It’s a busy night on local stages
• Florida Georgia Line comes to Blossom with Cole Swindell, the Cadillac Three and Kane Brown. The music starts at 7 p.m. and be warned: the lawn is in pretty rough shape, with barely a blade of grass visible across giant swaths. Tickets are $31-$65.75 at 330-745-3000, www.ticketmaster.com.
• For a more vintage country act, check out the Charlie Daniels Band at the Hard Rock Rocksino Northfield Park at 8 p.m. Tickets are $31.50-$48 at 800-745-3000, www.ticketmaster.com.
• Children of the ’80s might want to start Working for the Weekend with Loverboy at the Canton Palace Theatre. No word on whether Mike Reno is still trying to fit into skintight red leather pants. Tickets are $39-$79 at 330-454-8172, www.cantonpalacetheatre.org.
• Thrash metal takes over the Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica in Cleveland with Slayer, Anthrax and Death Angel. Showtime is 7 p.m. and tickets are $29.50-$49.50 at 800-745-3000, www.livenation.com.
It’s also a big weekend for food festivals in Portage County
• The German American Family Society Oktoberfest will run through Sunday at the German American Family Society grounds in Brimfield Township at 3871 Ranfield Road. German food and beer, dancing and polka bands are the stars. Hours are 6 p.m. to midnight Sept. 9, 3 to 11 p.m. Sept. 10 and noon to 7 p.m. Sept. 11, when there will be activities for children. Admission is $5, children 12 and younger free. Call 330-678-8229 or go to www.germanfamilysociety.com.
• The 43rd annual Mantua Potato Festival also runs through Sunday at Buchert Park on East High Street in Mantua, with music, rides, a kids area, a parade and eating contests for various permutations of starchy goodness. http://mantuapotatofest.com/.
Gather around the campfire for some animal folk tales in Twinsburg
Hear old-fashioned animal folk tales — how did the chipmunk get its stripes, the opossum its bare tail? — at a campfire and marshmallow roast at Liberty Park Nature Center, 9999 Liberty Road, Twinsburg. It runs from 8-9:30 p.m. 330-865-8065.