1. Tricky trucks
Tired of taking your kids to the movies? It can be tough to find fun events in winter, but the Monster Jam Triple Threat Series, which offers a dose of adrenaline-charged entertainment, is a good change-up for the whole family. Watch from the edge of your seat as monster trucks rumble in a field of dirt, do tricks and jump. Four new trucks make their Portland debut from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Feb. 24 at the Moda Center at the Rose Quarter, 1 N. Center Court St., Portland; $20 to $60. 800-745-3000 or www.monsterjam.com/en-US/events/portland-or-0
2. Take a bow
It’s already impressive enough that young folks can get on stage and present a full production. It’s even more impressive when college students such as those at Lower Columbia College tackle heavy subject matter as they will do in their production of “The Wrestling Season,” which will run Feb. 23 through March 2 at the Rose Center for the Arts, 1528 Maple St., Longview; $10, free for LCC students, staff and faculty. The play is an examination of what it means to be a teen today. Matt and Luke are close friends on a high school wrestling team, and rumors spread about the nature of their relationship. Matt concocts a plan to end those rumors that backfires, and Luke finds himself bullied while he struggles with his sexuality. Must be 13 or older to attend. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 23, 24, March 1, 2 and 3; 2 p.m. Feb. 25. lowercolumbia.edu/theatre
3. Whodunit
You’ll probably never explore a mysterious true tale about an American murdered in Africa, so listen to Portland author Anne Hendren discuss that exact scenario, which she wrote about in her new novel. Hendren will outline that book, “Curious Tusks,” from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Feb. 24 at Vintage Books, 6613 E. Mill Plain Blvd., Vancouver; free. The novel examines the mystery behind the murder of George Atkinson, an American photojournalist, at his home in Kenya. Atkinson’s work uncovered corruption and exploitation, which meant Atkinson had many enemies and made the murder tough to solve. 360-694-9519 or vintage-books.com
4. Abracadabra
This magician is on fire. Or at least that’s Scott Wolf’s signature trick. You can be dazzled by Wolf’s illusions and dangerous tricks from 5 to 6 p.m. Feb. 24 at Dave’s Killer Magic Shop, 1707 Main St., Vancouver; $10. Wolf, who has been performing magic since 1981, has been featured on several television programs such as “Inside Edition,” “Real TV” and “The Ananda Lewis Show.” His dangerous fire act garnered him a role in the 1993 movie “Posse,” and shows at the Bellagio casino in Las Vegas. 360-448-9022 or killermagicshop.com
