SUNDAY, NOV. 3 2013 >>>

1. The 2014 International Blues Challenge will consume Memphis's famed Beale Street beginning Jan. 21. More than 150 acts will fill 16 venues through the following Saturday with the finals in the beautiful Orpheum Theater. The number of competing acts in the competition has more than doubled in the past five years, from 69 acts in 2003 to 125 bands and 80 solo/duo acts from 34 states and eight countries last year, including entries from Finland and India as well as Australia, Canada, France, Italy, Taiwan and the United States. If you haven't heard Finnish blues, you ain't heard nothin'. And the guys from Tacoma are no slouches either. That's right, The Randy Oxford Band (band) and pianist Arthur Migliazza (solo/duo) will rep the South Sound, after they won the harts of the crowd and judges over several competitions held earlier this year, thanks to the South Sound Blues Association. The SSBA hosts its second Back to Beale Street Blues 2014 Fundraiser Concert today to help pay costs and to provide the South Sound with one hell of a blue concert.The following will blast Jazzbones with awesome blues from 4-10 p.m., in order: Michelle Taylor and the Blues Junkies, Nolan Garrett, Blues Redemption, Maia Santell and her All Star Blend, Arthur Migliazza and the Randy Oxford Band.

2. Celebrating Day of the Dead in grand community style, the Tacoma Art Museum caps a month of events with a free community celebration today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Museum. Held in conjunction with Centro Latino and Proyecto Molé, the festival celebrates Dia de los Muertos with traditional music and dance, art activities, sugar skull decoration, and displays of art that include a traditional Tapete, or sand painting, and community altars honoring passed loved ones, as well as student artwork demonstrations. This family friendly event, the ninth in so many years, brings together cultural iconography with activities that bring to light how a grim subject can be celebrated - and enjoyed - by all ages, inviting conversation about loss, remembrance, and the rich fabric of diversity.

3. The Chihuly Weekend Experience continues from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Museum of Glass. Stop by and watch Dale Chihuly and his team create pieces inspired by the "Irish Cylinders" - originally created in 1975 - with artist Seaver Leslie and glass artist Flora C. Mace in the cone.

4. The 12th annual Tacoma Studio Tour wraps up today from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Some of Tacoma's better artists open their studios up to the public. If yesterday's tour is any indication, expect a lot of demonstrations today. With 39 participating artists or art groups, you will not be able to visit them all, so study the guide to decide which studios you want to visit. If you're looking for recommendations, click here to see the five artists whose studios Weekly Volcano art critic Alec Clayton would like to visit. If you're looking to kick back and have someone else do the driving, hope on the Art Bus.

5. Dirty rhymes, sexy times, shit-talkin', costume-wearing, debauchery and brilliant parodies have led many to cite Blowfly as the father of rap. Since the early '70s Blowfly has made more than 40 albums, some clean, under his birth name Clarence Reid, and most dirty, with titles like "Funk You" and "'Electronic Pussy Sucker." Now, Blowfly is on tour promoting his new album, Black in the Sack, and will hit up The Brotherhood Lounge in Olympia at 9 p.m. with local rawkers Mosquito Hawk, who have their own special blend of sexy songs and space travel.

LINK: Sunday, Nov. 3 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area