THURSDAY, NOV. 6 2014 >>>

1. Seattle-based Americana artist Kate Lynne Logan's smooth, ethereal tone of her voice draws comparisons to Allison Kruass and The Wailin' Jennys' Ruth Moody - gentle, but evocative. Paired with that steady-like-a-train guitar playing, her sound further blurs the lines between pop, Americana and alt-country. Logan will share her talent with The Swiss Restaurant and Pub beginning at 9 p.m.

2. Bill Bonnie, owner of Tacoma Wine Merchants and connected Enoteca Wine Bar in the Stadium District, has been searching and fighting Tacoma for years for a spot to open his Northwest centric upscale pub meets bistro concept. A former antique store next to the former blues club Coles in the town of Ruston is where he and his business partner, Donn Frostad of North Slope Construction, landed. After many months of renovation, the Point Defiance Tap and Grill will open today for lunch and dinner. Northwest beer is on tap.

3. The tragic, yet ultimately inspiring story of Rachel Corrie made its way from Olympia to around the world in a matter of days back in 2003, when The Evergreen State College student made her way to the Gaza Strip to protest the destruction of homes of Palestinians at the hands of the Israeli government. An Israeli bulldozer killed her when she stood between the heavy machinery and the house only to be crushed to death as the bulldozer went about its business. Her death sparked not only international attention and outrage but highlighted the struggle of the Palestinian people. My Name is Rachel Corrie is a one-woman play composed from Rachel's own journals, letters and emails creating a portrait of a messy, articulate, Salvador Dali-loving chain-smoker - with a passion for the music of Pat Benatar. Tacoma Little Theatre presents the emotional piece, directed by Niclas R. Olson, and featuring Lauren Nance for a one-night performance at 7:30 p.m.

4. The Keith Henson Octet is an eight-piece, five horn South Sound-based band featuring arrangements of jazz and popular danceable and listenable standards. Check them out at 8 p.m. in the B Sharp Coffee House.

5. Every Thursday night at Puget Sound Pizza, the Volcano's music critic Rev. Adam McKinney hosts a karaoke session showcasing a Tarantino-like mix of downtown denizens seriously singing Bill Withers and glasses-wearing gals squawking out punk rawk, plus appearances by local rock stars. McKinney, always looking dapper in his sportcoat, has a mellifluous singing voice, perfect for "Disco 2000" by Pulp, "Poisoning Pigeons in the Park" by Tom Lehrer, "Little Green Bag" by the George Baker Selection, "Pulling Mussels (From the Shell)" by Squeeze and his standard closing song, "Bottle of Wine" by the Fireballs.

LINK: Thursday, Nov. 6 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 5 2014 >>>

1. Remember when as a kid you sat on a swing, pumping your arms for all they could muster to get a motion going that felt like flying? Your mother was always worried that you'd go off and join Ringling Bros. Circus, but you went on to become an elementary school yard monitor. Other swing fanatics went on to perform aerial dance inside bars. The Brotherhood Takes Flight aerial show is back, featuring Jenn Johnson taking to the air with whimsy, strength and artful grace at The Brotherhood Lounge. The performance above the drinking crowd is just plain beautiful. A dance party with DJ Fir$t Lady follows the 8 p.m. performance.

2. Rear Admiral Eleanor Valentin, the first Filipino American female to be the Commander of Navy's Medicine Support Command and the first female director of the U. S. Navy's Medical Service Corps, will be the guest speaker at 6 p.m. in the Worthington Conference Center at Saint Martin's University. The areas under Valentin's command include the Naval Medical Logistics Command, the Navy Medicine Manpower, Personnel, Training and Education Command, the Navy Medicine Information Systems Support Activity, the Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center and the Naval Medical Research Center.

3. Margaret Cho is back for another night of two shows at the Tacoma Comedy Club. Cho is a fierce and funny ambassador for the Korean American community who makes amazing jokes about her parents, loves the gay community, loves sex (sometimes with women) and has starred in more TV shows at 46 than most comics will in a lifetime. Catch her at 6:30 and 9:30 p.m.

4. Every Wednesday Doyle's Public House hosts Knowledge Night, its version of a pub quiz, at 8 and 9 p.m. It is free to play. Speaking of free, Doyle's co-owner Russ Heaton is free to roam the room and look over your shoulder, crack wise and punch you in the arm.

5. Montana-based garage pop band Buddy Jackson sure know their way around a good "woh-oh." While there's certainly a good amount of fuzzed-out thrashing, Buddy Jackson always give you plenty of sugar to let the medicine go down. Melody and a good sing-along chorus seem to always be at the front of their minds, even when the lead vocals get pushed to the edge of a scream. Catch the band with Chasing Hornets and Hold Fast at 10 p.m. in Le Voyeur.

LINK: Wednesday, Nov. 5 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

SUNDAY, NOV. 2 2014 >>>

1. The Magic Flute is set in an unnamed fantasyland, but this production benefits from local stylistic influences. Tacoma Opera drew inspiration from the art and culture of Pacific Northwest Salish tribes, with valuable assistance from the Puyallup tribe in particular. The event's web page notes the indigenous culture's "impish sense of humor and ... immense respect for nature, all of which blend perfectly with the transcendent music." It'll be interesting to note how these tribal elements are woven into set and costume designs, as The Magic Flute's expansive, episodic structure demands a unifying aesthetic perspective. Read Christian Carvajal's full feature on The Magic Flute in the Music & Culture section, then enjoy the opera at 2 p.m. in the Rialto Theater.

2. Celebrating Day of the Dead in grand community style, the Tacoma Art Museum begins the month with a free community celebration today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Museum. Held in conjunction with Consulado de Mexico en Seattle, 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 10th 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. Seattle based brass band PugetBrass will perform pieces by Edward Gregson, as well as Ball, Downie and Richards at 2 p.m. in Building 2 at Tacoma Community College. Expect tuba soloist Andy Abel at this free concert.

4. Rich Wetzel's Groovin Higher Orchestra will drop in on Stonegate Pizza to perform a rockin' big band jazz dinner show from 5-8pm.

5. The Tacoma Comedy Club hosts another 5 for $5 Sunday night show featuring five of the best up and coming stand-up comedians, all performing for just $5. Scheduled to perform at 8 p.m. are emcee Monica Nevi, Cory Michaelis, Brett Hamil, Scott Losse and TBD. Oh man, the last time TBD played the Tacoma Comedy Club he unmercifully and hilariously shut down an extremely drunk, shoe-tossing heckler. The comic took the audience down unexpected roads as he wove intricate analogies about topics such as student loans and the realities of insomnia, which revealed more intelligence and insight than one might expect of a performer with a sports-bar demeanor and a gruff bark. In addition to TBD, TCC will also have Sunday Funday food and drink specials all night long.

LINK: Sunday, Nov. 2 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

FRIDAY, OCT. 31 2014 >>>

1. The frights are upon us once again, and there are, as always, plenty of ways to spend the Devil's holiday. The Weekly Volcanois your source for South Sound parties, theater performances, haunted houses and live music - it's up to you to decide where you'll go, and, of course, what you'll wear. Click here for a list of adult Halloween parties. Click here for South Sound live music and parties. Click here to read about a scary haunted house in Tacoma.

2. The Magic Flute is set in an unnamed fantasyland, but this production benefits from local stylistic influences. Tacoma Opera drew inspiration from the art and culture of Pacific Northwest Salish tribes, with valuable assistance from the Puyallup tribe in particular. The event's web page notes the indigenous culture's "impish sense of humor and ... immense respect for nature, all of which blend perfectly with the transcendent music." It'll be interesting to note how these tribal elements are woven into set and costume designs, as The Magic Flute's expansive, episodic structure demands a unifying aesthetic perspective. Read Christian Carvajal's full feature on The Magic Flute in the Music & Culture section, then enjoy the opera at 7:30 p.m. in the Rialto Theater.

3. Tacoma Little Theatre's staging of the classic tale of crime and betrayal, Dial "M" for Murder, draws your eye chiefly to three things: a telephone positioned on a desk by a window, an apartment's front door looming in the background and a green handbag resting on a davenport. These three ingredients, coordinated in symphony, are the most powerful chess pieces in a play that is less a "whodunit," as the program notes, and more of an exploration of what happens after "it" has been done. Read Rev. Adam McKinney's full review of Dial "M" for Murder in the Music & Culture section, then see the play at 7:30 p.m.

4. Most musicians first get their feet wet by aping their favorite bands for hours in front of their mirrors, so it makes perfect sense that bands would dress up as their favorite acts for Halloween. To wit, Night of the Living Tribute Bands features Olympia's musicians and artists forming one-off bands to pay tribute to some of the greatest acts in music history. While it may be a one night event, some of these thrown together tribute acts practice for months in advance. Read Christian Carvajal's full feature story on Night of the Living Tribute Bands in the Music & Culture section, then head to the Capitol Theater at 8 p.m.

5. Vampires, alien invasion, monsters and Frankenstein: these are the things of which Misfits songs are made. It's appropriate punkgrass band The Rusty Cleavers will perform seven Misfits songs as part of their distilled rootsy meets punchy punk set Halloween night. Also on the bill is Shotgun Kitchen, with stories about white-trash-living and country-road-dying. Remember sexy costumes are to Halloween what ketchup is to french fries. Speaking of french fries, there is nothing sexier than dressing up as an artery-clogging fast food item. Catch the bands at 9 p.m. at The Valley.

LINK: Friday, Oct. 31 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

THURSDAY, OCT. 30 2014 >>>

1. During the American occupation of Japan at the end of World War II, more than 100,000 native Japanese women married American soldiers. Between 1946 and 1960, they came to the United States with their husbands and were settled at remote Army posts around the country, one of which, Fort Riley, in Kansas, is the setting for Velina Hasu Houston's born-in-anger play, TEA, opens at Tacoma theater company Dukesby Productions at 7:30 p.m. The story revolves around five Japanese women who are supposed to become a part of the great American melting pot. But when one of them shoots herself, the others are drawn to the traditional Japanese teapot.

2. New works by some old favorites in pen and pencil, metal and dirt can be seen for the last time as "Metal & Paint: New Work by Jeremiah Maddock, Kyle Dillehay and Quinn Honan" closes today at Moss + Mineral.

3. The Tacoma Runners will summon their inner ghoul for tonight's Night Before Halloween Run. That's right, the Runners will don costumes for their weekly 3-mile run, which begins at 6:30 p.m. at The New Frontier Lounge in Tacoma's Dome District. We're talking running zombies people!

4. A Pre-Halloween Extravaganza featuring The Oly Mountain Boys, The Pine Hearts and Br'er Rabbit hits the McLane Grange Hall in Olympia at 8 p.m. The all-ages show is $5, but only $3 if you bring a carved pumpkin. 

5. The Sixth Avenue Mexican restaurant turned dance club at night Masa hosts two Halloween parties: DJ Niros and a costume contest tonight at 10 p.m., and another costume contest and DJ Sessions upstairs and DJ Derdee downstairs Halloween night. Cash prizes for best costumes and drink specials are on the dockets.

LINK: Thursday, Oct. 30 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

TUESDAY, OCT. 28 2014 >>>

1. The paintings of Mark Landis have been featured in at least 46 museums in 20 different states over the course of 30 years. So why isn't this shy, slender Mississippian a renowned artist in his own right? Chalk it up to his knack for crafting expert forgeries of everyone ranging from Valtat to Picasso, Seuss to Schulz, as chronicled in the fascinating documentary Art and Craft, screening at 1:30 and 6:30 p.m. in The Grand Cinema. Co-directors Sam Cullman, Jennifer Grausman, and Mark Becker allow museum registrars crackle about getting duped (one insists Landis should be in jail). But mostly the film steeps us in Landis's existence. He paints. He watches TV. He measures time by how many years it's been since his mother passed. The film's a fascinating portrait of loneliness, of the mind, of talent undirected toward purpose.

2. Northern Pacific Coffee Company cold brewed Turkish coffee from Olympia Coffee Roasting Company and delivered gallons of it to Narrows Brewing Co.'s head brewer Joe Walts. Walts added the coffee and spices from Mad Hat Tea Co. to his cardamom stout recipe, brewed it slowly at low temperature to extract all of the brilliant notes of the coffee while reducing acidity for a balance between the coffee and malt in the beer. Walts then brought in a secret weapon to add a creamy finish. The easy drinking Coffee Cardamom Stout - 4.3 percent alcohol - will debut at 6 p.m. at a release party in Northern Pacific Coffee Company.

3. Pacific Lutheran University will host a free public screening of the multiple-award-winning documentary Sweet Dreams at 7 p.m. in the Anderson University Center Regency Room, followed by a Q&A session with its director, Academy Award-winner Lisa Fruchtman, with ice cream provided by Tacoma's female-owned Ice Cream Social. Sweet Dreams is the story of female survivors from both sides of Rwanda's 1994 genocide who defied devastation to form the country's first all-female drumming troupe - and later to open its first ice-cream shop, Inzozi Nziza (Sweet Dreams).

4. Radio and theater performer Harlan Zinck reads spooky stories for adults at 7 p.m. in the Lakewood Pierce County Library. Zinck, a frequent contributor to Lakewood Playhouse, has shared his talents with hundreds of listeners throughout the Puget Sound region in his popular "Story Time for Grownups" programs.

5. Cirque Zuma Zuma, a world music and dance show seen by millions on America's Got Talent, will bring spectacular African performers at 7:30 p.m. in Schneebeck Concert Hall at University of Puget Sound. Created as an "African circus," the 15-member troupe combines the mysticism of Africa with the nonstop excitement of a theatrical cirque performance. Described as an "African-style Cirque du Soleil" because of the rigorous standards of the performers - trained in Kenya and Tanzania - and the dynamic quality of the show, it's suitable for all ages.

LINK: Tuesday, Oct. 28 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

FRIDAY, OCT. 24, 2014 >>>

1. Pimp 'n' Ho parties just aren't cuttin' it anymore, are they? Neither are the toga parties, the erotic costume contests or naughty nurses. So much bare flesh, so much cold weather. If Halloween is really to turn into The Day of Getting As Close to Naked As Possible, it should be moved to July. This is not the point. The Weekly Volcano apologizes. The point is that, for you, today no longer holds the magic it once did. You yearn for Halloweens of yesteryear. Fort Nisqually Living History Museum at Point Defiance Park has you covered with its 20th version of Bonfires, Beaver Pelts and Bogeymen - a chance for revelers of all shapes and sizes to sit by a bonfire, sip cider, eat cookies and hear tales of ghostly pipers, haunted whaling ships and demon snakes told by the scariest folks of all - those who dress in clothing from the 1800s for fun. The wood will be lit at 7 p.m.

2. The Magic Flute is set in an unnamed fantasyland, but this production benefits from local stylistic influences. Tacoma Opera drew inspiration from the art and culture of Pacific Northwest Salish tribes, with valuable assistance from the Puyallup tribe in particular. The event's web page notes the indigenous culture's "impish sense of humor and ... immense respect for nature, all of which blend perfectly with the transcendent music." It'll be interesting to note how these tribal elements are woven into set and costume designs, as The Magic Flute's expansive, episodic structure demands a unifying aesthetic perspective. Read Christian Carvajal's full feature on The Magic Flute in the Music & Culture section, then catch the performance at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 31 in the Rialto Theater.

3. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is Lakewood Playhouse's 7th Annual Live Radio Show and is also their spooky Halloween offering at 8 p.m. For two nights only, the theater will be transformed into a live radio show featuring actors reading many parts and the director (and many of the actors) performing all the sound effects. The show starts with "another twisted episode from the iconic radio show "Lights Out" and many more surprises" before beginning Robert Louis Stevenson's classic horror tale of a scientist and the monster that lurks just under the surface. Read Joann Varnell's review of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde on our Walkie Talkie blog.

4. The Little O and his Lonely One Man Folk-Punk Band is a wonderfully self-referential project. As the one-man band in question, the Little O is a self-styled caricature of a rambling troubadour. Most of his songs are titled with variations on "The Little O Sings About (Blank)," essentially rendering him a kind of Sunday comics character, doing bluesy little folk ditties about his thoughts on zines, phone calls, postcards, and - most delightfully - what it's like to be a one-man band. Catch Little O with Forest Beutel, Micaela Cooley and Emelie Peine at 8 p.m. in the Northern Pacific Coffee Company.

5. Sounding like a cross between Captain Beefheart's elegant experimentalism and the Shaggs' aggressive non-conformity, Philadelphia's Hermit Thrushes possess the sort of innate musicality that might make you believe that they're just making shit up as they go along, even when it's been carefully laid out. Every halting screech and skronk and sideswiping instrumental intrusion is in its right place. Take it all in with REDS, Humidity and Static at 8 p.m. in Half Pint Pizza Pub.

LINK: Friday, Oct. 24 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

Critics aren't often invited to preview a rehearsal which is why I was pleasantly surprised that director James Venturini allowed me to take a peek at their tech rehearsal for Lakewood Playhouse's upcoming show, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. This particular show is Lakewood Playhouse's 7th Annual Live Radio Show and is also their spooky Halloween offering. For two nights only, the theater will be transformed into a live radio show featuring actors reading many parts and the director - and many of the actors - performing all the sound effects. The show starts with "another twisted episode from the iconic radio show Lights Out and many more surprises" before beginning Robert Louis Stevenson's classic horror tale of a scientist and the monster that lurks just under the surface.

Anyone that has ever wondered about sound effects on the radio - or even the Foley effects added into TV and film - should see this show. The Foley stage is set up stage right and contains a plethora of props and gadgets that give the auditory illusion of various things. The cleverness alone would have been impressive as a roaring fire, wind, things breaking and other more lurid - and some mundane - sounds were created but the quick pace and necessity of as many as three artists simultaneously creating the effects was simply fascinating to watch. Center stage are three microphones and behind them are chairs the actors inhabit when they aren't helping with sound effects or reading their lines in front of the mics.

The cast of seven takes on double duty (or more) by portraying more than one character. Maintaining one character can be challenging enough but portraying multiple characters without the aid of costuming and only their voices shows what a skilled cast director James Venturini has. Harlan Zinck is Mr. Roth and others, Kira Zinck plays various characters, David Phillips plays "a lot" as well as Dr. Lanyon, Kait Mahoney is Helen Trent, Mrs. Poole and others, Nicole Lockett plays Ms. Moss and others, Jimmy Gilletti is Mr. Utterson among others, and Christian Carvajal is Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Judging by the camaraderie and verbal hijinks whenever they had a spare moment, the cast truly loves working with each other and enjoys the show. This love will no doubt be apparent in every line they perform and hopefully, in turn, the audience will walk away feeling like they saw something truly special.

Tickets are a great deal at $25 each or $40 per couple since light h'orderves are included. Five dollar glasses of wine will also be available making the show perfect for taking a special date or even just doing something fun for yourself.

DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE, 8 p.m., Friday, Oct. 24-Saturday, Oct. 25, Lakewood Playhouse, 5729 Lakewood Towne Center Blvd. SW, Lakewood, $25, $40 couple, 253.588.0042

Did you know the last name of Hyde's more civilized alter ego is pronounced "Jeek'l?" Nor did I, but that's how Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson pronounced it. That's the fun sort of fact an actor learns working on reader's theater. One also learns Stevenson possessed an intimidating vocabulary, requiring frequent trips to unabridged dictionaries for words like cupola, ebullition and troglodytic. But what is reader's theater, anyway? Is it simply a script read out loud?

It turns out no one quite agrees on that. In fact, it's hard to say whether an apostrophe should be in the term reader's theater, or if it should, exactly where it should go. Some sources prefer chamber theater or interpretive theater. (I actually prefer "theatre," but our chosen style guide disagrees.) In some venues, it means an unmemorized performance, usually in black clothes, with scripts held on music stands or in matching binders. Often nowadays, it means a somewhat-memorized performance in any level of wardrobe. Lighting varies from ordinary house bulbs to full, colorful lighting plots. Spoken words may be accompanied by sound effects and/or music, often performed live. This can make potential audience members skittish: what exactly will we be getting for our money?

The answer may be novelty and relevance of material. One of the best things about the format is its relatively low expense, which can embolden a  company to take on riskier material. Readings are often billed as "pop-up" or "second stage" efforts, perhaps bonus events for artier subscribers. Lakewood Playhouse presents The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde only two nights, Oct. 24 and 25, on a double bill with an episode of the 1930s sci-fi radio series Lights Out. For what it's worth, I've been cast in the dual title role, but radio-style performances are always carefully orchestrated team efforts. The sound effects alone are a two-person job.

Nov. 6, director Nic Olson presents a reader's theater performance of My Name Is Rachel Corrie at Tacoma Little Theatre, with Lauren Nance as Ms. Corrie. Olson's a longtime fan of dramatic readings; his company, New Muses, produced staged readings of This Is Our Youth, On the Verge, and Copenhagen at TLT and LP over the last year. He'll direct a reading of Angels in America at Olympia Little Theatre in February, and who can blame him for eschewing a memorized production? That show, which is usually split into long halves called Millennium Approaches and Perestroika, is easily six hours long. Of course, it's also a modern-day classic deserving of an audience's investment of time and attention.

The trick for spectators will be - as it always is for reader's theater - to simply lean back, close our eyes, and let sounds and dialogue wash over our minds. Actors relish these opportunities to switch vocal cadences and timbres, flicking through distinct characters right before our very ears. Of course, theater seats can be terribly comfy, so I recommend avoiding hearty, soporific meals beforehand. In a reader's theater performance space, everyone including the actors hears a sudden snore.

SUNDAY, OCT. 19 2014 >>>

1. A prolific songwriter, Doug MacLeod performs his own work. Others like it, too, including the likes of Albert King and Albert Collins, who have covered his songs. MacLeod, winner of two 2014 Blues Music Awards, the perennial Blues Music Award Nominee, is a singer-songwriter in the American tradition. He is a traveling artist that writes and sings original songs that are based on his own life and experiences. In performance, MacLeod is known for his unique, unorthodox and powerfully rhythmic acoustic guitar style that incorporates a churning beat to complement his intricate bottleneck and finger-style technique. At the heart of this is his knack for storytelling, bringing characters-from the faceless to the legendary-to strikingly real life. MacLeod is performing live at Blues Vespers at 5 p.m. in the Immanuel Presbyterian Church.

2. Little Creek Casino will offer "authentic" German cuisine and more than 30 varieties of beer from around the world as well as wines and spirits from noon to 8 p.m. as part of its 2nd Annual Oktoberfest. A traditional keg-tapping ceremony will be held at noon followed by live entertainment. Admission is $10 per person and includes a souvenir beer mug and 10 tasting tickets.

3. "Metal-Urge" is a massive celebration of all things metal-art forged by 80 artists holding firm in 20 venues all around Tacoma through the month of October and November. "Metal-Urge" is a citywide celebration of the metal arts that includes both traditional and non-traditional gallery venues exhibiting the metal work of talented artists and includes jewelry, sculptures, vessels, home décor, enamel and artifacts. "Metal-Urge" arrives today in the form of a community featival from noon to 3 p.m. at Tollefson Plaza. Expect live sword fighting reenactments, blacksmithing demonstrations, hands-on metal crafts, steel music and more.

4. The Northwest Playwrights Alliance's Double Shot Play Fest is a chance for local scribes to show off and, just as important, for the organization to make a little spending cash. Consider this: eager writers go to work the evening before the festival, as that's when they're handed the topic for a brand-new, 10-minute play. A troupe of actors arrives at Broadway Center the next morning to rehearse the resulting scripts for a 2 show at Theatre on the Square. This year, in a welcome shift toward marginalized voices, the writers, directors, and repertory cast are all women. Read Christian Carvajal's full feature on the Double Shot Play Fest in the Music & Culture section.

5. The Lakewood and Tacoma Historical Societies are joining forces to commemorate the World War I centennial and the fascinating role citizens of Pierce County played in establishing Camp Lewis in 1917. "Every year we put on the Destiny Dinner, which is one of our largest events," explained Bill Baarsma, president of the Tacoma Historical Society. "But when we realized it was the centennial of the Great War - because the events that began in 1914 inevitably led to the U.S. entry to the war - we knew this was a great time to honor our military and the long-standing ties to this community." That rich heritage will be showcased during the Salute to Pierce County event at 4 p.m. Oct. 19 at the American Lake Conference Center on Joint Base Lewis-McChord North.

LINK: Sunday, Oct. 19 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area