by Wm. Steven Humphrey Who's ready to have some fun? Well, the Mercury is here to help with FREE TICKETS to see some of Portland's best concerts and events—our way of saying thanks to our great readers and spread the word about some fantastic upcoming performances! (Psst... if you want to say thanks to the Mercury, please consider making a small monthly contribution to keep us alive and kickin'!) And oh boy, do we have some fun events coming at ya this week! CHECK IT OUT! • Enter to WIN FREE TICKETS for the Portland Book Festival on November 2 at South Park Blocks!  Portland Book Festival returns Saturday, November 2 to downtown Portland’s south Park Blocks. The festival will feature on-stage author discussions with over 100 authors and interviewers, writing workshops, pop-up readings, a book fair, and food trucks in this citywide celebration of books and stories. Get your tickets now, or enter to win here! South Park Blocks, 1436 SW Park, Sat Nov 2, 9 am, $18-$70, all ages • Enter to WIN FREE TICKETS to see Zack Fox on November 14 at Crystal Ballroom! Zack Fox is an Atlanta-raised rapper, DJ, actor, comedian, artist, and writer with an ever-expanding following and footprint on the culture. Zack also currently plays the clueless yet lovable Tariq in the Emmy award-winning hit comedy Abbott Elementary. Get your tickets now, or enter to win here! Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside, Thurs Nov 14, 8 pm, $27.50, 21+ • Enter to WIN FREE TICKETS to see A Place To Bury Strangers on November 7 at Mississippi Studios!Often cited as ‘the loudest band in New York’, A Place To Bury Strangers is beloved for their vicious live performances and treacherous stage antics. See them LIVE when they return to Mississippi Studios! Get your tickets now, or enter to win here! Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi, Thurs Nov 7, 8 pm, $22, 21+ • Enter to WIN FREE TICKETS to see Nick Swardson on October 26 at Elsinore Theatre (Salem)! A comedian, actor, writer and producer, Nick Swardson’s unique comedic view has established him as a force film and TV and as a prolific stand-up comic, and we’re giving away a pair of tickets to see the show at Salem’s Historic Elsinore Theatre! Get your tickets now, or enter to win here! Elsinore Theatre, 170 High Street South, Salem, Sat Oct 26, 7 pm, $39.50-$59.50, all ages • Enter to WIN FREE TICKETS to see Jeffrey Martin on October 26 at Mississippi Studios! On Martin's fourth full length album, Thank God We Left The Garden, the songwriter reaches into new melodic territory to share sounds that feel warm, close, and refreshingly real. Listen LIVE when the homegrown star shares his brand-new record at the Aladdin! Get your tickets now, or enter to win here! Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi, Sat Oct 26, 9 pm, $22, 21+ • Enter to WIN FREE TICKETS to see Fat Dog on October 27 at Polaris Hall! One of London’s most exciting new bands, Fat Dog has quickly earned adoration for their frenzied and wild live shows. They visit Portland with a mind-bending blend of electro-punk, rock’n’roll snarling, techno soundscapes, industrial-pop and rave euphoria from their debut album, WOOF — listen LIVE at Polaris! Get your tickets now, or enter to win here! Polaris Hall, 635 N Killingsworth Ct, Sun Oct 27, 8 pm, $18, all ages GOOD LUCK! Winners will be notified on Monday. Check back next week for more FREE TIX from the Mercury!