friday 3
Around town

'An Evening of Turkish Culture' California Academy of Sciences, 875 Howard; 321-8000. 6:30-9pm, free. Get a taste of Turkish music, dance, and rugs; Kervan Ensemble and Yore Folk Dance perform.

'Instant City Launch Party' Adobe Bookshop, 3166 16th St; 864-3936. 7:30-10:30pm, free. Indie publishing organization Instant City launches with readings and performances by Sara Jaffe, Kathi Kamen Goldmark, James Tracy, Charles Gatewood, and others.

Benefits

'Day of Giving' Element Lounge, 1028 Geary; 510-1362. 10pm-2am, $5-10. DJs JZ, Sunder, and Melyss spin; all proceeds benefit City of Dreams, which provides gifts for children in the San Francisco welfare system.

saturday 4
Around town

'Creature Comfort' New Langton Arts, 1246 Folsom; 626-5416, www.newlangtonarts.org. 4-9pm, free. Preview dozens of works by the city's most dynamic emerging artists prior to New Langton's annual auction. Through Dec. 9.

'Ignite 2040' CELLspace, 2050 Bryant; www.ignite-sf.org. 8pm-4am, $15-25. Dancers, DJs, musicians, and artists perform a show set in the surreal future, featuring dancers Suzanna Fernandez and Nicole Starbuck.

Benefits

'Bisexual Network Holiday Book Drive and Fundraiser' San Francisco LGBT Community Center, 1800 Market; www.babn.org. 5-8pm, free. Performance artist Lindasusan, Charlie Anders (Other Magazine), and activist Peppermint entertain at this potluck social; proceeds expand the LGBT Center Reading Room's collection of books on bisexuality.

'IndependAIDS Celebration' Medjool, 2524 Mission; www.helem.net. 8pm-1am, donations accepted. Hip-hop artists, DJs, and musicians perform at a benefit for Helem, an LGBTIQ organization in Lebanon.

'Nerd Prom' SomArts Cultural Center, 934 Brannan; www.locusarts.org. 8-11pm, $10. Do prom right this time and go as your inner dork. The Invisible Cities, Goh Nakamura, and Tensegrity Nine perform at a benefit for Locus Arts.

sunday 5
Around town

'Creature Comfort' New Langton Arts, 1246 Folsom; 626-5416, www.newlangtonarts.org. 4-9pm, free. See Sat/4.

'Great Wall across the Yangtze' San Francisco Public Library, Main Branch, 100 Larkin; www.sfpl.org. 2pm, free. Catch a screening and discussion of Ellen Perry's documentary about China's Three Gorges Damn Project.

'Winterfest Party' SomArts Cultural Center, 934 Brannan; www.sfbike.org. 6-10:30pm, $5-10. Join the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition for its pedal-friendly holiday bash featuring a performance by Circo Zero, an art show, and free refreshments.

Benefits

'COLAGE Bowl-a-Thon'Yerba Buena Bowling Center, 750 Folsom; www.colage.org/bayarea. 1-3pm, donations accepted. All are invited to hit the lanes in support of LGBT families at a benefit for Children of Lesbians and Gays Everywhere.

Bay Area

'Chango Fest' La Peña Cultural Center, 3105 Shattuck, Berk; (510) 644-9260. 7pm, $10-15. Cuban dance troupe Olorun performs to the drum beats of Carolyn Brandy and Obini Tambor, followed by a salsa party with band Quimbombo. The event benefits Berkeley-Palma Soriano Sister Cities Association.

'Voices in Peace IV' St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 2300 Bancroft Way, Berk; www.coolcommunity.org/voci. 3pm, $15-20. Voci women's vocal ensemble performs litanies and lullabies by the Byrds, Mozart, Poulenc, and others at a benefit performance for the Global Fund for Women.

monday 6
Around town

'Creature Comfort' New Langton Arts, 1246 Folsom; 626-5416, www.newlangtonarts.org. 4-9pm, free. See Sat/4.

tuesday 7
Around town

'Creature Comfort' New Langton Arts, 1246 Folsom; 626-5416, www.newlangtonarts.org. 4-9pm, free. See Sat/4.