WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 17 2014 >>>

1. It is not too early to be planning your St. Patrick's Day celebration - March 17 is six months away. To help you get in the mood - and another reason to drink a bunch of Jameson whiskey - Doyle's Public House will host its annual Halfway to St. Patrick's Day Party. The party begins with Doyle's Guinness Club toast at 5:17 p.m. All the members gather before Grand Poobah Russ Heaton, who recognizes members who have hit milestones, such as 500 pints of Guinness, while the other members tear up. After the announcement, Heaton raises a glass of the Irish Mother's Milk and toasts the members. The next Dublin On Doyle's finalist will be drawn at 8 p.m., followed with the Irish drinking bluegrass band The Rusty Cleavers. From 8-10 p.m. the weekly Knowledge Night trivia contest waits for no party, with shotty rewards.

2. Thousands of people across the country, mostly women, play Bunco, which originated as a British parlor game and came to the United States as a gambling game in the 1800s. More recently, Bunco was prevalent among housewives who would play at lunchtime while their husbands worked. Today, it has evolved into an evening social event, such is the case every third Wednesday at Morso wine bar. Kicking off with a social hour at 6 p.m., the dice roll at 7 p.m. Morso will serve a Bunco Bites menu. Expect prizes for the biggest winner and loser. Space is limited; RSVP at 253.530.3463.  

3. If you'd like to see and hear what the Arctic Circle is before it melts away, as well as Norway, Finland, Sweden and Iceland, the World Affairs Council Tacoma hosts Beth Willis and Becky Bianco who will recount their journey to theses locales, which included encounters with reindeer, hot springs, geysers and a traditional Sami Village. Their "Places You Never Expect To Go: Crossing The Arctic Circle and Above" lecture begins at 7 p.m. in Annie Wright's Great Hall.

4. The Jazz Sound Trio, aka Pacific Lutheran University jazz faculty members David Deacon-Joyner on piano, Clipper Anderson on bass and Mark Ivester on drums, perform at 8 p.m. in Lagerquist Concert Hall.

A year ago this week the Easy Star All Stars performed their opus, Dub Side of the Moon, at Jazzbones. Replacing of the cash registers on "Money" with rhythmic bong rips was brilliant. "Us and Them" was an utter showstopper in reggae. The reggae collective is back at Jazzbones to blend reggae, classic rock, dub and indie rock into one big stone groove at 8 p.m. The band with the greatest name in the world is also holding court at Jazzbones. Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad is a young group of fantastic musicians who kerplunk the one-drop pure and beautiful. Yeah sure, it's reggae, but there's no Rasta-posturing in the group's original tunes, just good, original, fun music - danceable as hell, too.

LINK: Wednesday, Sept. 17 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area