FRIDAY, SEPT. 10, 2010 >>>

Just like Puyallup as a town has grown exponentially from its small, humble beginnings - from field plowing, porch talking and cow milking to cheap beer, high school football and dusty trucks right into full-size SUVS, flat-screen televisions and suburban sprawl - the Puyallup Fair has grown up beside it. What started as a three-day "Valley Fair" in a vacant lot has exploded into a monster spectacle - occupying 169 acres and 17 days, regularly drawing crowds of 1.1 million per year and generally shocking the senses with a staggering array of ShamWows, sit-down foot massage machines, big ass cows, hot tub demonstrations, Funtastic carnie people, Krusty Pups, onion burgers, giant stuffed panda bears, hypnotist shows, guys with Janet Jackson headsets trying to sell stuff, live concerts, elephant ears, and "fun for the whole family." The Puyallup Fair opens today at 10 a.m. Read our Hipster's Guide to the Puyallup Fair here.

2. Justen Ahren, director of the Martha's Vineyard Writers Residency, will be the Distinguished Writer Series' featured poet at 7 p.m. inside King's Books. An open poetry mic will follow Ahren's performance.

3. Sleuth is a mystery. Kind of. Maybe. Which is to say, it might come down to a death that could have happened, depending upon whose account you believe. Including your own. Tacoma Little Theatre stages Sleuth at 7:30 p.m. Read our review of the show here.

4. George Winston looks like a perfect, well-proportioned pianist. Not too big, and not too small, George Winston is the type of pianist everyone can embrace. He's an inviting pianist. And a masterful pianist. Hell, he invented his own goddamn playing style, folk piano. Wait! What did you think we were talking about? Winston will perform at 8 p.m. inside the Rialto Theater, and if you're lucky he'll bust out one of his interpretations of Frank Zappa. That's no pianist joke, either.

5. Chalet Bowl hosts Rock ‘n Glow bowling featuring black lights, bumpin' music and sharks with freakin' lasers on their heads beginning at 10 p.m.

Oh, and there's a Back To School party at the Speakeasy Arts Cooperative tonight, too.

LINK: New movies open today

LINK: Concerts go on sale today