Weekend Preview: family fun, sort of

Now that fall is here, beer tasting is in full swing since people won’t be outside as much as during the summer days.

The next beer event is the Fall Brew Fest at Varsity Grill from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. today. The $12 admission price gets seven fall beer samples and a grip of munchies to nosh between chugs. The featured beers will include: Deschutes Hop Trip, Sierra Nevada Brown Tumbler, Dick’s Brown Ale, Leinkugel Octoberfest, New Belgium Hoptober Golden Ale, Widmer Drop Top Amber, and Red Hook Late Harvest Autumn Ale. It could make a great stop on every Third Thursday Artwalk tour.

Tacoma Symphony Orchestra’s season opens Saturday with Gershwin & Guitar, a show featuring Guitarist Ana Vidovic. The orchestra will also perform Aaron Copland’s Billy the Kid and George Gershwin’s An American in Paris.

For something for the children, check out A Year with Frog and Toad at Tacoma Musical Playhouse, courtesy of the Tacoma Children’s Musical Theater on Saturday. Based on the popular series of books by Arnold Lobel, the show follows an entire year with “Frog” and “Toad” and a whole swamp-full of their friends, including Turtle, Snail, Mouse and Bird.

As for me, I will get a dose of children singing at the family concert of the Tacoma Youth Chorus on Saturday at Charles Wright. This free event will showcase some of the songs on the holiday concert roster.

And with that, the week will be over sooner than a Paris Hilton dry spell.