This weekend will be a busy one for fans of Halloween, with dozens of ghoulish gatherings and family events happening until early next week. But for those who may prefer a different type of entertainment, there are plenty of options. Live music on tap ranges from jazz to experimental, and award-winning fiddle player Michael Cleveland is making a stop in Anchorage.
[22 Halloween events in Anchorage, from family fun to grown-up ghoulishness]
Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper
7:30 p.m. Saturday, Atwood Concert Hall, 621 W. Sixth Ave.
Michael Cleveland is considered among the preeminent fiddlers of his generation. Cleveland was born blind, but after grandparents took him to a bluegrass festival at age 4, he quickly learned how to play by ear. He has been awarded the International Bluegrass Music Association’s fiddler of the year award a dozen times, and his band Flamekeeper has also won numerous awards. Tickets start at $35.
Alaska Electronic Orchestra
4-5:30 p.m. Sunday, UAA Fine Arts Building, 3700 Alumni Drive
Launched in 2022, this group features original compositions that are a mixture of classical, jazz, electronic grooves, plus ambient and nature sounds. Featuring Rick Zelinsky and Yngvil Vatn Guttu, the concert also includes lighting effects from Dan Anteau and Both Ears Live Sound by Lucy Peckham. Tickets are $30.
AJW Community Jazz Session Fundraiser
6-8:30 p.m. Sunday, Fire Island Rustic Bakeshop, 718 K St.
The downtown location of Fire Island Rustic Bakeshop has become a hub for jazz music with a community jazz session on Mondays. This Sunday the bakeshop will be the location of a fundraiser for the Alaska Jazz Workshop, which sponsors the weekly events. The lineup includes Nick Petumenos (guitar), John Damberg (vibes), Corwyn Wilkey (trumpet), Jacques Annandale (alto sax), Alex Cruver (keys), Joe Eunice (bass), and Eiden Pospisil (drums). Suggested donation is $25.
‘The Land We Share’ book talk
6:30 p.m. Monday, Anchorage Museum, 625 C St.
Christine Cunningham and Steve Meyer authored hundreds of Anchorage Daily News columns on guns, hunting and their experiences in the Alaska backcountry. Now the couple has transformed those pieces into a new book, “The Land We Share.” Alaska Geographic and the Anchorage Museum are co-hosting this event, which includes a discussion, a Q&A and a book signing. The event is free and open to the public. Registration is not required but is recommended.
[Exhibit celebrating Filipinos in Alaska history debuts at Anchorage Museum]
(Correction: A previous version of this story included the American Legion Unit 1 Auxiliary Silver Tea. That event is being held on Nov. 4, 2023.)