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WEDNESDAY 2
Nicholson Baker Booksmith, 1644 Haight, SF; www.booksmith.com. 7:30pm, free. The author reads from his new novel Traveling Sprinkler, featuring the same protagonist as his previous best-seller, The Anthologist.
Marty Brounstein Northbrae Community Church, 941 the Alameda, Berk; (510) 526-3805. 7:30pm, $5 suggested donation. The author speaks about his book Two Among the Righteous Few: A Story of Courage in the Holocaust.
Cory Doctorow SF Main Library, 100 Larkin, SF; www.sfpl.org. 6pm, free. The noted author appears in conjunction with “One City One Book: San Francisco Reads,” discussing his novel Little Brother.
LGBT Career Fair SF LGBT Center, 1800 Market, SF; register at lgbtcareerfair30.eventbrite.com. Noon-3pm, free. The nation’s largest LGBT career fair unites job seekers with leading Bay Area employers.
THURSDAY 3
Bob Shacochis Booksmith, 1644 Haight, SF; www.booksmith.com. 7:30pm, free. The author reads from his new thriller The Woman Who Lost Her Soul.
FRIDAY 4
St. Vartan Armenian Church Bazaar and Food Festival St. Vartan Armenian Church, 650 Spruce, Oakl; www.stvartanoakland.org. 5:30pm-midnight (also Sat/5, noon-midnight), $1-3. Calling all Armenian food fans: this fest is your jam for authentic cuisine, with full meals available until 8pm. Also on tap are cultural displays, dancing, games for kids, and more.
SATURDAY 5
Arab Cultural Festival Union Square, Powell at Geary, SF; www.arabculturalcenter.org. Noon-6pm, free. This year’s theme is “Celebrating the Golden Era of Arabic Music,” so expect to see an array of traditional music (including Algerian singer Fella Oudane and Palestine hip-hop crew DAM), theater, and folkloric dance performances taking the stage. Between acts, browse a bazaar featuring jewelry, crafts, and other artwork — plus spices, teas, traditional foods, and more.
Berkeley Indigenous Peoples Day Pow Wow and Indian Market Civic Center Park, Allston at MLK, Berk; www.ipdpowwow.org. 10am-6pm, free. A full day of indigenous culture, with Native California and Aztec dancers, drumming, dance contests, Native American food and crafts, and more.
SF SPCA’s 145th Anniversary Carnival SF SPCA, 201 Alabama, SF; www.sfspca.org. 11am-6pm, free. Adoption fees are waived all weekend in honor of the organization’s landmark anniversary, which will be celebrated with a carnival-themed street fair. Food trucks, a Steve Silver’s Beach Blanket Babylon cast performance, and a doggie costume contest (registration begins at 11am; contest at 1:15pm) are sure to be among the highlights.
“Star Wars Reads Day!” Books Inc., 601 Van Ness, SF; (415) 776-1111. 7pm, free. With authors Pablo Hidalgo (of starwars.com) and Steven Sansweet (“head of fan relations” at Lucasfilm), plus movie trivia, giveaways, and “members of the Golden Gate Garrison of the 501st Legion,” which means you’re pretty likely to see at least one fantastically realistic R2-D2 rolling around.
SUNDAY 6
“Bikes to Books” tour and reading For bike tour, meet at Jack London (north side) and South Park, SFl www.burritojustice.com. 10:30am-2pm, free. Reading, Jack Kerouac Alley (near Broadway and Columbus), SF; www.burritojustice.com. 2-4pm, free. Follow the “Bikes to Books” literary street map (created by Guardian contributor Nicole Gluckstern and local-history buff Burrito Justice) from Jack London to Jack Kerouac, then settle in for a City Lights Bookstore-adjacent reading hosted by Evan Karp.
“A Day on the Water” Cesar Chavez Park, Berkeley Marina, Berk; tennrlw.wix.com/a-day-on-the-water. 11am-6pm, free. Free waterfront music festival heavy on the reggae and classic-rock genres, with Zulu Spear, Rock Candy, Caesar Myles and the Dreaded Truth, and more.
Coit Tower 80th Birthday Celebration News conference at Coit Tower, 1 Telegraph Hill, SF; www.protectcoittower.org. 10am, free. Party and art show, Live Worms Gallery, 1345 Grant, SF; www.sflivewormsgallery.com. 6-9pm, free. Celebrate the SF landmark and its benefactor, Lillie Hitchcock Coit, with a Coit Tower birthday cake in the morning. In the evening, head to Live Worms to check out artwork by muralists who worked on the original project, plus new works by San Francisco artists inspired by Coit Tower.
MONDAY 7
Lily Brett Booksmith, 1644 Haight, SF; www.booksmith.com. 7:30pm, free. The NY-based author reads from her new book, Lola Bensky, about a teenage rock journalist covering London’s late-1960s scene.
TUESDAY 8
Colin Winnette Booksmith, 1644 Haight, SF; www.booksmith.com. 7:30pm, free. The author reads from Fondly, a tale of a Texas family comprising two linked novellas. *