events

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

wednesday 22
Benefits

'Rock and Roll Spelling Bee' El Rio, 3185 Mission; 282-3325. 8pm-midnight, $6-20. See 8 Days a Week.

thursday 23
Around town

'Ferry Building Marketplace Harvest Festival' Ferry Building Marketplace, The Embarcadero; 905-5300, www.ferrybuildingmarketplace.com. 4:30-7pm, call for price. Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture and Ferry Plaza Wine Merchants host a wine-tasting event featuring regional organic wines. Other Harvest Festival events continue through Sun/26.

Benefits

'Perfect 10' Velvet Lounge, 443 Broadway; www.whrc-access.org. 8pm, $20. Hip-hop diva Medusa and spoken word artists Mamaz perform to benefit Access, an organization providing access to reproductive health care for women.

Authors

Al Franken Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley, Bancroft Way at Telegraph, Berk; (510) 642-9988. 8pm, $20-36. The comedian and author discusses his book, Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right.

Noel Neill Books Inc., 2275 Market; 864-6777. 7:30pm, free. See 8 Days a Week.

friday 24
Around town

'Ferry Building Marketplace Harvest Festival' Ferry Building Marketplace, The Embarcadero; 905-5300, www.ferrybuildingmarketplace.com. 11:30am-1:30pm, call for price. Bluegrass Intentions perform at this event featuring a lunch catered by Hog Island, Slanted Door, Taylor's Refresher, and Mistral Rotisserie Provencal. Other Harvest Festival events continue through Sun/26.

Benefits

'Fall into Art 2003' Preview Room, 582 Market; 781-3894. 5:30pm, $20. Variety Children's Charity of Northern California and San Francisco Women Artists present this benefit art auction.

Midnight Masquerade Benefit Gala Green Room Performing Arts Center, San Francisco Veterans Building, 401 Van Ness; (510) 540-0754, www.narika.org. 9:30pm, $20-40. Narika, a South Asian domestic violence organization, presents this benefit featuring DJ Cheb I Sabbah, tarot card and palm readings, a costume contest, door prizes, cocktails, and more.

Authors

Al Franken Fairmont Hotel, Terrace Room, 950 Mason; 597-6712. Noon, $15-45. The comedian and author discusses his book, Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right.

saturday 25
Around town

'Ferry Building Marketplace Harvest Festival' Ferry Building Marketplace, The Embarcadero; 905-5300, www.ferrybuildingmarketplace.com. 8am-2pm. Today's Harvest Festival activities include book signings by Judy Rodgers and Rick Rodgers, a raffle drawing, and cooking demonstrations. Other Harvest Festival events continue through Sun/26.

'New Expression Fall Classic' Melting Point Gallery, 1340 Bryant; 861-0580. 9pm-2am, $5-10 sliding scale donation. This art and music showcase features artworks by Lisel Ashlock, Ezra Li Esimont, Matt Furie, Pete Glover, Kevin Panozzo, and Michelle Romo; music performances by Restiform Bodies, Meanest Man Contest, Telecommunications, and Hattattak; and video shorts by Jamie Flam, Frankie Koeller, and Justin Coloma.

'Punk Monkeys on Parade' 540 Club, 540 Clement; 420-9111, www.540-club.com/punkmonkeys. 2pm, free. See 8 Days a Week.

Benefits

Benefit concert Old First Church, 1751 Sacramento; 474-1608. 8pm, $25. Various musicians perform new music, jazz, and classical music to benefit Old First Church.

'Butterfly Social 2003' Asian Art Museum, 200 Larkin; 391-4721. 6:30pm, call for price. Wu Yee Children's Services presents this fundraiser featuring food and wine and an opportunity to visit all current and special exhibitions at the Asian Art Museum.

sunday 26
Around town

'Emerging Voices in Jewish Writing' W Hotel, 181 Third St; (323) 935-5120. 10am, $25. Michael Krasny moderates this discussion featuring a panel of authors including Joel ben Izzy, Peter Orner, and Elizabeth Rosner.

'Ferry Building Marketplace Harvest Festival' Ferry Building Marketplace, The Embarcadero; 905-5300, www.ferrybuildingmarketplace.com. 11am-4pm. Today's Harvest Festival activities include pumpkin carving, beekeeping demonstrations, lectures, live music by Bluegrass Intentions, and more.

'10th Annual Pet Pride Day' Sharon Meadow, Golden Gate Park; 554-9427. 11am-4pm, free. Bring your pet and the whole family to this event sponsored by Animal Care and Control featuring pet-trick competitions, a pet costume contest, demonstrations, performances, children's activities, and more.

Benefits

'Artists for Ammiano' Club Galia, 2565 Mission; 273-4633. 6-10pm, $10-500. MC Fairy Butch and guests Julia Serrano, MC Katastrophe, Sherilyn Connelly, Red Jordan Arobateau, Frankie Tenderloin and the Rent Boys, Shawna Virago, angel of the nod and the phantasy defylment, Jose Navarette and Debby Kajiyama, Jesselito Bie, Arnel Alcordo, Dance Brigade, Sini Anderson, Gisselle, Garza, Fifi Rodriguez, La Jaiba, William Morin, and the Dangers perform to benefit and endorse Tom Ammiano for mayor; other highlights include a veggie chili fest and a Halloween costume runway show.

'Fashion, Flares, and Aires' Conference Center, St. Mary's Cathedral, 1111 Gough; 921-9307. 3-6pm, $30. This fashion show benefits Goal Reachers, an organization helping students with personal and financial needs.

'Making Strides Against Breast Cancer' Speedway Meadow, Golden Gate Park, 25th Ave and Fulton; 1-877-906-7222. 8am-2pm. Raise funds for the American Cancer Society at this charity event.

'Walk Now San Francisco' Kezar Stadium, Golden Gate Park; 1-888-8AUTISM. 10am. Raise funds for the Cure Autism Now Foundation at this walkathon.

monday 27
Around town