Fremont’s High Dive has been one of the neighborhood’s top music venues for some time now. Now the space is expanding it’s artistic offerings while also giving people a chance to experience it all at a very affordable price.

Along with bands and musical performances, High Dive will now be featuring various acts, including slam poetry, lounge acts, movie nights, charity shows and more. The venue will also now participate in Fremont First Friday ArtWalk, which takes place the first Friday of every month (hence the name, duh).

The new and improved High Dive Kitchen is now open for business. They’re offering a $5 menu from 4pm - 2am. with a selection of salads, stews, fish & chips, sliders, sweet potato fries and more. That also includes $3 drafts, $4 well drinks and $5 glasses of wine.

The best deal of all is their new 30 Day Unlimited Pass, which sells for $20. While individual events range from $5 - $10 covers, folks can save some serious cash and attend as many events as they like for 30 days with the pass. The pass is renewable when it runs out and the 30-day period is from first-usage, not date-of-purchase.

You’ll have a chance to check out the new and improved High Dive at some of their upcoming events, including a New Years Eve Show, featuring Ian McFeron and Fortune Dwellers ($20 advanced on site, $25 at door) and a Christmas Even event with a Best Ugly Sweater contest.

Check out the rest of the High Dive’s upcoming schedule here. High Dive is 21+.

If there’s one thing a bar doesn’t want to be associated with, it’s DUI arrests. The Washington State Liquor Control Board not only keeps track of such things but are happy to share the info with everyone.

Two Fremont Bars, High Dive (8) and Nectar (11), made the Top 20 (or Bottom 20, as it were). Even if you combined those numbers, you still wouldn’t match who’s No. 1 on the list. It’s a tie between Earls on the Ave & Safeco Field with 21 each. Congrats?

The Board does note that these results are based on what the arrestee says at the time of their arrest and is considered strictly hearsay and would not be admissible in court.

That said, take a bus or cab it, will ya?

Some news and items of interest for Fremonsters…

• Renegade Garden speaks with the new owner of Fremont’s Urban Earth.

• La Sirena Design Studio owner (and Fremont resident) Jalene Hernandez talks about her crafty origins to Seattlest.

• Dr. Iris Crawford at Eden Healing Paradise in Fremont lets patients visit by video, as well as by sending instant messages or email and managing their health records online.

• When UW student duo Beat Connection isn’t buying old-school sports clothing at Officials Vintage in Fremont, the fresh-faced purveyors of beachy dance pop are getting major radio play.

• The 2nd Annual Glow Show is Saturday night, February 5th at the High Dive in Fremont. Between the 400 watt Black Light Cannon, the glowsticks (and other glow paraphernalia), and the facepaint artist there to glow-up the crowd, it’ll be unlike any other show in Seattle that weekend.

It’s always been a blessing and a curse that I don’t really grow much facial hair. As such I’ve never bothered letting it grow. I finally decided to let loose the whiskers and stopped shaving two weeks ago. What resulted was one of the finest neck beards this world has ever known…and not much else. Disappointed with the results, I shaved it off this weekend.

I’ve come to terms with the fact that my visage will never grace a roll of Brawny paper towels nor will I ever be mistaken for the Gorton’s Fisherman. However if either of those things seem like a possible career choice for you and your facial hair, let me suggest a first-step on the road to beard-y greatness.

The Beard & Stache Fest is coming to The High Dive this Sunday, January 9th, at 1:00 p.m. It’s the Contestant Picture Party, in which 100 lucky, facially-haired gentlemen will be selected and photographed for the contest. So what does one win for having the finest facial offerings? I don’t know, exactly, but it’s for charity so who cares, right?

Step right up and become one of our fabulous 100 furry men that will compete for facial hair glory! We’re looking for Seattle’s hairiest men to come out and have their picture taken for a great cause - Treehouse, Seattle’s non profit organization that helps foster kids in the area.

Join us Sunday, January 9th, 2011 from 1 to 4pm at The High Dive in Fremont and join the competition. Its fun and free to add your facial hair to the cause and there’s plenty of goodies and prizes in store. Participating beards and/or mustaches will be a part of a team of five, and their pictures will be displayed on individual donation cans at select locations. So, if you can commit to having your picture displayed on a donation can to benefit an awesome foundation (I know, you think you’re not photogenic, but believe us… we think you’re adorable) then you are a perfect candidate.

Treehouse is a great service that provides services to foster children including money for extra-curricular activities, professional education support, clothing and supplies for school. If you’ve got facial hair and want to help, make sure to come out for the Fest (Pretty sure you can show up if you don’t have facial hair too).

For more info check out the Fest’s official site and keep an eye on the Twitterfeed.

Things are slowing down a bit for the holidays, but there’s still plenty of live music to be heard over the weekend.

Tonight is the 43rd incarnation of The Round at Fremont Abbey, featuring artists such as Aaron Sprinkle of Fair, Josh Dawson of Slender Means, Gabe Archer of The Pale Pacific, as well as slam poets and painters to add some variety. The holiday party, open to all ages, will benefit youth programs. Doors open at 7:30 and tickets cost $8-12 on a sliding scale.

At High Dive, tonight marks the final show for band Atomic Bride and the 39 Steps. The show will also include The Bug Nasties, The Saboteurs, Spaceship Excellent, and Electrolux. It also starts at 8 p.m. and has a $6 cover charge.

Nectar will have a hip-hop show tonight, with Macklemore Clockwork, Xperience, Candidt and DJ Marc Sense. The show starts at 9 p.m.- tickets were $8 in advance. Tost will have Salem and 3 Spot on hand; Salem has been heavily featured at ski and snowboard events across the country. Cover is $6 at Tost, and the show starts at 9 p.m.

Tomorrow will feature electronic music at Nectar from James Pants, Daedalus, Velella Velella, and WD4D. Tickets cost $10 in advance and the show starts at 9 p.m. Meanwhile, High Dive will have two CD release parties for Iris I and Something Vital, and will also feature Bee Simonds and Vibrant Society. Tost will have the Jake Shaw Trio, Role: 1 at 9 p.m. for $5.

Sunday is a little quieter. Only the High Dive will feature live music on the 14th- they will have Lady Drama, Eclectic Approach, Order of the Crimson Wizard, and The Vague Prophets at 7 p.m. for $6.

If you’re looking for a concert to go to in Fremont this weekend, Nectar, High Dive and Tost have something to offer for all kinds of music lovers

On Friday, High Dive is hosting Crack Sabbath, a heavy metal band at 9 p.m., and during happy hour will feature both Sweet Chariot and Ref the Fox. Tickets for the Crack Sabbath show are $9. Meanwhile, Nectar will be featuring World/Jam music including Diano Garcia, DJ Tomas, and Picoso at 9 p.m. for $8 per person. Tost will have old-school funk/new-school jazz act The Special Purpose with guests, also at 9 p.m., for a $5 cover charge. The Ballroom will also feature their regular DJ, DJ Dyce.

Saturday will see Nectar having an evening of international, Bhangra, and Bollywood pop featuring Bollygrooves with DJs Anshul and Elad. Tickets cost $10 before 11:30 p.m. and $12 after that. The show will begin at 10 p.m. High Dive will feature Crack Sabbath again on Saturday, but two different bands will play during happy hour- Ratfish Bone and Flashes of Quincey. Tost will feature an electronica/hip-hop trio at 9 p.m., with no cover charge, while the Ballroom will feature DJ Pete Bitty.

Sunday at Nectar will be an indie rock mix of Love Is All, Vivian Girls, and Nodzzz at 8 p.m. for $10 in advance. High Dive will feature Grey Sky Falling, Lost in the Bamboo, and S.O.S. at 7 p.m. for a $5 cover charge.

If you get any photos from the concerts, be sure to share them in our Flickr pool!