Since Oct. 12, 1996, the Mohegan Sun Casino has produced thousands of shows, sporting events, festivals and productions in a variety of venues that date back to an inaugural concert (in a Bingo Hall!) by Al Jarreau. Eschewing the traditional “Vegas-y casino entertainment” logic that featured crooners, comics, magicians and show girls, the Sun has explored as wide an array of stylistic artists as populates the planet and helped change the entire industry template.

In observation of this commitment and its 20th anniversary, the Sun, courtesy of booking maestro Tom Cantone and his staff, has assembled an astonishing array of live acts — 46 shows by 57 artists — for the month of October. And while the overall celebration includes all manners of events, parties, celebrations, celebrity interaction and an Oct. 8 exhibition NBA game between the Boston Celtics and the Charlotte Hornets, headline performances in the casino’s two main rooms, the 10,000-seat Mohegan Sun Arena and the always-free theater-in-the round Wolf Den, are impressive and appeal to a wide variety of music and comedy fans. Below, then, are whimsical capsules of some of the shows that will take place in those venues during October.

Tim McGraw, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Mohegan Sun Arena, $59-$149

A true anniversary: McGraw wasn’t a random choice. He played the first-ever concert at the Sun Arena on Nov. 9, 2001.

A busy week: On Wednesday, McGraw and his wife, Faith Hill, will each receive stars on Nashville’s Music City Walk of Fame.

Song you might have heard at McGraw’s first Sun show that you probably won’t hear now: He opened with Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer.”

Tonic, 8 p.m. Saturday, Wolf Den, free

Song to scream for: “Waltz with Me”

Bruno Mars, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 7, Mohegan Sun Arena, $79-$600

Looking ahead: Cantone literally went to work to secure Mars for the 20th Anniversary celebration exactly 53 weeks ahead of the gig.

Right place, right time? Mars has been in the studio for almost a year and insiders suggest a single in advance of a new album could be released any day now. What better way to introduce the tune than at the Sun?

A popular celestial body: Bruno isn’t the only rocker who looked to the fourth planet for pseudonymous inspiration. Who can forget Mars Cowling (longtime Pat Travers bassist) or Motley Crue guitarist Mick Mars? Or David Bowie’s Spiders from ...?

Everclear, 8 p.m. Oct. 7, Wolf Den, free

Song to scream for: “AM Radio”

America, 8 p.m. Oct. 8, Wolf Den, free

The name is Dan Peek: No, the band hasn’t decided to finally give the poor horse — the one that’s been through the desert without a name — a name. Along with Dewey Bunnell and Gerry Buckley, Peek was the third member of the original trio. He left the band in 1977 and passed away a few years ago. 

The Yardbirds, 7 p.m. Oct. 9, Wolf Den, free

Over, under, sideways and who? The only original ’Bird still in the group is drummer Jim McCarty so, no, don’t expect Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton or Keith Relf to drop by — particularly since Relf was fatally electrocuted in 1976.

What does this have to do with the Yardbirds? Buy and listen to the self-titled album by Armageddon, which was Relf’s last band. It’s magnificent, intelligent hard rock.

Megadeth with Amon Amarth, Suicidal Tendencies, Metal Church and Havok, 6:30 p.m. Oct. 13, Mohegan Sun Arena, $35

Towel Boy Rick: In 2013, I did a phone interview with Megadeth leader Dave Mustaine, who was on holiday in Paris with his family. He was cheerful, but warned that his wife, who was in the spa, hated him doing phoners while they were on vacation. He laughed, “So, if she comes in suddenly, don’t be surprised if I say something like, ‘Yeah, could you bring up some fresh towels?’ and hang up on you.”

Necromancy: Born-again, Mustaine has long refused to play “The Conjuring,” a Megadeth tune he wrote about practicing black magic during his teens. The lyrics reportedly have a literal hex in them. Recently, he says he might put it back in the set list as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone. But if your hot dog suddenly vanishes during the show ...

Comedy All-Star Gala hosted by Kevin Hart and starring Sarah Silverman, Dave Attell and Margaret Cho, 8 p.m. Oct. 14, Mohegan Sun Arena, $95-$110

Per capita mirth: All of these folks are pretty funny, but you can evaluate your Laugh Dollar by dividing punch lines by height. Hart is 5/4”, Cho is 5’5”, Silverman in 5’7” and Attell is 5’9.”

Little Anthony & the Imperials, 8 p.m. Oct. 14, Wolf Den, free

Song to scream for: “Tears on My Pillow”

Fergie, 8 p.m. Oct 15, Mohegan Sun Arena, $69-$89

You’re in luck: On Oct. 7, Fergie’s scheduled to release her new “Double Duchess” CD so this means fans will be getting an early taste of a new show with all the production and pyro you’d expect.

Perfumer? Perfumist? Perfumifier? In addition to her solo stardom and lead vocalist duties with hip-pop standard-bearers the Black Eyed Peas, did you know Fergie has also launched three different designer scents for Avon? Yes, her music frequently stinks, but ...

LL Cool J featuring Z-Trip, 8 p.m. Oct. 15, Wolf Den, free

Acting or rapping? Most of the contemporary world probably thinks of LL Cool J from his current gig, starring as Special Agent Sam Hanna on “NCIS Los Angeles.” Back in the day, though, he was taken seriously as a hip-hop artist — as with Grammy-winning hits like “Mama Said Knock You Out” and “Hey Lover.”

An Evening with Lynyrd Skynyrd, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 16, Mohegan Sun Arena, $20

All in a name: It’s pretty well known that “Lynyrd Skynyrd” named themselves sarcastically after a sadistic coach the band members suffered through at Robert E. Lee High School in their native Jacksonville, Fla. If, however, the band were to form today and still be named after a Lee PE teacher, they would either be called Stephen Barnes or Ed Barrett — or misspellings thereof — since they’re the school’s current gym coaches.

Song to scream for: Don’t do it if you value your soul! Don’t be THAT cretin!

Dane Cook, 8 p.m. Oct. 21, Mohegan Sun Arena, $45-$60

You decide: Few comics are treated with more derision by his colleagues — and yet he’s one of the most successful stand-up artists of all times. He’s played STADIUMS and routinely fills 10,000-seat halls, sort of like, well, the Mohegan Sun Arena. So someone — a helluva LOT of someones — find him hilarious.

Sam Hunt, 8 p.m. Oct. 22, Mohegan Sun Arena, $79-$99

Newest country: As embodied by diverse and creative of new sounds and production techniques, Hunt is a bright young star moving C&W into the future.

If not country music, then: Football? (Hunt was a quarterback at University of Alabama Birmingham and was invited to the Kansas City Chiefs training camp.) Existentialist? (Hunt was a philosophy major.) Investment banker? (Hunt ultimately got a business degree in economics.)

Song to scream for: “Break Up in a Small Town.”

Dennis DeYoung presents the Music of Styx, 8 p.m. Oct. 22, Wolf Den, free

Songs to scream for: Yes, DeYoung is no longer in Styx — possibly because no rock singer has EVER punished vowels and diphthongs to such an extreme as he. However, for those who love the music, he wrote and crooned big hits like "Lady" ("Aw-wool aw-wool aw-wooll your love!"), "Suite Madame Blue," "Light Up," "The Grand Illusion" and "Babe."

Chicago and Earth, Wind & Fire, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 23, Mohegan Sun Arena, $60-$80

You'll probably hear some hits: Chicago has sold over 100 million albums; EW&F over 90 million.

Horn-y: Yes, DeYoung is no longer in Styx — possibly because no rock singer has EVER punished vowels and diphthongs to such an extreme as he. However, for those who love the music, he wrote and crooned big hits like “Lady” (“Aw-wool aw-wool aw-wooll your love!”), “Suite Madame Blue,” “Light Up,” “The Grand Illusion” and “Babe.”

Jackie Greene, 8 p.m. Oct. 23, Wolf Den

Not to be confused with: “Jackie Blue,” which was a hit by the Ozark Mountain Daredevils (who coincidentally are the only musical act in the world not playing the Sun this month). Greene, by the way, is a singer-songwriter who was in the final Black Crowes lineup.

Sia with Miguel & Aluna George, 7 p.m. Oct. 26, Mohegan Sun Arena, $75-$95

Conceptual: Yes, her varying, kooky (but reasonably thematic) onstage personae — obscured face, dramatically oversized sheepdog-hair explosions, giant bows, war paint makeup etc. — are distinct. But does it all ultimately distract from her visionary pop or, as per Kiss, King Diamond and Ghost, enhance?

Speaking of concepts: Sia’s latest album, “This is Acting,” consists entirely of her arrangements of songs that were rejected by other artists.

Air Supply, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 27, Mohegan Sun Arena, $20

Recurring motif: Not suggesting ice cream-poppers Air Supply focused on the romantic in their lyrics, but some of their songs are “Lost in Love,” “All Out of Love,” “Love and Other Bruises,” “The One That You Love,” “Making Love Out of Nothing at All,” “The Power of Love” and “Faith in Love.”

Prediction: They will not encore with Cannibal Corpse’s “Hammer-Smashed Face.”

Carrie Underwood, 7 p.m. Oct. 28, Mohegan Sun Arena, $51-$81

Superlatives: Is there a more beloved artist working in music today? Probably not. Not even you, Adele.

Running out of momentum: Ha! Just kidding. Her latest tune, the wonderful “Church Bells,” is firmly embedded on the Billboard charts.

Kiss, 8 p.m. Oct. 29, Mohegan Sun Arena, $75-$95

Revelation: It occurred to me, in a Newtonian burst of apple-fall awareness, that it’s entirely possible Gene Simmons’ hair is actually a helmet of painted and carved wood.

A bargain: Speaking of Simmons, did you know you can actually buy replicas of his Beast Boots, the knee-high, monster-tooth platform constructs that appear to have been made by a taxidermist working on Godzilla? Yep.

Song to scream for: “Freebird.”

Tedeschi Trucks Band, 7:30 p.m., Oct. 30, Mohegan Sun Arena, $35

Let no man cut asunder: In the long line of bands that have featured a husband/wife team, there's something genuine when you watch guitarist/singer/spouses Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks onstage together. Maybe Air Supply will write a song about them.

Bottleneck: Other than Sonny Landreth, is there a better slide player in the world than Trucks? Methinks not.

A few bits of 20th anniversary Sun entertainment trivia.

• The Sun Arena, which opened in 2001, has hosted over 2,000 events and has been voted Arena of the Year six times at national industry awards shows.

• Bon Jovi, One Direction, Keith Urban, Beyoncé, Coldplay and many more have all chosen to kick-off national tours in the Arena.

• Earlier this year, the Sun broke the 10-million attendance mark since opening their doors. As Cantone says, “Who would have thought 10 million people would come to UNCASVILLE?”

• The fastest Arena sellouts were Billy Joel — who, by the way, played 10 consecutive capacity shows there — Taylor Swift, One Direction and Luke Bryan.

• The first act to include “Uncasville” on the back of their tour T-shirts was Kiss.