Around the Coyote Arts Festival

Tonight's the last night of the 15th annual Around the Coyote Arts Festival which takes place this weekend in Wicker Park and Bucktown. Check out the website for a full listing of the participating galleries that will be open late to showcase local artists' work, poetry readings, participating restaurants, and other cool activities that run all weekend long.

Golden Age of Gangsters

Meet real mobsters' kids, pretend mobsters and the people who obsess about mobsters at the Golden Age of Gangsters Convention this weekend in Itasca. This event is open to the public and will feature tons of gangster memorabilia, descendents of famous mobsters Capone and Giancana, actors Joe Gannascoli and John Fiore from "The Sopranos," special displays about the St. Valentine's Massacre and The Prohibition years, a guided tour of Chicago gangster history, and several historians and authors who have made gangster history their life's work. Friday-Sunday, Holiday Inn in Itasca. Admission is $15 per day or $40 for the weekend.

Obama Get Out the Vote Rally

Come out and see and hear Barack Obama speak at a Get Out the Vote! Rally in Northbrook on Sunday, September 12, 2004 at 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. There will be tables set up for volunteers to get involved in activities in their area. The rally will be held at the Renaissance North Shore Hotel (9333 Skokie Boulevard). If you can attend, please email David LeBreton at dlebreton@obamaforillinois.com.  If you have questions, you can email or call (312) 427-6300.

Boulevard Lakefront Tour

While not of the bacon, lettuce and tomato kind, the BLT aka The Boulevard Lakefront Tour is brought to you by the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation. From the site: "Join us for the 16th Annual Boulevard Lakefront Tour! One of Chicago's favorite bike rides, the BLT explores our great city's 'emerald necklace' — the parks, boulevards and historic places on the South and West Sides." It goes down Sunday, Sept 12th and you'll need to pre-register. Your choice of 10 mile or 35 mile ride. How many people did this last year? Over 2,200.

Neo-Preview Party

The Neo-Futurists are starting their 2004-2005 prime time season at the end of this week, and you're invited to a preview party! See a preview of Alice, the first production in the new schedule, as well as glimpses of other upcoming shows. In addition to show previews, there will be a theater-wide tour of all the secret spaces of the Neo-Futurarium, as well as refreshments. This is an excellent chance to learn more about the theater company, and talk to your favorite Neo-Futurist(s)! The preview starts at 2:00 PM, and tickets are $20 ($15 for seniors and students with ID). See the Neo-Futurist Website for more details and to purchase tickets. The Neo-Futuriarium: 5153 N. Ashland. (773) 275-5255.

Midwest Literary Festival

The 2nd Annual Midwest Literary Festival runs Saturday and Sunday in Aurora, IL. Featured speakers include former poet laureate Billy Collins and author Karen Joy Fowler, among many others. Panels and activities include a Romance Author Tea, a panel on self-publishing, finding a writing group, playwriting, as well as a separate program just for kids. Billed as a "family-friendly event," the activities are open to the public. For more information, directions and a map, and a full event schedule, check the website.

Choice Cycle '73

Choice Cycle '73 is a Chicago-to-Libertyville bike ride that celebrates the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, and also supports the work of Personal PAC, a bipartisan political action committee dedicated to electing pro-choice candidates to state and local office. The event begins this morning at 7:00 at the Evanston Ecology Center. For more details, see the Choice Cycle '73 site, or contact Emily Elbring of Personal PAC at (312) 422-0005.