Edible Book Show & Tea

Columbia College Center for Book & Paper Arts holds its 7th annual Edible Book Show and Tea today from 1pm to 3pm on the third floor of the Columbia College Library, 624 S. Michigan Ave. Come check out books so good you could eat them up -- and then do so! Admission is $10, which goes toward the center's bindery equipment fund. RSVP to Michelle Ferguson at 312-344-7384 or mferguson@colum.edu if you plan to attend.

The Brickheadz @ Green Lantern

The Green Lantern hosts Chicago's own breakdancing crew The Brickheadz in conjunction with its current exhibit, "The Chicago Review of Economics." 9-11pm at The Green Lantern, 1511 N. Milwaukee, second floor. A $5 donation is suggested. Call 773-235-0936 for more info.

Jim DeRogatis reading @ The Abbey Pub

Do you like music critic Jim DeRogatis? Do you like the Flaming Lips? If your answer to both these questions is "yes", you will be thrilled to hear that DeRo will be promoting his recent book, Staring at Sound: The True Story of Oklahoma's Fabulous Flaming Lips at the Abbey Pub, 3420 W Grace, tonight at 10pm. Satellite Heart, Scotland Yard Gospel Choir, and Kid Million will also be playing. More information is available at the book's website.

Industry of the Ordinary Fancy Dress Ball

Hey, it's a Fancy Dress Ball! But instead of putting on your gowns and buttoning up your cufflinks, this ball encourages participants to come dressed as their favorite political personality. Will you be a president? A pundit? Presented by Industry of the Ordinary, the group will also be available to sign copies of their book Textbook: Notes Around the Margins. Come to Links Hall, 3435 N. Sheffield 2nd floor, at 2pm to join in. Free. Call 773-281-0824 for more information.

Fiesta Cultural

Fiesta Cultural presents a Latino world music, dance and arts benefit today from 4-8pm at 919 W. Barry. Featuring Bandola Trio of Venezuela, Grupo Yuba of Puerto Rico, Tierra Colombiana Dance Company of Colombia and more, including students performing Aztec, Flamenco, Mexican and Colombian dances. The benefit will also include dance lesson, art activities and a silent auction, not to mention load of Latin American food. Tickets are $7 for adults and $2.50 for children, will ages encouraged to attend. Call 773-755-4460 for more information.

McDonald's Truth Tour

Sometimes, I admit, McD's hits the spot. However a group of workers in McDonald's tomato supply chain, aka the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, are travelling across the country to raise awareness about how farmworkers are treated. They'll be downtown today protesting and meditating (remove the Chicago area is home to McDonald's headquarters and Hamburger University). The march starts at 10 am at Plaza Tenochtitlan in Pilsen (18th St., Blue Island, and Loomis St. intersection) and will end at the Rock'n'Roll McDonald's at 600 N. Clark St. around 1pm. There are other events with details being worked out. More info to follow.

They protested 1 year ago against Taco Bell and had some significant improvements made. They now think that since McDonald's can pay a premium for fair trade coffee, their tomatoes should also be harvested ethically.

Found Footage Festival @ Empty Bottle

For the pop-culture voyeur in you, this "exhibition and celebration of the finest in found footage" was lovingly cultivated from random thrift-store videocassettes, fast food training videos, infomercial outtakes, and so on (check out the trailer). If you missed it last night, you can catch it tonight at 7pm at the Empty Bottle. Call 773-276-3600.

The Apprentice: Auditions Today

If you think you're the next one who Trump'll just love to say "You're Hired!" to, then head down to the NBC building to audition for The Apprentice, season 5 this morning. Bring your completed application (downloadable from the audition site) and arrive no earlier than 6am. Only those with wristbands will be seen (they start the distribution at 9am). The NBC building is located at 454 N. Columbus Drive, Chicago.

LinkUp Artists in Residence Perform @ Links Hall

Each year, Links Hall selects six performers for a 6-month LinkUp residency. This weekend, three residencies culminate with public performances. $15. 3435 N. Sheffield Ave., 7 PM. For more information, call 773-281-0824 or visit the website.

Bodies of Work: The Geography of Art and Disability @ Cultural Center

As part of Bodies of Work: The Chicago Festival of Disability Arts and Culture, which runs from 20 through 30 April, Katherine Sherwood, Professor of Art at UC Berkeley, discusses the history of art and disability. In the First Floor Garland Room at 2 PM. 78 E Washington St. For more information, call 312-744-6630 or visit the website.

Opening: Humans Being: Disability in Contemporary Art @ Cultural Center

As part of Bodies of Work: The Chicago Festival of Disability Arts and Culture, which runs from 20 through 30 April, this exhibit (which ends 4 June) highlights a wide range of strategies used to represent diverse disabilities and includes works by disabled and non-disabled artists. 78 E Washington St. For more information, call 312-744-6630 or visit the website.

Thirty Seconds to Mars @ Metro

Ok, so who didn't have a crush on Jordan Catalano on My So-Called Life? And who wouldn't want to see his real band play at the Metro tonight? Thirty Seconds to Mars with none other than Jared Leto plays tonight, with a pretty darn good opener in Aiden (not named for another hunky tv hunk), who I also recommend wholeheartedly, plus the band Emanuel. Tickets are $13 ($15 day of show) and it's 18 & over (but really, those under 18 don't appreciate the Catalano like you do). Doors open at 11pm, show starts at 11:30.

Sacred Art open house

Sacred Art, the store in Roscoe Village that sells handmade crafts by local artisans, is having its first open house all day today. Come see the artwork, meet the artists, and have some complimentary snacks. The open house runs from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Sacred Art: 2040 W. Roscoe. (773) 404-8790.

Dirty Dozen Brass Band @ Abbey Pub

Tonight there's a super musical treat at the Abbey Pub: The Dirty Dozen Brass Band. If you're even mildy interested in jazz, New Orleans, historical musical groups, or the roots of Americana, this is the group to see. A history of the group from the Abbey Pub: "In 1977, the Dirty Dozen Social and Pleasure Club in New Orleans began showcasing a traditional Crescent City brass band. It was a joining of two proud, but antiquated, traditions at the time: social and pleasure clubs dated back over a century to a time when black southerners could rarely afford life insurance, and the clubs would provide proper funeral arrangements. Brass bands, early predecessors of jazz as we know it, would often follow the funeral procession playing somber dirges, then once the family of the deceased was out of earshot, burst into jubilant dance tunes as casual onlookers danced in the streets. By the late '70s, few of either existed. The Dirty Dozen Social and Pleasure Club decided to assemble this group as a house band, and over the course of these early gigs, the eight-member ensemble adopted the venue’s name: the Dirty Dozen Brass Band." The Abbey Pub is located at 3420 W. Grace (at Elston). Doors at 9pm, show at 10pm. Tickets $12 in advance, $15 at the door (ages 18+)

15th Annual International Poster Fair @ Cultural Center

This international vintage poster fair attracts a score or more of dealers offering a diverse selection of original posters. Find something to fill that empty space on the wall above the sofa or just browse and wax nostalgic about the good old days (whenever they were). $12, from 10 AM to 7 PM. 77 E Randolph Street. For more information, visit the website.

Symposium on the Book

If you're interested in copyright issues, this symposium is for you. Sponsored by the Caxton Club along with the Newberry, the theme of this daylong symposium is “The Past and Future of Intellectual Property.” Free. Various locations. Call 312-255-3700 for more information or visit the Caxton Club website to register.

Pierrot Lunaire: A Cabaret Opera @ MCA

The new music ensemble eighth blackbird, along with soprano Lucy Shelton, perform music by Arnold Schoenberg in a cabaret opera designed by Blair Thomas. Tickets are $18-22. 7:30 PM, 220 E Chicago Ave. For more information, call 312-397-4010 or visit the website.