Can't Miss It: Weekend Edition

ALL-STAR PANEL: The Hugo House 2007-2008 Literary Series presents "Answered Prayers and Other Tragedies," a colloquium with authors Sherman Alexie and Michelle Tea, the Stranger's man-about-town David Schmader, and musician Sean Nelson. All are responding artistically to the question, "Is the only real tragedy getting what you want?" Ben Blum, the winner of the Hugo House New Works Competition, will also be there, wondering if this is what he really wanted.

Friday, 7:30pm // Town Hall, Eighth & Seneca // Tickets: $25 general, $15 students

ANIME: Just one weekend after the scifi convention, there's the anime convention, Sakura-Con 2008, today through Sunday at the Convention Center. There's a masquerade ball, in-costume skits, panels on animation technique, videos, voice talent, bands, and of course exhibits of anime and manga with writers and illustrators. Last year over 10,000 people attended. Can you imagine? Like a geek quasar.

Fri-Sun // Washington State Convention Center, 7th & Pike // Registration: Full, $60 at the door, by day: Fri $35, Sat $40, Sun $30

MOISTURE FESTIVAL: Fremont's comedy/variety/burlesque/what-have-you Moisture Festival kicked off yesterday and runs through April 13. Mostly held at Hale's Palladium, the festival's shows sometimes migrate downtown to ACT for burlesque naughtiness. Here's the comedy/variety schedule and here's the burlesque. Delightfully, there are also lectures and workshops. It just wouldn't be a real Seattle festival without lectures and workshops.

Thurs-Sun, thru April 13 // Hale's Palladium, 4301 Leary Way NW // Tickets: $5-$20

FOR THE KIDS: Seattle Center's Whirligig (aka screaming madhouse, and we mean that in a good way) returns, running through April 13. (Is that overlap a coincidence or are parents dropping off the kids at Seattle Center and then hoofing it over to the Moisture Festival for Tamara the Trapeze Lady?)

Remember being told, "no running in the house?" Well, here's a house (Center House) where kids can bounce, slide, glide and ride on super-cool, super-size inflatable rides. A special Toddler Zone is also available.

We should warn you there are "roaming clowns," but we're told you can get your face painted, so the clowns can't pick you out of a crowd.

Mon-Thurs, 11am-4pm, Fri-Sun, 11am-6pm, through April 13 // Seattle Center's Center House // Admission: all-day pass $7.25, all-day toddler pass $4.25, FREE on Thurs

The listed events were chosen by the editors of Seattlest and brought to you by the 2009 Toyota Corolla.