CONCERT Funk, rock, soul, and—dare we say it?—disco drive Ghostland Observatory’s dance-happy music. The Texas duo is at Showbox SoDo. May 14.

SPECIAL EVENT Pike Place Market turns itself over to fromage-ophiles for the Seattle Cheese Festival: two days of tastings, wine, and demos. Meet this year’s grilled cheese master on Nosh Pit. May 14 & 15.

SPORTS Warm up for this Saturday’s grudge match— Seattle Sounders vs. Portland Timbers —at the ultimate block party. May 14.

COMEDY Be a part of the live taping of Patton Oswalt’s new comedy special at the Moore; he needs someone to laugh at all his pop culture and fat-guy jokes. May 14.

DANCE For the past eight years Velocity has partnered with theaters in San Francisco, Minneapolis, and Philadelphia to put together a tour of up-and-coming contemporary dancers. This year’s Scuba performers are Chris Yon, idiosynCrazy Productions, and On the Board’s 2009 A.W.A.R.D. Show winner Amelia Reeber. May 13 & 14.

FAMILY Giant Magnet kids’ festival, host to acts like Seattle kindie rocker Caspar Babypants and acrobats from China, will call it quits after this year. Don’t miss the final hurrah. Thru May 14.

Everyone’s favorite nanny floats into town from Broadway with an umbrella—she’s equipped for Seattle—and a posse of toe-tappin’ chimney sweeps. Mary Poppins opens at the Paramount tonight. May 12–29.

BOOKS & TALKS Chris Cleave, London-based author of Little Bee, flies in this weekend for a series of book readings across the city. Find out more in our Q&A with Cleave —we talked books, Bin Laden, and cracked-out squirrels. May 12–14.

CLASSICAL & MORE In its season finale, Seattle Modern Orchestra explores the idea of the 20th century concerti, including a performance of Saariaho’s NoaNoa for flute and electronics. May 13.

Seattle’s 15-member American String Project plays its annual Benaroya Hall show, this time with three different programs over three nights: Brahms and Dvorák on Thursday, Grieg and Shostakovich on Saturday, and Haydn and Tchaikovsky on Sunday. May 12–15.

BENEFIT Nissei Veterans Memorial Hall in the ID will rock with the sounds of Aiko Shimada, Chemical Clock, and Burnlist, among others, at the We’re With You, Japan! benefit concert, hosted by Earshot Jazz and the Japan Young Professionals Group (JYPG). May 14.