By Janette Turner

Folks in the know mark October on their calendars as “Arts Crush.” If you’ve never heard of Arts Crush, then you may be unaware we are in the midst of “31 days of creative adventures,” with numerous events statewide. We pared the list to the primo ones. All of which happen to be in Edmonds.

Thursday: Kathleen Flenniken to speak at library

As part of Arts Crush, Washington State Poet Laureate Kathleen Flenniken will speak at the Edmonds Library on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. about her book “Plume,” and her childhood spent near the Hanford nuclear site. The free event is sponsored by Edmonds Arts Commission, Edmonds Sno-Isle Library, Friends of the Edmonds Library, EPIC Writers Group, and Swedish Art Committee. For more info, visit here.

Friday: Olympic Ballet Theatre at ECA

Edmonds Center for the Arts hosts  Olympic Ballet Theatre (OBT) on Friday at 7 p.m. as part of the Arts Crush Festival. The OBT troupe and student dancers will perform excerpts from “Giselle,” “Swan Lake,” “The Sleeping Beauty,” “The Nutcracker,” and more. Call 425 774 7570 for details, or register here for this free event.

Friday: Mike Harline at Corner Coffee Bar & Cafe

Mike Harline and his guitar.

Perrinville parties on Friday night with live music, 6:30-8:30, by Mike Harline at Corner Coffee Bar & Café. Call 425 776 3616 for more information.

Saturday: Otherworlds store hosts Airship Masquerade

Festivities of the fantastical surface Saturday at 5 p.m. at the Otherworlds Store. If you plan to attend this free event, you will see Airship Masquerade, games, authors and a live performance by Toy-Box Trio. Just make sure to bone up on the rules:

“DO NOT leave your tools in your berths. In the event of turbulence or enemy action, you will be expected to man your stations in full masquerade dress.

“DO NOT wear costumes interfering with your duties. If your lovely butterfly wings come away with machine oil on ’em, that’s your own lookout. We all saw what happened when All Hallow’s Eve festivities were forbidden last year, after the incident with the horse costume in the education pipe.” For more rules and information see here.

Saturday: ECA hosts recording artist John McCutcheon

Folk musician John McCutcheon comes to Edmonds Center for the Arts on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. McCutcheon has performed and recorded for 35 years, garnering seven Grammy nominations and accolades for his storytelling about ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Tickets at the ECA box office at (425) 275-9595 or on-line at www.ec4arts.org. 

Tuesday: Open house at the library

Edmonds Librarian Lesly Kaplan invites the public to the Edmonds Library on Tuesday from 5-6:30 p.m.to an Open House celebrating Sno-Isle’s 50^th year. Enjoy light refreshments, harp music and remarks from Mayor Dave Earling before a time capsule is sealed for an entire decade. This event and more can be found on the library’s calendar here.

Talent search: Calling all young musicians

Cascade Symphony is accepting applications for the Rising Star Search 2012-13 for talented young musicians who will be age 15 or younger on the day of the Children’s Concert, Feb. 23, 2013. The search is open to players of the following instruments: piano, viola, cello, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, French horn, trumpet, trombone, and euphonium. Audition materials must be postmarked by Nov. 1, 2012, including an uncut, unedited, unaccompanied C.D. performance of the specified concerto movement for each instrument. Winners will be notified by Dec. 15, 2012. www.cascadesymphony.org/education

Advance notice: Driftwood presents “The 39 Steps”

The Driftwood Players will use just four actors to perform a play based on Alfred Hitchock’s film, “The 39 Steps,” which featured 150 characters. The comic play is directed by Ted Jaquith. All seats are $14 for this short run on Oct. 18-20 only. See here for details.

Advance notice: “Sylvia” at The Phoenix Theatre

A stray dog portrayed by an actor comes between married couple Greg and Kate in the comic play, “Sylvia,” set to open Oct. 19 at Phoenix Theatre. Tickets at 206 533 2000, or www.brownpapertickets.com;  $18.50 adult, and $15.50 for seniors/military.

Advance notice: European Travel Festival on Nov. 3

Once the mad dash of Arts Crush ends, you may find yourself longing for another fix, perhaps in the form of paintings from faraway places. And with Rick Steves in town, you won’t have to pack for SeaTac to get a taste of Paris’ Louvre or Madrid’s Prado Museum. Just join Steves and his staff on Nov. 3 for travel classes, including a “crash course on 1,000 years of European art and history.” Details and registration for this free event here.

Arts reporter Janette Turner is your guide to local culture. In addition to covering visual, performing and literary events for My Edmonds News, Janette is managing director of EPIC Literary Series and a member of the Swedish Hospital Art Committee. (Photo by Jennifer McKinney)