Facets Night School: Beyond the Valley of the Dolls

Facets Cinematheque concludes its Facets Night School series tonight with a screening of the immortal Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, directed by Russ Meyer and penned by Roger Ebert. Accompanying the film will be a lecture/discussion from Night School regular Dominick Mayer. The film screens tonight at midnight; see the Facets Website for a complete schedule of films in this current Night School session. Facets: 1517 W. Fullerton. For more information about Facets Night School contact Susan Doll at (800) 331-6197.

Handmade Market @ Empty Bottle

Handmade Market returns to the Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western Ave., today from noon to 4pm. Browse the work of local crafters and artists, and maybe have a beer while you're there. Free.

Sharon Van Etten @ Lincoln Hall

Sharon Van Etten will be singing her beautifully authentic neo-folk songs at Lincoln Hall with openers Little Scream and In Tall Buildings on Saturday, April 9th. Tickets are $14.00. Showtime is 9:00 PM. Lincoln Hall is located at 2424 N Lincoln Ave, 773-525-2501.

Windy City Rollers Bout @ UIC Pavilion

The Windy City Rollers skate tonight at the UIC Pavilion (525 S. Racine). The bout begins at 6 p.m. Tickets start at $20; get yours at the door or through Ticketmaster.

Don't Call Me Joe @ Catalyst Ranch

WBEZ invites you to Don't Call Me Joe, billed as a "traditional coffee cupping" at Catalyst Ranch (656 W. Randolph) featuring people from Intelligentsia Coffee serving coffee, and a slate of authors including Kyle Beachy, Paul Durica, Fred Sasaki, Sam Weller, and others presenting "Readings on Coffee". The event starts at 7pm; tickets are $15, $12 for WBEZ members, and $10 for students with ID. Full information at the WBEZ Website.

Baconfest @ UIC Forum

This year's Baconfest, a celebration of all things swine, is a huge space upgrade from last year, but given the honor roll of this year's vendors (Longman and Eagle, Balsan, Purple Pig, among many others), this doesn't mean the event won't sell out immediately. Event is at UIC Forum (725 W Roosevelt); tickets $65-100.

Freedom Riders @ DuSable Museum of African-American History

The DuSable Museum of African-American History, 740 E. 56th Pl., presents a screening of Freedom Riders, today from 2pm-4pm. Directed by Emmy-award winner Stanley Nelson, this documentary celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Freedom Riders and their impact on American culture. A panel discussion featuring former Freedom Riders Genevieve Hughes Houghton, Thomas Armstrong and Dan Stevens follows the screening. This event is free and open to the public; for more information, visit the Freedom Riders or contact the museum at (773) 947-0600.

I Can't Think Straight @ Chicago Filmmakers

Chicago Filmmakers' Dyke Delicious film series continues with I Can't Think Straight, a "sexy romantic comedy" set in London. There's a social hour before starting at 7pm; the film rolls at 8pm. Tickets are $10. RSVP is not required, but highly recommended; email dykedelicious@chicagofilmmakers.org. Chicago Filmmakers is located at 5243 N. Clark St., 2nd floor.

Chicago Force vs. Minnesota Mayhem @ Winnemac Stadium

The Chicago Force, our fair city's women's tackle football team, kick off their first season with a home game against the Minnesota Machine today at 4pm at Winnemac Stadium (5105 N. Leavitt). Tickets are $10 adult, $3 kids/students/seniors.

CHIRP Record Fair & Other Delights @ Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Union

This year's 2-day crate-fest at the Plumber's Union once again celebrates independent radio, and the lovers of all music recorded on vinyl. Come out and crate dive to find some amazing deals to make all your friends jealous. Food, entertainment, and beer make the weekend oh so much fun. Vendor list, details. The fair takes place at the Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Union, 1340 W. Washington Blvd. Chicago, IL. Open Saturday, 4/9 10am-5pm, Sunday, 4/10 10am-5pm. Admission is $7/$5 with any ad **Special Pre-Admission from 8am-10am on Saturday $25.

Become a Backyard Orchardist @ Notebaert Museum

Slow Food Chicago hosts a workshop on how to grow your own orchard today at the Peggy Notebaert Museum (2430 North Cannon) from 1pm-5pm. Tree seedlings will be available on`site for purchase. Bring a knife (how many places ask you to do that nowadays?). Admission $25 for Slow Food members, $35 for the rest of us.

Spring Gardening Lectures/Open House @ Gethsemane Gardens

If you're green thumb is itching to get growing this year, head over to Andersonville garden center Gethsemane for two days of free lectures on topics ranging from spring container gardening, to succulents, lawn care, and how to certify your garden as an official Community Wildlife Habitat. See Gethemane's website for full list of times and lecture details. They're located at 5739 N. Clark St. (773) 878-5915.

Quarantined Release Party @ The Comic Vault

The Comic Vault, located near Ashland and Montrose at 1530 West Montrose, will be hosting a release party for the new graphic novel Quarantined written by Mike Moreci with art by Monty Borror. The book focuses on a group of stranded survivors in Michigan's Upper Peninsula during an outbreak of a mysterious contagion that turns people into bloodthirsty killing machines.

The event begins at 5pm and lasts until 8pm. A second day of celebration commences on April 10th from 2pm to 6pm. Baked goods will be available, courtesy of Moreci's wife (a professional baker), alongside the creators of the book. Come on over and support local Chicago creators taking their first steps into the world of graphic fiction.

Dzanc Day Workshop @ May Street Cafe

What is Dzanc Day? Is it celebrated with folded pastries? No, but feel free to bring some and make new friends at this writing workshop sponsored by Dzanc Books. Today, Dzanc Books is sponsoring dozens of workshops throughout the country. These two-to-four hour sessions in fiction, poetry and nonfiction are led by professional writers, authors, and editors. Workshop fees partially go toward charitable endeavors, including the Dzanc Prize and their Writer in Residence Program, which places professional writers into classrooms to provide creative writing instructions in underserved communities. The workshop being held in Chicago is "Spontaneous and Anonymous," a short fiction workshop led by author and editor Charles Blackstone. May Street Cafe, 1146 W. Cermak, 3-5pm. $30.

Tony Touch & Doo Wop (The Diaz Bros.) @ The Shrine

Performing live and direct from New York City for the first time together in Chicago, The Diaz Brothers (Tony Touch and Doo Wop) perform tonight at The Shrine (2109 S. Wabash). The party runs from 11pm until 3am! 21+. For table and bottle service, call (312) 753-5700.