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• Children highlight Bellingham production of 'The Nutcracker'

  Children highlight Bellingham production of 'The Nutcracker'

  Wendy Setter's A Dance Studio's traditional production of "The Nutcracker" is filled with lively young dancers. children, marching toy soldiers, an enchanted twinkling Christmas tree, mischievous mice, crystalline waltzing snowflakes, all the delights from the Land of Sweets and some of the most glorious dancing choreographed by Brittany Setter, Gina Grimm, Jessie Mays and Wendy Setter.

  Performances are at 7 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, Dec. 6 and 7, and at 2 p.m. Dec. 7. Patrons with children are welcome to join story time, read by the principal dancers, in the mezzanine starting 45 minutes prior to each performance.

  Tickets are $20 adults, $15 children and seniors for evening performances; $10 for all tickets for the matinee; and can be reserved by calling 360-734-6080 and online at mountbakertheatre.com .

• Best of Banff Mountain Film Festival showings

  Best of Banff Mountain Film Festival showings

  South Sound residents will have plenty of opportunities to catch the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour. The Tacoma, Olympia and Seattle branches of the Mountaineers will host showings this fall.

• Blacks Keys, Skrillex, Miller lead Woodie nominees

  Blacks Keys, Skrillex, Miller lead Woodie nominees

  The eclectic mix of The Black Keys, Skrillex and Mac Miller lead nominees for the 2012 mtvU Woodie Awards.

• WWU Jazz Collective performs for benefit of Sudden Valley library branch

  WWU Jazz Collective performs for benefit of Sudden Valley library branch

  My friend K.C. Sulkin, who attends many jazz gigs in town, is helping to organize a benefit to raise money for the Sudden Valley community to fund a permanent library in what's commonly called the Dance Barn.

  Sulkin owned a jazz club in London and he knows his stuff. For the benefit, which takes place 3 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 8, at the Dance Barn (take Gate 2), he has rounded up Western Washington University's Jazz Collective, a group that plays on Wednesdays at Blue Horse Gallery & Café. Mike Allen, a Vancouver, B.C., tenor sax player, heads up the jazz program at Western; he's joined by pianist Miles Black, bassist and vocalist Adam Thomas (ask him to sing some Chet Baker), and Bellingham drummer Julian MacDonough.

  Sulkin says of the ensemble, "They provide jazz of the highest standard and match any group I've booked, be it from New York or London." I concur; the quartet is astonishing to watch, and what's probably even more compelling is the joy and connection they exude when they play.

• Makin’ tracks: It's not waterfowl season yet

  Makin’ tracks: It's not waterfowl season yet

  Don’t make the mistake of hunting waterfowl this weekend.