Nathan Weinbender

It’s been 45 years since the last hydroplane races were held on Lake Coeur d’Alene, but that changes this Labor Day weekend with the Coeur d’Alene Diamond Cup Race. The Diamond Cup has had a particularly checkered history in Coeur d’Alene, which author Stephen Shepperd painstakingly details in his new book “Hydromania: A History of the Diamond Cup.” Evolving from the summertime regattas that started back in 1913, the first competitive boat races were held 1958 and continued every summer until 1968, when the races just stopped.

Labor Day weekend signals a lot of things – the days are shorter, nights are colder, school goes back into session and everyone braces for a brutal Spokane winter. But it also signals the start of Pig Out in the Park, which kicks off Wednesday afternoon for six days of music and food in Riverfront Park. As always, there will be a diverse array of local food vendors to choose from: You can try everything from teriyaki to barbecue, gumbo and gyros, or really indulge with a bacon-wrapped hot dog or some deep-fried lasagna. (And don’t forget about the adult beverage gardens.)

Thomas Vinterberg’s “The Hunt” is a tragic drama from Denmark that’s made all the more heartbreaking because it hinges on an innocent misunderstanding. It’s a deeply engrossing and intimate story of collective paranoia and false guilt, in which a childish remark inadvertently unravels a man’s life. That remark comes from a little girl named Klara, who’s maybe 5 or 6 and has a close relationship with one of her teachers, a soft-spoken family friend named Lucas (Mads Mikkelsen). It’s apparent that Klara’s mother and father pay little attention to her, so she relies on Lucas to assume the role of surrogate parent, listening to her stories and walking her to school.

Since its debut at Minnesota’s Plymouth Playhouse in 2005, the musical comedy “Church Basement Ladies” has inspired three sequels and has been performed by various troupes around the country. The play’s upcoming run at Interplayers marks its Northwest premiere.

The Festival at Sandpoint continues into its second weekend with another impressive trio of musical acts, including two of modern rock’s most exciting new artists and a seasoned veteran with a deep catalogue of classic hits. • The John Butler Trio, with Eclectic Approach, Thursday, 7:30 p.m. John Butler is a huge star in his native Australia, and although his name isn’t as instantly recognized here, he has gained a fervent following in the States after several international tours with the Dave Matthews Band. Pulling from country, folk, rock and reggae influences, Butler released three consecutive No. 1 albums in his homeland, as well as several live recordings, and has also won a number of Australian music awards. Seattle pop-rock band Eclectic Approach will open the show. $44.95.

Camp has never been so … well, campy. “Gay Camp,” a stage play written by Philip Mutz and Susan-Kate Heaney that lands at Interplayers on Saturday night, is a satire of social mores, political correctness, hypocrisy and cultural stereotypes. Although it’s filled with dirty jokes and bad behavior, it preaches a message of open-mindedness and compassion.

Where would we be without William Shakespeare? So many elements from his stories have been borrowed and recycled so often that they’re now clichés, and he coined countless words and expressions that have long been part of the modern lexicon. More so than any other writer, Shakespeare’s work is inextricably linked to the way we speak and the way we tell stories today.