Fifth Annual Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at Lesley University’s University Hall, 1815 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square. Free.

Adults and kids who love independent and alternative comics, graphic novels and other visual arts flock to this weekend event – more than 1,700 fans of comics went last year – presented by the Boston Comics Roundtable and Lesley University’s College of Art and Design, and so do more than 150 local comic creators. There’s an exhibition area with art and books, handmade mini-comics and ’zines, anthologies, graphic novels, prints and sketches, panel discussions and workshops for all ages and skill levels in which artists will share techniques, tips and tricks for creating your own comics. Special guests this year include artists James Kochalka, Raina Telgemeier, Dave Roman, Emily Carroll, Paul Hornschemeier and Box Brown, and expo organizer Dan Mazur says this year sees the debut of two comics anthologies with local connections: “Colonial Comics” with tales from pre-Revolutionary New England and “SubCultures,” a look at societal niches from ham radio operators and doomsday preppers to underground club kids and fancy wristwatch connoisseurs. Sunday is Kids Comics Day, with programming geared toward younger comics fans and budding artists. Information is here.

MIT Press Fall 2014 Loading Dock Sale from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday for students and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday for everyone. Free.

This “feeding frenzy for the brain” puts tons of out-of-print or gently shop-worn books, nonfiction overstocks, academic journals and hundreds of MIT Press journal back issues on sale at up to 95 percent off original retail prices – most at $5 or less – with the Sunday sale putting no limits on the purchases. Information is here.

Pipeline! Show No. 9 at 6 p.m. Saturday at The Middle East Downstairs, 480 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square. Tickets are $18 in advance, or $20 day of show.

Seven great Boston area bands unite as part of the monthlong “50 Years of Boston Rock 2014” commemoration of the inaugural broadcast of “Pipeline,” the local-rock show Massachusetts Institute of Technology radio station WMBR. Some 80 bands are coming together for reunion performances over five weekends and 13 nights at different venues, billed as “hand-picked acts representing the very best of the Boston rock underground from the ’60s to the 2000s.” In this show, doors are at 6 p.m. for music starting at 7 p.m. with Crazy Alice and leading to Quintaine Americana at 7:55 p.m.; Kudgel at 8:50 p.m.; Birdsongs of the Mesozoic at 9:45 p.m.; Bulkhead at 10:40 p.m.; Orangutang at 11:35 p.m. and The Clamdiggers (proto-Upper Crust) from 12:30 to 1:10 a.m. Information is here.

Cuisine en Locale hosts a “Pipeline” show Oct. 10-11 and there’s another show at The Middle East Down on Oct. 12 (as well as a Paradise Rock Club gig Sunday). Dig Boston has a schedule here. You can join a Facebook group for the series here.

Fifth Annual “Smoke This” Rib Fest from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday on Cambridge Street in East Cambridge, between Fulkerson and Fifth streets.

The East Cambridge Business Association brings back its “Smoke This” Rib Fest, a culinary showdown pitting pit master against pit master for the title of the best ribs in town. Taste Tickets that get you 10 rib samples from the restaurants of your choice are sold out, but each restaurant will also sell ribs separately. Participating restaurants include Abigail’s, ArtBar, Atwood’s Tavern, Bambara, Cambridge Brewing Co., Champions, Commonwealth, East by Northeast, East Side Bar & Grille, Filarmonica Santo Antonio, Lone Star, Lord Hobo, Ole Mexican Grill, PF Chang’s China Bistro, Portugalia, Puritan & Company, Ridge Vocational Culinary Arts Students, State Park and Tupelo. Also joining in: The Cambridge Police Department Pitmasters and The Cambridge Fire Department Pitmasters.

There will also be cooking demonstrations from local chefs, fun and games for kids with The East End House and music by The Atwood’s Monday Night Bluegrass Band and more. Information is here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLs0_aNGbnW0hZx4xED5uNVwJsbPeE9R4v&v=XwXdHxkAYbk

Upstart Fest at 5:30 p.m. Sunday at T.T. the Bear’s Place. Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the door.

The fourth year of the Northeast’s “Biggest Punk Rock Party” started Sept. 25 and has ranged over cities including Baltimore, Philadelphia, Asbury Park, N.J., Poughkeepsie and Brooklyn, N.Y., Burlington, Vt., and Portland, Maine. But it culminates in Cambridge with a nine-band bill: Trophy Lungs starts things off, Stray Bullets takes the stage at 6:15 p.m., then The Obvious at 7 p.m., Two Fisted Law at 7:45 p.m., New Red Scare at 8:30 p.m., The Sharp Lads at 9:15 p.m., Left Alone at 10 p.m., Svetlanas (from Moscow!) at 10:45 p.m. and The Virus at 11:30 p.m. Information is here.