This week's party picks

Friday

Checkers Hat Trick

5 p.m. Corner of Fifth and College streets. $15 or 2 for $25. www.bandtastic.com.

Make a night out of the Checkers game with pre- and post-game parties courtesy of Elevate Lifestyle magazine. Ticket price includes a pre-party with beer and food (pizza from Libretto’s) at Buckhead Saloon, admission to the game and free entry into Buckhead for the (fingers crossed) post-victory celebration.

Saturday

Red White & Blues

8-11 p.m. Wachovia Atrium. $35 in advance; $40 at the door. www.redwhiteandbluescharlotte.com.

No, it’s not July, but the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation invites you to join its tri-colored themed party for an evening of charity and awareness. The all-inclusive party will feature local art, wine and beer selections, catered food, a silent auction and live music from U-Phonik. Proceeds go toward sending children with Crohn’s Disease and colitis to summer camp.

Sunday

Chili cookoff and block party

1-6 p.m. 1936 E. Seventh St. $20 entrance fee for amateurs; $40 for professionals. For more info, e-mail Richard Gruica at epicurious1972@hotmail.com.

Local foodies from Good Eats Charlotte and the Go Social Club present the first Chili Cookoff at Jackalope Jack’s. Test your skills against amateurs and professionals alike. Can’t take the heat? Sit back with a beer (or game of skeeball) and party with former Panthers like Dan Morgan at the joint tailgate block party.

Monday

World Series of Beer Pong

7-11 p.m. 301 E. Seventh St. $20 ($25 at the door) per player in advance. www.bpong.com/tour

The 2009 BPONG Tour is coming to Charlotte to find potential contestants for the World Series of Beer Pong. Lovers of the sloppy drinking game can test their drunken hand-eye coordination in the official satellite tournament at Dixie’s Tavern. The winners will qualify for entry to The World Series of Beer Pong V – to be held January 1-5 in Las Vegas – where they will compete against hundreds of teams for a chance to win $50,000.