FRIDAY 8/11

TASTE OF EDMONDS--To provincial Seattleites who probably can't remember the last time they left the Downtown/Capitol Hill area, the scenic city of Edmonds is extending an olive branch. The 18th annual TOE promises to be a blowout--over 40 food booths, more than 60 arts-and-crafts vendors, a children's area with rides and live animals, and so much more! Frankie Goes to Hollywood is also scheduled to make a very special cameo, catapulting the TOE into the "don't miss" zone. Downtown Edmonds, 425-776-6711 for info, 11 am-10 pm, $1.

SATURDAY 8/12

ALL-AMERICA CHALLENGE CUP--Tennis is a game of fierce on-the-court showdowns, brutal psychology, and fantastic endurance. Local players looking for fresh blood can pony up $22 for this all-day tournament that will benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Also on hand will be former tennis star Mats Wilander who, for an additional $19, will be offering private clinics on a clay court. Columbia Tennis Club, 505 128th SE, Everett, 628-0777 for info.

INVESTIGATING CORPORATE POWER--The Urban Action School is sponsoring this workshop exploring the economic and social relationships between globalization and local phenomenons of gentrification and poverty. Hands-on training in investigative methods will be provided. Bring your fatigues, your favorite Karl Marx text, and a wallet-sized photo of Che Guevara. Independent Media Center, 1415 Third Ave, 723-4276, 11 am-4 pm, $25-$100 sliding scale.

SUNDAY 8/13

EMERALD DOWNS--In the way that other former arenas of iniquity, such as Times Square and Las Vegas, underwent makeovers to make them more appealing to blue-collar Democrats and white-collar Republicans, so has Emerald Downs embraced a policy of inclusiveness. No longer just a haven for Bukowski-esque drunks and obsessive statistic trackers, Emerald Downs now offers Family Days on Sundays. Kids will love the pony rides, face painters, and strolling clowns, while the adult crowd can still drop a sizable chunk of change waiting for their horse to come in. Emerald Downs, Hwy 167 & Emerald Downs Dr, Auburn, 253-288-7000. Events start at 10 am.