Greater Lansing goes German

Though Munich’s Oktoberfest celebration doesn’t start until next weekend, a few spots around Greater Lansing will celebrate this weekend with music, German food and, of course, lots of beer. This weekend will also bring comedy shows, a 5K, wrestling and football matches, an art gallery party and more.

For Friday evening’s live music, we have Grammy-nominated funk septet The Rumble at Laingsburg’s McClintock Park Amphitheater at 6; vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Deon Gladney at UrbanBeat and cover band North of Five at Lansing Shuffle, both at 7; dream-rock band Hail Your Highness with hard-rock bands True Devil and March Skies and metal band Ghidora at Mac’s Bar at 7:30; singer-songwriter Frank Pfaff at the Peanut Barrel and a duo of members from Billy Joel tribute band Allentown at Classic Pub & Grill, both at 8; pop band JP & the Energy at Mash Bar at 9; and a ‘90s, 2000s and 2010s dance party at Lansing Shuffle at 9:30. Saturday evening, we have cover band Time2Play at UrbanBeat at 7; cover band Collateral Damage at the Green Door and folk-rock-blues band Flylite Gemini at Mash Bar, both at 8:30; and singer-songwriter Craig Hendershott at the REO Town Pub at 9. Ending the weekend on Sunday is concert organist Ken Cowan at MSU’s Alumni Memorial Chapel at 3 p.m., Red Cedar Spirits’ weekly Sunday Jazz show at 6 p.m., singer-songwriter Noah Bauer at the Avenue at 7 p.m. and Mac’s Bar’s weekly Harmony Sundays DJ show at 9 p.m.

At its fall opening party, running 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, the MSU Broad Art Museum invites guests to explore the exhibitions on display (“Complex Dreams,” “Diasporic Collage: Puerto Rico and the Survival of a People,” “Eye Witness” and “Seeing in 360 Degrees: The Zaha Hadid Design Collection”) while enjoying complimentary food, music, art-making activities and more. If you can’t make it to the opening party but still want to check out the art, the museum will also be open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday.

Other art displays on view this weekend include the Shiawassee Artists’ Guild’s “Reflections” show at Framer’s Edge in Okemos, which is open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday; an exhibition by local painter Joel Ellis at the Okemos Library, which is open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday; “Extinct: An Artistic Study of Animals Loved and Lost” at the Art Williamston gallery, which is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday; and “Elemental Offerings” at Struk Studio in north Lansing, which is open noon to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to 3 p.m. Sunday.

Owosso’s Lebowsky Center for Performing Arts will wrap up its production of “Annie” this weekend, with final performances 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, while Williamston Theatre will begin its run of “Thirst,” a commissioned play about a near-future dystopia where the Great Lakes have been poisoned, with preview performances 7:30 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Peppermint Creek Theatre Co. will also continue its run of “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical,” but this weekend’s shows are sold out. Tickets are still available for next Friday and Saturday’s performances.

Events for the kids include a story reading and parkour workshop 10 a.m. Friday at AL!VE health park in Charlotte;  a T-shirt decorating craft 2 p.m. Saturday at the East Lansing Public Library; an activity-packed  night out in nature 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Harris Nature Center; an outdoor story walk along the pages of “The Great Labne Trade” 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sunday at Edgewood United Church; and an International Red Panda Day celebration 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at Potter Park zoo, featuring red-panda-themed educational stations and activity tables.

Comics artist and Michigan State University Professor Ryan Claytor will conduct a full-dome presentation of his new art book, a 20-year retrospective of his comic, illustration and design work, 7 p.m. Friday at MSU’s Abrams Planetarium.

The Future of Comedy Show returns to Spare Time Entertainment Center 8 p.m. Friday. Performers include nationally touring headliner Mike Ball, J Bell of Kevin Hart's "Hart of The City" and Future of Comedy Show regulars Dave Wellfare, Alexa Stanton and Chuck Bates.

Stop in at Lansing Brewing Co. any time from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday for a Brewtoberfest celebration, offering stein-holding competitions, boot pong, polka music and lots of German beer. Patrons are encouraged to dress up in traditional German garb.

Our Savior Lutheran Church will also hold an Oktoberfest celebration 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday, featuring lederhosen contests, live music, German food and beer, games, face painting, a bounce house and more.

For even more European fun, the Federated Polish Home of Lansing on Mount Hope Avenue will host a polka dance party 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday. Dinner will include Polish sausages and hot dogs.

Visit Summerlands Brewing Co. 2 p.m. Saturday for a free screening of “Explorers” or 10:30 p.m. Saturday for a screening of “Happy Gilmore.”

For those seeking some action, Capital Pro Wrestling will host a series of matches beginning 3 p.m. Saturday at the Fledge, and MSU football will face off against Prairie View A&M University 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Spartan Stadium.

REACH Studio Art Center, in collaboration with All of the Above Hip Hop Academy, will host an open mic and community painting event 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday. Food will be provided.

The Big Babies 5K run/walk, kicking off 9 a.m. Sunday at MSU’s Conrad Hall, aims to raise funds to cover medical expenses for young large animals that require treatment at MSU’s Veterinary Medical Center. Dogs are welcome to participate with their owners but must be on a leash.

Finally, comedian Trae Crowder, known for his “Liberal Redneck” video series, will perform 7 p.m. Sunday at Grewal Hall at 224.

Whatever you choose to do, I wish you the best of weekends.

(Have an event? Be sure to list it free at lansingcitypulse.com/calendar. Think it’s worth at least a short story? Send a news release to nicole@lansingcitypulse.com for consideration.)