Listings are compiled by Guardian staff. Submit items for the listings at listings@sfbg.com. For further information on how to submit items for the listings, see Selector.
WEDNESDAY 22
“Black Widow Stars: Vengeful Star Corpses” Smithwick Theater, Foothill College, 12345 El Monte, Los Altos Hills; foothill.edu/ast. 7pm, free (parking, $3). Stanford’s Dr. Roger Romani delivers an illustrated, non-technical talk on the intriguingly violent “black widow” star corpses discovered by NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope.
Kirsten Chen Booksmith, 1644 Haight, SF; www.booksmith.com. 7:30pm, free. Chen discusses her “foodie love story” Soy Sauce for Beginners with fellow author Aimee Phan.
FRIDAY 24
Gem Faire Marin Center Exhibit Hall, 10 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael; www.gemfaire.com. Noon-6pm, free. Also Sat/25, 10am-6pm; Sun/26, 10am-5pm. Over 70 importers, exporters, and wholesalers gather to showcase fine jewelry, costume jewelry, precious and semi-precious gemstones, crystals, minerals, jewelry-making tools, and more. Jewelry repair, cleaning, and ring-sizing services will also be available.
SATURDAY 25
Golden Gate Kennel Club Dog Show Cow Palace, 2600 Geneva, Daly City; www.goldengatekennelclub.com. 8:30am-5pm, $7-12 ($30 for both days for a family of four). Also Sun/26. Nearly 1,500 dogs representing over 135 breeds vie for the coveted “Best in Show” title at this long-running competition. The event also features a “dog rally” grading dog-handler partnerships as well as a dog fashion show and “dog dancing.”
Chris Johanson Adobe Books and Arts Cooperative, 3130 24th St, SF; www.adobebooks.com. 6-10pm, free. As part of indie stalwart Adobe Books’ 25th anniversary, the Mission School artist signs copies of his new book on Phaidon Press. With live music by Ovarian Trolley.
“Knitting Hour” Berkeley Public Library, 2090 Kittredge, Berk; www.berkeleylibraryfriends.org. Sat/25, 3:15-4:45pm. Free. Learn how to knit at this intergenerational knitting group, aimed at all ages 8 and above and all skill levels.
“MakeArt: Aluminum Foil Sculpture” Museum of Craft and Design, 2569 Third St, SF; ww.sfmcd.org. 1:30-3:30pm, $10. No tin-foil hat jokes here — this workshop (aimed at kids ages 8-12, or kids 6-7 with parent participation) guides kids in creative fun inspired by “A Sense of Balance: The Sculpture of Stoney Lamar.”
San Francisco Fine Print Fair Golden Gate Club, Presidio Trust, 135 Fisher Loop, SF; www.sanfrancisco-fineprintfair.com. 10am-6pm, free. Also Sun/26, 11am-5pm. The International Fine Print Dealers Association presents this annual survey of printmaking by renowned artists, with a full gamut of goods: traditional Japanese woodcuts, 19th century etchings, contemporary works, and more.
“Vascularium: Closing Show for Freya Prowe” Accident & Artifact, 381 Valencia, SF; (415) 437-9700. 7pm, free. A closing reception for artist Freya Prowe’s “Vascularium,” an exhibit filled with inky, visceral works inspired by arteries, roots, and tentacles.
TUESDAY 28
Jessica Alexander Booksmith, 1644 Haight, SF; www.booksmith.com. 7:30pm, free. The author discusses her memoir, Chasing Chaos: My Decade in and Out of Humanitarian Aid.
Melinda Chateauvert Books Inc., 2275 Market, SF; www.booksinc.net. 7:30pm, free. The author discusses Sex Workers Unite: A History of the Movement from Stonewall to Slutwalk. Visit sexworkersunite.brownpapertickets.com for info on Chateauvert’s participation in a fundraiser for the Litigate to Emancipate Fund this week.
“Dennis McKenna: The Brotherhood of the Screaming Abyss” Emerald Tablet, 80 Fresno, SF; www.emtab.org. 7-8:30pm, free. The younger brother of late philosopher, writer, and counterculture icon Terence McKenna discusses their relationship at this event co-hosted by City Lights.
“The Shape of Sound” Saylor’s Restaurant, 2009 Bridgeway, Sausalito; www.acs-sfbay.org. 7-9pm, $5 suggested donation. The San Francisco Bay Area American Cetacean Society presents this talk by Mark Fischer on his work creating images from the sounds of birds, whales, and dolphins using the Aguasonic process.
“Sutro’s Glass Palace: The Rise and Fall of Sutro Baths” St. Philip’s Catholic Church, 725 Diamond, SF; www.sanfranciscohistory.org. 7:30pm, $5. Ever wondered about those ruins out by the Cliff House? Get the full story on the Sutro Baths at this San Francisco History Association-hosted talk by fourth-generation San Franciscan and professional researcher John Martini. *