Huntersville - United States

The "Hello Huntersville" festival drew a multitude of participants to the downtown area last Saturday and many were initially amazed that utility crews picked that day, of all days, to knock out some underground repairs. As it turns out, the assortment of work under way was actually created by a collection of chalk-wielding sidewalk artists featured at the event. Hello Huntersville included entertainment, rides, food and product vendors and an assortment of other attractions.

The ongoing explosion of color continues with the blooming of azaleas, including these in a yard on Joyce Street in Huntersville.

Heather McLain of Yappy Hour Bakery and her able assistant, Wrigley, set up shop this past Saturday at Huntersville's Lake Norman Fine Arts Festival in Birkdale Village.

After Saturday's early morning Pawz To Run 5K through Davidson, each competitor found the best way to reboot their carb count. On Summit Coffee's rear patio, a hearty dose of breakfast beer proved the ideal recipe for several runners. But before you scoff or tsk-tsk, meet the runners. They are (from left) Shannon Flake, runner-up in the 20-29 age group: Melissa Marion, 20-29 champ; Matthew Johnson, first place, 40-49; Joseph Hawk, winner, 20-29; and Matt Clauss, third place, 40-49.

Springtime is in full swing in the Lake Norman area, and nowhere is that more apparent than in the backyard of North Carolina Speaker of the House Thom Tillis. The speaker of the Tillis house, Susan Tillis, recently snapped this photo of Old Glory set against the backdrop of colorful blossoms from her back porch in Cornelius.

After a couple of false starts, the long-range forecast seems to indicate that spring has at long last sprung, as these Bradford pear blossoms can attest. Huntersville resident and occasional Image of the Week contributor Kristen Moore captured these blooms as the prevalent trees shook off the winter cold.