. For tickets and information visit www.ticketmesandhills.com.

A Little Ludwig

One of the most distinctive artists of his generation, Sir Stephen Hough, will join the North Carolina Symphony, led by music director Carlos Miguel Prieto, in a performance of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3 on Thursday, Nov. 14, beginning at 7:30 p.m., at BPAC’s Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. A true polymath, Hough was the first classical performer to be awarded a MacArthur Fellowship. Additional selections include Gibson’s warp and weft and Brahms Symphony No. 1. For further information visit www.ncsymphony.org

Meet and Greet

The opening reception for a unique exhibition presented by the Arts Council of Moore County, “Healing Through the Arts,” will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Nov. 1 at the Campbell House Gallery, 482 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. The show features the life experiences of military veterans and spouses, and encompasses painting, photography, printmaking, jewelry, pastels, poetry and music. The artists represented include Ashleigh and Carlin Corsino; Richard Davenport; Corrie Dodds; Enrique Herrera; Kenny Lewis; Jason and Michelle Howk; Linda Nunez; Franklin Oldham; Amy Parks; Roger Price; Douglas and Maria Rowe; and Rollie Sampson. The show runs through Dec. 18. For information call (910) 692-4356

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Mi Me Ma Mo Mu

Warm up those vocal cords for the opening of the 18th season of the Metropolitan Opera at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 5, at the Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. The kick-off is in a tavern in Nuremburg, the setting for Jacques Offenbach’s Les Contes d’Hoffmann. For additional information call (910) 692-3611 or go to www.sunrisetheater.com.

Tempest Fugit

The penultimate First Friday of 2024 begins at 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 5, when Ashes & Arrows, a country/rock band hailing from Asheville and Arrowtown — one in the mountains of North Carolina and the other a gold mining town on the South Island of New Zealand — takes the stage on the grassy knoll next to the Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad Street, Southern Pines. For information call (910) 692-3611 or visit www.sunrisetheater.com

It’s Killing Us

Judson Theatre Company presents Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Nile beginning Thursday, Oct. 17, at 7 p.m. at BPAC’s Owen’s Auditorium, 395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. The play is Christie’s own staging of her famous novel Death on the Nile, set on a paddle steamer cruising the Nile River in 1940s Egypt. The passengers aboard are abuzz when a famous heiress and her penniless new husband board the ship. There’s a spurned lover, a protective uncle, a troubled German doctor, and a host of colorful and mysterious characters adding drama and suspense to this classic mystery. Additional showtimes are: Friday, Oct. 18, at 8 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 19, at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; and Sunday, Oct. 20, at 3 p.m. For information go to www.ticketmesandhills.com or to judsontheatre.com.

Two Fests in One

Pinehurst begins its Octoberfest celebration with Kinderfest from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 26, at Tufts Memorial Park, 1 Village Green Road W., Pinehurst. There will be music, crafts, a bubble artist and trick-or-treating among the participating village businesses. Then, when the kiddies are all worn out, the traditional Octoberfest activities break out from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. For additional information go to www.vopnc.org.

Art in the Streets

The annual Holly Arts and Crafts Festival on the village streets of Pinehurst begins at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 19, and lasts until 4 p.m. or all the pottery, blown glass, stitched art, lawn ornaments, handcrafted jewelry, metal sculpture and pretty much anything else you can think of that someone can make with their own two hands is sold. If that’s not enough, the downtown shops will offer sales and specials. The address is 1 Village Green Road W., Pinehurst, but, like Savoir Faire, it’s everywhere. For info go to www.vopnc.org.

If It’s Halloween, It’s Rocky

And now for something completely different. There will be outdoor screenings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show on Friday, Oct. 25, and again on Saturday, Oct. 26, at 8:15 p.m. on the square beside the Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St, Southern Pines. For information call (910) 692-3611 or go to www.sunrisetheater.com.

Opening Night

The Carolina Philharmonic opens its 2024-25 season with a performance of “Eternal Echoes” featuring American pianist Rachel Breen and the power of Beethoven, the beauty of Smetana and the passion of Rachmaninoff at 7:30 p.m. at BPAC’s Owens Auditorium on Saturday, Oct. 26. For more information go to www.carolinaphil.org.

Get Your Trotter On

Prancing Horse will host its 33rd annual Horse Farm Tour from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 20. Guests take a self-guided tour of five of the finest equestrian facilities in the Sandhills. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 on the day of. The address is Prancing Horse Tent, 6045 U.S. 1 N., Southern Pines and information can be found at www.ticketmesandhills.com.

The Embers on Fire

On Saturday, Nov. 2, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. the Moore Area Shag Society will host a fundraiser at Down Memory Lane, 161 Dawkins St., Aberdeen for the benefit of the Moore/Sandhills Coalition for Human Care. The music features the classic beach sound of The Embers with Craig Woolard. Tickets are $30 apiece and can be purchased by contacting Teresa Robinson
(919) 622-2829.

Paws That Refreshes

The Moore Humane Society’s fundraising auction and gala will have a virtual auction, raffle, music and dinner on Friday, Nov. 1, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Fair Barn, 200 Beulah Hill Road N., Pinehurst. Tickets are $125. For more info go to www.moorehumane.org.

Feel Free to Boo

Work both sides of the tracks when you trick-or-treat the downtown businesses in Southern Pines beginning at 5 p.m. and ending at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 18. The evening includes hauling those bags full of candy to the Downtown Park, 145 S.E. Broad Street, Southern Pines, for Halloween games, crafts, activities and the best dog costume raffle. There’s no charge to get your multi-generational dress-up on. For more information call (910) 692-7376.

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Where There Are Sparks…

The Country Bookshop welcomes bestselling author Nicholas Sparks to discuss his latest novel, Counting Miracles, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 30, at Lee Auditorium, 250 Voit Gilmore Lane, Southern Pines. Tanner Hughes, an Army Ranger, is the proverbial rolling stone: happiest when off on his next adventure, zero desire to settle down. But when his grandmother passes away, her last words to him are find where you belong. She also drops a bombshell, telling him the name of the father he never knew — and where to find him. You can learn the rest of the story by going to www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Maybe buy the book, too?

Wildflowers of the Sandhills

Sponsored by the Council of Gardens and the Sandhills Horticultural Society, Bruce A. Sorrie, the author of Wildfl owers of the Sandhills Region, will talk about the wildflowers, shrubs and vines in their natural Sandhills habitats in a free event Friday, Sept. 13, at 1 p.m. in the Burlingame Room of the Ball Visitor’s Center, Sandhills Horticultural Gardens, at Sandhills Community College, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. For additional information and to register go to www.sandhills.edu/horticultural-gardens/upcoming-events.html.

They’ll Huff and They’ll Puff

Take a tour of the golden age of jazz with Peter Lamb and the Wolves, who bring the spirit of classic cinema to life on Sunday, Sept. 15, at the Fair Barn, 200 Beulah Hill Road S., Pinehurst. The sultry sounds of a saxophone, the soft glow of candlelight and the inviting expanse of a dance fl oor promise an evening of nostalgia and entertainment, all in support of the Linden Lodge Foundation. Call (910) 365-9890 to reserve your table of six or more or go to www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Once Around the Solar System

Elementary-aged kiddos and their caregivers can listen to Jon Caruthers, NASA’s Solar System Ambassador, give his talk “Robots in Space!” at the Southern Pines Public Library 170 W. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines, on Sunday, Sept. 8 from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. For more information on this STEAM — science, technology, engineering, art and math — lecture call (910) 692-8235 or contact kbroughey@sppl.net

Magic in Pairs

Local artists Pat McBride and Jenay Jarvis are co-hosts of an exhibit at the Campbell House Gallery, 482 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines, titled “Strange Magic.” The exhibit of their work opens with a reception and chance to meet and speak with the artists on Sept. 6 from 6 to 8 p.m. The showing concludes on Sept. 26. For more information call (910) 692-2787 or go to www.mooreart.org/upcoming-art-exhibits.

 

It’s Baaaack!

Housed in the historic 1823 cabin at 15 Azalea Road smack in the middle of the village of Pinehurst, the Sandhills Woman’s Exchange reopens for the fall season on Wednesday, Sept. 4. Hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, with lunches served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The gift shop will be stocked with new and unusual items for a bit of early Christmas shopping. For more information call (910) 295-4677 or go to www.sandhillswe.org.

 

Take a Chance on Me

Mamma Mia, the Swedish band ARRIVAL performs an ABBA tribute — see what we did with the all-caps? — at BPAC’s (yeah, OK, that’s all-caps, too. And so is OK. Oh, dear.) Owen’s Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst, on Tuesday, Sept. 10. Knowing me and knowing you, tickets and information can be had at www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Flutter Up, Buttercup

Celebrate butterflies and other pollinators with a day of family fun at the Flutterby Festival at the Village Arboretum, 375 Magnolia Road, Pinehurst, on Saturday, Sept. 28, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be live music, activities and food, plus lots of learning about monarch butterflies, birds and insects. Programs include an opportunity to interact with and feed hundreds of newly emerged monarchs in the Magical Monarch Tents. For information go to www.vopnc.org or www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Jocularity, Jocularity

Join the “Entitled Housewife,” Becky Robinson, for a comedy special at BPAC’s Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst, from 7 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 6. Robinson’s explosively unique character antics and viral videos have racked up millions of views and fans across social media. For information and ticketing go to www.ticketmesandhills.com.