Operative syllable being “ale” — as in booze. And not just beer and related beverages, either. But wine and spirits. So a true cornucopia of alcohol will be available for connoisseurs of the liquid arts to imbibe in and savour. The event runs tonight and Saturday night from 7-11 p.m. at Conexus Arts Centre. Tickets are $30, or $50 for weekend pass.

Also on tonight, the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame is having a fundraising dinner at the Delta Hotel. Special guests include Henry “Gizmo” Williams and Steve Sax (pictured). The former was a punt returner par excellence for the Eskimos in the late ’80s and through the ’90s and even played half a season in the NFL in 1989 with the Philadelphia Eagles under Buddy Ryan; while the latter played second base for the L.A. Dodgers in the ’80s and later saw action with the New York Yankees.

When Sax broke into the majors in 1982, he was named Rookie of the Year. The next year, though, he started having difficulty making routine throws to first base for outs. He committed 30 errors in 1983, and for several seasons after that continued to struggle with throwing. “Steve Sax Syndrome” is what baseball pundits dubbed it. And Sax didn’t find a cure until 1989. Now he’s a motivational speaker.  Tickets are $100. For more info call 780-9232 or visit www.sshfm.com/

Finally, this weekend the 20th annual Mid-Winter Celtic Festival is being held. It starts tonight at 5:30 p.m. with a gathering at O’Hanlon’s Pub. Then tomorrow, they’ll be performances (pipers, fiddlers, dancers) between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. at Cornwall Centre. From noon-4 p.m., they’ll be a “kitchen party” offering a similar assortment of entertainment for the plus 19 crowd at O’Hanlons. The festival winds up with the traditional ceilidh at the Exchange (8 p.m.-1 a.m.) with the City of Regina Pipe Band and sets by the Scott Benson Band, Downbeat and Celtica. For more info visit www.reginacelticfestival.org