JAKE DE PAUL: LOVING THE OLD TOWN JAZZ & WINE FESTIVAL >>>

Oh, Old Town Jazz & Wine Festival, how we hate ourselves for loving you. With your Pearl Django and Malibu Manouche, how can we respect our toe-tapping, plate-balancing selves? With your 12 wineries, you taunt us. Even your silent auction items such as hotel packages, wine, theater tickets and much more threatens our wallets. Yet we find ourselves there, every year, gorging on your appetizers like the broke-ass gourmands we are.

According to the Old Town Business District's Web Site, "Proceeds from the festival and auction will go to support the Tacoma Old Town Park Performance Stage Project, headed by the Old Town Business and Professional Association, with the goal of building a permanent outdoor performance stage in Old Town Park."

For your 30 ticket, you'll score a souvenir wine glass and four wine tastes. Tickets can be purchased at the following Tacoma locations: Ted Brown Music, The Spar Tavern, and Metropolitan Market. You must be 21 and older to hang the Old Town Jazz & Wine Festival.

Dear Old Town Jazz & Wine Festival, when you combine alcohol with a benefit, that's our kind of party.

[Slavonian Hall, Saturday, March 7, 5-11 p.m., $30, 2306 N. 30th St., Old Town Tacoma, oldtownbusinessdistrict.com]