events
wednesday 14
Around town
Gary Trudeau Herbst Theatre, 401 Van Ness; 392-4400. 8pm,
$18.50. The editorial comic strip artist speaks in conversation
with author Michael Chabon.
Benefits
Fundraiser for Theater for Social Change El Rio, 3158 Mission;
282-3325. 8pm-midnight, $15-20 sliding scale. Local political
performers, singers, and DJs including Brenna Sabatjian, Czechs Underground,
Ourtage Performance Project, BATO Collective, and Tonal Chaos perform
to support the Theater for Social Change Conference.
thursday 15
Around town
'1871: A Celebration of the Paris Commune' 21 Grand, 449B
23rd St, Oakl; (510) 444-7263. 8pm, $6-10. Anarchist historian
and speaker Barry Pateman speaks, and musicians the Luddites (Carla
Kihlstedt, Marika Hughes, Ches Smith, Devin Hoff, and Devin Hoff)
perform.
Benefits
'Chicks, Cheers and Charity' Pets Unlimited, 2343 Fillmore;
563-6700. 6:30-9:30pm, $20. This Pets Unlimited fundraiser features
wines and hors d'oeuvres, a raffle from Fillmore Street merchants,
a silent auction, and more.
Bay Area
'Taking Exception to the Rulers' King Middle School, 1781
Rose, Berk; (510) 848-6767, ext 612, www.kpfa.org. 7:30pm, $20. This
event celebrating the 55th anniversary of KPFA-FM features short film
"Independent Media in a Time of War," Amy Goodman, David
Goodman, and Michael Franti.
friday 16
Around town
West Portal Avenue Sidewalk Arts and Crafts Fair Sloat
and California; 566-3500. 10am-5pm, free. This three-day art event
features works by more than 75 California artists. Through Sun/18.
Benefits
Benefit for John Kerry for President Dragon Bar, 473 Broadway; www.kerrytheweight.org. 6-9pm, donations requested. Supporters of Sen. John Kerry's presidential campaign meet at this event.
'Come As Your Favorite Rock Star Costume Party' Red Devil
Lounge, 1695 Polk; 921-1695. 6pm, $10. The 2004 Spring Team in
Training marathon group hosts a rock star charity costume party; proceeds
benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
saturday 17
Around town
Cherry Blossom Festival Radisson Miyako Hotel, Imperial Ballroom B, 1625 Post; www.nccbf.org. 11am-5pm, free. This Japanese cultural event features informational booths set up by nine Japan-related San Francisco-based organizations, an anime illustration workshop, Japanese storytelling, and more. Also Sun/18.
West Portal Avenue Sidewalk Arts and Crafts Fair Sloat
and California; 566-3500. 10am-5pm, free. See Fri/16.
Bay Area
Berkeley Bay Festival 201 University, Berkeley Marina, Berk; (510) 644-8623. Noon-5pm, free. Learn about environmental education programs, listen to music, and take a sailboat ride at this annual shore-side festival.
First-time home-buyers seminar Holiday Inn, 500 Hegenberger,
Oakl; (510) 748-1148. 10:30am, free. A team of real estate lenders,
Realtors, and escrow company professionals present a seminar for first-time
home buyers.
Benefits
Berkeley Art Center's 37th anniversary party Berkeley Art
Center, 1275 Walnut, Berk; (510) 644-6893. 4-6pm. Berkeley Art
Center celebrates its 37th year of community arts with a silent auction,
live music by the Strange Angels and the Pickin Trix, food and wine,
and more.
sunday 18
Around town
Cherry Blossom Festival Radisson Miyako Hotel, Imperial Ballroom B, 1625 Post; www.nccbf.org. 11am-5pm, free. See Sun/18.
Knitting workshop Femina Potens, 465 South Van Ness; femina potens@yahoo.com. 3pm, $5 donation, pre-registration advised. Bring your own knitting needles and yarn to this weekly Sunday knitting class.
'Love Moves the World' Masonic Auditorium, 1111 California; 1-888-909-7359, www.artoflivingSFBA.org. 7pm, $10-20. Spiritual leader and humanitarian Ravi Shankar speaks.
'98th Anniversary of the Great SF Earthquake and Fire' Lotta's Fountain, intersection of Market, Kearny, and Third Sts; (760) 720-1976. 5am. The annual commemoration of the devastating 1906 earthquake and fire in San Francisco takes place.
West Portal Avenue Sidewalk Arts and Crafts Fair Sloat
and California; 566-3500. 10am-5pm, free. See Fri/16.
monday 19
Around town
'Good Lit at the Geary: Anna Deavere Smith' Geary
Theater, 415 Geary; 749-2ACT, www.act-sf.org. 8pm, $35. See 8
Days a Week.
Bay Area
'Same Sex Marriage: Law and Politics' UC Berkeley, Barrows
Hall, Lipman Room, eighth floor, Bancroft and Telegraph, Berk; (510)
642-1474. 1-5pm, free. This symposium focuses on the legal and
constitutional issues surrounding same-sex marriage.
tuesday 20
Around town
'Electric WOMB Art Forum' Bay Area Video Coalition, 2727 Mariposa; www.electricwomb.org. 7-9pm, free. Electric Women of the Music and Media Business presents its annual panel forum on women artists.
'Independent Press Spotlight: Seal Press and Aunt Lute Books'
Intersection for the Arts, 446 Valencia; 626-2787, www.theintersection.org.
8pm, $5-15 sliding scale. Authors Michelle Tea, Taigi Smith, and
Ginu Kamani read from their works.
Bay Area
'A Tribute to Mumia Abu Jamal' Humanist Hall, 390 27th St, Oakl; (510) 704-5293. 7pm, $5. Refuse and Resist presents this celebration of Mumia Abu Jamal's 50th birthday and the release of his new book, We Want Freedom: A Life in the Black Panther Party.
