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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

10 Under $10: Cheap fun in the Spokane area

Don Kardong points himself out in the crowd as he's introduced as the race founder before the start of Bloomsday 2016. (Rich Landers / The Spokesman-Review)

1. Don Kardong: Taproot Speaker Series 7 p.m. Wednesday, Spark Central, 1214 W. Summit Parkway. Bloomsday founder Don Kardong shares the story of founding Bloomsday, Spokane’s beloved 12K run and how it came to be the source of community pride it is today. Come sip wine and be inspired. (509) 279-0299. Admission: FREE

2. “Salish Stories” Opening reception 5-9 p.m. Friday, show runs Friday-March 31, Spokane Art School Gallery, 811 W. Garland Ave. “Salish Stories” is a suite of never before seen images by Ric Gendron inspired by Salish folktales. (509) 325-3001. Admission: FREE

3. 7 Minutes in Purgatory with Ian Abramson 8 p.m. Friday, The Bartlett, 228 W. Sprague Ave. Ian Abramson is from Moreno Valley, California, where he learned to walk, read, and drive, but not in that order. His stand-up is a mix of precise wordplay, longer emotionally absurd jokes, and larger conceptual pieces. In 2014 Chicago Magazine named Ian “Best Experimental Comedian” and also listed him in a separate article as one of the “16 Comedians You Should See This Fall.” In 2015 Ian was LA Weekly’s Best Up-and-Coming Comedian and a New Face for the world renowned Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal, Canada. (509) 747-2174. Admission: $8-$10

4. Priest Lake Sled Dog Races 9 a.m- 3 p.m. Saturday, intersection of Highway 57 and Ravin Ranch Road, Priest Lake. This is among the oldest continuously running sled dog races in the U.S. Featuring mid-distance, sprint and skijoring classes. Attracting sled teams and mushers from around the Pacific Northwest and Canada. (208) 683-2387. Admission: FREE

5. Visiting Writers Series: Tim O’Brien 7:30 p.m. Monday, Gonzaga University, Hemmingson Center Ballroom, 702 E. Desmet Ave. He burst onto the literary scene with his novel “If I Die in a Combat Zone…” (1973), based largely on his own experiences in the Vietnam War. His 1978 novel “Going After Cacciato” won him the National Book Award and his 1990 book of linked short stories “The Things They Carried” received the National Magazine Award and in 1999 it was selected for inclusion in “The Best American Short Stories of the Century.” O’Brien currently holds the University Endowed Chair in Creative Writing at Texas State University (509) 328-4220. Admission: FREE

6. BootSlam 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Boots Bakery, 24 W. Main Ave. Competitive performance poetry presented by Spokane Poetry Slam. Poets have three minutes per round to present their original work, which is judged by five audience members chosen at random. The poet with the highest cumulative score after two rounds wins the $50 prize. Content is not censored. Sign-ups at 7 p.m. (509) 703-7223. Admission: $5 to compete and suggested audience donation

7. Northwest Wind Quintet 7:30 p.m. Thursday, University of Idaho, Lionel Hampton School of Music, Haddock Performance Hall, 1010 Blake Ave., Moscow. Faculty recital, featuring quintet members Leonard Garrison (flute), Carol Padgham Albrecht (oboe), Shawn Copeland (clarinet), Jason Johnston (horn) and Javier Rodriguez (bassoon), as well as the with Idaho Brass Quintet. (208) 885-6231. Admission: FREE

8. English Endowed Reading with Alexandra Hidalgo 7 p.m. Thursday, Whitworth University, RTT, Weyerhaeuser Hall, 300 W. Hawthorne Road. Hidalgo is an assistant professor at Michigan State University, where she teaches professional writing, film and video production, rhetoric, and composition courses. She will lead a discussion before the viewing of her feature-length documentary, “Vanishing Borders.” (509) 777-3253. Admission: FREE

9. 92.3 KYRS FM Music and Gear Sale 9 a.m.-noon Sunday, Community Building, 35 W. Main Ave., Suite 340. Annual sale with vinyl, CDs, music gear, stereo equipment, and electronics. All proceeds benefit Thin Air Community Radio, nonprofit, noncommercial community radio for Spokane and beyond. (509) 747-3012. Admission: FREE (but bring some spending money)

10. 3 Minute Mic 8 p.m. Friday, Auntie’s Bookstore, 402 W. Main Ave. Poetry open mic hosted by Dennis Held. The “Remember the Word” featured reader Fitz. Open mic participants can share up to three minutes worth of poetry. This is an uncensored free speech event. (509) 838-0206. Admission: FREE