3rd anime convention at Owens this weekend

Marshall Lamming, left, and Levi Wonder, demonstrate a battle while waiting in a long line to get into the GarasuNoShiCon 2010 at Owens Community College in Perrysburg.

The third annual GarasuNoShiCon (Glass City Con), one of the region's largest Japanese animation and cultural gatherings, takes place from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday at Owens Community College, 30335 Oregon Rd., Perrysburg. Presented by Owens' Anime Convention and Gamers United clubs, the event will include anime screenings, video gaming, an electronic music dance, a fire show, and entertainment panel discussions. Participants also will have the chance to participate in an interactive game. Featured guests include voice actors Robert Axelrod, Tiffany Grant, and Doug Smith, writer-director Matt Greenfield, writer John Oppliger, musical performers video-game band Year 200X, the Salad Time Soldiers, and Gavin Goszka, kimono specialist Kerry Porter, and video-game developer Galloping Ghost Productions. Opening ceremonies will be at 11 a.m. Saturday in the Audio/Visual Classroom Center. The event is free.

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Comedian Doug Benson will present his standup comedy routine at 4:20 p.m. Sunday in Funny Bone in Levis Commons. Benson has hosted Comedy Central's The Benson Interruption, starred in the feature documentary Super High Me, and appeared on four seasons of VH1's Best Week Ever. Tickets are $20. Funny Bone is inside Fat Fish Blue restaurant, 6140 Levis Commons Blvd. Information: 419-931-3474.

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This year's 7th annual African American Festival at the University of Toledo's Scott Park campus will have a strong musical lineup featuring jazz, blues, R&B, and gospel acts. Among performers are bluesman Bobby G and friends, Jesse Coleman with the Jamm Band, Zapp, and the Rance Allen Group. The event starts at 10 a.m. Saturday with a parade from Mount Pilgrim Baptist Church, 1401 Hoag St., to Nelson Grace Park, Detroit and Indiana avenues. In addition to music, the festival will include food, children's activities, and rides. Festival hours are 1 to 9 p.m. Saturday and 2 to 8 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $8 for those 18-64 and $5 for those 3-17 and 65 and older. Children 2 and younger are free. Information: 419-255-8876.

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The Toledo Lighthouse Waterfront Festival is scheduled this weekend at Maumee Bay State Park, 1400 State Park Rd., Oregon. The event features nautical arts and crafts, island music, a silent auction, a sand castle contest, and boat rides to the lighthouse and past Turtle and Grassy islands. The Eddie Boggs Band will perform at 5 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday, and Randy and the Reef Sharks will present a Beach Boys tribute concert at 7 p.m. Saturday. Admission to the festival and parking are free. For the boat, tickets are $25 for adults, $15 for children 9 and younger. The boat casts off at 10 a.m. and 12:30, 3, 5:30 and 7:45 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. and 12:30 and 3 p.m. Sunday. Information: toledolighthouse.org.

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The Bedford Flower and Garden Club will host its 15th annual garden tour Saturday. Five gardens will be on display; the event also includes raffles, refreshments, and a gardening boutique. Tickets, $8, will be available from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Bedford Public Library, 8575 Jackman Rd., Temperance, which will also have directions to the various gardens.