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Mexican novelists Jose Agustin and Gustavo Sainz present their work at the first annual Mexican & Latino Book Fair; the three-day multidisciplinary event also includes community workshops and theater and music performances. Thu 5/15-Sun 5/18, 9 AM-9 PM, UIC Student Center East, 750 S. Halsted, 773-823-9901 or 312-996-3095.

The Neo-Futurists close their series of fake sitcom pilots, "Picked Up," with The Mime, about a silent superhero. Following tonight's performance, comedy writers Dino Stamatopoulos and Joe Janes and the comedy troupe Schadenfreude discuss trying to navigate the Hollywood sitcom machine. Aspiring writers and producers can have their questions "properly answered, or at least creatively evaded." 8 PM, Neo-Futurarium, 5153 N. Ashland (second floor), 773-275-5255, "pay what you can."

Vintage Couture and Accessories Auction
The highlight of this auction is a collection of clothes and accessories that belonged to the late hotel magnate Leona Helmsley. The Queen of Mean's custom evening gowns, ten fur coats, and "hundreds of pairs of Ferragamo heels" are joined by the pink-and-denim Chanel suit she wore to enter prison in 1992. There's also a tag sale of her designer suits and "slightly used shoes." The collection previews Thu 5/15, 10 AM-6 PM, Fri 5/16, 10 AM-5 PM, Sat 5/17, 10 AM-3 PM; the auction is Sun 5/18, noon, Leslie Hindman Auctioneers, 1338 W. Lake, 312-280-1212 or lesliehindman.com.

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Grammy winners OK Go will impart their songwriting secrets to the masses (and play a couple tunes) at So You Want to Write a Song, a workshop sponsored by NU's Center for the Writing Arts. Later the band will head down to Grant Park to play a free concert at 8 PM as part of Columbia College's Manifest Urban Arts Festival (see Theater). Tickets for the outdoor show are required, and Columbia folk get first dibs. Noon, McCormick Tribune Center, 1870 Campus Dr., Evanston, 847-467-4099 or northwestern.edu/writing-arts.

Andersonville Bike Week
This event, now in its fifth year, continues with Bike to Work Day Fri 5/16, starting with free breakfast at the booth at Clark and Olive from 7-10 AM, courtesy of the Coffee Studio. A bike tour of Edgewater sets out from North Side Federal Bank (which is springing for breakfast), 5159 N. Clark, at 9:30 AM Sat 5/17. And businesses in the hood are offering discounts to cyclists (show them your helmet) all week. Other events are listed at andersonville.org.

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The Drinking and Writing Brewery celebrates American Craft Beer Week with the second annual Beerfly Alleyfight, a "tri-pairing" of beer, food, and art. Ten home brewers will bring a beer and food pairing, and a local artist will "interpret" each entry "in an ass-kickin' alleyfight way" in a boxing ring. The artists include Neo-Futurists Jay Torrence and Diana Slickman, dancer Mindy Meyers, potter Marla Seibold, and the musical duo Twang Bang. 1-5 PM, Rock Bottom Brewery, 1 E. Grand, drinkingandwriting.com, $20 (includes food and beer).

The nonprofit writing and tutoring center 826CHI is hosting a fund-raiser called Prom! The festivities include drinks (you must be 21+ to buy alcohol), a silent auction, raffles, and music. "Dates are welcome, but not required." 8 PM-midnight, Pulaski Park field house, 1419 W. Blackhawk, $50 at the door, $38.26 in advance (via 826chi.org or at the Boring Store, 1331 N. Milwaukee).

Constance Lewallen, a curator at Berkeley's Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, will give the keynote address opening the daylong symposium The Early Films of Bruce Nauman: Between Art History and Film Studies. It continues with screenings of nine 16-millimeter shorts made by the artist between 1967 and '69 and a roundtable discussion to include Reader contributor Fred Camper. 10 AM, University of Chicago Film Studies Center, 5811 S. Ellis, room 307, 773-702-8596 or filmstudiescenter.uchicago.edu.

For the spring edition of the Chicago Blues Tour, hosted by the city and Blues University, shuttle buses will run between six venues where six bands will play all night, including Killer Ray Allison & the Killer Band at the Wabash Tap (1233 S. Wabash, 312-360-9488), Johnny Drummer & the Starliters at Lee's Unleaded Blues (7401 S. South Chicago, 773-493-3477), Fantastic L-Roy & the Bulletproof Band at Linda's Place (1044 W. 51st, 773-373-2351), Vance Kelly & the Backstreet Blues Band at the Checkerboard Lounge (5201 S. Harper, 773-684-1472), Tail Dragger at the Root Inn (230 W. Root, 773-285-5280), and Big James & the Chicago Playboys at the House of Blues (329 N. Dearborn, 312-923-2000). Early boarding at 7 PM, general admission boarding at 8 PM at Wabash Tap, $30-$35, advance purchase recommended via chicagobluestour.com/etix.html, 866-548-3258. --Kevin Warwick

Theatre Building Chicago's artistic director John Sparks introduces the venue's Musical Theatre Writers Workshop to aspiring composers, lyicists, and playwrights with an open house and illustrated lecture. 1-3 PM, Theatre Building Chicago, 1225 W. Belmont, 773-327-5252 or theatrebuildingchicago.org.

826CHI Prom
Dates are welcome but not required at this 1980s-themed fund-raiser for the nonprofit's free writing and tutoring programs. There's a raffle and an auction, the music is provided by the Power of Love and DJ Frier Tuck. Sat 5/17, 8 PM-midnight, Pulaski Park field house, 1419 W. Blackhawk, 773-772-8108 or 826chi.org, $50, $38.26 in advance.

Great Chicago Places and Spaces
This annual smorgasbord offers more than 200 free architecture tours, including one of rooftop gardens and one of the new Trump Tower. There's a jogging tour, one conducted in Italian, and visits to movie locations and to buildings in danger of being torn down, all led by experts in architecture and design. The weekend kicks off with a panel discussion with New Yorker architecture critic Paul Goldberger, marking the 40th anniversary of the Chicago Landmarks Ordinance (see Lit & Lectures for more). Sat-Sun 5/17-5/18; see greatchicagoplaces.us for tour descriptions and schedules; day-of registration ("early arrival is recommended") begins at 7:30 AM each day at the Chicago Architecture Foundation, 224 S. Michigan. 

Green Festival
More than 350 local and national businesses display their eco-friendly and fair trade goods at this exposition. The 150 speakers include Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! and modern day shaman Daniel Pinchbeck. Sat 5/17, 10 AM-8 PM, Sun 5/18, 11 AM-6 PM, Navy Pier, 800 E. Grand, greenfestivals.org, $15, $10 with a donation of three books to betterworld.com.

Living With Your Wild Neighbors Seminar
A cougar in the backyard probably isn't what they have in mind. This Urban Wildlife Coalition seminar features eco-designer Michael Repkin with gardening ideas for attracting or repelling local fauna, and Dawn Keller, director of Flint Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation, offers safety tips and discusses how to help injured or orphaned critters. There are also light refreshments and a raffle. The seminar will take place outside along the river, weather permitting; otherwise it will meet in the school. Sat 5/17, 2:30 PM, Northside College Prep, 5501 N. Kedzie, 773-545-8136.

Pet Photo Session
Pet portrait photographer Rhonda Holcomb sets up at a new pet boutique. Thirty-minute sessions include a CD of unedited images and a 12-by-12-inch wrapped canvas print. Part of the proceeds will go to the Higgins Animal Clinic. Sat 5/17, 10:30 AM-5 PM, Zulu, 3919 N. Lincoln, 773-281-2009, also rhondahphoto.com, $150.

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Mixologists and Slow Foodies Allen Katz and Bridget Albert host Slow Food Chicago's benefit Consider the Cocktail, "a slow celebration of the repeal of Prohibition." During an evening of "fine drink, long tales, and festive camaraderie" (plus hors d'oeuvres), they'll give a talk and demonstration on our country's contributions to the art of imbibing. Proceeds go to Slow Food USA. 4-7 PM, Weegee's, 3659 W. Armitage, brownpapertickets.com, $50, reservations required.

Upon landing in Chicago in 1969, Shirley Mordine not only started her own dance company -- now the longest lived contemporary troupe in the midwest -- but helped found the Dance Center of Columbia College, which she direceted for 30 years. Mordine & Co. Dance Theater begins a year of celebration with this benefit. Members of the company will perform a site-specific piece on the plaza outside this Lincoln Square cafe, and a photo retrospective mounted inside will run through June 30. There are also a silent auction and a wine tasting. 5-9 PM (performance at 7 PM), Cafe Selmarie, 4729 N. Lincoln, 312-654-9540 or mordine.org, $100. --Patrick Daily

Former Reader staff writer Steve Bogira, whose book Courtroom 302 documents a year at Cook County Criminal Courthouse -- "the biggest and busiest felony courthouse in the U.S." -- and delves deep into cases he watched there, will be the guest speaker at a meeting of the Midwest Chapter of the Mystery Writers of America; it's open to the public. 1 PM, Centuries & Sleuths Bookstore, 7419 W. Madison, Forest Park, 708-771-7243.

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New York Times cultural critic Margo Jefferson, the author of On Michael Jackson, is the featured speaker at the annual benefit for the nonprofit literary organization the Neighborhood Writing Alliance. 5:30-7:30 PM, Roosevelt University Library, 430 S. Michigan, tenth floor, 773-684-2742 or jot.org, $30-$100. --Jerome Ludwig

Kartemquin Films staff producer Joanna Rudnick will take part in panel discussions today and Wednesday following screenings of her documentary In the Family, about testing positive for the hereditary "breast cancer gene." 7 PM, Northwestern University, Thorne Auditorium, 375 E. Chicago, and Wed 5/21, 7 PM, Northwesern University, Tech Auditorium, 2145 Sheridan, Evanston, 312-503-5600.

Since opening its doors with The Full Monty in 2005 Drury Lane Theatre Water Tower Place has specialized in big musicals. Things get more intimate with Musical Mondays at Drury Lane, a new monthly series of cabaret performances. First up is "A Tribute to Rosemary Clooney," featuring performers from the nonprofit Chicago Cabaret Professionals. Other shows are currently scheduled for June 16 and July 14. 7:30 PM, Drury Lane Theatre Water Tower Place, 175 E. Chestnut, 312-642-2000 or drurylanewatertower.com, $25. --Patrick Daily

wednesday21
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Tours of the Rick Bayless Organic Garden -- a mix of traditional and raised beds, containers, and indoor garden spaces on three adjacent Bucktown lots -- begin today. Bill Shores, who manages the garden, will discuss the chef's outdoor kitchen, commercial organic vegetable garden, and worm composting systems as well as what's in season now (salad greens). Additional tours are scheduled for June 11, July 16 and 23, August 13, and September 10. 6:30-7:30 PM, urbanedible.blogspot.com, urbanedible@yahoo.com, e-mail for reservations and address, $20. --Julia Thiel