Arts & Entertainment

"Connections" by Shirley Erickson is on display in Karla Matzke's world-class fine art gallery. Her new show, "Fall Colors, Walking Trails and Fabulous Art" opened Sept. 26 and runs through Nov. 1. The gallery is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekends and by appointment on weekdays. For information see www.matzkefineart.com or call 387-2759. Art shows

• "Cascadia: Born From Nature" in the Russell Day Gallery at Everett Community College contains art inspired by the nature of this region created by three artists from Stanwood and Camano Island in ceramics, fiber and mixed media, through Oct. 30. The artists will speak about their work at the gallery at 3 p.m. Oct. 15.

• "Of Clocks and Crows" runs through Oct. 20 in the historic Monte Cristo at 1507 Wall St. in downtown Everett. Presented by the Arts Council of Snohomish County, the gallery is open 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Saturdays. For information see www. artscouncilofsnoco.org.

• "Something Different" is presented by The Edison Eye Oct. 3- 16 in downtown Edison, open 11 a.m.- 5 p.m. with an opening reception 5- 10 p.m. Oct. 3. For information call 360-766-6276.

Lyric Light Opera presents "The Sound of Music" at McIntyre Hall in Mount Vernon Nov. 7 - 15 and at Kirkland Performance Center Nov. 29 - Dec. 6. www. lyriclightopera.org, 360- 416-7277, 866-624-6897 or for Kirkland, www. kpcenter.org, 425-893- 9900. Gallery by the Bay

Classes at Gallery by the Bay this month include Michele Cooper on tricks in watercolor painting, Tuesday mornings, Sept. 29 through Oct. 27. Dianna Shyne will teach "Portraits in water media" Wednesday afternoons and from 6 - 9 p.m. evenings, she'll teach impressionism through October. For more classes see the Web site at www.gallerybythebay. com/classes or call 629-4297.

Silk for Cocoon House

An Evening in Silk benefits Cocoon House providing homes for homeless teens. The dinner and auction is from 6:30 - 9 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 1 at the Everett Events Center. For information call 425-259-3342.

Camano Lutheran Church hosts the Ugandan Orphan's Choir. They will present a free concert on Oct. 28, 7 p.m. The choir is made up of children who have been orphaned by the Aids epidemic. The purpose of the tour is to raise funds so that more children can be educated. For information see http://childcareworldwide. org. Oktober Fest

Oktober Fest features bratwurst, sauerkraut, sweet and sour red cabbage, German potato salad, green beans, brotchen roll and dessert, all with live music by Hugo's Accordion Band, 6- 8 p.m., Friday, Oct. 2, at the Stanwood Community and Senior Center, 7430 276th St. NW.

Taste of the Northwest

The Everett Community College Foundation presents Gusto!, 6:30-9:30 p.m. Oct. 2 at the Comcast Arena in Everett. A celebration of the best of Northwest food, wine and micro brews, admission is $40 per person to benefit the Everett Community College Foundation that funds college scholarships, equipment and programs.

For tickets, call the Comcast Arena Everett box office at 866-332-8499 or go online at www.comcastarenaeverett. com. For information call 425-388-9535 or visit the Gusto! Web site at www.everettcc.edu/gusto.

Skagit River poetry

Three internationally acclaimed poets read from their collections Saturday, Oct. 3, at the Museum of Northwest Art in La Conner. Linda Bierds, Mary Cornish and Laura Crozier will share their wisdom, wit and keen poetic eye beginning 6:30 p.m. at 121 First St. Donations at the door to benefit poets in schools. For information see www.skagitriverpoetry. org.

Party for Puget Sound

Harbor Lights 2009 dinner and auction presented by People For Puget Sound is Saturday, Oct. 10 for supporters of clean water to "Party for the Sound" at The Fremont Studios in Seattle. Reservations are $125, online at HarborLights09.org. For sponsorship and donation information, contact Meadow Pederson, mpederson@ pugetsound.org, and 206-382-7005, ext. 230.

Shanghai Circus

The new Shanghai Circus is coming to the Everett Civic Auditorium Saturday, Oct. 10 for two performances, at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available through Tix.Com by calling 800- 595-4849 or going on line to www.tix.com and may also be purchased at Everett Pack-Man, located just two block south of the Civic Auditorium, 2625 Colby Ave. The New Shanghai Circus has a company in residence and its own theater in Branson, Missouri.

La Conner concert series

Guitarist and composer Andre Feriante is featured in the first concert of the seventh annual "Winterinto Spring" concert season presented by the La Conner Institute of Performing Arts at La Conner's Maple Hall at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9. Feriante blends the traditions of classical guitar music, jazz, the flamenco sound of the gypsies of Spain and Italy and contemporary Brazilian to create his own musical style.

Rocktoberfest

Marysville Rock and Gem Club has announced its 35th annual Rocktoberfest Gem and Mineral Show Oct. 10 and 11 at Totem Middle School, 7th Street and State Avenue. Hours are 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. For information see www.geocities.com or call 425-238-8222.

Fall into Art Auction

The 6th annual Fall into Art Auction, presented by the Arlington Arts Council to raise funds for public art in Arlington starts 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17 with an early bird raffle and welcome beverages until 6 p.m.

Admission is $30, covering a Pacific Rim buffet dinner, silent and live auctions, a variety of raffle prizes and a message on the value of public art from Mayor Margaret Larson. Auctioneer April Brown is bringing her husband, a popular radio sports broadcaster, Mike Brown, as emcee and catalogue reader. Tickets are available at Flowers by George in historical downtown Arlington, and at Brush Strokes Art Supply in Smokey Point. For information call Sarah Hegge at 360-403-3448.

Big Red Barn Art Festival

A family-oriented event that includes a children's art show, plant sale, and art exhibitors, the Big Red Barn Art Festival off Pioneer Highway at 21916 7th Ave. NE at Arlington includes a variety of media from oils, watercolors and acrylics to jewelry, pottery, and garden art. Open 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Oct. 17 and 18, art activities provided for kids by Vicki Carver, of Marysville. Sponsored by Brush Strokes Art Supply and hosted by Countryside Meadows. For information see www.countrysidemeadows. com.

Gal-Apalooza

A funky, fun and fashionable event, the 12th annual Gal-Apalooza at the Monte Cristo 1507 Wall St. in Everett is the place for girls to discover their inner diva with locally designed clothing, jewelry and accessories. Learn to belly dance, take in a relaxing massage, try out a new hairstyle and win prizes from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 24. For information see www. artscouncilofsnoco.org.

Theater

• "Caught in the Net" is presented by the Anacortes Community Theater through Oct. 17. Order tickets by phone at 360-293-6829.

• Intiman Theatre concludes its 2009 season with Robert E. Sherwood's "Abe Lincoln in Illinois," directed by Intiman Associate Director Sheila Daniels with performances at 201 Mercer St. at Seattle Center, on Friday, Oct. 2 through Nov. 15. A pay-what-you-can performance is 7:30 p.m. Oct. 7. Tickets are available from www.intiman.org or 206- 269-1900.

• "Runt of the Litter" written and performed by Bo Eason runs through Oct. 11 at ACT in Seattle and "Rock n' Roll" by Tom Stoppard is directed by Kurt Beattie Oct. 9 - Nov. 8. For tickets call 206- 292-7676.

• Northwest Savoyards presents "Oliver" Oct. 17 - Nov. 1 at the Historic Everett Theatre, 2911 Colby Ave., tickets on line at everetttheatre. org or call 425- 258-6766.

Calls for art

• Lowell Art Works seeks artists for two upcoming shows "Alice in Wonder- Lowell: Fables, Fairy Tales and the Fallout" and "One More Time2! The Recycle Art Show". Prospectus and submission forms available on website www.lowellartworks. com/LAWartcalls.

• Deadline is Oct. 2 to submit proposals in all media to American Art Resources, currently working with Providence Regional Medical Center to find local artists to install peaceful works of art to aid in the healing process for its new 12-story medical tower opening in 2011. Contact Melissa Davis at 1-800- 282-0204 or melissa.davis@ AmericanArtResources.com.

• Deadline is Oct. 5 to submit proposals to the city of Lynnwood for its newly expanded recreation center. Information at www.4culture. org/publicart/calls/.

• The city of Blaine is seeking artists interested in creating site-specific public art for Lighthouse Park Water Reclamation Facility. www. cityofblaine.com/art.

• Deadline is Oct. 6 to submit a proposal to The Good Shepherd Baptist Church, which is seeking an artist to create a mural for Shepherd's Garden, an apartment building for seniors on low incomes. For information contact Rev. M. Christopher Boyer at 425-774-1010 or gsbchurch@verizon.net.

• The Blue Horse Gallery seeks artists for its 12th annual "Reaching for the Light" breast cancer awareness exhibit. Work related to breast cancer is preferred, along with a statement describing the artist's experience with breast cancer to be displayed with the art. For information call 360-671-2305 or see the Web site www.bluehorsegallery. com.

• Arts of Snohomish is seeking artist for members to show and sell art and learn the gallery business. See www.artsofsnohomish.org or call 360-568-8648.

• The Collective Visions Gallery is seeking entries to the 2010 CVG Show, a statewide, juried art competition for artists residing in Washington. For information see www.collectivevisions.com or call 360-377-8327.

Music

• Hands Together presents "Voices Together," a benefit for the homeless in Arlington, 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 4 at the Byrnes Performing Arts Center at Arlington High School. Area churches are gathering to perform choral music, with other classical performances between, including a string duet with Sarah Hall and her brother Aaron Hall. For information and tickets call 360-403-1011.

• Flowmotion plays at Wild Buffalo in Bellingham 10 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 1. At 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2, JuiceBox, Cody Beebe and the Crooks, The Vantage are local bands playing for a very low price and sponsorship by Sierra Nevada offers cheap pints. A country western band, Hoss is set for Saturday, Oct. 3 with free admission. Josh Clauson on Oct. 16 and on Oct. 23 Panda Conspiracy, Staxx Brothers.

• Western Washington University's Sanford Piano Series 2009-2010 season will feature two native Washingtonians: Charlie Albright and Stephen Beus. The season begins Friday, Oct. 9, with a performance by Albright and will conclude on Thursday, Jan. 14, 2010, with Beus. Both concerts will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center Concert Hall on campus. Tickets are available through the Western Box Office, 360-650-6146, Village Books and the Community Food Co-op, and online at http://tickets.wwu.edu.

Nordic Heritage Museum

The Nordic Heritage Museum will celebrate 30 years on Saturday, Oct. 3, with a special fund-raising dinner and special guest chef Ludger Szmania of Magnolia's famous Szmania's restaurant. For information contact sarahl@nordicmuseum.org or 206-789-5707, ext. 32.

Christmas House

Prime indoor space for 50 or more vendors is available at Brindles for the annual "Christmas House." Deadline to apply is Oct. 15 and the show opens Oct. 17. A grand Christmas House opening is set for Nov. 1. Contact Sylvy at 360-572-4577 or e-mail to sylvy111@aol.com.