Have we not called this thing FARTS before? It seems so natural: Fall into Arts into FARTS. But don’t let my lowbrow humor dissuade you. This fall guide to Portland’s up-and-coming artists, projects, and events is just about as chock full of brow and class as any newspaper-loving Portlander could desire. The Mercury’s fine crew of writers and critics found some of the coolest things happening this fall and you’re about to get several scoops—one right after another—on what to look for in the upcoming months.

We have the word on Shaking the Tree’s eerie, interactive October production, ___ The Wolf. We talked to the Oregon Symphony’s young composer Katherine Balch about her attempts at bringing coziness and intimacy to an orchestra. We interviewed best-selling mystery writer Chelsea Cain about her survival in the face of Twitter’s rageful hordes and her triumphant return to writing comics. Our excellent opinions on Perfect Day Publishing’s latest book and what you should make sure to see at this year’s Time-Based Art Festival—ALL INSIDE! But wait, there’s more! Portland’s hilarious illustrator and graphic designer Jenny Vu has been moonlighting as a fake wedding facilitator! Do you want to know about that? Turn the page, dear readers. It’s fall and things are really starting to heat up.—SUZETTE SMITH