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Email Announcements We Are Receiving Today: See What’s Going On Around The Community

1) First Year Student Showcase Presented Sept. 26-28

The Appalachian State University Department of Theatre and Dance presents the First Year Student Showcase on Sept. 26-28 in the intimate I.G. Greer Studio Theatre on campus. Performances begin at 7:30 p.m. The showcase provides first year students the opportunity to take center stage with both theatre and dance. Ticket prices are $5 for students and $10 for adults. Tickets are available at the Valborg Theatre box office Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., by phone at 828-262-3063 or toll-free at 80-841-2787 and online at www.theatre.appstate.edu. The framework for the theatre component of this year’s showcase is Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” and “Through the Looking Glass.” The piece is a devised theatre project, in that the actors form the work based on the stories. They do not use a traditional script, allowing for greater creativity and artistic freedom. Faculty member Teresa Lee directs the theatre component and said this year’s inspiration came from the idea that “being a freshman and getting dropped off at college is like falling down the rabbit hole.” Artist in residence Sheila Kerrigan assists with the theatre students. “The challenge of the showcase is finding a common thread that combines both the theatre and the dance sections into a single cohesive production,” said Sherone Price, director of the dance component. Choreographers Sarah Bruce, Christina Henderson, Elizabeth Huntley and Kathryn Ullom assist Price, who noted that Bruce is the first freshman to have the opportunity to choreograph her own piece for the showcase. “To the best of our knowledge, Appalachian State University is the only university in North Carolina that provides freshman and transfer students an opportunity to showcase their talent during their very first semester on campus,” Price said. “If they come to audition, we take them, no rejection on stage or behind the scenes.” Working alongside Lee and Price is a team of about 20 actors, 30 dancers and five choreographers. I.G. Greer Studio Theatre is located on the side of the I.G. Greer Building below the auditorium, with a separate entrance down the stairway on the side of the building. Parking is available in faculty lots after 5 p.m. and in the College Street Parking Deck near Belk Library and Information Commons after 5:30 p.m. 

2) Wilkes County Fair Begins Oct. 1

The Wilkes County Agricultural Fair will begin on Tuesday, Oct. 1 and will run through Saturday, Oct. 5. The North Wilkesboro Rotary Club sponsors the event, which is held at the Rotary Fairgrounds beside of West Park in North Wilkesboro. On Saturday, a special event at the fair will be a lawnmower race. Practice for the race starts at 3 p.m. with racing beginning at 6 p.m. This year’s fair will feature more than 25 rides, a bicycle give away, E-Z ride, petting zoo, Buffalo Barfield’s unheard of style of music and comedy shows, miniature bull races (yes bull races), 4-H exhibits and games and food on the midway. N.E.W. Wrestling will be held on Thursday and Friday. No Joe’s Circus Clown and Trapeze act will be performing every day. This year, the fair will also feature a hay bale decorating contest on Tuesday, a junior beer heifer/steer show on Tuesday, a junior market lamb show, a junior goat show, both on Friday, as well as a tractor driving contest and ugly pickup contest both on Thursday. Gates open at 5 p.m. on weekdays and at noon on Saturday. Gate admission to fairgrounds also allows admission to lawnmower race on Saturday. 

3) Running of the Knob Scheduled for Oct. 11

The BlueCross and BlueShield of North Carolina Institute for Health and Human Services (IHHS), within the College of Health Sciences at Appalachian State University, announces the opening of registration for the annual “Running of the Knob.” All proceeds will benefit Girls o the Run of the High Country, a self-esteem building program for girls in the 3-8 grade. The Knob, sponsored by Foscoe Rentals, is a two-mile race to be held Oct. 11 at 5:30 p.m. as an annual event of Appalachian’s Homecoming celebration. The race starts at the Watauga County Public Library in downtown Boone and finishes at the Howard Knob Park. The third race in the High Country Triple Crown series, the Knob will offer special awards to overall winners and age-group winners. Also following the race, cash awards totaling $1,500 will be given to the top three male and female overall winners of the Triple Crown series and top three male and female grandmasters competitors. Registration for The Knob is $20 per person until Sept. 26 and $30 per person from then until race day. Participants may register the day of the event until 5 p.m. at the Watauga County Library. For more information and to register for The Knob, visit www.triplecrown.appstate.edu or call 828-262-7557.

4) Grassroots Applications Deadline Sept. 27 for Watauga Arts Council 

The Watauga County Arts Council has announced that they are offering Grassroots Grants to local community organization for the current fiscal year. Organizations need not be arts organizations, however projects which are funded must be arts related projects. The deadline for applications is Sept. 27. A free workshop is being offered to advise and assist applicants. The workshop will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 18 at 4 p.m. at the Blue Ridge ArtSpace at 377 Shadowline Drive in Boone. Applicants may call 828-264-1789 for assistance. Complete information, application forms and guidelines are available on the Watauga Arts Council;s website or you may contact their office at 264-1789.

5) Saxophone and Piano Duo to Perform Oct. 9

Saxophonist Connie Frigo will present a guest recital Oct. 9 at 8 p.m. in the Broyhill Music Center’s Recital Hall at Appalachian State University. Frigo will be accompanied by pianist Greg Hankins. Admission to the event is free. Frigo is an assistant professor of saxophone at the University of Georgia. Her career includes six years with the U.S. Navy Band, Washington D.C.; seven years touring nationally as the baritone saxophonist with the New Century Saxophone Quartet; and faculty positions at the Univesity of Tennessee and the University of Maryland. Hankins is a graduate of the Univesrity of Georgia. He is a freelance pianist based in Athens, Ga. Hankins has performed with members of the Atlanta Opera, Metropolitan Opera, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, Sotte Voce Quartet and Georgia Brass Band. The musicians will perform “Sonate” by Paul Hindemith, “Morgen” by Richard Strauss, the third movement from “Piano Sonata No. 2” by Charles Ives, “Billie” written by Jacob ter Veldhuis for alto saxophone, piano ad boombox. “Hot Sonate” by Erwin Schulhoff, “Spiegel im Spiegel” by Arvo Part and “The Devil’s Rag” by Jean Matitia. 

6) Career Day at Holmes Convocation Center

The Blowing Rock Rotary Club 8th Grade Career Day takes place Thursday, Sept. 26, in the Holmes Convocation Center. It begins at 8:45 a.m. and runs until students begin boarding buses for the return to school around 1:30 p.m. You are welcome to come at any time to check out the event. At Career Day, the Blowing Rock Rotary Club and the Watauga County Schools introduce 8th grade students from all the K-8 schools to the wide variety of course offerings and career opportunities they can pursue through the Watauga High School Career and Technical Education Department. WHS faculty and students will present displays and information about career and technical education offerings to help next year’s freshmen class begin thinking now about the many courses and career paths they can explore at the high school.