SATURDAY, OCT. 8, 2011 >>>

1. Join poet, author, editor and spoken word performer Quincy Troupe tonight at the Museum of Glass for what's being billed as a night of poetry and jazz. It runs from 7 - 9:30 p.m. and also features poetry readings by Tacoma's poet laureate Josie Emmons Turner and a performance by the Kareem Kandi Band. The event is presented in conjunction with Parenthetically Speaking: It's Only a Figure of Speech by Mildred Howard, currently on display at MOG.

2. It's finally here! The Donkey Creek Chum Festival that is! A celebration of salmon incubated and released as fry into Gig Harbor by the Gig Harbor Commercial Fishermen's Club now returning to span as mature salmon, and also a party for all who admire and cherish the role salmon plays in our local ecosystem, The Donkey Creek Chum Festival is always a good time. It starts at 10 a.m. and goes down where Harborview meets North Harborview along Gig Harbor's waterfront. The Chum Burgers hit the grill beginning at noon, and the kayak races are from 2 - 3:30 p.m.

3. Acoustic artist Sarah McQuaid plays Traditions Café tonight in Olympia. The all-ages action starts at 8 p.m.

4. It's become tradition. Beautiful, lederhosen-centric, malt-liquor-fueled tradition. Every year, customarily at Bob's Java Jive, co-creator Craig Egan and his cast of dedicated, party-making cohorts put together one of the coolest and most unique nights of the year - mixing ghetto culture, all things German and large quantities of Old E (or similarly malt adult beverages) to make Maltoberfest - thee place to be tonight. With music coming from prime sources like Saucy Yoda, Kramer and DJ Melodica (among many others) you know the tunes will be banging. And seeing as the $15 entry gets you all the malt liquor you could possibly drink (not to mention lots of German food), there's really no better bang for your party buck either. Remember to drain a forty for your toten Freunde. 

5. India.Arie's voice is known the world over. Over the course of a decade-spanning career (so far), Arie has managed to touch more than most with her equally inspiring and intimate musical efforts. Tonight, Arie and composer Idan Raichel will perform at the Washington Center in Olympia. Hype describes the teaming as a, "dynamic collaboration," that "bridges cultural divides and exemplifies the strength of raw, unadorned production." But see for yourself.

LINK: Even more things to do featured in The Weekend Hustle

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music tonight