‘Keep NC Weird’ with author Liz Z Pardue at Asheboro and Archdale libraries

ASHEBORO – Take a journey through the strangest history, most eccentric characters and darkest folklore of the Old North State on Thursday, June 4, at the Archdale and Asheboro libraries.

Join award-winning storyteller, writer and director Liz Z Pardue for “Keep NC Weird,” a lively exploration of the bizarre, macabre and delightfully peculiar stories that make North Carolina unforgettable, 2 p.m. at the Archdale library and 6:30 p.m. at the Asheboro library.

Pardue, founder of Sisterhood of Spirits, LLC, operates ghost tours and spooky historical theatrical productions from her home in Fuquay-Varina, purported to be the most haunted small town in the South.

In the last year, she published her first book, Fuquay-Varina Ghosts, Legends and Lore, and performed at the North Carolina Storytelling Festival, the Bynum Front Porch Series, the Monti, and the Stone Soup Storytelling Festival, where she won both the Linda Goodman New Voices and People’s Choice awards. Currently she is touring the state with her “Keep NC Weird” series.

The Asheboro library is located at 201 Worth Street. The Archdale library is located at 10433 S. Main St.

For more information, call 336-318-6803 (Asheboro) or 336-431-3811 (Archdale).

Randolph libraries promise a T-Rexcellent summer of reading activities

Luke Vandergriff

ASHEBORO -- Dig into a DINO-mite Summer Reading experience at your Randolph County Public Libraries with a prehistoric season of stories, discovery and fun! Stomp, chomp and explore your way into a summer packed with performances, puppets, magic, storytimes, hands-on activities and more with reading challenges and rewards that are saurus-ly awesome!

“Unearth a Story” is the dinosaur-focused theme of this year’s Summer Reading initiative, which offers children and teens a no-pressure way to stay engaged with reading and learning while out of school, so they can avoid “summer slide” and be ready to pick up where they left off when school starts in the fall. Adults aren’t extinct from the fun either, with author visits and hands-on experiences. Everyone gets to roar into reading!

Visit www.randolphlibrary.org/summer for a complete schedule of events, or pick up calendars at your local library.

Bright Star Touring Theatre

Appearing at all libraries in June is musical storyteller Luke Vandergriff with DinoHearts. Vandergriff creates an imaginative, interactive, bilingual English/Spanish performance using original songs, handmade instruments and playful audience participation to tell the story of Juanca, a young boy from Bolivia as he navigates big feelings like fear, courage and kindness with the help of his imagination — and a few friendly dinosaurs.

At all libraries in July is Bright Star Touring Theatre’s Dino Academy. Travel back millions of years in time for an action-packed prehistoric adventure with delightfully quirky paleontologist Dr. Sarah Tops as she opens the doors to her top-secret dinosaur facility and invites audiences to step into a world where science, storytelling and imagination collide.

Meanwhile, there’s more to unearth at the various libraries as Sigmon Theatrical returns with The Big Dino Show; Shepherd Shakespeare presents DinoShakes; Steve Somers Digs Into Reading; the NC Zoo, Ellie’s Exotic Road Show and Wild Tails NC visit with animal ambassadors; Matt Sandbank brings back his Shadow Factory Puppet Show; Dana Hill performs Presto Prehistoric Magic… and more!

For more information, call 336-318-6804.

Appearances by Luke Vandergriff and Bright Star Touring Theatre are sponsored by the Friends of the Library. The project receives support from the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Medal of Honor recipient Col. Joe Marm to speak in Asheboro Sunset Series event

Col. Joe Marm

ASHEBORO – Medal of Honor recipient Col. Joe Marm will tell his story in a Friends of the Library Sunset Signature Series event, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 23, in downtown Asheboro’s historic Sunset Theatre.

The talk is free and the public is invited.

In 1965, Marm was a 2nd lieutenant leading a platoon of the 7th Cavalry Regiment during the Vietnam War when his unit joined what became the battle of Ia Drang, the first major engagement between the U.S. and North Vietnamese armies. The battle is recounted in the book We Were Soldiers Once… and Young by Hal Moore and Joseph L. Galloway, and in the film We Were Soldiers.

With his platoon under fire from a concealed machine gun, Marm exposed himself to draw fire and locate the enemy position, then made two attempts to destroy it – the second by charging 30 yards under heavy fire to eliminate it despite being severely wounded.

For his actions, he received the Medal of Honor from President Lyndon Johnson on December 19, 1966. The citation states that Marm’s “selfless actions reduced the fire on his platoon, broke the enemy assault, and rallied his unit toward the accomplishment of his mission.”

Marm, a Pennsylvania native and Eagle Scout, earned a business degree from Duquesne University in 1964 before joining the Army. He retired as a colonel in 1995, and resides in eastern North Carolina.

The Sunset Series celebrates art and ideas by bringing world-class speakers and performers to the heart of Asheboro. The series is sponsored by the Heart of North Carolina Visitors Bureau, the City of Asheboro and the Friends of the Randolph County Public Libraries.

The final 2026 Sunset Series event will be Our State Editor Elizabeth Hudson, 7:30 p.m. Friday, September 25. The Sunset Theatre is located at 234 Sunset Avenue.

For more information, call the Heart of North Carolina Visitors Bureau at 800-626-2672.

Historian Ricky Allred to talk about county ‘Poor House’ at Asheboro library

Ricky Allred

ASHEBORO – Until the middle of the 20th century, counties were responsible for taking care of their poor and indigent residents. 

Local historian Ricky Allred will discuss Randolph County’s role in caring for its neediest citizens in a talk at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 30, at the Asheboro Public Library. The talk is free and the public is invited.

Allred is author of The Least of These: Caring for the Poor in Randolph County, N.C., 1794-1922, published in 2025. The book chronicles the provisions for caring for those who could not take care of themselves, from the parish-based system of colonial times through the post-independence shift to county responsibility and the creation of a county Poor House, to the beginnings of state supervision following the Civil War, and finally to the replacement of the Poor House with a modern County Home in 1922. 

While legal and government structure frame the historical account, stories Allred has uncovered of individuals within the system — both care recipients and caregivers — give color to the statistics and vitality to the narrative.

Allred’s interest in history springs from deep family roots in Randolph County, and has led to research into a variety of local history topics. He is known for his “Walk Through the Past” tours of the Old Asheboro Cemetery.

The library is located at 201 Worth Street. For more information, call 336-318-6803.

Film screening, discussion to bring to life ‘The American Constitution’

 

ASHEBORO -- Experience the high-stakes story of the 1787 Constitutional Convention in The American Constitution, a new documentary movie, in a screening at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 3, in downtown Asheboro’s historic Sunset Theater.

The event, hosted by Revolutionary Randolph, the county’s official America 250 NC committee, is free and the public is invited. A discussion with filmmaker David Garrigus will follow the one-hour film.

Guided by insights from leading constitutional scholars, The American Constitution unveils the origin story of the American system of government. Set in the sweltering summer of 1787, the film dramatizes the creation of one of the most influential documents in human history.

Non-partisan and non-political, the film is a scrupulously accurate story promoting historical literacy and the greater civic good. The script is drawn entirely from the historical record, using only the Founders' own words.

This commitment to authenticity is brought to life by an impressive cast portraying Framers like George Washington, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and the ever-witty Benjamin Franklin.

The film is slated to be broadcast on public television in fall 2026. View the film’s trailer at ConstitutionMovie.com. 

Garrigus is an award-winning filmmaker specializing in historical documentaries. His previous work includes the critically-acclaimed PBS film Kitty Hawk: The Wright Brothers’ Journey of Invention. 

The Sunset Theatre is located at 234 Sunset Avenue. For more information, call the Asheboro Public Library at 336-318-6803.

Sigmon Theatrical’s “Mouse Saves Christmas” comes to all Randolph libraries in December

Asheboro – On Christmas Eve, one tiny hero with a big heart sets out to save the day — and the whole holiday season.

That tiny hero will visit all seven Randolph County Public Libraries locations during the week of December 8 as Sigmon Theatrical presents Mouse Saves Christmas, an all-new, interactive stage adventure brought to life with breathtaking puppetry, toe-tapping music and a cast of professional performers that will leave audiences of all ages laughing and cheering, and may even tug on your heartstrings.

The schedule is as follows:

• Archdale, 10433 S. Main St., 10 a.m. Thursday, December 11;
• Asheboro, 201 Worth Street, 6:30 p.m. Monday, December 8;
• Franklinville, 111 Sumner Place, 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, December 10; 
• Liberty, 239 S. Fayetteville St., 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, December 9;
• Ramseur, 1512 S. Main St., 1 p.m. Wednesday, December 10;
• Randleman, 142 W. Academy St., 4 p.m. Thursday, December 11;
• Seagrove, 530 Old Plank Road, 1 p.m. Thursday, December 11.

The performances are free and are sponsored by the Friends of the Library. It’s a holiday celebration for the entire family, mouse-sized and magic-packed.

For more information call 336-318-6804.

True Grass to play ‘Country Christmas Concert’ at Asheboro library

ASHEBORO – Popular and long-lived local bluegrass/gospel band True Grass will present a “Country Christmas Concert,” 7 p.m. Tuesday, December 2, at the Asheboro Public Library.

The performance, supported by the Friends of the Library, is free and the public is invited.

The group has played local venues including the Sunset Theatre, the NC Zoo, Randolph Community College, churches, corporate events and others for over 20 years.

Founding members Tim Moon and Gary Callicutt remain with the group.

Moon, a well-known performer and music teacher for over 30 years, plays mandolin and sings lead vocals. Callicutt plays bass and sings tenor vocals.

Matthew Nance plays banjo and sings baritone vocals. William Britt plays guitar and sings most lead vocals. Moon’s son Nolan plays blistering fast solos as well as beautiful waltz styles on fiddle. 

The library is located at 201 Worth Street. Call 336-318-6803 for more information.