Life

Weekend highlights: BBQ, chamber music

Barbecue cookers will compete for prizes during Ed Foundation Boyd barbecue event.

By Bill Moss, Published: April 19, 2013

The Fourth Annual Henderson County Boyd BBQ Expo, a fundraiser for the Henderson County Education Foundation (HCEF), will be 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday at Hendersonville High School's stadium.

The event started in 2010 with a gathering of 8,500 people and 25 cooking teams. Last year's event drew more than 12,500 patrons.
For more than two decades, HCEF has continued to maintain and add new programs and exciting events aimed at improving the educational experience for Henderson County students and citizens. During 2012–13 school year, HCEF contributed more than $100,900 in 76 scholarships and provided numerous grants.
Boyd BBQ Expo tickets are $6 for adults and $3 for kids. For information, visit BBQ-Expo.com.

Kontras String Quartet concert set Sunday
The Kontras String Quartet will present the final concert of the 2013 Hendersonville Chamber Music series at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 21, at the First Congregational Church, corner of Fifth Avenue and White Pine. Individual tickets are $17 and all students are admitted free.
The quartet will present works by Mozart, Dvorak, and Beethoven.
Hendersonville Chamber Music is funded in part by a Grassroots Grant from the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources, administered by the Arts Council of Henderson County.
Further information about this group of youthful performers is available at www.kontrasquartet.com/the_Kontras_Quartet/About_Kontras.html

'Cotton Patch Gospel' opens April 24 at FRP Downtown
Flat Rock Playhouse will present "Cotton Patch Gospel" opening on April 24 at the Playhouse Downtown, 125 S. Main St.
Called the "Greatest Story Ever Retold," this bluegrass musical is a modern retelling of the Gospel in the setting of rural Georgia with songs that are the final, and perhaps best work of Harry Chapin. Herod is recreated as Governor of Georgia, Caiaphas as Dr. Caiaphas, a member of a board of politicians, and Pilate as a local governor who sentences Jesus and sends him to Lee Correctional Institute.
"Cotton Patch Gospel" premiered on Oct. 21, 1981, at Lambs Theatre in New York City and ran for 193 performances. It starred Tom Key and featured the band known as The Cotton Pickers that was put together for the show. The Cotton Pickers were Scott Ainsle, Michael Mark, Pete Corum and Jim Lauderdale. The music and lyrics are by Harry Chapin and the show was written by Tom Key and Russell Treyz, adapted from the book "The Cotton Patch Version of Matthew and John" by Clarence Jordan.
The multi-talented company of "Cotton Patch Gospel" will include performers who act, sing and play the instruments. Cast members include Chris Blisset, Sam Sherwood, Douglas Waterbury-Tieman and James Scheider.
Southern Alarm and Penny Insurance Agency present "Cotton Patch Gospel" April 24 through May 19. Performances will be at 8 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays and 2 p.m. Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. All tickets are $35 and can be purchased by calling the Playhouse box office at 828-693-0731, toll-free at 866-732-8008 or online at www.flatrockplayhouse.org. Discounts are available.

Water Painting Wall grand opening set at Hands On!
Hands On!-A Child's Gallery, the children's museum in downtown Hendersonville, will have the grand opening of its Water Painting Wall on Tuesday, April 23. Participants can experience the creative fun of painting with water. They will be able to create a painting, watch it disappear, and then do it again. The new mural that is the backdrop for the painting wall was designed by Gendo and Priscilla Yokote. Gendo is a Japanese calligraphy teacher and Priscilla is an artist and photographer. This new addition to the Art Area is made possible by a grant from the Lovett Foundation.
Children can celebrate National Pet Month by creating a Critter Craft on Thursday, April 25. This all-day activity for all ages will give participants the opportunity to create a critter to take home. There will also be free coloring books and other goodies. Cost to attend is included in the $5 admission fee and is free for museum members. Critter Craft is sponsored by the Etowah Valley Veterinary Hospital.
Educators from FENCE (Foothills Equestrian and Nature Center) will bring animals to Hands On! from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Friday, April 26. FENCE Comes Alive! is free with museum admission and free for members.
Hands On! is at 318 N. Main Street. Regular hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesdays through Saturdays. For more information, call 697-8333 or visit handsonwnc.org.

Earth Day Buffet set at Season's
In celebration of Earth Day on Monday, April 22, Season's will host an Earth Day Buffet from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, April 21. A portion of the proceeds will go to purchasing and planting a tree at Hendersonville High School. Sunday's buffet will be from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. for $26.95 per person, with live music from Bruce Lang.
As avid proponents of "living green" Highland Lake Inn and Season's Restaurant decided that the perfect time to give back to nature and support growth and sustainability would be through an Earth Day promotion.
View the full menu for Season's Earth Day Brunch Buffet on the News & Events page at HLInn.com/news.