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!

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“From nostalgic patriotic parades to community festivals with firework displays to myriad planned and spontaneous raft- up (boat) parties on Lake Norman, there truly is something for everyone here in the greater Lake Norman area this 4th of July. Get out of your home, save gas and have a great time!”  I wrote this three years ago and it is still just as true this year.  So, here is the run down on Lake Norman’s 4th of July festivities 2011:  

Saturday, July 2nd at 11:00am the 7th Annual Troutman Independence Celebration Parade  will be held on a 3-mile route from the Iredell County Fair Grounds ending at the Troutman Elementary School.  (Highway 21).If you want to experience a slice of true, old-fashion, small-town Americana, this is a must attend parade.  The streets are lined with flags, yellow ribbons and folks of all ages, many with signs honoring our military past and present.  The parade itself  has over one hundred entries including floats with United States Veterans from all of our wars, military units, WWII Vehicles, local clubs and civic organizations, beauty queens and just about any thing you can imagine including at least one John Deere Tractor!  This year they are honoring Purple Heart recipients as their Grand Marshals.  And they will have a special recognition of World War II Merchant Marines.  New this year the parade is followed by  the Town of Troutman’s Independance Celebration festival “ending with a breathtaking fireworks display!

 For the younger crowd, on Saturday, June 25th, Vinnie’s Raw Oyster Bar  is holding their popular annual bikini contest (it’s not too late to enter!). VIP Tables available.

Celebrate our country’s freedom at the Lowe’s YMCA’s Summer Celebration on July 3rd for one of the biggest, baddest Independence Day fireworks show in the area. 20,000 people are expected to gather at and around the Y for family fun, music, food vendors and – of course - FIREWORKS!   The celebration will kickoff at 4pm with activities for the kids including inflatables, face painting, games, and balloons.  Lowes Home Improvement is also providing ” Build and Grow” building kits for kids and families to work on together.  At 8:30 the Peninsula Baptist Church will present a flag ceremony which will be followed by the fireworks at 9:30pm. The event is free and open to the public but all proceeds from sponsors and vendors will benefit the Lowes Community Support Campaign.

The Town of Huntersville will be hosting their 9th Annual Fourth of July Celebration on Monday, July 4th from 10:00am – 1:00pm at Birkdale Village…a family-friendly celebration! Activities include a parade, a bike decorating contest, a water fight between the fire stations, childrens’ arts and crafts, face painting, a clown bounce, music, food and “A whole lot of fun!!!”.  For more details: 704.895.8744

The Town of Davidson will hold their annual Fourth of July Celebration on Sunday, July 3th from 5:15 – 8p.m.  Festivities include their annual small-town parade.  All are invited to “patriotically dress their bicycles, wagons, pets and strollers” and participate by meeting at Davidson Town Hall and lining up by 5:15pm.  Da Throwback Band will perform at The Concert on the Green beginning at 6pm.  Music and games for all ages will be set up on the Village Green and a children amusement area will be available for a $5 admission.  There will be no fireworks this year.  More information: 704.892.7591.

The Town of Cornelius will also be celebrating on July 4th in a “laid back” family-friendly way.  Starting at 6:30pm, families can play games, dance and picnic at this casual patriotic presentation.  At 6:30pm: Acoustic Soulution,  kids can ride the trackless train, concessions, Coca-Cola activities including touchscreen Coke games, wii games, free product samplings and more!  At 8:30pm the movie The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader will be shown on the blimp screen.  Located at the Cornelius Town Hall, 21445 Catawba Ave.  704.892.6031 ext 160.

Just Confirmed: Fireworks displays are officially planned for Queens Landing on Lake Norman on Saturday, July 2nd. They are billing this “the largest fireworks celebration on the lake!” Fireworks are expected to begin at around 9:15pm.  For more information:  Queen’s Landing Website 

If you want to party, The Sandbar is always a lot of adult fun. Their party runs from 1:00pm – 9:00pm on July 4th.  For more information from their 2009 event: LKN Social.    Where is the Sandbar? Here are the  directions  to the Sandbar.  Be sure to check out LKNfun.com where you will find a great list of celebrations at our many restaurants and bars.

Coca Cola 4th of July Festival at the U.S. Whitewater Center: ” The Coca-Cola 4th of July Festival is the biggest event of the year with 3 consecutive days of free live music and fireworks. The weekend-long celebration will begin on Saturday, July 2 and conclude on Monday, July 4″.  Free!
 

Presbyterian Hospital July 4th Spectacular  (Red White and BOOM!) will offer a spectacular fireworks display at the Memorial Stadium in Uptown Charlotte. From 4:00pm to 10:00pm on July 4th.  There will be plenty of “family-friendly activities including watermelon eating contests, sack races, tug-of-war and more!”  Live music.  At 9:30 p.m., one of the area’s biggest and longest fireworks displays begins so come early and bring a blanket.

Finally, if you want to have your own, legal, fireworks display, in past years they have set up a stand where they sell fireworks at the corner of Williamson Rd. and Brawley School Rd. about a week before the 4th. 

Have fun and be safe!

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Yikes, I nearly missed “Christmas in Davidson”!  This is truly one of the very best events in our Lake Norman area celebrating the holidays.  It actually started last evening but runs through Saturday evening so you still have time.  Held from 6pm – 9pm, this very local, old-fashioned celebration is great fun for the whole family.  Here is a list of just some of what you will experience:

• Main Street will be filled with the sounds of carolers and other live music
• Carriage rides
• Santa Claus will visit with children each night at the library
• “Taste of South Main Street” will feature treats from Restaurant X, Campania, and Fuel Pizza
• The Doggie Fashion show is back, tonight, Friday, on South Main St
• A large tent on the Village Green will offer lots of artists and venders selling holiday crafts and gifts
• Local merchants are offering their own special events as well

Trollys will shuttle visitors from the Exit 30 parking area to Downtown Davidson.

For more information:  Christmas in Davidson

Would you like to own a part of one of Lake Norman’s trendy new mixed-use Urban Villages?  Mark your calendars for Saturday, April 18th at 10:00am when 17 new residential condominiums located in the popular South Main Street District in Historic Downtown Davidson will be sold by auction.

The scoop:  5 of these condos are going to be sold at “ABSOLUTE AUCTION” which means there is no reserve.  The highest bidder buys regardless of the price!  The other 12 condos will sell subject to the sellers confirmation.

The history:  Pre-selling of these “Condos in South Main Square” began in 2007.  5 sold through our MLS at prices from $129,900 for a 550 square foot ”garden condo” to $247,595 for an 1132 square foot 2-bedroom 2-bathroom patio condo. The rest of the units for sale on the MLS were withdrawn several months ago.  17 of these will be in this auction.

The facts: There are 17 units with 4 floorplans ranging in size from 1072 to 1132 square feet.  All of the units have 2 bedrooms and either 2 or 2.5 bathrooms. 10 of the units are actually 2 level townhomes.  The listing prices for these 17 units before they were withdrawn from the MLS ranged from $198,100 to $248,500.  Financing is available from Peoples Bank.  The auction itself is being held at Campania Cafe which is located at 416 S. Main Street adjacent to the condos.  For more information: Interstate Auction, for photos, floorplans, contracts, instructions on how to bid and buy at the auction and other important information.

Open Houses:  Every Saturday and Sunday from 1pm – 5pm or by appointment. (704.892.6923) until auction day.

If you are looking for new construction in a truly walkable neighborhood that is part of the Davidson Main Street Arts District and close to Davidson College, minutes to the I-77 and only about 25 miles to Charlotte, this might be a great opportunity for you.

I would caution that there are a number of townhomes and condominiums currently for sale in the Davidson community some of which are new construction and some re-sale.  Sales are very slow so know your comparable sales before bidding. It is hard to know whether these will be bargains until the day of the auction. 

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When one thinks of Lake Norman housing developments, Butterfly Meadows, Crab Apple Orchards and a suggested plant list derived from the “North Carolina Wildlife Federation  Recommended Native Plants for Wildlife” don’t normally come to mind.  I think that is what I love most about Lake Norman because not only do we have lifestyles and homes designed for lake living, we also have innovative housing developments like The Woodlands in Davidson that is the first in North Carolina to be designated a Certified Wildlife Habitat.

The result of a collaboration between Greathorn Properties, Inc, Ridgeline Development  and the North Carolina Wildlife Federation, the 70-acre site of The Woodlands housing development is a 57-home community located about 3 miles from downtown Davidson on a 70-acre site where 24 acres are preserved for open space including natural hardwood forest, orchards and walking trails.

The three custom home builders at The Woodlands: Dienst Custom Homes, Marquee Builders LLC, and Walker Madison are committed to designing ecologically conscious homes that incorporate energy-efficiency and blend into the natural environment.  Homes range in size from 2,500 to more than 5,000 square feet and are priced from $400,000s up to $1.5 million. Architectural styles include Arts & Crafts, French Country, American Farmhouse and English Tudor. 

 The Woodlands was created to serve as a model of ecological sustainability by preserving the hardwood trees, creeks, wetlands and the paths for woodland creatures.

There are certain responsibilities the homeowner assumes as well.  Owners are “required to landscape their lots with plant material which is indigenous to the area and leave untouched as much as possible the existing vegetation and natural amenities.  The use of vegetation native to the North Carolina Piedmont Region is required.” Plantings for all common areas and public open spaces are designated habitat friendly by the North Carolina Wildlife Federation.  

What is really exciting is that it will take very little additional effort for homeowners in The Woodlands to have their yards become a “certified wildlife habitat”.  Just about all new homeowners of The Woodlands will have to do is add water! (Birdbath, pond etc.)  

The Certified Habitat Program for the National Wildlife Federation is growing in popularity around the entire Lake Norman area. ”The four essential elements of a wildlife-friendly habitat are food, water, cover and places to raise their young” according to Julie Higgie, a certified habitat steward with the National Wildlife Federation. 

So, if you want to live close enough to the services and amenities of the nearby towns of Davidson, Cornelius and Huntersville yet enjoy the natural environment and wildlife of the country, The Woodlands in Davidson just may be your ideal community!

Learn More!

The Woodlands at Davidson 

The North Carolina Wildlife Federation

National Wildlife Federation

How to create a NWF Certified Wildlife Habitat in your own yard

Lake Norman Wildlife Conservationists