Ticket purchase and contact information for select Twin Counties venues, page 2B.

EVENTS

Rocky Mount downtown block parties: Events include music and food; free; downtownrockymount.com.

Noon-2 p.m. Friday – Howard Street; music by The Bunn Brothers.

Noon-3 p.m. Oct. 17 – South Washington Street.

Poker clinic and tournament: Saturday; Golden East Crossing mall; clinic runs 2-4 p.m., teaching techniques and strategies for no-limit Texas Hold-'Em poker; World Poker Tour tournament runs 4-8 p.m. for up to 120 league members age 21 or older, running until eight players are left; free; Lee Crocker, 459-9619, chesterlcrocker@aol.com.

Fourth annual Living History Days: Sept. 26-28; Tarboro Town Common and historic district; free unless otherwise noted; Carol Banks or Buddy Hooks, 823-4159; edgecombearts.org.

9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sept. 26-27 and 2-4 p.m. Sept. 28 – Used book sale by Friends of the Edgecombe County Memorial Library; former Braswell Wholesale warehouse, 500 Albemarle Ave.

Noon-9 p.m. Sept. 26, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Sept. 27 and 9 a.m.-noon Sept. 28 – Civil War re-enactors encampment and period craft demonstrations – Town Common.

4:30-9 p.m. Sept. 26 and 9:30-12:30 p.m. Sept. 27 – Genealogy lock-in; Edgecombe County Memorial Library, 909 Main St.

10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sept. 27 – Edgecombe Garden Club home tour; guided tours at 12 historic homes and sites; $20.

9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sept. 27 – Preservation Trades School program; Coolmore Plantation; demonstration of and informal instruction in skills used in historic site preservation, presentation by Myrick Howard (president of Preservation North Carolina) and lunch and supper; $25; 823-5166 ext. 327 or edgecombe.edu.

7 p.m. Sept. 27 – Ghost walk tour; walking tour of historic district sites tied to the lives, deaths or burials of famous Tarboro residents; adults $7, children 10 and younger accompanied by an adult free.

9 a.m. Sept. 28 – Civil War period church service.

Soul Calibur IV game tournament: Sept. 27; Game On!, 1242 Home Depot Plaza, Rocky Mount; all-ages tournament for fighting game; parental consent required for children ages 13 and younger; registration $5; Crystal Ciccone, 937-4263.

Live at 5ive! music party: 5-7 p.m. Oct. 3; Imperial Centre lawn (rain site is center atrium); Joceifus Rifle, playing rock and pop; free, food available for purchase;

downtownrockymount.com.

Chess lessons: 7-9 p.m. Thursdays; Church on the Rise, 3250 Bishop Road; all skill levels welcome; free; Evan Whittington, 252-451-1140 or 919-333-3635 before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m., tinaslion@yahoo.com.

USA Dance: Promotes ballroom dancing and educates the public regarding its physical, mental and social benefits; Vince Tesoro, 212-5525.

Chapter social dance – 7:30-10:30 p.m. second Saturday of the month; Rocky Mount Arts Center; short class on the dance of the month included before the social dance begins; members $5, others $7.

Practice sessions – 4-6 p.m. Sundays; Crystal's Elite Dance Studio, 3040 Zebulon Road, Rocky Mount; $5; lessons on wide variety of dances also available for groups.

Arts and crafts guilds: Imperial Centre (unless specified); Jennifer Rankin, 972-1632, jennifer.rankin@rockymountnc.gov.

Tar River Basketweavers – 7 p.m. Tuesday; Battleboro Community Center, 280 W. Battleboro Ave., Rocky Mount; basketweaving taught through shared experience and knowledge.

Embroiderer's Guild of America – 7 p.m. second Tuesday of the month; meetings offer workshops, exhibits, stitch-ins, social activities.

Tar River Piecemakers Quilting Guild – 9 a.m. second Saturday of the month; works on fabric, design and art, including donations made to charitable organizations.

Rocky Mount Art Center exhibits: Catherine Coulter; 972-1175, catherine.coulter@rockymountnc.gov.

North Carolina Fellowship Recipients Exhibition – Through Sunday.

Permanent Collection and New Acquisitions – Through January.

"The Lush Landscape – Poetic Spaces" exhibit: Through Sept. 28; Mims Gallery, N.C. Wesleyan College; oil paintings by Janette Hopper; free artist reception 7-9 p.m. Friday; works available for purchase.

"Faces and Places, the Photography of Bayard Wootten": Through Oct. 12; Edgecombe ARTS; exhibit of works by early 20th century photographer from New Bern.

CHILDREN

Rocky Mount Children's Museum and Science Center planetarium programs: children 15 and younger must be accompanied by an adult; Steve Schmidt, 972-1586, steve.schmidt@rockymountnc.gov.

Exploring the Fall Sky – 7 p.m. Oct. 2; all-ages exploration of Greek mythology in the autumn sky; city residents $8, others $9.

How to Buy a Telescope – 7 p.m. Nov. 6; all-ages introduction to stargazing and tips for buying a telescope; city residents $8, others $9.

Exploring the Winter Sky – 7 p.m. Dec. 4; all-ages exploration of constellations and stars; residents $8, others $9.

Rocky Mount Children's Museum and Science Center science camps and workshops: preregistration and prepayment required; participants should dress for mess; Steve Schmidt, 972-1586, steve.schmidt@rockymountnc.gov.

Local Fossil Finds I – 1 p.m. Oct. 4, all-ages exploration of fossils in Nash and Edgecombe counties; children 10 and younger must be accompanied by an adult; city residents $20, others $24.

Local Fossil Finds II – 1 p.m. Nov. 8; all-ages exploration of fossils in Nash and Edgecombe counties; children 10 and younger must be accompanied by an adult; city residents $20, others $24.

KinderScience: 10 a.m. first Wednesday of each month; Rocky Mount Children's Museum; children ages 3 to 5 introduced to science; preregistration required; city residents $8 per class, others $9 (includes paid admission to museum for child and accompanying adult).

Oct. 1 – Science is a Hoot; exploration of the lives, biology and calls of owls.

Nov. 5 – Wildlife in the Water; investigation of different animals, what they eat and why they are important.

Dec. 3 – Shape Science; investigation of shapes that surrounds us.

Rocky Mount Children's Museum and Science Center teacher workday art and science camp: 8:30 a.m. Oct. 17, Nov. 11 and Nov. 26; students create art projects and perform hands-on science experiments; students must bring lunch; residents $35, others $42 per session.

Rocky Mount Children's Museum and Science Center exhibits: Through Dec. 31; adults $4, seniors and children 3 to 16 years old $3, children 2 and younger free; all admitted free 2-5 p.m. Wednesdays.

"Microbes: Invisible Invaders, Amazing Allies" – Interactive journey through the hidden world of microbes.

"Maze Mania" – Interactive exhibit with mazes of varying types and difficulties.

Rocky Mount Children's Museum and Science Center planetarium shows: $3.50 per person per show, plus admission to the museum; special showings can be scheduled for groups; now showing:

"Microcosm" – Full dome video and 3D computer graphics show of a microbe-perspective trip through the human body; 1 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, 11 a.m. Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays; showing through Oct. 31.

"Astronaut" – Exploration of outer space and its effects on the human body; 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays; showing through Oct. 31.

"Laser Beatles" – Laser show set to the music of The Beatles; 3 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and 4 p.m. Sundays.

"Seasonal Stargazing" – Brief guided tour of the night sky; included with all other planetarium shows.

AREA MOVIES

Premiere Theatres: 821 Benvenue Road, Rocky Mount; 446-6500; films run Friday through Thursday unless noted; "Burn After Reading," "The Dark Knight," "Death Race," "The Family That Preys," "Ghost Town," "The House Bunny," "Igor," "Lakeview Terrace," "The Longshots," "Mirrors," "My Best Friend's Girl," "Righteous Kill" and "The Women."

Carmike 10: Parkwood Mall, Wilson; 252-265-5538; films run Friday through Thursday unless noted; "Babylon A.D.," "Brick Lane," "Burn After Reading," "The Family That Preys," "Ghost Town," "The House Bunny," "Igor," "Lakeview Terrace," "My Best Friend's Girl," "Rent," "Righteous Kill" and "The Women."

CLUBS

Via Cappuccino: 3002 Sunset Ave. (in Englewood Square Shopping Center), Rocky Mount; shows run from 8-9:30 p.m. unless specified; Via Cappuccino is smoke- and alcohol-free; 937-0004; vccoffee.com; free admission.

Saturday – Mike Clark and Co., playing Americans and originals.

Sept. 26 – Smiley and the Smiles, playing acoustic alternative.

10 a.m. Saturdays – Via Cappuccino Chess Club; free.

7 p.m. Mondays – Tar River Gamers, playing board games; free.

Nightlife Bar and Grill: 821 Country Club Road (Country Club Shopping Center), Rocky Mount; valid photo ID required for entry; 985-3866; nightlifebarandgrill.com.

9 p.m. Mondays – DJ David Howell plays karaoke dance party; $2.

9 p.m. Wednesdays – Open-mic night; free.

9 p.m. Thursdays – DJ dance party; $2.

Java Mott's Coffee Co.: 1237 Cobb Corners Drive, Rocky Mount; shows run from 8-10 p.m. unless specified; Java Mott's is smoke- and alcohol-free; 212-5282; javamotts.com.

Sept. 25 – David Kraai.

Sept. 26 – Cory and the Giants.

Oct. 4 – When Stars Fall.

Oct. 10 – Cory and the Giants.

Nov. 7 – Cory and the Giants.

Hogs Pen Pub: 514 S. Fountain Road, Macclesfield; 827-5510.

9:30 p.m. Saturday – Straight Jacket, playing classic and Southern rock and blues; $6.

Westridge Grill: 3639 Sunset Ave. (in Westridge Shopping Center), Rocky Mount; 937-7299; free admission; shows run 8-11 p.m. unless noted.

Saturday – Monkey Foot.

Oct. 11 – Speakeasy.

Oct. 18 – Adam Stone.

R.A. Fountain General Store and Internet Cafe: 6754 E. Wilson St., Fountain; 252-749-3228; rafountain.com.

7:30 p.m. Friday – Steve Creech Original Dixieland Jazz Band; $8.

7:30 p.m. Saturday – Nu-Blu, playing new and classic bluegrass; $7.50.

PERFORMANCE

Rocky Mount Community Theatre productions:

"The Art of Dining": 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday; a man and woman who co-own a small, elegant restaurant comically clash over how to run the eatery as their diners act out their own private dramas; adults $8, seniors $7, children and students $6.

"Schoolhouse Rock Live!": auditions 7 p.m. Oct. 1-2; performances 8 p.m. Nov. 7-8 and 14-15 and 2 p.m. Nov. 16; stage adaptation of 1970s educational Saturday morning cartoon series.

Dunn Center for the Performing Arts concerts: Show times 8 p.m. except as noted; N.C. Wesleyan College, Rocky Mount.

Saturday – The Blues Brothers Revival; $20.

Oct. 10 – Chapter 6; $15.

3 p.m. Oct. 19 – The Church Basement Ladies; $15.

Oct. 24 – 1964 The Tribute; $20.

Nov. 1 – Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver; $20.

Nov. 14 – Southern Fried Chicks; $20.

3 p.m. Nov. 23 – Dallas Brass; $15.

Dec. 6 – Skaggs Family Christmas; $35

Spring Hope Music Jubilee – 7 p.m.; former Spaulding Middle School auditorium, 600 S. Pine St.; advance $7, at door $8; Ann Wright; 459-8255.

Oct. 3 – Ronnie Ezzell and Southern Comfort.

Nov. 1 – The Malpass Brothers.

Dec. 6 – Ronnie Ezzell and Southern Comfort.