Widespread Panic is coming to Iowa for two shows this October. Fans of the well-traveled jammers can check them out at the Paramount Theater in Cedar Rapids on Oct. 28, or closer to home at Stephens Auditorium in Ames on Oct. 29. Tickets for both events go on sale this Monday, Aug. 29 through Ticketmaster, or via the individual venue box offices. For more information or to purchase tickets, hit up www.paramounttheatrecr.com or www.center.iastate.edu.

The Des Moines Symphony is inviting people to vote on the encore for this season’s debut show. Symphony fans are invited to choose between Tchaikovsky’s “Pas de deux” from “The Nutracker,” Gliere’s “Russian Sailor’s Dance” and Ippolitov-Ivanov’s “Procession of the Sardar.” Head over to dmsymphony.org for more details or to cast your vote.

This week’s Pick o’ the Week is at the Brenton Skating Plaza on Friday, Aug. 22, as the venue plays host to Saving Abel, playing along with Index Case, Picture Yes and Strange Daze. Tickets to the all-ages event will run you $18 in advance through www.redtrucktickets.com or $22 at the door. Mahalo. CV