Features

Brunswick Little Theatre will hold auditions for “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” on Sept. 20 at its new facility at 8068 River Road in Southport.

The play, written by Barbara Knowles, tells the story of the challenges faced by a couple when they are forced to cast the Herdmans, the most awful kids in the community, in the annual church Christmas play. Hilarity and mayhem rule as the Herdmans and the Christmas story collide. This play has been described as an American classic and is a holiday staple in theaters across the country.

Bid on a bargain for as little as 25 cents to help raise money for scholarships.

The General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC) South Brunswick Islands Woman’s Club is having its fifth annual quarter auction at 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13, to do just that.

The event at West Brunswick High School will consist of more than 200 up-for-grab items donated by local businesses and artisans, with prices starting for as little as 25 cents.

By John Nelson

Plant Columnist

It’s a long time until Halloween, but here’s a spooky little plant.

This is actually one of the most common wildflowers in eastern North America. It grows in all the eastern states, including Florida (maybe not the Keys), all the way out to the upper part of California and the Pacific Norwest, mostly skipping the southwestern states. (You could also find it in parts of South America and Asia.) It is fond of very shady forests.

Blending funk, soul, blues and Carolina beach music, The Holiday Band provides a festive audio backdrop year-round.

The band’s been playing since 1991 when it launched in Burlington, playing 175-plus dates annually.

The award-winning band consists of lead vocalist Doug Neese, saxophonist Bob Martin, and vocalist-guitarist-keyboardist-songwriter Mike Taylor, who penned the band’s 2003 No. 1 R&B hit, “I’m Man Enough,” which won the Song of the Year award at that year’s Carolina Beach Music Awards Show.

By John Nelson

Plant Columnist

Did you know there are four different palm species that are native to the southeastern USA?

Of course, there are plenty of different kinds of palms grown in cultivation that are not native. One need only go to central and south Florida, or California, to understand that. But from northern Florida up to coastal North Carolina, there are indeed four different species that occur naturally in the wild.

At 87, he’s still entertaining the masses with his haunting tenor and accompanying banjo with no retirement in sight.

On Sept. 9, legendary Ralph Stanley and his Clinch Mountain Boys are kicking off the new concert season at Brunswick Community College with a 7:30 p.m. concert in Odell Williamson Auditorium.

“This was supposed to be his final tour, but he has come out with a press statement that says he’s not going to quit,” said auditorium director Mike Sapp.

By John Nelson

Plant Columnist

Poison ivy isn’t “evil.” (Neither are spiders or hurricanes.)

Some plants do cause problems, of course. Poison ivy is a “problem” plant for humans, in that it causes lots of people to break out in allergic reactions, sometimes severely. And yet poison ivy is, in fact, a widespread native species, providing wildlife food for a variety of critters. It is a common component of many natural ecosystems and has been here in our landscapes a lot longer than we humans have.

Sand hands will be getting creative Labor Day weekend when the Ocean Isle Beach family sand sculpture contest gets under way.

The annual competition is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 30, behind the community center at 44 E. First St. in Ocean Isle Beach.

Rules and applications are available at the Museum of Coastal Carolina at Ocean Isle Beach or by emailing Pam Batchelor at pbatchelor123@gmail.com.

Participants can also register on the beach the day of the contest. 

The Imitations got their start back in the summer of 1995.

Three friends — Mike Merritt, Mike Miller and George “Buster” Hobbs — were just having fun and showing off their musical skills.

Within months, they added a fourth member, George Willetts.

Tony Creech joined the group, adding expertise on soundboard.

Many shows later, The Imitations have entertained thousands and recorded three CDs — “Back to Carolina,” “Starrin’ ” and “For Real.”