events

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

wednesday 4
Around town

'The New "Mission School": Young Artists Challenge the Establishment' Commonwealth Club, 595 Market, 597-6705. 6:30pm, $18. Artists and curators for alternative and traditional galleries Renny Pritikin, Sirron Norris, Nancy Gonchar, Neon, Cherri Lakey, and Andrew Strickman discuss the transforming art scene.

Benefits

'Follow Your Art!' Canvas Gallery, 1200 Ninth Ave; 861-9838. 6-9pm, $25. ArtSpan presents its annual benefit art auction featuring refreshments, music, and an auction on over 100 original works by San Francisco artists.

thursday 5
Authors

Erica Jong Commonwealth Club, 595 Market, second fl; 597-6712. 6:30pm, $9-15. The author discusses female sexuality.

friday 6
Around town

'The Third Annual Monster Drawing Rally' Southern Exposure, 401 Alabama; 863-2141. 6-10pm, free. Southern Exposure presents this fundraising event featuring 100 artists creating art live; finished works can be purchased for $50 each.

Benefits

'Pass the Peace' Club Galia, 2565 Mission; 263-4848. 9pm-2am, $5-10. Aphrodeisa, DJ Ren the Vinyl Archaeologist, DJ Rueben, and others perform at this benefit for KPFA's Hardknock Radio.

'The Poetry Dance' Italian Athletic Club, 1630 Stockton; 362-8193, staff@citylights.com. 8pm-midnight, $40. See 8 Days a Week.

'Waking the American Dream' Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater, 700 Howard; 252-8900, www.endabuse.org/sarahjones. 8pm, $10-50. Breathrough and the Family Violence Prevention Fund and Yerba Buena Center for the Arts presents this event featuring readings by Alice Walker and Sarah Jones and a screening of Bringing Durban Home: Combating Racism Together.

'ZooFest for Kids! 2003' San Francisco Zoo, 1 Zoo Rd; 753-7165, www.sfzoo.org. 6:30-8:30pm, $25-50. The San Francisco Zoo presents this fundraiser for the family featuring an evening tour of the zoo animals, live entertainment, refreshments, and more.

saturday 7
Around town

Hyphen Magazine party Club Bas, 383 Bay; (510) 325-1573, sarah@hyphenmagazine.com. 9pm, $10. See 8 Days a Week.

Thrive Video Swap SF LGBT Community Center, 1800 Market; 865-5555. 1-3pm, free. This VHS and adult-video swap is a social event for HIV-positive men.

'Union Street Festival' Union, between Gough and Steiner; 1-800-310-6563, www.unionstreetshop.com. 10am-6pm, free. The Union Street Association presents this festival featuring art, music, gourmet food, live music, and more. Also Sun/8.

Bay Area

'Live Oak Park Fair' Live Oak Park, 1301 Shattuck, Berk; (510) 898-3282. 11am-6pm, free. This annual fair in Berkeley features arts and crafts, live musical and dance performances, and international foods; proceeds benefit Camp Winnarainbow and KPFA Radio.

Record show 21 Grand, 449 B 23rd St, Oakl; (510) 452-2452. 10am-5pm, $2-3. This record swap also features live performances by Kitra, Jaswho?, and Chris Marsol.

'A Tribute to George Zimmer' Hyatt Regency San Francisco, 5 Embarcadero Center; 1-800-554-4020. 6pm, RSVP necessary. The Institute of Transpersonal Psychology celebrates Men's Wearhouse founder and chairman George Zimmer with an Honorary Doctor in Philosophy in Human Letters degree; Leonard Nimoy speaks.

Benefits

Comet Magazine launch party 21 Grand, 449 B 23rd St, Oakl; (510) 444-7263. 7pm, $5-10 sliding scale. This benefit release party for Comet Magazine's fourth issue features a musical performance by the Beth Custer Ensemble, readings by Daphne Gottlieb, Alan Kaufman, Jessica Loos, and Jim Nawrocki; a short film by Killing My Lobster, and more; Tarin Towers MCs.

sunday 8
Around town

'The Sixth Annual Native Contemporary Arts Festival' Yerba Buena Gardens, 701 Mission; 978-ARTS. 11am-3pm, free. Yerba Buena Center for the Arts and American Indian Contemporary Arts presents this family event featuring Native American arts, music, dance, spoken word, and more.

'Union Street Festival' Union, between Gough and Steiner; 1-800-310-6563, www.unionstreetshop.com. 10am-6pm, free. See Sat/7.

Benefits

'Two Lines 10th Anniversary Celebration' Cafe du Nord, 2170 Market; 7pm, $15-30 sliding scale. The Center for Art in Translation celebrates the tenth anniversary of the literary journal TWO LINES with a night of DJ sets by DJs Cheb I Saabbah and Soulsalaam, belly dancing, food and drinks, and a silent auction; proceeds benefit the center's education program, Poetry Inside Out.

monday 9
Authors

Margaret Atwood Unitarian Church, 1187 Franklin; 392-4400. 8pm, $18. This event features the renowned poet, critic, historian, and author in conversation with KQED's Michael Krasny.