What is Belgium's greatest export? Waffles? Jean-Claude Van Damme?
Any beer geek will tell you, no country produces beer like Belgium. If you thirst for brews that offer the same tastebuds-attacking complexity of a fine wine, then your mission this weekend is simple. Go to the Muddy Pig's second annual Belgian Beer Festival.
This year, the Pig's 48 taps will cycle through 90 Belgian (and Belgian-style) beers. Several have never been in this market, owner Mark van Wie said. The St. Paul bar will offer single 5-ounce pours for $4, or three for $10. Seminars will be held today, Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are selling fast.
EQ is back The new season of Bao Phi's Equilibrium spoken word series starts Saturday with performances by heavy hitters Kelly Zen-Yie Tsai and the Poem-Cees. These Def Poetry alums should provide a great night of tongue-twisting verbal fireworks at the Loft Literary Center. Tsai, from Brooklyn, commands the stage like a general (www.yellowgurl.com). The Washington D.C.-based Poem-Cees (Black Picasso and naturalaw-dp) are known for creating conversations made of rapid-fire rhymes (www.myspace.com/poemcees).
8 p.m. Sat. 1011 Washington Av. S., Mpls. $5 ($3 students and Loft members). 612-215-2575. www.loft.org
Dueling Entourages Is Minneapolis big enough for two "Entourage" parties? The hit HBO show about a group of Hollywood party guys might not be the most popular show on television, but its ball-till-you-fall attitude is perfect for a themed club night. Now two clubs are vying for the attention of clubgoers anxious to live the life of Vince, Drama and Turtle. This will be the fourth year the Annex has staged its wildly successful "Entourage" party, with prizes for the person with the biggest posse. But with former general manager (and the party's creator) Brandon Weston now at Bootleggers, that party bar has decided to host its own "Entourage" experience. The clubs have reportedly been bickering since both shindigs were announced, but now it seems both parties will go off without too much drama. Bootleggers will strike first this Saturday night. The bar will transform its interior into an L.A. nightclub with VIP service. The person with the largest entourage will win $1,000. On Oct. 2, the Annex will unveil its party -- often the club's busiest night after Halloween. The clubgoer with the biggest entourage will get a 40-pound championship belt, a free limo ride and a 10-person bottle-service package for a future date. Last year's winner came with 100 people.
Bootleggers: 8 p.m. Sat. 323 1st Av. N., Mpls. $5. Free with entourage. 612-940-2668. www.bootleggersmpls.com
Annex: 9 p.m. Oct. 2. 528 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls. $8. Free with entourage. 612-338-1730. www.lonetreeannex.com
Fall into fashion The Envision fall fashion show will be held in the Graves 601 Hotel ballroom, featuring 50 Ignite models, 20 stylists and 15 Twin Cities designers, including Amanda Christine, Kjurek Couture and others. Music is provided by DJs Timmay and Shiek, plus live electric violinist Dani-Vi. A silent auction will benefit the breast-cancer group Young Survival Coalition.
8 p.m. today. 601 1st Av. N., Mpls. $20-$25. 612.435.4982. www.envisionmpls.com
Surlyfest Surly is once again getting in on the Oktoberfest fun with this Saturday's Surlyfest at the Brooklyn Center brewery. If you don't already have tickets, you've probably missed the boat. But if you're still looking for some Surlyfest fun, check out the bar-release party for the new brewery's new beer at Tracy's Saloon on Monday. The south Minneapolis bar is offering a six-course tasting dinner ($28, 651-361-0923 reservations) to celebrate Surly's interpretation of an Oktoberfest brew. That dinner is sure to be a hot seller, too. The bar also will have great Surly pint specials (two-for-ones) plus a specialty brat made with Surly beer.
6:30 p.m. Monday. 2207 E. Franklin Av., Mpls.
612-247-5111. www.tracyssaloon.com
Inkala is out One of the Twin Cities' most recognized street muralists, Eric Inkala, is leaving for New York, but First Amendment Arts is throwing him an "arty party" before he's gone. The show will feature new works by Inkala and his graffiti-art colleagues, plus music by the Millionth Word and Doomtree's Paper Tiger. Inkala's murals (like the Dunn Bros. piece in Uptown) are known for their bold, orgasmic waves of color and bright-white teeth. The show runs through Oct. 20.
7 p.m. Sat. 1101 Stinson Blvd. Free. All ages.
thorgen@startribune.com • 612-673-7909
