Chicago Comic Con

Chicago Comic Con fills the Donald E. Stevens Convention Center, 5555 N. River Rd. in Rosemont, August 12-14. Peruse the comics, get made up as a zombie, watch cult classic films, and revel in fandom. Plus, Bruce Campbell, Patrick Stewart, Christopher Lloyd, members of the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" cast, five of the original Willy Wonka kids, Pam Grier, Anthony Michael Hall and, oddly enough, Billy Corgan are among the many celebrities on hand over the weekend for signings and Q&As (check the schedule for exact dates and times). The show runs 10am to 5pm today. It's $25 for single day passes or $50 for four-day passes.

Get Stitchy!

You're crafty, right? You like sewing, knitting, crochet, macrame, tatting, etc. and you like plying your craft with other people. So why not go to Stitchy! A sewing party! at Roxaboxen Exhibitions. Folks will gather at 2130 W 21st Street (near the Pink Line Damen stop) from 7pm to 10pm to craft and chat. This month they'll get to listen to Anne Elizabeth Moore discuss her Garment Work exhibit being displayed at the MCA during the month of August.

Street Food Artistry @ Galleria Marchetti

Celebrate street art and the food that gets sold near it today at Galleria Marchetti, 825 W Erie, from 1-7pm. Entertainment, cooking demos, food, and a silent auction are on the schedule. Tickets start at $40 (children's tickets are $20).

Dose Market

Dose Market brings together food and fashion at the River East Art Center, 435 E. Illinois St., from 10am to 4pm today. Peruse gourmet food and drink and shop the latest fashions; see a vendor list here. Tickets are $8 in advance, $10 at the door.

Soul Train doc @ Chicago Cultural Center

As a celebration of the 40th anniversary of the TV show "Soul Train," the Chicago Cultural Center is screening the documentary Soul Train: The Hippest Trip in America this afternoon at 2pm. Chicago Public Radio's Richard Steele will moderate a post-screening discussion featuring local author Jake Austen, Clinton Ghent, George Daniels and others. The event is free and open to the public. Chicago Cultural Center: 78 E. Washington. (312) 744-6630.

Smart Readings @ Smart Museum - Part Two

This afternoon from 1pm-3pm at the Smart Museum (5550 S. Greenwood Avenue), poet Matthias Regan presents the second of two workshops combining the sensibilities of reading and looking. Intended to "explore the relationship between figures and genres of personhood," this (free!) workshop consists of a brief lecture, tour of exhibit "Go Figure," and a conversation about related stories and poems.

This last of the two-workshop series, "Bodies Among Other Things," pairs Sylvia Sleigh's painting The Turkish Bath with passages from Lord Byron's mock epic poem Don Juan, "in order to contemplate how sexualized bodies receive, hold onto, and return the viewer's desire."

56th Annual Ginza Holiday @ Midwest Buddhist Temple

The 56th Annual Ginza Holiday, a large Japanese cultural festival, will be presented by the Midwest Buddhist Temple (MBT) Aug. 12 - 14 at 435 W. Menomonee Street in Old Town. Flown in from Tokyo for this event, four master craftsmen (Waza) will demonstrate their generations-old skills creating unique crafts. The public will have the opportunity to meet the Waza and purchase their crafts. Several other exhibits and booths will be filled with Japanese dry goods, snacks, kimonos and jewelry. An abundance of traditional Japanese cuisine will be offered, from udon to kintoki. Featured in the festival will be ongoing stage performances with the energetic taiko drumming, classical dance, traditional and not-so-traditional music, martial arts and a ukulele group! Aikido, Judo and Karate schools will demonstrate self-defense tactics, while Kendo (Japanese fencing) will entertain the crowd. The chapel will be open for guests who are interested in observing the place of worship and learning the basics of Buddhism. During stage intermissions, Rev Ron Miyamura will deliver short Dharma talks. A benefit donation of $6 for adults, and $5 for students and senior citizens will be collected at the gate. Children under 12 will be admitted free when accompanied by an adult. Details here.

Northalsted Market Days

Northalsted Market Days fills Halsted Street from Belmont to Addison with music, food, shopping and lots of people this weekend, Aug. 13-14, 11am to 10pm. Admission is $5 before 5pm, $7 after. Here's today's music lineup:

North Stage
1:45pm - Frenchie Davis
3pm - The Cover Girls
4:30pm - Lisa Lisa
6pm - Tony Hadley of Spandau Ballet
8:30pm - Gloria Gaynor

Roscoe Stage
12:30pm - The Locals
2pm - The Personnel
3:30pm - Journey Unauthorized
5:15pm - Expose
6:30pm - Reina
7:45pm - Hairbangers Ball

Belmont Stage
12:30pm - Plain Ole Delicious
 2pm - Rod Tuffcurls & The Benchpress
TBA - Windy City Cowboys 
4:10pm - Chicago Spirit Brigade
4:30pm - Libido Funk Circus
6:30pm - ROTC
7:45pm - 7th Heaven

Jazz Stage
2pm - BMR4
6pm - The Flat Cats