What is This? Humboldt’s Most Packed Saturday of the Year or Something?

Uh, you guys? Maybe you should get together in advance and try not to plan all your events for the same day. Holy crap this is a packed Humboldt Saturday. Let’s briefly run the human clusters down:

Lords, ladies, lads and lasses will gather at ye olde Christie’s Pumpkin Patch for Coastal Grove’s annual Medieval Festival of Courage featuring merry minstrels, morsels, mead and some fist pump-inducing jousting displays. Party like it’s 1199!
Each fall Fortuna celebrates the forbidden fruit during its Apple Harvest Festival. Hayrides, cider and small town Americana for all!
The good enviros of Humboldt will be sipping at the Humboldt Coastal Nature Center for Friends of the Dunes' annual Wine by the Sea benefit. Party with sand in your shoes.
A couple months back jerks shot Sean Patrick Leydon in the face with a paintball. Remember his letter? Tonight, many metal bands will rock at the Eureka Vets Hall to support his eyeball.
Before Arts Alive, Local best-selling author Amy Stewart talks about her first novel Girls Waits With Gun at the Eureka Theater. Put her in your ears before you go.
After Arts Alive, the kinetic krowd will kongregate at the Morris Grave Museum for their repurposed trashy fashion fundraiser Kinetic Kouture. See Humboldt’s art nerds strut the katwalk.
Stroll the Arcata Plaza and enjoy the Pastels on the Plaza ground scribblings as well as the weekly Arcata Farmers’ Market.
Humboldt gathers at the Ferndale Fairgrounds to appreciate its veterans during the annual North Coast Stand Down, providing medical, dental and veterinary care as well as clothes, haircuts and just love in general.

More details on those and more events in your Lowdown listings below. --AG

EVENTS (SUBMIT YOURS!)

North Coast Stand Down

Humboldt County Fairgrounds / 9 a.m.

"The Stand Down reaches out to local Veterans and their families and provides them with direct access to service providers and information at a state, federal, and local level."

Web site

Arcata Farmers' Market

Arcata Plaza / 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

North Coast Growers' Association community event features over 40 Humboldt farm booths as well as 10 prepared food booths. Music by Absynth Quartet.

Web site

Pastels on the Plaza

Arcata Plaza / 9 a.m. / Free Artists & Observers / $225 Sponsor a large square / $125 Sponsor a small square

The first Saturday in October is the day families, farmers, art aficionados and sponsors gather on the Arcata Plaza for the largest “art show” of the year. The gallery sidewalk is surrounded with music and the fresh produce of the local farmers market. Benefit for Northcoast Children's Services.

822-7206 / info@ncsheadstart.org / Web site

Fortuna Apple Harvest Festival

Fortuna / 10 a.m.-4 p.m. / Free

Fortuna's annual cider-soaked celebration of the king of fruits. Hard cider tasting on Friday at 6:30 p.m. benefitting Wild Souls Ranch. Saturday: Cider and hayrides at Clendenen's Cider Works.

Web site

13th Annual Medieval Festival of Courage

Christie's Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze / 10 a.m.-5 p.m. / $5 / $3 12 and under

Fun for the whole family with jousting, archery on horse back, hands-on demonstrations, morsels, ale, cider, mead, merry minstrels and much more. Fundraiser for Coastal Grove Charter School.

825-8804 / coastalgrovemedievalfestival@gmail.com / Web site

Fall Metalfest

Eureka Veterans Hall / 2-10 p.m.

An all day music event and benefit for Sean Patrick Leydon, who is recovering from a severe eye injury. Bands include Dullahan, Buckshot Possum, BURNING HASH, SKOPTSY, Imperial Destructo, WAR MÖTH, and Ultramafic.

Wine by the Sea

Humboldt Coastal Nature Center / 3-6 p.m. / $35 / $30 members / 21+

Imagine spending an afternoon, gazing out at the ocean, sipping on local wines and nibbling locally made desserts, cheeses, barbecued oysters and other tasty treats. Now add good friends, live music and fabulous auction items, all in support of a good cause.

444-1397 / beth@friendsofthedunes.org / Web site

Amy Stewart Girl Waits With Gun Reading

Eureka Theater / 5 p.m.

Best-selling local author Amy Stewart will talk about her new book, the novel Girl Waits With Gun.

442-2970 / Web site

Rumors

North Coast Repertory Theatre / 8 p.m.

Written by Neil Simon. The talented cast includes Matt Cole, Amada Slinkard, Arnold Waddell, Shelley Stewart, John Veit, Toodie Boll, Saul Tellez, Caroline McFarland and James Wright. Scenery design and lighting designs are by Liz Uhazy; and costume design by Laura Rhinehart.

442-6278 / Web site

Eureka Symphony Season Opening Concert

Arkley Center For The Performing Arts / 8-10 p.m. / $19 / $44 Loge / $34 Orchestra Rear / $39 Orchestra Main and Lower Balcony / $29 Orchestra Front and Upper Balcony

Eureka Symphony’s Music Director and Conductor Carol Jacobson has taken the theme, ‘Experience the Greats’, to heart by programming renowned composers and exceptional guest artists for the new 2015-2016 season.

845-3655 / eurekasymphony@gmail.com / Web site

Kinetic Kouture: Fashion with a Re-Purpose

Morris Graves Museum of Art / 9:30-11:30 p.m. / $10 / Free Contestants

Fashion show combining creative reuse of materials and haute couture into an evening of runway fashion and fun. The "trashion" attire is created with as many upcycled materials as possible, saving waste from the landfill and challenging some of our community's finest artists and tailors.

442-0278 / janine@humboldtarts.org / Web site

MiMOSA: Delusion of Grandeur Album Release Party

Arcata Theatre Lounge / 9:30 p.m. / $20 / $17 adv.

Booty Shaken Music Productions Presents MiM0SA, ANA SiA, JsUN.

613-3030 / Web site

Kids' Alive

Redwood Discovery Museum / 5:30-8 a.m. / $20 / $15 Members

Runs first Saturday of the month (concurrent to Eureka’s Arts Alive) year round.

443-9694 / redwooddiscoverymusum@gmail.com / Web site

Sailing Refresher

Humboldt State University, Center Activities / 9 a.m. / $62

This one day course will review rigging, sailing theory, boat maneuvers, and give you the chance to practice your skills on Big Lagoon.

826-3357 / cntract@humboldt.edu / Web site

Outdoor Climbing At Moonstone Beach

Humboldt State University, Center Activities / 9 a.m. / $65

Join us for a great day of fun and sun while climbing at Moonstone Beach. This course will build on the principles from the Intro to Climbing course and recap the basic skills required to have fun and stay safe while climbing.

826-3357 / cntract@humboldt.edu / Web site

Humboldt Sponsors Rummage Sale

Redwood Acres Fairgrounds / 9 a.m.-3 p.m. / Free

This annual sale, which now encompasses four different buildings at Redwood Acres Fairgrounds in Eureka, features great bargains for the entire family on housewares, furniture, electronics, tools, books, clothing, jewelry, toys and sporting goods, including new items donated by local merchants.

445-3037 / Czygaczenko@gmail.com / Web site

Taijiquan and Qiyong

Paul Gales Chinese Martial Arts Association / 9 a.m.-noon / $50 / $15 1 seesion / $50 1 weekend / 18+

Javier will lead you through a series of solo and partner drills designed to release the mind, preserve health, and engage the spirit.

602-0313 / learntaijiball@gmail.com /

Lanphere Dunes Guided Walk

Lanphere Dunes / 10 a.m.-1 p.m. / Free

Guided Walks are offered at the Lanphere Dunes on the first Saturday of every month and participants will be eligible for an access permit after the walk.

444-1397 / info@friendsofthedunes.org / Web site

Young Creators Art Classes

Redwood Lounge / 10-11 a.m. / $35 / $45 non-residents

Arcata Recreation now offers Young Creators Art Classes for 3-5 year olds with an adult helper. Bring your young child’s imagination to life as they create and explore in this hands-on art class.

822-7091 / rec@cityofarcata.org / Web site

American Craft in Mendocino

Odd Fellows Hall / 10 a.m.-6 p.m. / Free

Featured work will include: contemporary quilt and fiber arts, glass, ceramics, basketry, jewelry, encaustic...

937-2486 /

Humboldt Harvest Glass Gathering

Lost Coast Gallery / 11 a.m.-5 p.m. / $10

Catered VIP dinner, open bar and live music Friday evening where you will get to meet all of the internationally renowned glass artists including Jared DeLong, Bluegrass Man, Banjo and many more.

677-5027 / Web site

Lego Engineering FUNdamentals

Redwood Lodge / 4-5:30 p.m. / $110 / $120 non-residents

Register with the Arcata Recreation Division and have a great time with versatile LEGO® building systems in the context of fun-filled engineering and architectural projects.

822-7091 / rec@cityofarcata.org / Web site

Exhibit opening at the Clarke Museum

Clarke Historical Museum / 6-9 p.m. / Free

Featuring the work of Dorothy Klein, Annie Reid, Patricia Anne Sennott, Rick Tolley, and photographs from Ron Johnson and Gordon Schatz. Some of these artists will be on hand for the opening.

443-1947 / clarkehistorical@att.net / Web site