Sandra Cisneros @ Harold Washington Library

Author of such acclaimed books as The House on Mango Street and Caramelo, Sandra Cisneros comes to the Harold Washington Library as part of the "City of Big Readers: Summer Reads for Adults" program. Cisneros will discuss her works and her personal connection to Chicago. A book signing will follow. Free at 6pm in the Cindy Pritzker Auditorium. Call 312-747-4300 for more information.

Movies in the Park

The Chicago Park District presents Movies in the Park, a summer-long screening of classic and contemporary films in Chicago parks. Tonight there are movies screening at three different parks: Happy Feet at Welles Park (2333 W. Sunnyside); Kicking and Screaming at Brands Park (3259 N. Elston); and The Wizard of Oz at Berger Park & Cultural Center (6205 N. Sheridan). The screenings start tonight at dusk, and are free and open to the public. For a complete schedule of movies check out the Chicago Park District Website.

Theater on the Lake: Gaudy Night

The Chicago Park District presents Theater on the Lake, a summer-long revival of great theatrical productions from the last year or so. This week's production: Gaudy Night by Lifeline Theatre. The show plays at the Theater on the Lake theater (Fullerton Avenue at Lake Michigan) Wednesday through Sunday at 7:30 PM (6:30 PM Sunday nights). Tickets are $17.50 and can be purchased through the Theater on the Lake box office: (312) 742-7994. Also see the Website for a complete schedule of shows.

Bookslut reading @ Stop Smiling

Bookslut presents the latest in its series of monthly readings. Tonight's reading starts at 7:30 (doors open at 6pm) at the Stop Smiling magazine headquarters, 1371 N. Milwaukee, and features authors Paul Hornschemeier (The Three Paradoxes), Nick Bertozzi (The Salon) and Austin Grossman (Soon I Will Be Invincible). The event is free and open to the public. See the Bookslut site for full details.

Wendella River Cruise, Architecture Tour & Wine Tasting

Enjoy a two hour boat cruise while sipping wine selections from Kafka Wine Company and nibbling Italian treats from Buca di Beppo. Your $57 ticket also includes a guided architectural tour along the Chicago River, souvenir wine glass, and discounted parking. More info is available at the Wendella Boats website.

Grant Park Symphony @ Holy Family Church

Check out the Grant Park Symphony in a different venue (the symphony usually plays at Millennium Park's Pritzker Pavilion) for a performance that includes a selection of sacred music by Lauridsen, Copland, Whitacre, Barber, and Bernstein. 6:30 PM, 1019 S May. Free. For more information, visit the website.

First-Ever Pizza Fest along Racine

Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce is hosting the first-ever Pizza Fest along Racine between Fullerton and Belden. You can watch the vendors--which includes Vinci and Red Ivy, among others--throw their pizza dough in the air while battling with the dripping tomato sauce and sliding mozzarella yourself. $5 donation. Call 773-868-3010 for more info.

Carlinhos Brown/Andy Palacio & the Garifuna Collective @ Millennium Park

The Brazilian musician makes his Chicago debut as part of the Music without Borders series at the Pritzker Pavilion. 6:30 PM. Free. For more information, visit the website.

Life with My Father @ Cultural Center

This 2005 French Canadian feature about two brothers coming to terms with their father and each other, is part of Cinema/Chicago's International Summer Screening series. Free, 7:30 PM in the Claudia Cassidy Theater. 78 E. Washington Street. For more information, call 312-744-6630 or visit the website.

Apostle of Hustle, Allá @ Schubas

They've been playing Wednesday night "Practice Space" shows at Schubas all month, even while they've been crisscrossing the nation on their summer tour, but tonight's your very last chance to catch Apostle of Hustle for a while in Chicago, and certainly a great chance to get up close and personal with them. The band, a side project for Broken Social Scene's singer/songwriter Andrew Whiteman will also be joined tonight by Chicagoans Allá, who'll open. $8 is all you need as long as you're 18+. Music starts at 10pm.

Read a review of last week's Schubas show at Transmission.