Tag: PinePitch

PinePitch September 2023

PINEPITCH SEPTEMBER 2023

Stayin’ Alive

Souljam, a band based in Vero Beach, Florida, will perform with Jamie Monroe as the opening act at Live After 5 from 5:15 p.m. until 9 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 8, at the Village Arboretum, 375 Magnolia Road, Pinehurst. There will be kids’ activities and food trucks. Beer, wine and additional beverages will be available for purchase. Picnic baskets are allowed; outside alcoholic beverages are not permitted. Bring your lawn chairs, blankets and dancing shoes. For more information call (910) 295-3642 or go to www.vopnc.org.

Even Cowgirls Get the Blues

The Sandhills Repertory Theatre presents The Opera Cowgirls, the alt-country band where the Grand Ole Opry meets the mezzo sopranos, on Saturday, Sept. 9, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., and Sunday, Sept. 10, at 2 p.m., at the Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. For more information and tickets call (910) 692-3611 or visit www.sandhillsrep.org.

Santa’s Wordsmith

Join Mary Kay Andrews, the author of The Homewreckers and The Santa Suit, for the book launch of her novella Bright Lights, Big Christmas on Tuesday, Sept. 26 at 11 a.m. at The Country Bookshop, 140 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Space is limited. For more information and tickets go to www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Wait Wait . . . Not My Job

Alonzo Bodden, a regular panel member from NPR’s Peabody Award-winning show Wait Wait . . . Don’t Tell Me, kicks off BPAC’s 2023-24 Comedy Series at the Owens Auditorium, Sandhills Community College, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst, at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 15. Bodden has done comedy specials on Amazon Prime and Showtime and was the season three winner of NBC’s Last Comic Standing. Tickets are $25 and up and can be purchased at SandhillsBPAC.com or ticketmesandhills.com.

Variations on a Theme

www.mintjulepjazznand.com
www.midsummernightswing.org

Stroll the beautiful grounds of the Weymouth Center and listen to Jazz on the Lawn featuring the Mint Julep Jazz Band from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 24. Bring your own blanket, chairs and a picnic, and enjoy the cash bar with mimosas, beer, wine and non-alcoholic beverages available. Tickets start at $27.50 and children 12 and under are admitted free. Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Info: www.weymouthcenter.org.

Page Turners

Libraries all across Moore County are signing up new patrons during the entire month of September. Get a Library Crawl Passport at one of the participating libraries, visit five or more libraries during the month, then return your passport to any of the libraries to be entered in a prize raffle. The libraries include Moore County Library, Page Memorial Library, Pinebluff Library, Robbins Area Library, Vass Area Library, Moore County Library Bookmobile, Given Memorial Library and Tufts Archives, Katharine L. Boyd Library at Sandhills Community College, Southern Pines Public Library, and SPARK-SPPL book vending. While you’re at it, check out a book or two. Happy reading.

The Gatlin Brothers. Nuff Said.

That’s Larry, Steve and Rudy, to all y’all. The Gatlin Brothers will open the Bradshaw Performing Arts Centaer’s 2023-24 Mainstage Series on Saturday, Sept. 30, at 7 p.m. in the Sandhills Community College Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. The Grammy Award-winning trio has accumulated a lifetime of accolades, including seven No. 1 singles and 32 top 40 records. For information and tickets go to www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Magical Monarchs

Celebrate butterflies and promote pollinator habitats with a day of family fun and educational activities during the annual Flutterby Festival, on Saturday, Sept. 23, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Village Arboretum, 105 Rassie Wicker Drive, Pinehurst. Programs include an opportunity to interact and feed hundreds of newly emerged monarch butterflies in the giant Magical Monarch Tents. Live music is provided by musicians from the Carolina Philharmonic. Refreshments are available for purchase from food trucks, and tickets can be purchased at www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Do You Want Slaw With That?

The Third Annual Pinehurst Barbecue Festival begins Sept. 1 featuring the Food Network’s “chopped” champion Adam Hughes at Tufts Memorial Park, 1 Village Green Road W., Pinehurst. The three-day festival concludes on Saturday, Sept. 3, with the Christopher Prieto Pitmaster Invitational, where barbecue virtuosos from all over North Carolina offer samplings of whole hog, ribs, brisket and poultry. In between there’s music and maybe a shot of bourbon or two. For more information visit www.pinehurstbarbecuefestival.com.

PinePitch

An Inconvenient Truth

Join David Joy as he discusses Those We Thought We Knew, his compelling new novel of a community whose dark underbelly is suddenly revealed, on Friday, Aug. 4, at The Country Bookshop, 140 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Joy’s honors include winning the 2020 Dashiell Hammett Award for When These Mountains Burn and the 2018 Southern Book Prize for The Weight of This World. In addition, he was an Edgar Award finalist for best first novel for Where All Light Tends to Go. He’s also the author of Growing Gills: A Fly Fisherman’s Journey. The event is free, but space is limited. Go to ticketmesandhills.com to reserve yours.

If You Can Dodge a Wrench

Create your own underdog story at a fun day of dodgeball and fundraising for the CARE Group programs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 26, at the old Aberdeen Elementary School Gym, 305 Elm St., Aberdeen. The cost is $150 for a team of six plus one substitute player and $5 for a Fan in the Stands pass. Unfortunately Patches O’Hoolihan can’t make it. There will be food trucks, drinks, raffles, contests and prizes. For more information visit www.thecaregroupinc.org/events/dodgeball-tournament.

Pinky Finger Up

Spend the day cruising the Seagrove countryside, sampling teas and pastries, as you discover handmade pottery on Saturday, Aug. 12, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Drink iced tea from Carriage House Tea, sample the pastries from the Table Farmhouse Bakery and Holly Hill Farm, then try homemade treats while stopping at Blue Hen Pottery, Dean & Martin Pottery, Eck McCanless Pottery, From the Ground Up, Red Hare Pottery and Thomas Pottery. It all takes place on N.C. Pottery Highway 705, Seagrove.

First Friday

And when you’re finished listening to David Joy, walk down the block — or up the block, depending on if you’re right side up or upside down — to hear Caitlin Krisko and The Broadcast perform from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Aug. 4, on the First Bank Stage at Sunrise Square, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. All the usual rules apply. Leave Cujo at home. There will be beer on tap and food trucks to feed your inner Homer Simpson. For information call (910) 420-2549 or go to www.sunrisetheater.com.

Live After Five

The hits keep on happening when Heads Up Penny performs from 5:15 p.m. to 9 p.m. at The Village Arboretum, 375 Magnolia Road, Pinehurst, on Friday, Aug. 11. Bring lawn chairs, blankets and the unbridled will to dance barefoot in the park. There will be children’s activities and food trucks. Beer, wine and additional beverages will be available for purchase. Picnic baskets are A-OK, but outside alcoholic beverages are not permitted. Julia Golden is the opening act. For more information call (910) 295-3642 or go to www.vopnc.org.

2023 Department PinePitch

PinePitch

Red, White and Blue

The annual Independence Day Parade through the village of Pinehurst takes place on Tuesday, July 4, from 9:45 a.m. to noon. Bring Rover along or put a leash on Darwin the goldfish and participate in the pet parade. Don’t forget the poop bags. Entries in the parade are free of charge and accepted from nonprofits, businesses, civic groups, churches and families. When all’s said and done, the Sandhills Farmers Market will open for business at Tufts Memorial Park, 1 Village Green Road, Pinehurst. For information go to www.vopnc.org.

Throwing a Pottery Party

Help Eck McCanless Pottery celebrate its 12th anniversary on Saturday, July 15, at his shop at 6077 Old U.S. Highway 220, Seagrove. Eck will demonstrate his unique brand of agateware pots made by turning multiple colors of clay on the wheel to create a colorful spiral, then carving his pots to create beautiful patterns. He’ll also have signed and numbered limited-edition pieces in a plum purple pottery. Refreshments will be served. For more information call (336) 873-7412 or go to www.eckmccanlesspottery.com.

On the Small Stage

The Judson Theatre Company will present the musical I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday, July 21, in the intimate McPherson Theater at the Bradshaw Performing Arts Center, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. The second longest running, off-Broadway musical in theater history, the show follows the highs and lows of first dates, first loves, marriages, babies, in-laws and growing old together, paying tribute to those who have loved and lost, and to those who have dared to ask someone out on a date. There will be six additional performances through Sunday, July 30. For information, additional dates, times and tickets go to www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Ooooohh! Aaaaahh!

Break out the lawn chairs and blankets to celebrate Independence Day with fireworks and a free concert at the Pinehurst Harness Track, 200 Beulah Hill Road S., on Monday, July 3. Gates open at 4 p.m. for parking; the celebrating begins at 6 p.m. There will be bounce houses and other distractions for the kiddos, and a wide range of food and beverages for purchase. Picnic baskets are allowed. The Charlotte-based duo The Parks Brothers will be performing eclectic selections, covering tunes from the ’60s to today, along with their original music. The fireworks begin at 9:15 p.m. If you need more info visit www.vopnc.org.

We’ve Got the Blues So Bad

The Blues Crawl, a summer Southern Pines tradition, has been redubbed Bluesfest 2023, a two-day festival on Friday, July 14, and Saturday, July 15, hosted at the Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. There will be live performances on both the indoor and outdoor stages. Artists include Vasti Jackson, Idlewild South, Linwood Taylor, Harvey Dalton Arnold, Jason Damico, Corey Congilio, Jonathan Robinson Band, Baxter Clement & Friends, Daniel Anderson, the Neon Rooster blues competition winners and more. For more information call (910) 420-2549 or go to www.ticketmesandhills.com.

2023 Department PinePitch

PinePitch

Book It

The Country Bookshop will be hosting several authors during the month of June. You can listen to Ed and Ryan Mitchell talk about their new cookbook Ed Mitchell’s Barbeque on Sunday, June 11 from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.; David Wright Falade discussing his book Black Cloud Rising on Wednesday June 14 from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.; Elin Hilderbrand signing copies of her book The Five-Star Weekend from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Monday, June 19; and Annabel Monaghan talking about her book Same Time Next Summer on Wednesday, June 21 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. The Country Bookshop is at 140 N.W. Broad Street, Southern Pines.

Hail Fellow Well Met

Don’t despair if you didn’t get one of the tickets to hear David Sedaris discuss his book Happy-Go-Lucky at 2 p.m. at The Country Bookshop, 140 N.W. Broad Street, Southern Pines, on Saturday, June 3. Sedaris will have a signing line and promises to stay until the last fan has come and gone or his hand cramps into something resembling a gardening claw. For further information visit www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Tripping the Light Fantastic

It’s the end of the academic year and what better way to celebrate than swaying cheek-to-cheek? Gary Taylor Dance’s students will perform Romancing the Dance, Junior at BPAC’s Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst on Saturday, June 3 from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. But that’s just the beginning. Enjoy the blend of blues, funk and jazz in Gary Taylor’s Romancing the Dance performed by his company Saturday evening from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and again on Sunday, June 4 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. All seats are reserved. For more information go to www.ticketmesandhills.com.

The Art of Perseverance

On Thursday, June 15 at 5:30 p.m. at the Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines, artist in residence John Lee will discuss how he taught himself to paint with his non-dominant hand following a stroke. He’ll be joined by Dr. Miller Johnstone III, Dr. Karen Sullivan and Dr. Henry Tellez for a panel discussion about how the central nervous system may recover and adapt. Attendance is free and open to the public though registration is required. For additional information go to www.weymouthcenter.org.

What Light Through Yonder Window Breaks

The Uprising Theatre Company puts Romeo and Juliet by you-know-who in a fresh perspective when Shakespeare in the Pines returns to the stage on Friday, June 9 from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Tufts Memorial Park, 1 Village Green Road, Pinehurst. There will be additional performances on June 10-11 and again on June 16-18. So, wherefore art thou? For more information go to www.vopnc.org or www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Who’s Afraid of Carnies?

Austin Powers. But kids 12 and under can gather to enjoy games, food and fun with a carnival vibe at the Downtown Park, Southern Pines, beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, June 9. After the carnival there will be an outdoor showing of Luca. It’s free, people. For more information call (910) 692-7376.

Festival in Vass

The town of Vass will host its annual summer festival on Saturday, June 10 from noon to 6 p.m. at Sandy Keith Park, 3600 U.S. Highway 1. There will be a car show, vendors, food trucks and a kid’s zone. For additional information visit www.townofvassnc.gov.

Hitting the High Notes

The recital and finalist round of The Young Musician’s Festival Concert will feature between 30 and 40 area musicians performing for credentialed adjudicators at 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 4 at the Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. There will be cash prizes awarded in four divisions from the third through the 12th grades. Admission is free but registration is required. For info go to www.weymouthcenter.org.

Juneteenth Celebration

The 3rd Annual Juneteenth Celebration begins at 2 p.m. Monday, June 19 (of course) at The Cardinal Park, 657 S. Walnut St., Pinebluff. Free for the whole family, there will be music, food vendors and storytelling. Festivities last until all the dancing is done. For more information go to www.thecardinalpark.com.

2023 Department PinePitch

PinePitch

Photograph By Diane McKay

Happiness is a Swift Carriage

For over 30 years, the Carriage Classic in the Pines has been one of horse country’s premier equestrian events. Drivers and passengers in formal dress and well-appointed carriages negotiate mazes and compete for prizes. Held at Big Sky Farm on Tremont Road in Southern Pines, the combined test for all levels will be on Friday, May 5 with dressage and cones. The pleasure classes begin at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, May 6 and Sunday, May 7 concluding at approximately 4 p.m. on Saturday and noon on Sunday. For more information, see moorecountydrivingclub.net or contact Cheryl Bacon at (910) 309-7624.

Zoom, Zoom

The three-day, sixth annual Sandhills Motoring Festival revs up in the middle of the village of Pinehurst with a block party and live band on Friday, May 26, and ends on Sunday, May 28, with the Concours in the Village and an awards show. The Concours is free and open to the public and runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with more than 160 classic and collector cars competing in various categories. For more information and specific times of events go to www.sandhillsmotoringfestival.com.

Welcome Back

First Friday returns to the grassy knoll — well, OK, the Sunrise square and the First Bank Stage, 250 N.W. Broad Street, Southern Pines — on Friday, May 5, at 5 p.m. The Cinco de Mayo headliner is Daniel Donato bringing his cosmic country western sound. For more information call (910) 420-2549 or go to www.sunrisetheater.com. It may be a new year but the old rules still apply. No rolling or strolling coolers, and please leave you dogs and cats at home.

All That Jazz

Enjoy a night of music for a good cause on Friday, May 19, when the acclaimed Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist Nnenna Freelon performs in a benefit for the West Southern Pines Center for African-American History, Cultural Arts & Business at the auditorium at 1250 W. New York Ave., Southern Pines. Cost is $75. For additional information and tickets go to www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Dig Down

Photograph by John Gessner

The Village Heritage Foundation hosts its Spring Garden Party on May 2 from 4-6 p.m. at Timmel Pavilion in the Village Arboretum, Pinehurst. Refreshments, wine and hors d’oeuvres will be served. Tickets are $30 per person with proceeds supporting the garden’s planned enhancements. In the event of rain, the venue will be the Fair Barn, 200 Beulah Hill Road S., Pinehurst. For tickets and information go to ticketmesandhills.com.

Hitting the Literary High Notes

You’ll be able to rub dangling participles with two of North Carolina’s literary giants on back-to-back evenings on May 9 and 10. First up is Lee Smith, who will read from her new novel, Silver Alert, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 9, at the Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities, 555 E. Connecticut Ave. She’ll be followed by Daniel Wallace, who will discuss his memoir This Isn’t Going to End Well: The True Story of the Man I Thought I Knew at 5 p.m. on May 10 at The Country Bookshop, 140 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Folks, it just doesn’t get any better than that.

Taste of the Wild

Join PineStraw magazine for a special farm-to-table dinner from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, May 24, when Mark Elliott of Elliott’s on Linden and Saif Rahman of Vidrio in Raleigh collaborate on a three-course meal sponsored by Wilders Wagyu at the Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Cost is $100 and space is limited. For information and tickets go to www.ticketmesandhills.com.

2023 Department PinePitch

PinePitch

Broadway the Callaway

Liz Callaway has played starring roles in Baby, Miss Saigon and Cats, and was the singing voice of Anya in the animated film Anastasia. Callaway is an Emmy Award winner; she’s been nominated for a Tony award; and, has just released her latest album, To Steve with Love: Liz Callaway Celebrates Sondheim. Sandhills Repertory Theatre brings Callaway to the Lee Auditorium stage at Pinecrest High School, 250 Voit Gilmore Lane, Southern Pines, on Saturday, April 29, at 7:30 p.m. for one performance only. Admission is $30, and premium seating is $95. A percentage of net profits will be donated to the Food Bank of N.C. Tickets are available at the Sunrise Theater box office, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines, or go to www.sandhillsrep.org.

No Strings Attached

The Paperhand Puppet Intervention, an award-winning puppet troupe, presents “A World of Wonder” at the Fair Barn, 200 Beulah Hill Road S., Pinehurst, from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 16. The performance features Paperhand’s fantastical creatures and characters as animals of all shapes and sizes fill the stage. For information go to www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Heritage Day

The Moore County Historical Association’s annual rite of spring on Saturday, April 15, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., showcases the furnished Bryant House, circa 1820, and the 1760s Joel McLendon Cabin, the oldest dwelling on its original site in Moore County. Both houses will be open, and there will be 18th and 19th century crafters, farm animal petting area, live music and food. There will also be “camps” of both American Revolution and Civil War re-enactors, demonstrations of activities like quilting, weaving, cooking and woodworking. Admission is free. The Bryant House is at 3361 Mt. Carmel Rd., Carthage.

Spring Strings

The Sandhills Community College Music Department will present its annual spring concert featuring students and faculty on Thursday, April 27, at 7 p.m. in BPAC’s McPherson Blackbox Theater, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Admission is free but seating is limited. For information and tickets go to www.sandhillsbpac.com or www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Azalea Cottage by Jennifer Walker

Art for Art’s Sake

The opening reception for the new exhibit — It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood — at the Artists League of the Sandhills, 129 Exchange St., Aberdeen, will be on Friday, April 7, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. For information go to www.artistleague.org.

Home & Garden Tour

The Southern Pines Garden Club is hosting its 75th Home & Garden Tour on April 15th with the proceeds supporting the restoration of pastureland surrounding the recently renovated barn and stable area at the 100-year-old Weymouth Center. From the dramatic color schemes of a remodeled kitchen to a recently completed two-level covered terrace, the tour features six “idea” houses and home gardens — including the home featured in this month’s PineStraw — bound to inspire. Tickets are $25 online at www.southernpinesgardenclub.com or $30 at selected locations that include Bella Filati Yarns, 277 N.E. Broad St., Southern Pines; the Sandhills Woman’s Exchange, 15 Azalea Rd., Pinehurst; and Eloise Trading Company, 111 W. Main St. Aberdeen.

Not Those Sopranos

It’s organized song, not organized crime. The Metropolitan Opera graces the screen three times in April at the Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Falstaff, which seems particularly well-suited to April Fools’ Day, will be shown at 12:30 p.m. on the first day of the month. Richard Strauss’ most popular opera, Der Rosenkavalier, can be seen on Saturday, April 15, at 12 p.m., and the operatic retelling of the story of Emile Griffith, Champion, will be shown Saturday, April 29, at 12:55 p.m. For more information call (910) 420-2549 or visit www.sunrisetheater.com.

Cultivate a Little Spring

The Sandhills Farm Tour, showcasing four farms in the Carthage and Cameron areas, takes place Saturday, April 15, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The tour is self-driving, rain or shine, and family-friendly with demonstrations, children’s activities and farm products for sale. The tour is sponsored by the N.C. Cooperative Extension and the Master Gardener Program of Moore County. It’s free but ticketed. For information and tickets go to sandhillsfarmtour2023.eventbrite.com.

China and the International Order

The James E. Holshouser Speaker Series continues with Gordon G. Chang, the author of The Coming Collapse of China and Nuclear Showdown: North Korea Takes on the World, on Tuesday, April 4, from 4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., at BPAC’s Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Chang, who lived and worked in China and Hong Kong for almost two decades, has contributed articles to Newsweek, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, among other publications. He is a frequent guest on Fox News, Fox Business Network, Newsmax, CNN and MSNBC. Tickets for his presentation “China Shakes the World: A Revolutionary Remaking of the International Order” are $50 per person for general admission or $75 per person, including a copy of his most recent book. There will be a reception and book signing after the program along with a Q&A. For information go to www.ticketmesandhills.com.

2023 Department PinePitch

PinePitch

Birdwatch

We Know Great Writing When We See It

Since 1986, the Moore County Writers’ Competition has promoted and honored superior writing throughout our communities. Join the awards ceremony where certificates and cash prizes will be presented for poetry, fiction and nonfiction submitted by writers in five different age groups. Winners will read a selection of their entries from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 12, at the Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. For information go to www.weymouthcenter.org. Admission is free but registration is required.

A Night with Kelli

The Tony Award winning star of HBO’s The Gilded Age, Kelli O’Hara, will appear live at BPAC’s Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst, on Saturday, March 18, at 7 p.m. Among her many stage, film and television credits, O’Hara received a Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical in 2015 for her portrayal of Anna Leonowens in The King and I, and an Emmy nomination for her portrayal of Katie Bonner in the hit web series The Accidental Wolf. For tickets and information go to www.ticketmesandhills.com.

A Southern Tale

The Country Bookshop and the Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities present Marjorie Hudson in conversation with Katrina Denza about Hudson’s debut novel, Indigo Field, on Wednesday, March 22, at 5:30 p.m. at the Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. For information and tickets go to www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Here Comes the Bride

Richard Wagner’s masterpiece Lohengrin returns to the Metropolitan Opera — and the screen at the Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines — on Saturday, March 18, at 12 p.m. Famed Polish tenor Piotr Beczala stars as the mysterious swan knight. The Bridal Chorus may ring a bell. For information call (910) 692-3611 or go to www.sunrisetheater.com.

Oscar and Steve

The Sandhills Repertory Theatre will present An Evening with Oscar and Steve: The Music and Lyrics of Oscar Hammerstein and Stephen Sondheim at the Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines, on Thursday, March 30, at 7 p.m. and again on Sunday April 2, at 3 p.m. For tickets and information got to www.sunrisetheater.com.

With a Little Help from Your Friends

Recommended for children from kindergarten to second grade, the heart-warming story A Sick Day for Amos McGee will be performed Saturday, March 4, from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. at BPAC’s Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Zookeeper Amos McGee knows friends can come in all sizes and species, too. Amos runs races with the tortoise, cares for a particularly shy penguin, and reads stories to an owl. One day, Amos is too sick to visit his zoo friends, but, fortunately, the animals know just what to do. For information and tickets go to www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Three for the Ages

The Sandhills Repertory Theatre presents Judy, Joni and Joan: The Music of Judy Collins, Joni Mitchell and Joan Baez at the Sunrise Theater on March 18 at 7 p.m. and again in two shows on March 19 at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Three outstanding New York-based female musicians — Elizabeth Nestlerode, Samantha Sayah and Jane Bruce — will have you singing along in this tribute to three extraordinary friends and artists whose music transcends the generations. Tickets can be purchased at the Sunrise box office by calling (910) 692-3611 or online at either www.sunrisetheater.com or www.sandhillsrep.org.

Back in Bloom

The Garden Club of the Sandhills ushers in springtime by hosting the 2023 edition of “Blooming Art” at the Campbell House Gallery, 482 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines, on Saturday, April 1, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and again on Sunday, April 2, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The “Blooming Art” exhibit pairs local art with interpretive floral arrangements. Among the professional floral designers participating this year are Carol Dowd, Matt Hollyfield, Leslie Habets, Crystal Blue, Ellen Burke, Jeremy Bowden, Bill McPhail and Cynthia Ballantyne. Members of the Southern Pines, Olmsted, Pinehurst and Linden Garden Clubs, in addition to the Weymouth Dirt Gardeners and the Garden Club of the Sandhills, will also be represented. Advance tickets are $15 and are available at www.ticketmesandhills.com. Funds raised by “Blooming Art” support scholarships for students in the horticultural program at Sandhills Community College, projects by the Sandhills Horticulture Gardens, and horticultural programs for children.

Photograph By Melissa Schaub

Tee It High and Let It Fly — for Charity

The Carolina Philharmonic will host its 8th annual Maestro’s Cup at Pinewild Country Club, 85 Glasgow Drive, Pinehurst on Sunday, March 12. All proceeds benefit music education programs in the community. For information call (910) 687-0287 or go to www.carolinaphil.org. Then, on Monday, March 20, you can re-tee in The Kelly Cup Golf Championship at Forest Creek Golf Club, 200 Meyer Farm Drive, Pinehurst. Win a car for a hole-in-one on the designated par-3. All proceeds benefit the Sandhills Children’s Center. For information call (910) 692-3323 or go to www.sandhillschildrenscenter.org.

2023 Department PinePitch

PinePitch

Painted Ponies Running Wild — Again

They may not be Misty’s foal, Stormy, but you’re sure to fall in love with more than one of Broad Street’s very own wild horses. These 14 painted beauties will be decorating the town of Southern Pines until early April to capture the imagination of the horse-crazy among us. The event culminates in a live online auction of the ponies on Saturday, April 15, with proceeds benefiting the Carolina Horse Park Foundation. Last year’s herd brought in over $125,000. Info: www.carolinahorsepark.com.

Think Tank Thoughts

The James E. Holshouser Jr. Speaker Series will host Mike Howell, director of the Heritage Oversight Project, for “An Afternoon with the Heritage Foundation,” from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 5, at BPAC’s Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. The event features updates from a leading conservative public policy think tank, including a presentation on the border situation between the U.S. and Mexico. For information and tickets, go to www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Southern Gothic in the Sandhills

On Wednesday, Feb. 22, Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities writer-in-residence Valerie Nieman will read from her latest novel, In the Lonely Backwater, a gripping and graceful mystery in the Southern gothic tradition released in May 2022. When Maggie becomes a prime suspect in the prom-night murder of her cousin, we learn she has secrets not even a detective can unravel. Admission is free at the Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Reading begins at 5:30 p.m. For information, go to www.weymouthcenter.org.

No Strings Attached

Get in the Valentine’s spirit with music that’s good for the heart and soul. On Thursday, Feb. 2, at 7:30 p.m., the North Carolina Symphony will perform Felix Mendelssohn’s String Symphony No. 7 at Robert E. Lee Auditorium, 250 Voit Gilmore Road, Southern Pines. It’s one of 12 string symphonies Mendelssohn wrote between the ages of 12 and 14. Busy boy. For more information, go to www.ncsymphony.com.

The Four Freshmen

You don’t need a trip down Route 66 to find The Four Freshmen: Just grab a seat at BPAC’s Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst, at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 3, when the group that has recorded over 75 albums, 70 top-selling singles and received six Grammy nominations performs live on stage. The integrity of the sound created by the “original guys” (the group was formed in 1948) has been meticulously maintained, with a modern twist of elegance to the time-honored sound that The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson once called his favorite band to watch live. For more information and tickets, go to www.ticketmesandhills.com.

An Affair to Remember

Just in time for the paperback release, University of North Carolina Wilmington creative writing professor and author Nina de Gramont will talk about her book The Christie Affair on Wednesday, Feb. 15, from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., at The Country Bookshop, 140 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. For information and tickets, go to www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Heart and Soul

Vocalist Clint Holmes headlines the Heart of Carolina Jazz Orchestra under the direction of Dr. Gregg Gelb at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 11, at BPAC’s Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Holmes’ 40-year career has taken him from the top of the charts to an Emmy award for his own TV show and from a Grammy nomination to headlining in Las Vegas. For information and tickets, go to www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Learning about the Lumbee Tribe

The first of three parts in the spring lecture series “Lumbee Life, Lore & Legacy” features Harvey Godwin Jr. discussing “The Background and Local History of the Lumbee Tribe” at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 19, at the Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Cost is $15 for members and $20 for non-members. For information, go to www.weymouthcenter.org.

2023 Department PinePitch

PinePitch January 2023

Movie Music

Let the sound of music sweep you off your feet at BPAC’s Owens Auditorium as The Carolina Philharmonic performs The Storytellers, an evening of music from the movies — including behind the scenes interviews — on Saturday, Jan. 21, at 7:30 p.m., 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info: (910) 687-0287 or www.carolinaphil.org.

Cloth, Canvas & Clay

Make this your year of art appreciation with a visit to the Arts Council of Moore County’s January/February exhibit, “Cloth, Canvas & Clay.” The show features paintings and pottery in addition to works by members of the Sandhills Quilters Guild. The opening night soiree is Friday, Jan. 6, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The exhibit runs through Feb. 15 at the Campbell House Galleries, 482 East Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. For more info: www.mooreart.org.

Southern Suspense

Kelly Mustian will read from her sensational debut novel, The Girls in the Stilt House, at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 25, at the Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. Written by a former Weymouth writer-in-residence, The Girls in the Stilt House is a beautiful and harrowing tale of murder, bootlegging, greed and the unlikely partnership of two teenage girls in 1920s Mississippi. For info go to www.weymouthcenter.org.

Run with the Wolves

Join the bestselling duo of James Patterson and Mike Lupica as they discuss their new book, The House of Wolves. Catch all the ins and outs of this whodunnit where the plot thickens when the murder of a billionaire patriarch triggers a bloody battle for control of his empire. The bestselling authors will be at BPAC’s Owens Auditorium on Tuesday, Jan. 10, at 6:30 p.m., 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info and tickets: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Barbershop Brigade

Form up for the North Carolina Harmony Brigade’s 29th Annual Harmony Extravaganza. This elite group of barbershop singers from the United States, Canada and Europe come together to share their love of singing one weekend per year, so get your tickets for Saturday, Jan. 14. Show time is 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Lee Auditorium at Pinecrest High School, 205 Voit Gilmore Lane, Southern Pines. For info and tickets go to www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Books on Broad

The Country Bookshop welcomes Brad Taylor on Saturday, Feb. 4, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. to discuss The Devil’s Ransom, the newest addition to his Pike Logan series. A 21-year veteran of the U.S. Army Infantry and Special Forces, retired Lt. Col. Brad Taylor has written 16 New York Times bestsellers. Sure to be no exception, this latest installment hits shelves only 12 days before you sit down with the author. The Country Bookshop, 140 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. Info and tickets: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Just for Laughs

Whether taking on relationships, his Italian-American family or current events, comedian Joe DeVito’s dead-on timing, unexpected twists and sheer flights of lunacy make him a favorite at the top clubs in New York City — and now BPAC. On Saturday, Jan. 28, at 7 p.m. enjoy the laughs at the Owens Auditorium, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Info and tickets: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

2023 Department PinePitch

PinePitch

Love and Joy Come to You

And to your holiday concert too! Join the Moore County Choral Society from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 11, for its 48th season and the holiday concert, “Love and Joy” at Owens Auditorium in the Bradshaw Performing Arts Center, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Wassail not included. Information and tickets: www.ticketmesandhills.com.

Auld Lang Syne for All

Pencil in downtown Southern Pines’ First Eve celebration and Pine Cone Drop on Saturday, Dec. 31, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., to ring in the New Year with live music, carnival games, face painting, and much more. The cone drops at 8 p.m. at the railway station in downtown Southern Pines.

Ride the Rails

With popcorn as a serendipitous side, recapture your holiday spirit with a free viewing of The Polar Express at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 22, at the Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. For more info, go to www.sunrisetheater.com.

Weymouth Wonderland

Walking in a winter wonderland has never been more magical — or more convenient. From Dec. 2 – 4 enjoy candlelight caroling, teddy bear teas, Santa Claus and more at the Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. For additional info on each day’s festivities, go to www.weymouthcenter.org.

While Away The Hours

If the holiday cheer is overwhelming, settle down for an opera inspired by Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway. Follow three women as they grapple with their inner demons in this compelling drama adapted from the 1925 novel written by Woolf and performed by the Metropolitan Opera live in HD on Saturday, Dec.10, at 1 p.m., at the Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. For information, go to www.sunrisetheater.com.

Wintry Writings

In all the holiday hubbub, be sure to reserve some reading time for those bookworms on the nice list. At 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 7, current Weymouth writer-in-residence Valerie Nieman will read from her novel In the Lonely Backwater, a mystery in the Southern gothic tradition. Free admission. Weymouth Center for the Arts and Humanities, 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. For info go to: www.weymouthcenter.org.

Do You Hear What I Hear?

It’s the sound of a nearly decade-old tradition that gets sweeter with time. On Sunday, Dec. 18, join a Moore County institution when Rev. Paul Murphy and his family perform their annual Christmas Concert at 2 p.m. and again at 7 p.m. at the Sunrise Theater, 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. For information, go to www.sunrisetheater.com.

Giddyup

The colorful annual Christmas Carriage Parade staged by the Moore Country Driving club will be Saturday, Dec. 10 at 1 p.m., give or take, in downtown Southern Pines. Come on, it’s a bunch of horses so if they’re a minute or two late, cut ‘em a break. It’s worth the wait.

O Tannenbaum

Break out your holiday spirit for the Pinehurst tree lighting at Tufts Memorial Park on Friday, Dec. 2, from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. They officially flip the switch at 6:30 p.m., but with vendors spreading holiday cheer and Santa on-site, there’s some Christmas cheer for the whole family. For more information, visit www.vopnc.org.

Party in the Pines

Calling all night owls. Break out your dancing shoes and shuffle off to The Carolina Hotel, 80 Carolina Vista Drive, Pinehurst, at 8 p.m. on New Year’s Eve for a gourmet dinner buffet, dancing to The Band of Oz, a Champagne toast and a midnight breakfast buffet. Bring your best Shama Lama Ding Dong sashay to start 2023 on the right foot. For info: www.eventbrite.com/e/party-in-the-pines-tickets-464647592457.

2022 Department PinePitch