Arts Devo

Prost! To Autumn Chico’s party season (aka the fall semester) ramps up this week as Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. kicks off its two-weekend run of Oktoberfest celebrations under the big tent by the hop yard. All four days are sold out, so most of you will have to find something else to do. Here are a few much more low-key options for the week where at least you won’t have to stuff the girls into a dirndl or the boys into lederhosen.

• Pop-up breakfast: If you’re reading this early enough Thursday morning (Sept. 26), you might be able to make it down to Alex Marshall Studios in time for some amazing treats. Fresh-baked goodies from Near and Dear Baked Goods and locally roasted coffee from Stoble Coffee are on the menu at the Chapmantown ceramic studio at 1095 Nelson St.

• Writer’s Voice: The organizers of the Chico State literary arts reading series bring a different contemporary writer to Chico every month, and tonight (Sept. 26, 7:30 p.m.), Peruvian-American writer Juan Alvarado Valvidia will speak on campus (Ayres Hall, room 120). In 2016, Valvidia’s first book, ¡Cancerlandia!: A Memoir, won the International Latino Book Award for Best Biography, and earlier this year, University of New Mexico Press published his short story collection, Ballad of Slopsucker, which offers a “new perspective on the experiences of Latinos and Latinas in the United States and complicated ideas of nationhood, identity and the definition of home.”

• At the art house: The Pageant Theatre has had a steady lineup of special events alongside its regular film schedule lately, and this week there are two rad ones: tonight (Sept. 26, 7 p.m.), the Buffalo Field Campaign—champions of Yellowstone’s wild buffalo—returns to town for a night of music, stories and videos with campaign founder Mike Mease and the “indigenous soul” music of Mignon Geli. And this weekend—Saturday (Sept. 28, 1 p.m.) and Sunday (Sept. 29, 7 p.m.)—the Pageant will feature two música norteña documentaries, Chulas Fronteras and Del Mero Corazón.

• Chico Zine Fest: It’s finally going down, a four-hour zine party with vendors, DIY workshops, speakers and all the zines. Saturday, Sept. 28, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., at Blackbird.

• Touch of Chico: Dude, chill. Seriously, you need to take your overworked, overstressed, over-it-all meatsack over to the Chico Creek Nature Center this Sunday (Sept. 29, noon-6 p.m.) and have one of the many massage therapists at KZFR’s holistic festival put things right. This is the 18th year of the community radio station’s health-conscious fundraiser, and in addition to massage, there will be many other bodywork options available—reiki, acupressure, vibrational healing, etc.—plus, skill-shares and live music. Visit kzfr.org for more info.