Fun things to do in the South Sound this week

It’s brand new, shiny and beautiful and this weekend you’ll get a chance to check out Tacoma Art Museum’s Benaroya Wing at the Opening Celebration. The free community event will feature poetry readings inspired by glass art, dance performance by Kate O’Day inspired by Martin Blank’s “Current,” a lecture by William Warmus, former chief curator of the Corning Museum of Glass, jazz performance by 322, plus art making activities. It’s a full day — 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday — of celebrating studio glass art and the Benaroya Wing. Come down to the museum, 1701 Pacific Ave., Tacoma. 253-272-4258, tacomaartmuseum.org.

For all you model train and railroad enthusiasts, the Great Train Expo is here to delight you with more than 200 tables of train dealers and everything to do with trains. It will take over the ShowPlex Center at the Washington State Fair Events Center, 110 Fourth Ave. SW, Puyallup this weekend. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission is $9, $10 for a two-day tickets. Kids 11 and younger get in free. To find out more go to thefair.com

Featuring educational reptile and mammal displays, the Pacific Northwest Reptile & Exotic Animal Show will have more than 100 vendors tables, displays and educational information for the beginner to the advanced hobbyist. Do you love reptiles, amphibians and spiders? This show is for you. It’s at the Washington State Fair Events Center, 110 Fourth Ave. SW, Puyallup. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. For more information go to pacnwrs.com

It’s a mid-winter extravaganza of everything to do with the outdoors and sports when the Washington Sportsmen’s Show comes to the Washington State Fair Events Center, 110 Fourth Ave. SW, Puyallup. With lots of new features, speakers and exhibitors, this year will bring the first-ever Kayak Fishing Pavilion with top kayak anglers conducting seminars with how-to and where-to-go. It will also host a new Outdoor Cooking Competition. Bring the kids for the Trout Pond and tons of seminars for everyone. It opens Wednesday and will continue through Jan. 27. Hours are noon to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Jan. 26 and 10 a.m. to 4 pm. Jan. 27. Admission is $15 all-day, $7.50 half-day, $24 two-day, $5 juniors and free to kids 5 and younger. Go to thesportsshows.com for details and a $2 discount coupon.

With an career spanning decades, most notably as the anchor of the “CBS Evening News” and contributor to “60 Minutes,” Dan Rather is also an author and currently hosts a weekly show on The Young Turks YouTube channel. With his years in journalism, he brings a sense of authority to contextualize current affairs. He is coming to the Pantages Theater, 901 Broadway, Tacoma, to share anecdotes and insightful commentary in a 7:30 p.m. event Saturday. Tickets are $49, $69, $99 and $150. Get yours by phone or online; 253-591-5894 tacomaartslive.org

With goals of shining light on our current local, national and global situation, to re-imagine unity across difference, shared commitment to the path of social justice and connecting with peace and justice activists and advocates, The Conversation, Associated Ministries and Urban Grace Church will host the 13th Annual MLK “Redeeming the Prophetic Vision” community event. The intergenerational, multi-ethnic and participatory celebration will include blessings from multiple faith and wisdom traditions, spoken word and music addressing civil rights and justice themes, dramatic piece curated by playwright C. Rosalind Bell and messages from Dr. Dexter Gordon and other local voices. Come out for the 2:30 p.m. event Sunday at Urban Grace, 902 Market St., Tacoma. It is free. theconversation253.com

With the theme “We’re Better Together” Tacoma’s 31st Annual Martin King Luther Jr. Celebration will bring the community together to celebrate as a “day on, not a day off.” The free event kicks off with a community outreach fair from 10-11 a.m. with the main program beginning at 11 a.m. on Monday. The city’s Martin Luther King Jr. Community Service Award winners will be recognized, and local groups will be performing and presenting during the celebration. It is at the Greater Tacoma Convention Center, 1500 Broadway. There is free holiday on-street parking and free parking at Freighthouse Square.

Join Brass Unlimited and guest artist Duane Hulbert for its 21st Sounds of Brass Concert this weekend. With a 3-year career as a professor of music at University of Puget Sound, Hulbert has a storied musical career appearing with the likes of the Dallas Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, Juilliard Orchestra and Seattle Symphony, to name just a few. He is also a composer of four musicals with his wife. The 2 p.m. concert Sunday will feature his work and performance at the Tacoma Community College Auditorium, 6501 S. 19th St., Tacoma. It is free with donations greatly appreciated. To learn more go to brassunlimited.org