LITTLE CREEK CASINO; SHELTON, WA
Little Creek beckons

By Sue Sawyer

Little Creek Casino located in Shelton off of State Route 108 provides karaoke in its Starlight Lounge every Wednesday from 8:00pm to 1:00am. Bring an appetite and get to Little Creek early for it’s second-to-none buffet served in the Creekside or sit down at Island Grille or Water’s Edge for service. A full menu is also provided in the Starlight at any hour as well. Prices are remarkably low for food quality, portions and service.

Don Turgio, karaoke host and owner of Don Turgio Enterprises (360-427-2815), karaoke is set up on the large, raised main stage in back of where the singers perform. There is a generous dance floor in front of the stage and upper balconies surrounding the stage/dance floor give gamers a good view and sound while playing slot machines. There are also many tables on the main floor along with a pool table and dart machines. Sound and ambiance, awesome!

Thursday nights are known as “Kickin’ Country”, providing live music bands, while other nights are filled with Jazz, Blues, Retro and Rock. Special performers show up on weekends such as Seattle favorite, Viccki Martinez. It’s all free. Big ticket event shows are held at the new Skookum Creek Event Center.

KJ Don likes to spice things up on Wednesday by giving away up to $200 divided into four $50 prizes - two female, two male - to those who find and sing the four mystery songs hidden on a special song request sheet created from ten artists. The night we were there, two singers found and performed their chosen mystery songs and each took home $50 cash.

Locals such as Carol, nurse by night with Wednesdays off, looks forward her snippets of fame. “It’s like family here and the host is wonderful,” she says. “I used to sing all the time in my car and six months ago I got up the nerve to try what I’d learned in front of people. What an emotional release! Everyone has been very receptive, now I can’t wait to try new stuff.”

Norm and Vicki love to ferret out karaoke shows and sing. Norm and Vicki are from the Midwest currently on business loan to the Tri-Cities. What’s popular where they live are “basement parties” where friends get together in finished basements decked out as “karaoke lounges” and sing, sing, sing. They boast their private CD+G collection as nearing 1,000 discs.

KJ Don’s CD+G collection is monstrous and original since he’s been collecting for many years. Don Turgio Enterprises is well known in the Shelton/Aberdeen area for his lively, fun DJ and karaoke shows.

Other singers showed off their stuff. Rose with “Twighlight Time,” Kasey performing “Toxic.” Tina shined with “Here Without You,” Lynn crooning “Still Loving You” and Amy emoting “Break It To Me Gently.”

It’s less than ten minutes from Highway 101 past Olympia. If you’re too tired to drive home, the hotel offers special weeknight rates. The smoke-eating machines work very well even if someone is lighting up at the next table. It’s a must visit for the serious karaoke singer!