Sacred Spaces @ Welles Park Tennis Courts

Come out to Welles Park Tennis Courts, 2333 W. Sunnsyside in Lincoln Square at 5:00pm to The Moving Architects' Sacred Spaces: Bringing the Racket like Venus and Serena to check out the performance of Lauren Bisio, Natalia Negron, Laura Vinci, Jess Wright and Jessie Young. For your viewing pleasure, please bring a lawn chair and sunblock and maybe an umbrella for sitting on the tennis court or leaning against the fence. For more information, please click here.

The Silent Film Society of Chicago presents The Mark of Zorro @ The Portage Theater

The Silent Film Society of Chicago presents the 1920 film The Mark of Zorro, the third of six films to be presented in this year's Silent Summer Film Festival at The Portage Theater (4050 N. Milwaukee). Starring Douglas Fairbanks, with live accompaniment by The Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra. Tickets are $15 in advance, $17 at the door. Screening at 8pm. For more info call 773-205-SFSC or visit The Silent Film Society of Chicago.

Fillet of Solo Festival @ Lifeline Theater

Lifeline Theater (6912 N. Glenwood) and Live Bait Theater (3914 N. Clark Street) move into the second week of their 14th annual Fillet of Solo festival with a 7pm performance by Dorothy Milne entitled "Grown Up", followed by 8pm readings by 2nd Story writers Kim Morris, Doug Whippo and John Wilson. Tickets are $10 for each performance, for more information call 773-761-4477 or visit Lifeline Theater.

First Friday @ Old Town School

The Old Town School of Folk Music presents their monthly First Friday evening of dance and music. This month is a special First Friday, because the school is celebrating the groundbreaking of their new dance facility which is scheduled to be completed next year. There will be free activities happening this evening from 6 to 8pm in front of the lot across the school where the facility is being built, and there's the usual evening of music & dancing from 7 to 10pm in the main school building at 4544 N. Lincoln Avenue. Admission is a suggested $5 donation. See the Old Town School Website for more information, or call the school at (773) 728-6000.

John Presta @ Borders

Tonight John Presta discusses and signs his book Mr. and Mrs. Grassroots: How Barack Obama, Two Bookstore Owners and 300 Volunteers Did It at the Evanston Borders. A first-person account of the early days of Obama's political career, the "Mr. and Mrs." of the title refers to Presta and his wife, owners of the (now closed) Reading on Walden bookstore in Beverly, whom Obama called his "Southwest Side powerhouses." Dan Shomon, former campaign manager and political director for Senator Barack Obama says "Michelle and John Presta were really there at the beginning. They were true grassroots organizers, and John's memory and the intimate details of this book provide a true picture of the real story of Barack Obama's meteoric rise. It was people like Michelle and John who really made it happen and stuck their neck out for the skinny guy with the funny name. There are many Michelle and Johns out there, and I hope they all decide to write their stories like John did." Borders, 1700 Maple Ave., Evanston, at 5pm

Dust Congress & Friends @ The Mopery

Dust Congress plays The Mopery (2734 N Milwaukee Ave.) tonight with Shiny Around the Edges, Verma, Basshaters and Spanyurd. Show starts at 10pm. Visit The Mopery's blog for details.

Lollapalooza @ Grant Park

The multi-stage multi-day festival known universally as Lollapalooza returns to Grant Park this weekend for fun in the sun with thousands of your new best friends. Headliners include Soundgarden, Green Day, and Lady Ga Ga among many many others. Pack some water and sunblock and head on out! (Keep an eye on Transmission for our previews on what to see.) Tickets are $215 for a 3-Day Pass or $90 for single day tickets.

Metropolis @ Film Center

The Gene Siskel Film Center presents a week-long run of the recently recovered version of Fritz Lang's 1927 masterpiece Metropolis. The film screens this evening at 6:30pm and runs at the Film Center through August 12; see the Film Center Website for a complete schedule and to purchase tickets. Film Center: 164 N. State. (312) 846-2600.

Jody Mack @ Nightingale

You are invited to PRETTY PARTY tonight at 8:00pm at Nightingale, 1084 N. Milwaukee! A Farewell Screening of Chicago-made work by Jodie Mack will engulf the viewer in her animated collage films such as YARDWORK IS HARD WORK, her musical and the premiere of several films shot this summer as part of her packing up process. Admission is $5. To RSVP, please click here!

Grant Park Orchestra with the Lyric Opera @ Harris Theater

Tonight the Grant Park Music Festival collaborates with the Lyric Opera's Ryan Opera Concert and its collection of rising vocal stars for an evening of opera scenes including Rossini's La Cenerentola and L'Italiana in Algieri plus Mozart's Don Giovanni and Le Nozze di Figaro. 6:30pm. Harris Theater for Music and Dance. Free.

Dance Party @ The Negative Space

Please come out tonight at 9:00pm to support the community darkroom! The Negative Space, 1000 N. Milwaukee invites you to a dance party fundraiser. Music by East of Eden's Soul Express, A.D.D.J and Sweet D. There will be dancing, music, art and $10 open bar and $5 for admission.

Carrie Gundersdorf @ MCA First Friday

Carrie Gundersdorf's colored-pencil drawings are images of outer space and movement that depict abstract cosmic time. The exhibition opens during First Fridays at the Museum of Contemporary Art on August 6.

You must be 21 to attend First Fridays. General admission is $18. You can buy tickets online or call the MCA box office at 312-397-4010.

Gundersdorf will lead a gallery talk on Tuesday, August 10, 2010, at 6 pm.