Looking for fun events? Top 5 events around Tallahassee

There's a crispness in the evening air and pumpkins are creeping onto porches for this First Friday of October.

Get off to a rocking start Friday when legendary band Chicago pays a visit to the Tucker Civic Center and Florida blues guitarist Selwyn Birchwood brings the power of his new album, "Exorcist," to the House of Music.

Railroad Square and galleries around town are hopping with art happenings for First Friday.

Florida State is back at Doak to play Virginia Tech at 3:30 p.m. Saturday. The Rattlers travel to Baton Rouge to play Southern at 7 p.m.

Here's a roundup of entertaining events around Tallahassee, culled from emails, the Council on Culture & Arts online listings and elsewhere.

1. Meet blistering blues from Selwyn Birchwood

American blues guitarist, vocalist and songwriter from Tampa, Selwyn Birchwood is back in Tallahassee promoting his blistering new album with a show at House of Music, 2011 S. Monroe St., at 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6. Tickets are $15-$25. Visit houseofmusictally.com.

On his new release, "Exorcist" (his fourth for Alligator and sixth overall), Birchwood delivers the most far-reaching, musically adventurous album of his career. "Exorcist" was recorded in Florida and produced by Grammy Award-winner Tom Hambridge. Birchwood describes his music as "Electric Swamp Funkin' Blues," an intoxicating mix of blues, psychedelic-tinged rock, booty-shaking funk and sweet Southern soul.

2. Legendary rock band Chicago lands in Tallahassee

Spend "Saturday in the Park" when legendary rock band Chicago pulls into the Tucker Civic Center for a concert at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6. Some tickets ($56-$126) are still available at tuckerciviccenter.com.

Hailed as one of the "most important bands in music since the dawn of the rock and roll era, Chicago, the rock and roll band with horns, came in as the highest charting American band in Billboard Magazine's Top 125 Artists Of All Time. And Chicago is the first American rock band to chart Top 40 albums in six consecutive decades with hits like "25 or 6 to 4" and "Does Anybody Really Know What Time it Is?"

Chicago released their 38th studio album, "Born for this Moment," in 2022, which included the hit single “If This is Goodbye.”

3. Go 'Beyond the Lost Garden' at Venvi Gallery

Explore the flora and fauna of Florida, from magnolia trees and alligators to luna moths and black bears at an art reception for Mark Messersmith from 5-8 p.m. Friday for "Beyond the Lost Garden," at Venvi Gallery, 2901 E. Park Ave. The exhibit, which showcases 30 works of art from painting to sculpture and a wonderful blend of the two, will be on display until Oct. 27.

Messersmith creates stunningly beautiful and vibrant paintings depicting North Florida’s flora and fauna. Through intricate layering of color and subject matter, Messersmith gives viewers a seemingly endless scenery to explore the dense, tangled, and fragile natural world, as it and its inhabitants desperately try to survive.

5. Music in honor of John Prine's birthday

Local musicians will celebrate the late John Prine’s birthday when Grant Peeples presents All John Prine Songs, All Night Long at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 9, at American Legion Hall, 229 Lake Ella Drive. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. John Prine would have been 77 on Oct. 10. Participating will be Peeples, Danny Goddard, Avis Berry, Frank Douglas, and Hugh Roche.

Tallahassee’s Peeples has rounded up some musician friends for a fun night celebrating the songs of the legendary songwriter and performer who died from COVID in April of 2020. His eponymous first release in 1971 has had a lasting impact on folk and Americana music.

Tickets are $20 general admission and may be bought at the door or in advance. Tables available for larger parties. Visit grant-peeples.ticketleap.com. or go to grantpeeples.com/tour for reservations and advance purchases.

“He wrote his song ‘Sam Stone,’ in 1970," said Peeples. "There had been lots of war protest songs in the 60s, but nobody had written one from the shoes of a veteran returning from the Vietnam conflict."

5. Adele Myers and Dancers brings foot stomping to Opening Nights

Adele Myers and Dancers, a Miami based national touring dance theater company made up of female athletes of the heart, hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 12, at the Nancy Smith Fichter Dance Theater. The company will present, T.W.I.S.T, a foot stomping, soul quaking, and heart pounding dance imbued with Myers’ signature fusion of personal theatricality and robust physicality. Tickets are $35, $50 for VIP. Visit openingnights.fsu.edu.

VIP Tickets include premium seating, a special dessert reception, and an artist meet and greet hosted by College of Fine Arts Dean James Frazier.

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OTHER EVENTS

Blue Tavern: Happy hour with Tommy Hoople's Delta Ringnecks, 5-7 p.m. Friday at Blue Tavern, 1206 N. Monroe St., followed at 8 p.m. by Just One Sun, with grooves and gumbo with Sasha, Seep, Paddy and special guest Dane Harter. $10 cover. 1st Saturday Swim with Bluegill Bill at 5 p.m., followed at 8 p.m. by Will Fulkerson Trio. $10. Happy hour with Kelly Goddard, 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, followed at 8 p.m. with Tuesday is Bluesday featuring Bill Ricci. $5. Happy hour with bluegrass from The Hills, 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, followed at 8 p.m. with Open Mic Night. Happy hour with Pineapple Tuesday, 5-7 p.m. Thursday, followed at 8 p.m. by Free Jazz Five Buck Thursday with Reese Cloud.

Downtown Market: Hot Tamale, the acoustic duo known for their upbeat family-friendly style of entertaining, as well their sweet vocal harmonies, will be performing at the Downtown Market from 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7.

Great Oaks Pub at Southwood: Kenny Hill bluegrass plays Great Oaks Pub, 3750 Grove Park Drive, from 6:30-9:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6. Enjoy soaring harmonies of Kenny, Brian and Jennifer, performing all the standard bluegrass and Americana favorites. No cover, call 850-942-4653 for reservations.

The Legacy at the Riverfront: Sleep Signals - The Constellation Tour, 7-11:30 p.m., Oct. 6. Legacy at the Riverfront, 9330 West Tennessee St. $8. Earshot will be headlining with Thousand Years Wide and MCHNZ, 7-11:30 p.m. Oct. 11. $10-$15.

Rio Carrabelle: First Friday art event from 5-8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6t, at Rio Carrabelle Gallery in downtown Carrabelle. As part of this month's First Friday, Rio will be celebrating the opening for a new exhibit featuring talented artist, Cal Allen.

Square Dance Sampler Dance: Tallahassee's Capital Twirlers Square Dance Club "Drop-In," 7-8 p.m. Monday, Tallahassee Senior Center, 1400 N Monroe St., second floor ballroom. Participate in some basic steps with the Capital Twirlers Square Dance Club. During the next three months, join us on the dance floor from 7-8 p.m. on Oct. 9, Nov. 13, Dec. 11 and Jan. 22. Then stick around to join a new beginner's class starting on Jan. 29 for 12 weeks at $3 a lesson. For more information, contact 850-386-1440

Tallahassee Swing Band: Get dancing with the Tallahassee Swing Band at the American Legion, 229 Lake Ella Drive, 7:30-10 p.m. Tuesday. $6 adults/$5 students. Free dance lessons from 6:30 to 7:30 with the purchase of admission.

Have an event coming up? Email details to Limelight@tallahassee.com.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Top 5 things to do around Tallahassee this weekend