Noche Cultural

Inter-American Magnet School, 919 W. Barry, hosts Noche Cultural, an evening of music, dance performances, food and children's art activities to celebrate Latin American cultural heritage. The event will also serve to raise funds for Inter-American public elementary school. Performances will include music from the Afro-Caribbean Jarocho ensemble Tarima Son and dance from Tierra Colombiana Dance Company. Tickets will be sold at the door: $5 for adults, $2 for children, and free for children under five. 6pm-8:30pm. Contact Glynnis Lessing, Entertainment Chairperson, 773-755-4460 for additional information.

Chicago International Documentary Film Festival

The 3rd annual Chicago International Documentary Film Festival starts tonight. The festival devoted exclusively to documentaries runs for 10 days at various film venues throughout the city. Tonight's opening ceremonies are at Doc Films (an opening night reception with the film The Real Dirt on Farmer John), the Gallery Theatre (a panel discussion on "teaching documentary;" not sure if that's teaching students about documentary films or how to make them), and the Block Cinema (the film This Ain't No Heartland will be screened). There's a lot of screenings happening, so check out their Website for a full schedule and information on how to get tickets.

Lumpenthology

Heaven Gallery, 1550 N. Milwaukee Ave. 2nd Flr., hosts Lumpenthology, "the first annual celebration of artists whose work is featured in Lumpen magazine." The theme of the show is intervention, graphic activism, and subversive communications. Work by Melina Ausikaitis, Adam Berninger (The Heft Trade), Ethos, Silas Dilworth, Justin Fines (DEMO), Michael Freimuth, Wyeth Hansen, Joe Marianek, Anne Elizabeth Moore, Aaron Pedersen (C2AK), Alex Rearic (C2AK), Mike Renaud, Daniela Rosner, Kayo Takasugi, Jane Verwys, Chris May & David Weik (Souvenir) and Ryan Waller & Harsh Patel (ThingMaking) will be on display. Copies of the freshly minted Lumpen issue #95 and "other fine goodies" will be handed out to attendees. (This is free, as far as we can tell.)

The exhibition is concurrent with a special Lumpenthology-buddY performance zone. Small Bathroom Fire, Safety Pin, Rotten Milk and DJs Logan Bay and Elisa Harkins perform. Beverages and apps will be provided. Your $10 donation goes towards funding the Version>05 Festival.

Chicago Horror Film Festival

Boo! The Chicago Horror Film Festival creeps into the 3 Penny Cinema for the next four days. More horror films than you can shake a stick at (a SCARY stick!), plus a special appearance by Ari Lehman (you know, the original Jason from the Friday the 13th films). Tonight from 10pm to 2am, the line-up is Marburg, Detained, Something Waits, S.O.S., The Box, Herbie!, Human No More, Whatever Happened to the Zombie Killers and Zombie Honeymoon. The festival runs through April 3rd; see the website for a full schedule and to purchase tickets.

Dollar Store @ Hideout

The Dollar Store Reading Series returns to the Hideout, 1354 W. Wabansia, for another round of stories (and more?) about items found at a dollar store. This month, writer/kingmaker Pete Coco, photographer Nathan Keay and bearded
comedian John Pattavina will join co-hosts Jonathan Messinger and Sean Gardner for some cheap, low-brow literary hi-jinx. 7pm, 21 and over, $1 donation gets you in.