5 Things To Do Today: Nelson Ranch party, Grit City Fest, Rush tribute, flamenco and more ...

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August 27, 2011 at 4:59am

By Volcano Staff Comments

Party it up at Nelson Ranch this afternoon.

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SATURDAY, AUG. 27, 2011 >>>

1. There's a Sesquicentennial Celebration (that's 150 years people!) at Nelson Ranch near Olympia from 1-4 p.m. If you're looking to experience a real piece of American farm life, this one's for you and here's why. Heritage farms like Nelson are an integral piece of our agricultural framework. By heritage, we mean farms that have been in the family and farming for multiple generations; a rare breed these days. What's on tap? Free hayrides, barn and vineyard tours, heritage displays and live music. Yeehaw!

2. Tacoma Rail will open its doors from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to give a behind-the-scenes look at how a short-line railroad operates. Attendees also will get a first glimpse of the railroad's new eco-friendly locomotive that reduces fuel consumption up to 40 percent and cuts carbon and particulate emissions by as much as 80 percent, which is nice.

3. Grit City Fest is set to go off at the intersection of 10^th and Pacific Avenue in downtown Tacoma. A full on music throwdown, in the vein of SXSW according to founder Quincy "Q-Dot" Henry, Grit City Fest kicks off at 4 p.m. at Vinum Coffee & Wine Lounge and Hell's Kitchen featuring Grieves & Budo, Mos Generator, SweetKiss Momma, Big Wheel Stunt Show, The Legend of Bigfoot, Ben Union and others. To read Rev. Adam McKinney's full feature, click here.

4. In front of a fireplace sits John Bussoletti with a guitar across his knee, his fingers delicately flying across the frets. Enter dancers Marisela Fleites, Angie Brandenburg and Julie Rector, heels exploding violently on the floor as their upper bodies remain delicately sinuous. In the corner singers Marena Lear rounds out the sexiness. If your prior experience with the art of flamenco has been largely limited to segments on So You Think You Can Dance? and listening to the Santa Esmeralda cover of "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" off the Kill Bill soundtrack, then head to the Mandolin Café from 8-10 p.m.. nibble on Spanish tapas, sip sangria and take in the sexy Spanish dance with gypsy roots.

5. One of the main goals here at the Weekly Volcano is to turn folks on to the wildest rock guitarists around, some of whom can be found right here in Grit City. If you haven't checked out guitarist David Jaedyn Conley, be sure to catch him at 9 p.m. inside Stonegate Pizza. This phenomenal picker fronts Rush tribute band 2112, which will celebrate Alex Lifeson's birthday with drink and food discounts and special appearances, plus The Kari Ehli Band opens.

PLUS: Maritime Festival, Rock At The Dock III and the LeMay Car Show details are in our Weekend Hustle.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Wine tastings!

Filed under: 5 Things To Do Arts Events Music Olympia Tacoma

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