Your weekend plans: Books, shopping, variety show

📚 Go to the True Lit festival — This literary festival at the Fayetteville Public Library includes poetry and screenwriting workshops and author talks. You can also take the kids to a story time. The festival runs Saturday through Oct. 19.

📰 Laugh at the news — Local journalists (that have included Alex in some years) will be on stage in a variety show poking fun at news from the past year at the NWA Gridiron Show at 7pm tonight and Saturday at The Medium in Springdale. Get tickets starting at $33. Proceeds go toward scholarships for journalism students.