THE LOWDOWN ON WHAT'S UP THIS WEEKEND >>>

WEATHER REPORT

Friday: Cloudy, hi 70, lo 53

Saturday: Chance of rain, hi 63, lo 48

Sunday: Cloudy, hi 61, lo 52

>>> FRIDAY, SEPT. 30: THERESE AMBROSI SMITH READ FROM WAX

Olympia's Orca Books welcomes novelist Therese Ambrosi Smith, who will read from her debut novel, Wax. According to promotion, Wax is a "story of strong female friendship, sexual discovery, and long-held secrets," set in the 1940s, a time period that offers WWII as a background. Described as fiction inspired by the real lives of the era's many Rosie the Riveters, themes of civil rights and feminism will no doubt be tackled.

• Orca Books, 6 p.m., free, 509 Fourth Ave. E., Olympia, 360.352.0123

>>> SATURDAY, OCT. 1: 24-HOUR COMICS DAY

Saturday members of the CLAW (Cartoonists' League of Absurdist Washingtonians) will gather at Comic Book Ink to celebrate 24 Hour Comics Day, challenging themselves once again to complete a 24 page comic in only 24 hours. This isn't the first time it's happened. In fact, 24 Hour Comics Days, and similar complete-a-comic-in-24-hours competitions, go down all over the country, all over the world, and perhaps even all over the universe. Comic Book Ink has hosted 24 Hour Comics Day two years running, with this year's madness marking the third rendition. The event benefits CLAW's scholarship fund, raising money to help students with a passion for cartooning pay for things like tuition, books or art supplies. Local cartoonists RR Anderson is said to be planning a Wyatt James Boy Detective entry. Consider yourself warned.

• Comic Book Ink, 10 a.m. start, 2510 S. 84^th St., Lakewood, 253.761.4651

>>> SATURDAY, OCT. 1: DOWNTOWN OLYMPIA CLEANUP

Just like your apartment, downtown Olympia gets messy after a while - in need of some sprucing up. That's one of the reasons why the Olympia Downtown Association and the Downtown Clean Up Committee put together two Downtown Clean Ups every year, each of them a week before the Spring and Fall Olympia Arts Walk events. And with Olympia's Fall Arts Walk just around the corner, this weekend marks the fall version of the Downtown Cleanup. Saturday volunteers will weed, sweep, rake, prune and paint downtown all for the good and beautification of the community. To volunteer or learn more check here or email odaevent@tss.net

• Downtown Olympia, 8:30 a.m. - noon, downtownolympia.com]

>>> SATURDAY, OCT. 1: Oktoberfest Tacoma

The Weekly Volcano would travel to the ends of the earth for a savory helping of local craft brews and soft pretzels. We've proven it before. But thankfully, on Saturday we only need to go as far as Tacoma's Opera Alley. Presented by the Triangle Business District, Amocat Café and The Mix, Oktoberfest Tacoma will feature local craft beer, pretzels, a pie-eating contest, chainsaw pumpkin carving and more from 2-10 p.m.

• Opera Alley, 2-10 p.m., $12-$18 includes five tastings, Seventh and Opera Alley, downtown Tacoma, oktoberfesttacoma.com

>>> SATURDAY, OCT. 1: Fall Harvest Farm Tour

A bevy of local Pierce County farms will take part in a joint vision brought to you by the WSU Extension, Pierce County Conservation District and Cascade Harvest Coalition: the HarvestFest 2011 Farm Tour. Expect farm tours (naturally), chef demos, wine tasting, hayrides, corn mazes and all the like - in addition to plenty of learning. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., experience local farms from the Puyallup Valley to Orting and beyond, including Picha Farms and Terry's Berries in P-Town, Sholz Farm and Tahoma Farms in Orting, and Blue Willow Lavender Farm on the Key Peninsula. For more info visit county.wsu.edu/king/agriculture/harvestcelebration.

>>> SUNDAY, OCT. 2: Pierce County Hunger Walk

The motto of the annual Pierce County Hunger Walk is, "Fighting hunger, one step at a time." It's a little cheese-ball, but it's also totally appropriate. According to promotional hype, last year, "more than 1,800 feet (900 or so people, we presume) ran, walked, shuffled and pedaled around Waughop Lake at Fort Steilacoom Park in Lakewood," all raising money to fight hunger in Pierce County and beyond. This year's goal is to raise $350,000, with half of the proceeds from Hunger Walk will benefit the Emergency Food and the other half going to international hunger relief agencies designated by each walker, including FISH Food Banks, St. Leo's Food Connection and several other food banks in the area.

• Fort Steilacoom Park, noon to 4 p.m., amhungerwalk.org  

>>> SUNDAY, OCT. 2: SEATTLE MANDOLIN ORCHESTRA

If you have yet to fully experience the musical majesty of the mandolin, Sunday offers perhaps the perfect opportunity to do just that, as the Tacoma Main Library welcomes the Seattle Mandolin Orchestra performing "The Italian Concert." Dedicated to, "revitalizing the mandolin ensemble and expanding its repertoire through commissions and arrangements," according to promotional hype, and led by Artistic Director and Conductor Joseph White, the Seattle Mandolin Orchestra features the entire mandolin family of instruments, even the mandocello and mandobass. Best of all Sunday's concert is free.

• Tacoma Main Library, 2 p.m., free, 1102 Tacoma Ave. S, Tacoma, 253.591.5666  

>>> WHERE OUR STAFF IS GOING

ALEC CLAYTON Visual Arts Critic
I'm going to see "The Love List" at Harlequin and think about Picasso's last years.

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BRETT CIHON Meat Market Correspondent/Features Writer
I'm headed to the Tempest Lounge in Tacoma for a shot of Meat Market. It will be nice to drink "spirits" instead of the normal "wells."

NIKKI TALOTTA Features Writer
I've got kid's soccer games and Oyster Fest, a birthday party and little rest. Hopefully a date on Saturday night, and if I get lucky, I'll be feeling alright. These will be my weekends for the next 15 years, it's no wonder I like to drink so many beers. Cheers!

CHRISTIAN CARVAJAL: Theater Critic
As per usual, all the theater troupes in Olympia opened their shows the same weekend, so I'm seeing Always...Patsy Cline at Capital Playhouse, The Love List at Harlequin, and Bunnicula at Olympia Family Theater.

JOANN VARNELL: Theater Critic
Saturday will be packed as I leave the little son with the husband and head to a baby shower. Saturday evening I will leave the little son with a babysitter and the husband and I are heading to Seattle to a German pub for a friend's birthday party. We'll be home early enough on Saturday to make it to church on Sunday.

STEVE DUNKELBERGER Meat Market Photographer
Kiddie time with his new bike and maybe a trip to the zoo. Fabulously boring daddy stuff.

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LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound