Tuesday, September 4, 2012 — It’s time to enjoy a change of seasons and here in Stanly County the onset of autumn always brings new and exciting events. Dancing the night away is in vogue this weekend with a swing band at a local vineyard and local celebrities dancing to win at the Agri-Civic Center. Not into dancing? Then join the runners out at Locust. Prefer something a little more cerebral? Then learn about the history of Freemasonry at Albemarle’s Masonic Temple.

Begin your weekend on Friday at the Rocky River Vineyards where, from 7 pm to 10 pm, the Salisbury Swing Band helps the vineyard celebrate five years of business with a night of fun and music. The cost is $25 per person and that includes a BBQ dinner, entertainment and a glass of the vineyards own good wine

Ready for a morning run this Saturday? Head west where the West Stanly Rotary 5K will take place from 8 am to 10 am. Organized by Vac and Dash and the West Stanly Rotary Club, the event is now in its second year. The course has been tweaked and part of it will be on the Red Bridge Golf Course and promises to be less hilly this year.

More into shopping than running? Saturday morning is the time for the Stanly County Farmers’ Market. From 8am to noon local farmers’ offer fresh produce from the area. There’s also a wide variety of homemade goods and crafts. Want a very special summer’s end treat? Try a freshly picked “mater” sliced on to homemade sour dough bread, both available at the Farmers’ Market at Market Station in downtown Albemarle. Enjoy.   

The big event of the season takes place at the Stanly County Agri-Civic Center this Saturday evening from 6pm to 9pm when the Friends of the Butterfly House present their first annual Dancing with the Stars. This promises to be an unforgettable evening featuring excellent food, friends, and entertainment with all proceeds benefiting the Butterfly House, Children’s Advocacy Center of Stanly Regional Medical Center. Doors open at 6 pm with drinks and food, and the dancing begins at 7:30 pm. Twelve dancing “stars” from around the area will show off their new expertise with a “professional” partner. Dances will include shag, salsa, swing, foxtrot and waltz. Winners will be determined through two categories, a peoples’ choice and a judge’s choice. Anyone can vote, beginning now, for their favorite couple. The judge’s choice will be for his/her choice of the best couple.

Now to stretch your weekend a little, don’t miss another special event taking place on Tuesday, September 11 when the Stanly County Museum will present a program on the history of Freemasonry in the Yadkin-Pee Dee River Valley and Stanly County since the Revolutionary War. The program will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Masonic Temple in Albemarle, located at 230 North 1st Street. The event is free and the public is invited to attend. Seating is limited and reservations are suggested. Contact the Stanly County Public Library and Museum at (704) 986-3755 or email stanlycountymuseum@gmail.com to make reservations. The program will be introduced by Robert E. Gresham, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons of North Carolina – a local resident. The program will be presented by Jonathan Underwood, director of the Stanly County Museum and an officer of Albemarle Lodge No. 703. Underwood will describe the development of Freemasonry in Stanly County within the context of the County’s history, illustrating parallels with historic events such as the Revolutionary and Civil Wars.

Next weekend look for events that include festivals and farm tours as Stanly County welcomes the new season.