events

Events listings are compiled by Sarah Han. See 8 Days a Week for information on how to submit items to the listings.

wednesday 31

Around town

'Closing Celebration of LaborFest 2002' AFM Local 6 Musicians Union Hall, 116 Ninth St; www.laborfest.net. 7pm, free. The closing party for LaborFest 2002 features performances by Mark Levy and others.

Bay Area

'Wednesday Tea Party' Fellowship of Humanity Hall, 390 27th St, Oakl; www.pnvrc.net. 6-8:30pm, $5-10 sliding scale. The People NonViolent Response Coalition present an informative tea party at which Jacqueline Cabasso and Andrew Lichterman speak.

Benefits

'Make Media, Make Trouble' El Rio, 3158 Mission; 282-3325. 7pm, $5. The benefit for San Francisco IndyMedia features performances by bands Gilding the Lily, the Amazon Mollies, and Land of the Blind, plus video screenings of protest movements and more.

Authors

Carolyn Grassi Black Oak Books, 1491 Shattuck, Berk; (510) 486-0698. 7:30pm. The author reads from her new collection of poetry, Transparencies.

thursday 1

Around town

'Religion and Conflict in Pacific and Asian North America' Haas School of Business, Cheit Hall, Wells Fargo Room, fourth floor, UC Berkeley, Berk; (510) 849-8244, www.pana.psr.edu. 5:30pm, free. The Institute for Leadership Development and Study of Pacific and Asian Religion hosts a conference on how global and individual conflicts have affected religion. Through Sat/3.

Benefits

'Ba-da-Bingo!' 150 Eureka; www.thesisters.org. 7pm, $12. The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence invite you to their popular bingo fundraiser; this event features 10 games of bingo, cash prizes, and performances by Connie Champagne and the Whoa-Nellies.

Bay Area

Benefit dance party Oakland Metro, 201 Broadway, Oakl; (510) 763-1146. 10pm, $7. The dance party benefits the Berkeley Poetry Slam.

Authors

Noah Lukeman A Clean Well-Lighted Place for Books, 601 Van Ness; 441-6670. 7pm. The author discusses his book, The Plot Thickens.

Bay Area

Ammiel Alcalay Diesel, a Bookstore, 5433 College, Oakl; (510) 653-9965. 7:30pm. The poet-author reads and discusses his new book, from the warring factions.

friday 2

Around town

'Religion and Conflict in Pacific and Asian North America' Haas School of Business, Cheit Hall, Wells Fargo Room, fourth floor, UC Berkeley, Berk; (510) 849-8244, www.pana.psr.edu. 8:30am, free. See Thurs/1.

Benefits

'Friends Helping Friends' Merlena's, 488 Hayes; 864-6672. 9pm, free. The Fauxgirls and Marlena's present a benefit drag show performance; proceeds benefit Bliss, an original Fauxgirl who is on medical leave.

saturday 3

Around town

'Multicultural Kite Festival' Beach Chalet Soccer Field, Golden Gate Park, near Fulton and 48th Ave; 750-5220. Noon-3pm, free. Friends of Recreation and Parks invites the public to their third annual kite festival, featuring art booths, kite-flying demonstrations, live music, and more.

'San Francisco Aloha Festival' Presidio Parade Grounds, off Lincoln Blvd at Montgomery; 281-0221, www.pica-org.org. 10am-5pm, free. The eight annual Pacific Islands cultural festival features music, dance, food, and arts and crafts. Also Sun/4.

'Summer Gardening Fair' Strybing Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, Golden Gate Park, Ninth Ave at Lincoln Way; 661-1316, ww.strybing.org. Noon-4pm, free. The Strybing Arboretum Society presents a festival of plants and gardening; highlights include demonstrations, and family walks around the gardens.

'Vultures Row 2002: All Day Summer Festival' Treasure Island, Bldg 180; 387-7866, www.vulturesrow.net. 3pm, $15. This event features live music by more than 20 bands and skateboard and BMX competitions.

Bay Area

Breast-feeding Guinness World Record event Martin Luther King Jr. Park, Martin Luther King Jr. Way, between Allston Way and Center, Berk; (510) 981-5360. Noon, free. Bay Area mothers and their babies congregate at this event in an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the largest number of breast-feeding mothers and babies at the same time in the same place; the event also features live music by Gwen Avery and the Blues Sistahs, a maternity-clothes fashion show, and children's activities.

Downtown Oakland record show Hofbrau, 2221 Broadway, Oakl; (510) 452-2452. 10am-5pm, $2. Find rare vinyl goodies at this record show.

'Religion and Conflict in Pacific and Asian North America' Haas School of Business, Cheit Hall, Wells Fargo Room, fourth floor, UC Berkeley, Berk; (510) 849-8244. 8:30am, free. See Thurs/1.

Benefits

'Bohemian Rhapsody' New College of California, 777 Valencia; 437-3487, www.epiarts.org. Reception 6-7:30pm, $50; performance and party 7:30pm, $20-$50. See 8 Days a Week, page 162.

Authors

Carrie Brown Cody's Books, 1730 Fourth St, Berk; (510) 559-9500. 2pm. The author discusses The Jimtown Store Cookbook: Recipes from Sonoma County's Favorite Country Market.

sunday 4

Around town

'Eighth Annual San Francisco Aloha Festival' Presidio Parade Grounds, off Lincoln Blvd at Montgomery; 281-0221, www.pica-org.org. 10am-5pm, free. See Sat/3.

'Hoodwinked: The Art of Visual Fraud with Richard Hechler' Exploratorium, 3601 Lyon; EXP-LORE. 2pm, $6-10 museum admission. Richard Hechler of the District Attorney's Office presents the visual tricks that criminals and scam artists use; the event is in conjunction with the Exploratorium's "Seeing" exhibit.

'Jon Sugar's Birthday Party' A Different Light Bookstore, 489 Castro; 731-2424. 2pm. A celebration of Jon Sugar's birthday and the 18th anniversary of Gay Artists Writers Kollective features performances by Garrin Benfield and Eddie Hall.

Bay Area

'Ethan Hawke: An Evening of Conversation, Spoken Word, and Music' Osher Marin Jewish Community Center, 200 N. San Pedro Rd, San Rafael; (415) 479-2000. 7pm, $15-38. Actor and author Ethan Hawke discusses his work with Malou Nubla; Shana Morrison and her band Caledonia perform, followed by a book signing by Hawke.

Benefits

'Polo in the Park' Golden Gate Park Polo Fields, near Lincoln Way and 35th Ave; 221-9438. 11am-4pm, $5-25. The polo event benefits the Brady Riding Program for Special Children.

monday 5

Around town

'A Conversation with Eve Ensler' San Francisco Performing Arts Library and Museum, Veteran's Building, Fourth floor, 401 Van Ness; 255-4800. 6pm, $15-20. Bay Guardian theater critic Brad Rosenstein speaks with Eve Ensler about her work as an artist and activist.

Authors

Ethan Hawke ACT/Geary Theater, 415 Geary; 597-6705. 7:30pm, $15-20. The actor and novelist discusses his writing career with Barbara Lane.

tuesday 6

Around town

Adult vision screening Prevent Blindness Northern California, 2400 California, Ste 117; 387-0934, appt required. 9:30am-3:30pm, free. Come for a free vision screening that tests for glaucoma and other vision problems.

'A Time of Decision – The Great Choice of Humanity' Nob Hill Masonic Center, 1111 California; (510) 841-3738. 7:30pm, free. Author and artist Benjamin Creme lectures.

Authors

Junko Mizuno Virgin Megastore, 2 Stockton; 397-4525, www.pulp-mag.com/junko. 7pm, free. See 8 Days a Week, page 162.

Richie Unterberger Booksmith, 1644 Haight; 863-8688. 7pm. The author discusses his new book Turn! Turn! Turn!: The '60s Folk-Rock Revolution.

Bay Area