1. Purple squish
Don’t forget to bring all of your toes — and clothing you don’t really care about staining purple — as you head for the silliest, slipperiest event of each fall: the Rusty Grape Vineyard’s annual Stompfest. Get your feet in on the ground floor of winemaking by stomping grapes underfoot, in barrels, at one of three start times: 1, 3 and 5 p.m. on Sept. 16. This is a partner event, with stompers working in pairs and four tootsies in each barrel. Space is limited, so make sure to sign up early. Admission is $30 per stomping pair; the Rusty Grape Vineyard is at 16712 N.E. 219th St., Battle Ground. 360-606-4303 or www.rustygrape.com
2. Rare choir
The singers in this group are so talented and so busy, they can only squeeze in one concert per year — which makes it a very special occasion. That’s the idea behind Chor Anno, a 32-voice choir recently formed by numerous Northwest choir directors (working and retired), including Jacob Funk, Janet Reiter, April Duvic, Gary Gross, Rhonda Slinkard, Joel Karn and Erik Edmundson. Even though nobody gets paid, Chor Anno always reaches for professional excellence in its single annual concert, set this year for 7 p.m. Sept. 16 at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 426 E. Fourth Plain Blvd., Vancouver. On the program are Brahms and Holst, traditional spirituals and modern works including three original pieces by members of the ensemble. Admission is a suggested $20 donation, or what you can afford. www.choranno.org or 360-696-0181
3. Fantastic fish
The sturgeon is one wild and crazy fish. It’s even got its own annual festival at Vancouver’s Water Resource Education Center! That’s because the sturgeon has barely changed since the time of dinosaurs, lives for as long as a century and grows to immense size (10 feet long is common; the largest sturgeon ever found weighed nearly a ton and was 24 feet long). The family-friendly, free Sturgeon Festival — which celebrates the whole Columbia River ecosystem — is set for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 16 at 4600 S.E. Columbia Way, Vancouver. www.cityofvancouver.us/publicworks/page/sturgeon-festival or 360-487-7111
4. Fun with fruit
Another annual Vancouver festival is the one that has drinkers touring downtown to meet their beverage makers. This year, “Drink This! Vancouver” will be fresh and fruity, with an emphasis on artisan beverages featuring locally grown fruit. Get ready for beers, cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks based on strawberries, blueberries and pears. Note that “Drink This! Vancouver” is intended as a pedestrian event, with all locations within walking distance of one another; some are 21 and older only. Participation is free but individual businesses set prices on tasters, samples and other treats. Show up at any participating business to get a map and stamp card. The event runs from 4 to 9 p.m. Sept. 16. Visit www.drinkthisvancouver.com for all the details.
