FEBRUARY

Feb. 19, April 16
Saint Mary’s School Visitation Day
Saint Mary’s School, an all-girls high school and boarding school based in downtown Raleigh, hosts visitation days from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 19 and April 16. During the events, prospective students and their parents can visit to get an idea of campus life.
Phone: (877) 424-4659
Web site: www.sms.edu

Feb. 20-21
Eighth Annual Fearrington Folk Art Show
Purchase artwork from some of the Southeast’s most noted folk artists during the eighth annual Fearrington Folk Art Show, held Feb. 20-21 at Fearrington Barn in Pittsboro. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days, and tickets cost $5 per person for adults; children 12 and younger get in free. A collectors’ preview event will be held at 7 p.m. Feb. 19 and costs $25 per person.
Phone: (919) 542-2121
Web site: www.fearrington.com

Feb. 20-March 27
Shodor Spring Saturday Explorations
Shodor in Durham hosts six half-day workshops exploring various computational-related topics ranging from graphic and Web design to computer modeling and simulations. Workshops will be held from 9 a.m. to noon Saturdays from Feb. 20 through March 27 and are designed for children in sixth through eighth grades.
Phone: (919) 530-1911
Web site: www.shodor.org/calendar

Feb. 24
An Evening of Mindfulness
Duke Integrative Medicine in Durham hosts “An Evening of Mindfulness” from 6:30-8 p.m. Feb. 24 at its Center for Living Campus at 3475 Erwin Road. Join the facility’s Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) staff and learn the basic skills behind stress reduction during the free event.
Phone: (919) 681-2958
Web site: www.dukeintegrativemedicine.org

Feb. 26
Opening Reception: Music to My Eyes
The Hillsborough Gallery of Arts hosts an opening reception for “Music to My Eyes,” featuring themed work by member artists, from 6-9 p.m. Feb. 26. The show runs through March 20.
Phone: (919) 732-5001
Web site: www.hillsboroughgallery.com

Feb. 27
Black Tie and Tails Ball
Carolina Tiger Rescue, formerly Carnivore Preservation Trust, hosts the third annual Black Tie and Tails Ball from 7-11 p.m. Feb. 27 at the Washington Duke Inn in Durham. The fundraiser, which costs $125 per person, benefits the 85 wild cats in the organization’s care. This year’s theme is an Indian marketplace and features fine food, live and silent auctions, music, dancing, and animal-themed activities.
Web site: www.blacktieandtailsball.com

MARCH

March 2-7
Spring Awakening
“Spring Awakening,” a Tony Award-winning musical, heads to the Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC) March 2-7. Performances begin at 7 p.m. March 2, 7:30 p.m. March 3-4, 8 p.m. March 5-6 and 6:30 p.m. March 7, with matinee performances at 2 p.m. March 6 and 1 p.m. March 7. Tickets cost between $25 and $70 per person.
Phone: (919) 680-2787
Web site: www.dpacnc.com

March 3-21
The Importance of Being Earnest
Oscar Wilde’s most popular play, “The Importance of Being Earnest,” runs from March 3-21 at PlayMakers Repertory Co. in Chapel Hill. All performances will be held in the Paul Green Theatre.
Phone: (919) 962-7529
Web site: www.playmakersrep.org

March 26
Opening Reception: Home Town
The Hillsborough Gallery of Arts hosts an opening reception for “Home Town” from 6-9 p.m. March 26. The exhibit, which features themed work by the gallery’s member artists, runs through April 24.
Phone: (919) 732-5001
Web site: www.hillsboroughgallery.com

March 26-May 30
Artquilts-Illuminations Exhibit
The Durham Arts Council presents an exhibit featuring the works from Artquilts-Illuminations, the eighth annual PAQA-South international juried art quilt exhibition and quilting conference, March 26-May 30. The exhibit is free and open to the public.
Phone: (919) 560-2787
Web site: www.durhamarts.org

APRIL

April 9-11
Southern Ideal Home Show
Shop, compare prices and talk with experts about your next building, remodeling, decorating, or landscaping project during the Southern Ideal Home Show April 9-11 at the N.C. State Fairgrounds in Raleigh. Hours are noon to 9 p.m. April 9, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. April 10 and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 11. Tickets cost $9 per person for adults; children 15 and younger get in free with a paying adult.
Phone: (800) 849-0248
Web site: www.southernidealhomeshow.com

April 17
ClydeFEST
The 10th annual ClydeFEST, celebrating the works of critter artist Clyde Jones, will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 17 at the Bynum Ballfield just south of the Bynum General Store. The free, family-friendly event is hosted by ChathamArts in Pittsboro.
Phone: (919) 542-0394
Web site: www.chathamarts.org

April 12-18
Spa Week
North Carolina Spa Week’s 12th annual spring event is scheduled for April 12-18. During the event, spas across the state will offer spa treatments for $50. Indulge in everything from massages and facials to manicures and pedicures to luxurious, eco-friendly treatments during the week.
Web site: www.spaweek.com

April 16-18
The Power of Meditation: The Heart of Mindfulness
Duke Integrative Medicine in Durham hosts “The Power of Meditation: The Heart of Mindfulness” April 16-18. The three-day retreat will be led by Dr. Jeffrey Brantley and Mary Brantley, and is designed to help participants rediscover their own inner capacity for compassion, kindness, and calm. The retreat costs $290 per person; lunch is provided each day.
Phone: (919) 660-6826
Web site: www.dukeintegrativemedicine.org

April 17-18
Chapel Hill Spring Garden Tour
Take a self-guided tour of some of the area’s most beautiful blooms during the Chapel Hill Spring Garden Tour, which will be held April 17-18. The nine gardens on this year’s tour offer gorgeous displays of flowering trees, shrubs, azaleas and other spring delights, in addition to various sculptures, water features, and specimen plants. The tour also features the newly completed, 29,000-square-foot, eco-friendly education center at the North Carolina Botanical Garden. Tickets cost $15 per person in advance and $20 per person on the day of the tour; children 16 and younger get in free. Proceeds from the weekend event benefit the botanical garden and the educational and community service projects of the Chapel Hill Garden Club. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 17 and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 18.
Phone: (919) 962-0522
Web site: www.chapelhillgardentour.net

April 17-18
Durham Art Walk
The Durham Art Walk, a self-guided tour of urban art galleries, studios, impromptu exhibits and businesses featuring the original artwork of more than 400 artists, will be held April 17-18 throughout the city. The tour begins at the Durham Arts Council at 120 Morris St., and is free and open to the public. Tour hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 17 and 1-5 p.m. April 18.
Phone: (919) 560-2787
Web site: www.durhamarts.org

April 22
Ladies Night Out
The Downtown Merchants of Historic Hillsborough host Ladies Night Out from 6-9 p.m. April 22. The event features wine tastings, hot teas, pampering specials, treats and live music at various shops throughout the downtown area.
Phone: (919) 732-2128
Web site: www.shophillsboroughnc.com

April 30
Metamorphosis: Metal and Mud
The Hillsborough Gallery of Arts hosts an opening reception for “Metamorphosis: Metal and Mud” from 6-9 p.m. April 30. The exhibit, which features pottery by Garry Childs, jewelry by Mirinda Kossoff and photography by Mesa Somer, runs through May 22.
Phone: (919) 732-5001
Web site: www.hillsboroughgallery.com

MAY

Through May 9
Color Balance: Paintings by Felrath Hines
The Ackland Art Museum at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill hosts “Color Balance: Paintings by Felrath Hines” through May 9. The exhibit, which features the African-American artist’s large-scale abstract paintings, also will be on display June 10 through Sept. 5 at the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University, and Sept. 19 through Dec. 10 at the North Carolina Central University Art Museum in Durham.
Phone: (919) 966-5736
Web site: www.ackland.org

Through May 16
Lines of Attack: Conflicts in Caricature
The Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University in Durham presents “Lines of Attack: Conflicts in Caricature,” an exhibition comparing the 19th century origins of journalistic caricature with its transformation in the digital age, through May 16. The exhibit juxtaposes political cartoons from the past with more current works. Featured artists include Garry Trudeau of “Doonesbury,” Steve Bell of The Guardian, Dwayne Powell of The News & Observer, and Gerald Scarfe of London’s Sunday Times, as well as political cartoonists Steve Brodner, Jeff Danziger, and Pat Oliphant.
Web site: www.nasher.duke.edu

May 31
Southern Village Presents: Keith Henderson
Elvis tribute artist Keith Henderson returns to Southern Village in Chapel Hill beginning at 6:30 p.m. May 31. During the event, Henderson will perform with his band, The Illusions. Tickets cost $10 per person.
Phone: (919) 969-7301
Web site: www.southernvillage.com