NCMC Events From Around the State… May 18th, 2015

1). The Mount Airy Museum of Regional History (www.northcarolinamuseum.org) announces that back by popular demand, Historic Mount Airy Ghost Tours will begin on Friday, May 22^nd and be held at 8 p.m. every Friday, Saturday and Sunday through the end of October.  Join them for an exciting 90 minute, lantern-lit walking tour through Mount Airy's streets and its historic past.  You will hear about 13 of their "less mortal" friends and see some of Mount Airy's final resting places.  Wear comfortable shoes and bring your camera and umbrella, if needed.   Tickets are $13 and pre-paid reservations are required.  Also starting up again on Friday, May 22^nd will be the Darker Side of Mayberry Tours which are held at 7 p.m. every Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening through the end of October.  Mount Airy’s history as “Little Chicago” has been swept under the rug a long time ago as the city turned to cleaning up its’ image in the 60s.  This 45 minute walking tour of our downtown area will take you to the areas where murder, mayhem, and moonshine were prevalent.  Tickets are $11 per person.   The Museum’s summer hours will begin on Memorial Weekend – 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday – Saturday and 1 - 4 p.m. on Sundays.

2). North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences (www.naturalsciences.org) announces that this school year’s final Open Minds Teen Science Cafe is not for the faint of heart.  Janna Andronowski, doctoral candidate in Biological Anthropology at the University of Tennessee will present “Forensic Anthropology:  Bones, Crimes and Careers,” which will be held at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences at  Whiteville, on Friday, May 22^nd at 5:00 p.m.  Andronowski will discuss her work identifying skeletal, significantly decomposed or otherwise unidentifiable human remains. A visual presentation and hands-on demonstration will emphasize how forensic anthropologists extract vital information on the identity of unknown individuals and the mysterious circumstances surrounding their deaths. Teen Science Cafes are free programs that meet at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences at Whiteville, 415 South Madison Street, downtown Whiteville.  Snacks are provided for all participating teens.  For updated information or questions, contact Vicki DiMuzio at vicki.dimuzio@naturalsciences.org or Kellie Lewis at (910) 914-4185, or visit the Teen Science Café Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Teen-Science-Cafe/.

3). N.C. African American Heritage Commission announces the opportunity to win two free nights of lodging at the National Rosenwald Schools Conference in Durham on June 17^th and 18^th, courtesy of the National Trust for Historic Preservation! The National Trust offered it at the 2012 conference and they're offering it again. Register by midnight May 31^st for your chance to win lodging at the Durham Marriott City Center Hotel. Already registered? Not a problem. All paid registrants will be entered into the drawing. For more information and to register for the conference and enter for your chance to win, please visit   https://registration.sitesolutionsworldwide.com/synergy/v_1_/home/login.php?ccc=0_0_935&syntrack=&scid=935&ccc=0_0_935&syntrack=&scid=935.

4). Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art (www.secca.org) invites you to get your tickets for

Piedmont Wind Symphony's Downton Abbey Evening on Thursday, May 21^st at 6:00 p.m. at the Historic Hanes House and the McChesney Scott Dunn Auditorium. The Piedmont Wind Symphony, under the direction of new Artistic Director & Conductor, Matthew Troy, will wrap up its 25th season with “A Downton Abbey Evening.” This fundraising concert event includes an entire evening built around all things Downton! Following the concert, guests will be treated to live jazz music provided by the Matt Kendrick trio, dessert and dancing. Period attire is encouraged. For more information, please visit SECCA’s website.

5). Kings Mountain Historical Museum (www.kingsmountainmuseum.org) reminds you not to miss your last chance to see their latest exhibit, Pioneering Women of Cleveland County! This exhibit has helped focus a spotlight on Cleveland County’s “founding mothers” – the women who helped establish and maintain our area’s industries, hospitals, schools, churches, and civic organizations. If you haven’t already toured the Pioneering Women of Cleveland County exhibit, this week will be your last chance.  The exhibit is scheduled to end after this Saturday, May 23rd, as the Museum prepares to open their next exhibit, Pig Pickin’ & Finger Lickin’: Kings Mountain’s Food History, on June 20^th.  This exhibit will explore the local farms, restaurants, and grocery stores that fed the people of this region through the generations, and look at how food production, storage, preparation, and consumption have evolved since the first Europeans settled in this area.  Admission is FREE and open to the public.  Donations are appreciated. 

6). Hands On!-A Child’s Gallery (www.handsonwnc.org) is planning a FAMILY MUD FUN event scheduled for Friday, May 29^th  from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at Berkeley Park.  You may have heard of the upcoming mud run to benefit Hands On! that will be a challenging 3 mile obstacle race in the mud, but this smaller family-oriented event will focus more on those families who enjoy the creativity and programs offered at Hands On!  Family MUD FUN will include muddy games for kids and adults of all ages.  The youngest participants will enjoy painting with mud, finding worms in the mud and other creative muddy activities.  Children ages 10 & under can enjoy a 1 mile mud run.  And, even the parents can participate in activities like mud volleyball and mud tug-of-war.  Tickets for the event are $20 per child ages 2 & up, and this includes a Chick-Fil-A nugget meal, live music throughout the event and muddy games and fun!   All participants must register prior to May 22^nd.  You can register for the event by visiting www.handsonwnc.org and registering online.   

7). New Winston Museum (www.newwinston.org) announces the next Salon Series event, the Rise of Winston-Salem Hospitals, on Thursday, May 28^th at 5:30 p.m. The second of three "medicine" focused Salon Series events, Paul Wiles of Novant Health, Dick Dean of Wake Forest Baptist Health and a special guest representing historic Kate Bitting Reynolds Memorial Hospital, will discuss the rise of medicine in Winston-Salem from humble beginnings to economic powerhouse. This event is part of our Historic Preservation Month celebration.  This event is free and open to the public. Visit www.newwinston.org for more information.

8). The Earl Scruggs Center (www.earlscruggscenter.org) invites you to a free program sponsored by the NC Humanities Council called ‘Southern Cooking: High and Low’ from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 30^th.  This special presentation will be led by John Beck, PhD and will explore how southern cuisine is being taken in new directions by professionally trained chefs who approach the cuisine with the same reverence as chefs have treated French and other celebrated cooking traditions. Call the Earl Scruggs Center at 704-487-6233 or register online at EarlScruggsCenter.org to reserve your free seat. Exhibit admission is additional.

9). N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher (www.ncaquariums.com/fort-fisher) announces that Aquarium Summer Camp registration is now open!  Explore, play, laugh, learn—children enrolled in summer camp at the N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher will do all this and more. Campers, ages 5 to 14, experience outdoor adventure, eco-education and make new friends. Trained marine educators lead the activities and introduce campers to live animals in a safe and fun atmosphere. Aquarium Camp runs 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to Friday throughout the summer. Session details are below. Limited transportation to and from summer camp is offered, with pick-up points at a Monkey Junction and Ft. Fisher Ferry locations (This service requires an additional fee and registration). Cost for children 5-11 is $240 per week, $290 for children 12-14. NC Aquarium Society members receive a discount. For more information and to register visit NCAquariums.com/Fort-Fisher.

10). Historic Wilmington Foundation (www.historicwilmington.org) invites you to their Spring Shrimparoo, a friendraiser and membership event, on Thursday, May 28^th at 6:30 p.m.  The event will take place at Riverwalk Landing at Elijah’s Restaurant with fresh shrimp, cold beer & live music on the deck. HWF members $20; non-members join HWF at the door. Raffle prizes! Music by Stray Local! Current HWF members can bring a new member to the party & get in free! RSVP by May 27^th by calling (910) 762-2511 or visiting www.historicwilmington.org.