The Magnificents @ The House Theatre

The superhot wunderkinds of The House Theatre open their 2007-08 season tonight with The Magnificents, written by and starring House magician Dennis Watkins, a story about an ancient magician, his wife, and their quest to build a family. Buy tickets online or call the box office at 773-251-2195. The show runs through November 3 at the Viaduct Theater, 3111 N. Western.

AIDS Run & Walk Chicago

Slip on your sneakers and head down to Grant Park for the AIDS Foundation of Chicago's annual 5k run and walk. Register solo or with a team and help AFC meet its goal of $500,000 in funds for prevention, care, and advocacy work. Online registration ends at noon on Wednesday, September 12. Pre-event registration is $20; day-of registration is $25.

Ian's Dog and Pony Show

Comedian and solo performer Ian Belknap will write and perform a new comedy show each night of this Rhinoceros Theater Festival event. And he'll have a fresh crop of guest stars each night to help him make the funny using sketch, improv, monologue, and stand-up -- whatever it takes to make you laugh, man. Tonight at 9:00: Alyson Lyon, Bryn Magnus (Curious Theatre Branch), Mike Olson, and Kate & Sandy (Schadenfreude). At the Athaneum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport, $15 or pay-what-you-can. Call 312-902-1500 for tickets.

Movies in the Park: Bad News Bears

The Chicago Park District presents Movies in the Park, a summer-long screening of classic and contemporary films in Chicago parks. Tonight's screening: the original Bad News Bears (1976 / PG) at Churchill Field Playlot Park (1825 N. Damen Ave.). The screening starts tonight at dusk, and is free and open to the public. For a complete schedule of movies check out the Chicago Park District Website.

Powell's North Reading Series

Come to Powell's North tonight for a special installment of their Reading Series hosted by Terri Kapalis. Featured writers include Nathalie Stephens, Bin Ramke and Deb Olin Unferth. Free at 7pm, 2850 N. Lincoln Ave. Call 773-248-1444 for more information.

Harvest Festival @ Chicago Botanic Garden

Today and tomorrow, the Botanic Garden hosts a Harvest Festival that features live music, kids' activities, cooking demonstrations, and--of course--lots of harvest-y stuff for sale, including honey, bread, fruit, and more. A Roadside Flower Sale is being held at the same time. 11 AM to 4 PM. 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe. Admission is free, but parking is not. So take a train or bike! For more information, call 847-835-5440 or visit the website.

Renegade Craft Fair

The 5th Annual Renegade Craft Fair is joining forces with the Do-Division street festival today and tomorrow. Head down to Division (between Damen and Wood) and browse the work of more than 200 vendors. 12 N to 10 PM. For more information, visit the website.

Old Town Wine Crush

Wander down Wells St from 11am to 10pm to gawk and sample at the Old Town Wine Crush open air market. Taste your way through a selection of over 150 wines from 1 to 6pm and catch GB's own Winediva, Christine Blumer at free seminars between 2 and 4pm. Stomp grapes "I Love Lucy" style at 2:30pm or just hang out and listen to music. Duncan Sheik plays at 8:30pm. $6 donation. $20-30 wine tasting. 1400-1600 N. Wells St.

Opening: Richard Misrach: On the Beach @ AIC

"For more than 30 years, Richard Misrach has been producing beautiful photographs of terrible subjects..." This exhibit is the premiere museum showing of the noted photographer's new series. Through 25 November, when it departs on a two-year tour. 111 S Michigan. For more information, call 312-443-3600 or visit the website.

Eli's Cheesecake Festival @ Eli's Cheesecake World

Eli's Cheesecake Factory is hosting the 11th annual cheesecake festival this weekend. You can sample Chicago's very own Eli's cheesecakes while watching others bury their noses in cheesecakes (to win the cheesecake eating contest), or listen to a multitude of music bands, or wow at 100-plus classic cars, or steal an idea or two from the demonstrating area chefs. It seems Eli's got every entertainment imaginable covered for the fest, including ones for kids as well. Free, 9-5 on Saturday, 11-5 on Sunday at 6701 W. Forest Preserve Dr., Chicago.

Chirgilchin [FREE] @ Navy Pier

If you haven't given Tuvan Throat Singing a serious listen yet, consider stopping at Navy Pier on Saturday at 1 p.m. to hear a FREE performance by the highly regarded Chirgilchen (featuring Igor Koshkendey, Mongoun-Ool Ondar and Aldar Tamdyn).

For more on Tuvan Throat Singing click here, or go rent "Genghis Blues".

This event is part of Chicago's World Music Festival. For more information, call the World Music Festival: Chicago 2007 hotline at 312-742-1938 or visit www.cityofchicago.org/WorldMusic/.

Rilo Kiley @ Riviera Theatre

Returning from a hiatus that found bandmembers working on side projects, Rilo Kiley has reconvened for 2007's Blacklight album. The mysteriously-named Los Angeles indie-rock band has seen their stock rise while supporting each of their albums. Blacklight should see that trend continue. For more information on this show, visit Rilo Kiley or the Riviera Theatre online.

Work Out @ Millennium Park

Yoga at 8 AM, Pilates at 9 AM, and hip-hop dance at 10 AM, led by the Culture Shock Dance Troupe, on the Great Lawn. If you need more incentive than taking in the amazing skyline views while working up a sweat, consider this: it's free. For more information, visit the website.

County Fair @ Garfield Park Conservatory

The Garfield Park Conservatory puts on its 7th Annual County Fair today from 9 AM to 5 PM. The event includes a farmer's market, kids' activities, food stalls, harvest competitions (maybe your deck tomatoes could win a prize), and more. 300 N Central Park. For more information, visit the website.

Chicago Matters Book Discussions

Now in its 17th year, Chicago's award-winning multimedia public affairs series returns in 2007 with Chicago Matters: Beyond Borders to explore the impact of immigration in Chicago and the region. A discussion of the book Nowhere Man by Aleksander Hemon will be take place at the Chicago Public Library's Beverly Branch, 2121 W. 95th St., at 9:30am and at the Budlong Woods Branch, 5630 N. Lincoln Ave., at 11am. Both discussions are free and open to all. Call the Beverly library at 312-747-9673 or Budlong Woods library at 312-742-9590 for more information.

Edward Hirsch @ AIC

As part of Opening Day for the Art Institute's American Perspectives yearlong program of exhibits and events, Edward Hirsch delivers a lecture (free with museum admission) on the relationship between poetry and visual art, using his own poems as a jumping-off point. In Fullerton Hall, 111 S Michigan. For more information, visit the website.

Fermentation Workshop-Vegetables

Fermentation expert Sandor Katz, also known as Sandorkraut, is leading a fermentation workshop from 1 to 4 pm at Water's School Fieldhouse, at Sunnyside and Campbell. There's a $50 suggested donation (which also gets you some fermented snacks), and reservations are recommended.Contact Julie Peterson at julie@beyondtoday.org for reservations, or check Sandor's Wild Fermentation site for details.

Diplo + Switch @ Metro

Tonight, two of the hottest DJs and track-producers going hit town to play Chicago. Diplo's renowned for his genre- (and world-)spanning selection of music and as a crowd-mover extraordinaire, and Switch has become the artist to wacth this past year. Aside from both having produced tracks for M.I.A., the pair were recording together in Jamaica very recently, collaborating with a number of dancehall artists for an upcoming release on Diplo's Mad Decent label. James Amato spins an opening set. Check the Transmission page for further details. 3730 N. Clark St. 11pm. Tickets are $20.

Chicago Canine Rescue: 4th Annual Mutt Strut

Sponsored by Chicago Canine Rescue, the 4th Annual Mutt Strut brings two and four-legged participants together for a 1.5 mile walk by Hamlin Park and Roscoe Village. Activities include music, food, drinks, demonstrations and a dog wash. Many CCRF dogs will also be in attendence, and be available for adoption at the event. Saturday, September 15. Lincoln Park Savings Bank, 3234 N. Damen. 8:30AM - 1PM (walk begins at 9:30AM). $25 advance registration, $35 on site. More information here.

20th Annual Lincoln Square Apple Fest

Head to Lincoln Square today for their annual Apple Fest, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Festivities start at 8am, when the vendors start selling their fruits, veggies, cider and other farm-fresh foods. Stop by throughout the day for tastings, cooking classes and music. If you're feeling confident about your own special style of homemade apple pie, you can enter their pie contest. The day culminates at 4:45 with a pie-eating contest, which, if you've never witnessed one, is truly a spectacle to be hold. Details at http://www.lincolnsquare.org/