ART

CREATIVE PROCESS A series of 13 studio tours benefits the nonprofit art organization Art in General. Each walking tour visits two or three studios, workshops, or design houses and afterwards walkers convene for a silent auction and reception. Tour leaders include the Whitney Museum curator, Shamin Momin, Art forum magazine’s publisher, Knight Landesman, and the Central Park Conservancy’s Linda Blumberg. A dinner the evening before the tour includes a sneak peek at silent auction pieces (tomorrow, 7 p.m., private res 330 1079 440 1090idence, $500 includes dinner and all Saturday events).Tour: Saturday, 2:30-6 p.m. tours, reception to follow at Milk Gallery, 450 W. 15th St., between Ninth and Tenth avenues, 212-219-0473 ext. 25, $175 general, $75 for reception and auction only, $50 students. See www.artingeneral.org for meeting places and more information.

PRINT PIECES An exhibit of prints that closes this weekend features works by artists including Chuck Close, Jasper Johns, and Maya Lin. Through Sunday, today, noon-5 p.m., tomorrow-Sunday, noon-6 p.m., National Academy of Design Museum, 1083 Fifth Ave. at 89th Street, 212-369-4880, $10 general, $5 seniors and students, free for children under 12.

BENEFITS

BEAUMONT BALL Lincoln Center Theater’s Young Patrons, for theater lovers between ages 20 and 40, celebrates its 20th season with a kick-off party. Throughout the evening, gift-wrapped “surprise boxes,” containing theater tickets, hotel stays, and gift certificates, are on sale.

Monday, 7:30-10:30 p.m., Vivian Beaumont Theater lobby, 150 W. 65th St., between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue, 212-501-3251, $100, reservations required.

BOOKS

LIVE FROM NEW YORK The New Yorker Festival’s lectures and readings are almost completely sold out (inquiries can be made at “Festival Headquarters” on the day of the event), but the free book signings don’t require reservations. Highlights: Susan Orlean (Saturday, 11 a.m.), newly minted Macarthur “genius” Edward P. Jones (Saturday, noon), Martin Amis (Saturday, 3 p.m.), author and Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic (Sunday, 2 p.m.), and Jhumpa Lahiri (Sunday, 3 p.m.). Signings: Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Barnes & Noble Union Square, 33 E. 17th St. at Broadway, 212-253-0810, free.

COMEDY

ALL OVER TOWN The NYC Underground Comedy Festival includes more than events at 40 local venues. Participating comedians include Colin Quinn, Eddie Brill (who performed every night in last year’s festival), the Daily Show’s Ed Helms, Wendy Spero, Patrice O’Neal, Judah Friedlander, and Wendy Williams.

Monday through Sunday, October 10, various times, locations, and prices, 212-502-7979, see www.nycundergroundcomedy.com for full schedule and more information.

FAMILY

CZECH IT OUT The Czech Center celebrates Czech Independence Day with an outdoor festival that includes live music, gymnastics performances, children’s storytelling, folk dancing, and Czech food. Saturday, 1-7 p.m., 83rd Street between Madison and Park avenues, 212-288-0830, free.

FILM

WORLDLY COMEDY The First Sundays Comedy Film Festival showcases films from Canada, Latvia, and America. The program includes Steve Collins’s “Funny Guy,” “Hotdogboy,” which uses subtle sounds to humorous effect, and Latvian Signe Baumane’s animated “Tiny Shoes.” Hosts Kevin Maher and Jay Stern present comedy skits, film trivia contests, and interviews with filmmakers. After the show, the audience is invited to meet the filmmakers at a reception that includes a free Stella Artois beer. Sunday, 7 p.m., Chicago City Limits Theater, 1105 First Ave. at 61st Street, 212-888-5233, $10.

FOOD & DRINK

FOR SAKE’S SAKE The Joy of Sake is the largest sake tasting held outside of Japan. Brewers from Japan and America present over 140 newly released sakes accompanied by appetizers from Bouley, Sushi Samba, and wd-50. The event celebrates fall, the season that produces the best new sake offerings.

Tonight, 6-9 p.m., the Puck Building, 295 Lafayette St. at Houston Street, 212-799-7243, $75.

MUSIC

STARRY JAZZ Jazz lovers can enjoy live music under the stars at the Rose Center for Earth and Space. Vibraphonist Joe Locke and his quartet kick off the fall season of the series. Tapas and wine will be served. Tomorrow, 5:30-6:30 p.m. and 7-8 p.m., American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, 212-769-5100, $12 general, $9 students and seniors, $7 children.

SINGING HISTORY At a “shape-note singing” session, singers sit facing the leader, who stands in the center, and sing 16th-century choral music a cappella. The sing-along style is seen as the precursor to gospel music, and was popular in the American South, especially among Baptist sects who eschewed instruments other than voice. The four-part harmony music was later revived in the North in the 1960s folk music movement, and was recently heard in the film “Cold Mountain.” Though the shape note songs, also called “Sacred Harp” songs after a popular hymnal, originated in the Christian church, the singing is now a social event that draws people of all backgrounds and skill levels. Saturday, 3-6 p.m., the Living Room, 154 Ludlow St., Rivington and Stanton streets, 212-777-9837, free.

STARS AND BARS Minimalist composer Terry Riley’s multimedia musical exploration of space, “Sun Rings,” has its New York premiere as part of BAM’s Next Wave Festival. The experimental Kronos Quartet, which frequently collaborates with Mr. Riley, is joined by the Dessoff Choirs for the performance. Willie Williams, who has created large-scale works for U2 and David Bowie, constructed the elaborate staging. The NASA Arts Program, among others, commissioned the piece, which examines Pythagoras’s 2,500-year-old theory that space is filled not only with planets and stars, but with music. Mr. Riley, Mr. Williams, and members of the quartet discuss the work after one of the performances (Friday, October 8, free for ticket holders). Wednesday through Saturday, October 9, 7:30 p.m., BAM Howard Gilman Opera House, 30 Lafayette Ave., between Ashland Place and St. Felix Street, 718-636-4100, $20 and $40.

PARTY

TALK TO THEM Many New Yorkers have walked past the pair who park on city sidewalks with a sign reading “Talk to Me” – they’ll chat with anyone who takes them up on it, about any topic, simply because they’re interested. In addition, Liz Barry and Bill Wetzel want responders to be able to talk to each other, so they’re throwing their second annual party to gather the people who have stopped to talk over the past year. Ms. Barry said that last year’s party was a hit: “Plenty of couples met. As we set up over this past year, we met again people who met at our Talk to Me party. We saw a couple who met at our last party who are still together!” Anyone is welcome to attend the informal get-together and Ms. Barry suggested bringing a picnic. Saturday, 1 p.m., Bryant Park fountain, Sixth Avenue and 41st Street, 212-459-4027, free. See www.nyctalktome.com for more information.

PHOTOGRAPHY

ONLINE SHARPSHOOTERS A group of photobloggers – photographers who maintain web logs to post their work – present an exhibit of photos that they have displayed online. The sites often group series of photographs by theme and invite viewers to leave comments on their work. Jake Dobkin (bluejake.com) and Rion Nakaya (rion.nu) host the event, which features short presentations by Michael Cossentino, Eliot Shepard, Laura Holder, and others. A presentation on photoblogging software follows. Tonight, 6 p.m., Apple Store SoHo, 103 Prince St., between Mercer and Greene streets, second floor theater, 212-226-3126, free.

IRISH EYES AND SMILES A new exhibit features 24 images from Jim Smith’s photography book “The Irish Face in America” (Bulfinch). The photographs are on view for special weekend hours during New York is Book Country (Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.). Through January, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., NYU Glucksman Ireland House, Fifth Avenue between 8th Street and Washington Square North, 212-998-3950, free.

READINGS

TEA AND POETRY The monthly “Writing Aloud” reading series this week features the author of the poetry collection “Death by Renaissance” (Botton Dog), Paola Corso, and the short-story collection “Notes of a Nude Model” (Spuyten Duyvil), Harriet Sohmers Zwerling. Complimentary tea is served at the event, which is curated by Frank Haberle. The series benefits the NY Writers Coalition, which provides free creative writing classes to underrepresented groups including people with HIV/AIDS, adults with mental illness, and domestic abuse survivors. Tomorrow, 7:30 p.m., the Prince George Tea Room, 14 E. 29th St., between Fifth and Madison avenues, 718-398-2883, $6 general, $3 members.

TALKS

SIMPSON SAYS Brooklyn-based artist Lorna Simpson discusses her work as part of the American Federation of Arts lecture series. Her recent works on film portray minorities in intimate and unfinished conversations. Tonight, 6:30 p.m., AFA townhouse, 41 E. 65th St., between Madison and Park avenues, 212-988-7700 ext. 64, $15 general, $10 members and students, reservations required.

LAUDING LANDMARKS The Center for New York City Law presents a breakfast with the chairman of the Landmarks Preservation Commission, Robert Tierney, who discusses the commission’s recent work.

Tomorrow, 8:15 a.m., New York Law School, 57 Worth St. at Church Street, 212-431-2115, free, registration required.

FUTURE OF INNOVATION Sir Harold Evans hosts a discussion featuring panelists Ted Turner, Oscar de la Renta, Martin Scorsese, and others. The event celebrates Sir Evans’s new book and PBS series, “They Made America,” which follows the history of American innovation. The group discusses whether or not American is falling behind, and where the next wave of creativity will be found. Thursday, October 7, 6:30 p.m., the Broadhurst Theater, 235 W. 44th St., between Seventh and Eighth avenues, 917-250-4232, free, reservations required.

THEATER

PUPPET PLAYS The Dream Music puppetry festival features Kevin Augustine’s “Animal,” which uses carved-foam creatures to explore the health-care industry (Tomorrow and Sunday, 7 p.m., Saturday, 2 and 7 p.m., Tuesday-Friday, October 8, 7 p.m., Saturday, October 9, 2 and 7 p.m., $20). “Mon Oeil,” a popular piece from France’s acclaimed Aie Aie Aie company, is also part of the festival (Tonight, tomorrow, and Sunday, 6:30 and 8:30 p.m., Saturday, 3:30, 6:30, and 8:30 p.m., $15 individual show, $10 when combined with tickets to other show). All shows: HERE Arts Center, 145 Sixth Ave. at Dominick Street, 212-868-4444.

TOURS

TASTE OF TRIBECA A tour of New York’s “western frontier,” TriBeCa, focuses on the neighborhood’s transition from residential area to industrial center and back again. Saturday, 1 p.m., meet at Bogardus Triangle, the intersection of Chambers Street, Hudson Street, and West Broadway, 212-439-1090, $12 general, $10 seniors, students, and New-York Historical Society members.