Today we’re introducing an expanded Events Calendar, with comprehensive listings of what’s happening in Davidson, Cornelius, Lake Norman and beyond.

We’ve added new features and made it easier to find events on a given day. Choose between a calendar view, or a list of events.

We’ll be adding more capabilities in the coming days, including the ability to add your own events. Stay tuned.

Check it out here: http://davidsonnews.net/guide/events/

An arts movement is emerging in downtown Cornelius, thanks to a group called Bella Love Inc. and local businesses. Twice a month, the Lake Norman area arts community packs in to local fitness studio Kadi Fit for Bella Love Inc.’s open mic night. There, local performers are in abundance. Reporter Andrew Wilkins stopped in last night to check it out. Here’s his report, in THE GUIDE»

The area’s theater calendar is a busy one in the coming weeks with lots to choose from, including the political drama “Sonia Flew” at Davidson College which opened Wednesday night. Davidson Community Players is in final rehearsals for “Wit,” which opens next week. And coming up at Warehouse Performing Arts Center in Cornelius, the psychodrama “Crimes of Omission.” Details in our latest Theater Notes column, in THE GUIDE»

Warehouse Performing Arts Center in Cornelius this week opens a production of Michele Lowe’s black-hearted comedy “The Smell of the Kill,” with shows running Sept. 20-Oct. 6. Read more about the show in THE GUIDE»

Your weekend options are many and varied, from the Davidson Wildcats Fan Day on the Davidson Green Saturday to “The Fantasticks” at Warehouse Performing Arts Center in Cornelius to outdoor concerts in Mooresville and Kannapolis. Thursday night at Summit Coffee in Davidson, barista Jesse Vetrone and bandmate Mack Russum bring their two-man electronic music project Colours to the stage. And Saturday morning, volunteers for Samaritan’s Feet will help out with a big shoe giveaway at Ada Jenkins Center. See our full calendar of events in THE GUIDE»

Davidson College’s calendar in March is a full one, from next week’s Alumni College to lectures to art exhibit openings. A variety of conferences are scheduled – one on reformed theology and ethics, another on music, the annual Women’s Leadership Conference, one on new media, and a Latin American Studies conference on the region’s colonial history. Music this month includes an Organ at Davidson concert and an appearance by the Kontras Quartet. (Oh, and next week is Spring Break, when most students will be off campus.) See a full listing of March public events at the college in THE GUIDE»

With summer comes freedom from school work and relaxation, but it’s a fine line between relaxing and sitting around bored. Looking for something to do with those spare moments to keep yourself from going crazy? Today we launch a new column in The Guide called “Summer Scoop,” written by teen journalists Paulina Campbell and Emma Boraks. Every Thursday, they’ll bring you new ideas for breaking away from the TV or computer screen.  In THE GUIDE »