2012

Unlike my home town of Pasadena CA with the annual Rose Parade/Rose Bowl, Lake Norman and the greater Charlotte area don’t have one major New Years’ celebration.  Our public celebrations are, for the most part, found at local restaurants and entertainment venues spread throughout Lake Norman and Charlotte.  From 5-course dinners to rockin’ oldies bands, there truly is something for everyone.

Probably the ultimate Lake Norman New Year’s Eve celebration is a cruise on our beautiful lake!  You have several options:

• New Year’s Eve Cruise on Lake Norman on Yachta Yachta Yachta  launching from Peninsula Yacht Club.  Sailing time is 9:00pm – 1:00am and includes music, heavy hors d’heurves, party favors, a champagne toast at midnight.
• The Queens Landing  New Year’s Eve Cruises offers truly elegant dining on the Lady of the Lake or a bit more casual on the Catawba Queen.

The best sources for lists of New Years Eve events in our Lake Norman area are LKNFun.com  (New Years Eve 2012) and 704 Events.com (New Years Eve 2012) which are websites devoted to entertainment and dining information in the greater Lake Norman area.

The best way to find out what is happening in Charlotte is to pick up a free copy of Creative Loafing or go to their new website clclt.com. They even do hourly updates on their Food and Drink section.

Here are few highlights to wet your appetite:

• First Night Charlotte :

First Night returns to ring in 2012 with a family-friendly cultural celebration taking place at NASCAR Hall of Fame, Outdoor terrace at Charlotte Convention Center, Bechtler Museum, Mint Museum, The Green, and the main stage located at Levine Avenue of the Arts! Arts / Museums, Community, Festivals, Holidays, Just For Seniors, Kids, Live Music, Night Life, Teen  Date: December 31st and January 1st.

• Queens Landing Joker’s Dueling Piano Bar  will feature 3 of the nation’s leading piano bar performers, party favors, all you can eat buffet dinner, drink specials and midnight champagne toast.
• New Year’s Eve at the Galway Hooker Irish Pub  in Cornelius offers all you can drink, light hor d’heurves, live countdown champagne toast at midnight and two levels of entertainment.  VIP tables are available.
• New Year’s Eve at SKYBAR Lake Norman  in Mooresville: Its a Black and White Affair at Lake Norman’s only Nightclub.  VIP Tables available.
• The Wine Cellar in Cornelius is celebrating New Year’s Eve in Paris AND Lake Norman! The Wine Cellar on Facebook
• How about some late night sushi?  Late Night at Eez in Birkdale Village from 11pm – 1am!
• Jeffrey’s Restaurant in Mooresville is having dinner from 4:30 – 9:30pm and a party from 10pm – 1am including party favors and a champagne toast at midnight.

Whether you enjoy a quiet celebration at home or party all night, I wish you all a  safe and Happy New Year.

Here’s to a happy, healthy and prosperous 2012!

Christmas in Davidson , an annual tradition since 1988, is my absolute favorite holiday event in and around Lake Norman.  This amazing 3-night, small-town holiday festival can’t help but get you in the holiday spirit and remind you of the warmth and comfort in our communities.  From strolling along Main Street enjoying hot cider to taking a carriage ride or doing so serious gift shopping there truly is something for everyone and every age!

Here is a great summary from DavidsonNews.net (a GREAT resource for local news and events):

 Take a ride on the trolley, stroll down beautiful and picturesque Main Street, start your holiday shopping early at the many wonderful and unique specialty shops, take a journey through the Holiday Village of vendors on the Village Green and enjoy a wide variety of entertainment on the Library Stage. Be sure to visit Ten Thousand Villages at the Davidson College Presbyterian Church Congregation House for goods from over 30 developing countries. Take the little ones for that all important visit with Santa and then sit in on Story Time with Mrs. Claus. Visit the many participating Davidson businesses who will be offering everything from reindeer food and art projects for the kids to live music and complimentary beverages. Make sure to visit Town Hall where the little ones can enjoy a wonderful holiday theater performance and ‘make & take’ craft projects. Enjoy the fine foods and beverages at the many fantastic restaurants Davidson has to offer and also inside Frosty’s Food Court. Experience the wonder and beauty of the Live Nativity. Enjoy the amazing entertainment offered nightly by Davidson United Methodist Church. Make sure you take the family holiday photo as you enjoy your Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides down Main Street. Then jump on over to South Main Square and be treated to live entertainment, fine art and gingerbread cookies for the kids. Enjoy the mouth watering foods at the fine restaurants at South Main and take the entire family ice skating!

Christmas in Davidson runs from 6pm – 9pm this Thursday through Saturday, December 1-3.  Here is a link to the complete event calendar: Christman in Davidson Event Calendar.

I got this comment sharing about a special project you might want to support ( thanks Sue!):

I wanted to let you know about a project that the students at Davidson elementary are doing to help the environment.  They have taken items and recycled them into Christmas ornaments to be used to decorate a Christmas tree at Christmas in Davidson sponsored by our company.  They will then have the ornament returned to them to use on their own Christmas tree.  I love spreading the news of
unique recycling efforts.  Please let your  readers  know if they are at Christmas in Davidson to please go by and see the tree on the green.  There will be a contest and they would love
your votes.

Finally,  the 29th Annual North Mecklenburg Christmas Parade is this Saturday as well.  Starting at 1:00pm it runs from Davidson south along N.C. 115 to Cornelius.

Have fun!

Other Articles

Lake Norman Where to Find Fresh Produce Stands and Farmers Markets

What You Need to Know About Buying Real Estate In North Carolina

Fresh Sushi? Hush Puppies? The Scoop About Relocating to Mooresville Lake Norman

Mooresville’s 67th Annual Christmas Parade is being held Tuesday, November 22nd (2011) on Main Street in Historic Downtown Mooresville kicking off at 3:30pm!

What, Mooresville’s Christmas Parade is before Thanksgiving?  It is a long story, but I guess each town around Lake Norman and Charlotte was designated a different week for their parades and Mooresville ended up with the Tuesday before Thanksgiving!

Every year our annual Mooresville Christmas Parade just keeps getting bigger and better  yet organizers work hard to make sure it retains its ‘home town’ feel.

With 160 floats, bands and vehicles (3500 participants in all) this year’s parade will be the longest in Mooresville’s 67 years!

The Parade, as always, will be on Main Street in Historic Downtown Mooresville beginning at Statesville Avenue and ending at Mills Avenue at the former Burlington Mill–a block farther than in previous years.

You really must stay until the end, not only to see Santa but, according to parade organizer Ron Johnson, “The float preceding the bearded fellow’s — sponsored by a business called Keeping it Green– will contain a small forest of lighted Christmas tress engulfed in blowing snow.  It’s pretty incredible!”

The Mooresville Christmas Parade is put on by the Mooresville Convention and Visitors Bureau.  For more information, call 704.662.8210.

My daughter and I had some fun with our pumpkins!

Lake Norman is a great place to celebrate Halloween.  From haunted houses to old-fashioned Main Street celebrations to costume parties and live entertainment at local night clubs there truly is something for everyone!

Every year at this time the Lake Norman area comes alive with pumpkin patches, Corn Mazes,  Halloween festivities for all ages and homes decorated to welcome all of our young trick -or -treaters.  Many of our subdivisions have their own neighborhood events but here are some more options:

If you are in search of a pumpkin patch:

• Carrigan Farms: Hayrides to the pumpkin patch 9-4 Saturday and 12-4 Sundays through Halloween. Pick a pumpkin, visit the animals and have some fresh apple cider.
• Patterson Farm: Pumpkin patch is open with tours through Nov. 6th and on weekends don’t miss Paw Paw Carl’s Playground where you can enjoy hayrides, a corn pit, Tomato Slingshot, Duck Races and more!  See their website link above for more details.

Or, just look to any of our many local produce stands like Josh’s Produce Market on Williamson Road in Mooresville who are brimming over with pumpkins and decorations for your Lake Norman home!

Of course, it would not be Halloween without some fun, and even spooky events for all ages and Lake Norman is full of options!

• This year, Carrigan Farms’ Scarrigan Farms is supposed to be so scary that moms enjoying smores on the other side of the quarry can hear their kids screaming as they walk throw the haunted trail.  As they say on their website: This is not a trail for kids. If you’re under 12 come back when you’re old enough. We’ll be waiting. If someone hasn’t peed in their pants by the end of the night we know haven’t done our job. Come gather around the bonfires, at the well-known Carrigan Farms Rock Quarry, before or after you enter the haunted trail. Visit Scrarrigan Farms on Facebook.

• Ghost Tales in the Dark: October 14-15 & 21-22.  Take a candlelight tour of the Latta Plantation at night as you listen to ghost stories. For more information: Latta Plantation.

• Hoot and Howl: Carolina Raptor Center October 29, 2011 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.  Kraken Slime Creation Station,  Face Painting,  Spider Bingo,  Cookie Decorating,  Owl Masks,  Tie-dying (BYO T-shirt): Extra

• Downtown Davidson’s Halloween March on Main Street in Davidson. Friday,  October 28th 5-7pm. Free. Costumed characters of all ages are invited to march! 704.892.3349.

• Halloween Fun at Birkdale Village: October 31st: All ages will enjoy an afternoon of games, art, crafts, balloons and more including hay rides.  Birkdale Village in Huntersville from 4-6pm.  Free!

• Downtown Mooresville Annual Halloween Treat for Families: 3-5pm Oct. 31. Downtown will be crawling with little ghosts and goblins as businesses hand out candy and treats. 3 – 5pm.

• Downtown Statesville Trick or Treating: October 31th: 4-6pm. Downtown Statesville at Broad Street and Center Street.  Free!

• Haunted Statesville Tours!  Oct. 21-22 and 28-29.  Come if you dare!  This walking ghost tour is full of old stories and legends from Statesville’s past. Step beyond the beauty of Statesville’s historic downtown and discover its true haunted history–where tales of spirits, scary creatures, mysterious deaths and creepy alleys become real. Tours run October 21-22 and October 28-29* every half hour between 6:30 – 8 pm. Tickets are $10 per person or 4 for $35. Reservations are required. Special hayride tours only on October 29 at 6 pm, 7 pm and 8 pm. Hayride tour tickets are $10 each. Group rate does not apply. Hayrides provided by Stamey Farms.

• North Carolina Fright Factory, Uptown’s Largest Haunted House” located at the NC Music Factory September 30th -31st.

Did I miss anything?  Let me know and I will add your events to my list!

Have a GREAT and SAFE Lake Norman Halloween!!!

If you have never seen a “Wiener Race” then you are in for a whole lot of fun this Saturday!  First, just being there in the midst of so many adorable dachshunds is worth the visit.  But, watching the dogs racing (I use that term loosely!) and their owners at the finish line doing anything to get their dog to run to them is hilarious:

 

The annual Mooresville Wiener Race  is organized by the Mooresville Downtown Commission and volunteer Tom Kilroe.  The event’s mission is to raise money for two non-profit organizations; Friends of the Animals-Iredell County  and the Humane Society of Iredell County NC.  Races start at 11:00am but I highly recommend you get there early to get a good place along the race fence to see the dogs doing their best to figure out what they are supposed to be doing.  There are 4 categories:  Puppies, Juniors, Adults and Seniors.  You will see some actual racing in the Adult group!

There will also be vendors selling barbecue, funnel cakes, slushies, pet insurance, scented candles and more but I must admit the best souvenir is the Mooresville Wiener Race T-Shirt.  I still have mine from several years ago.

If you want more incentive to attend, just Google You Tube Videos of Wiener Dog races!

Have fun!

Other Articles of Interest

Lake Norman Relocation and Resource Guide

Lake Norman Sports (Participation) Resource Guide

How to get the Lastest Lake Norman News, Events and Coupon Savings!

Relocating to Lake Norman