This week's party picks

Here's the best of Charlotte nightlife this week:

Thursday

Project: Homebrew

8 p.m. 511 E. 36th St. Free (including copy of CD). www.neighborhoodtheatre.com.

Creative Loafing's music editor Jeff Hahne releases his latest Homebrew CD -- a compilation of local music. The release party at Neighborhood Theatre will feature a panel discussion on the local music scene and a concert featuring some of the acts who appear on the CD.

Friday

First Annual Bow-Wow Ball

10 p.m. 820 Hamilton St. $10 donation. www.projecthalo.net.

Support your furry friends at Charlotte’s first Bow-Wow Ball, a fundraiser for Project Halo. Morgan Fogarty and Brotha' Fred will broadcast Fox News Edge live from Halo at the N.C. Music Factory. A silent auction will feature items from Tiffany & Co., Harper’s, Palm Beach Tan, Pine Island Country Club and more. And you can bid on your favorite Fox broadcaster to be your celebrity dog washer for a day. All proceeds benefit the no-kill animal shelter and sanctuary.

Beards BeCAUSE

7 p.m. Dilworth Neighborhood Grille, 911 E. Morehead St. $5 donation. www.beardsbecause.com.

Have superior facial-hair growing skills? Consider joining the two-month fundraising effort that is Beards BeCAUSE. The guys will kick off their growing season this weekend with their Clean Shaven Party. Live music from John Dungan, Pistoleros and Dr. Eu and Subdue’s. Beards BeCAUSE benefits United Family Services’ Shelter for Battered Women.

Saturday

Wine, arts and food festival

11-7 p.m. Symphony Park at SouthPark. $10-$20. www.uncorkthefun.com.

Taste hundreds of wines from North Carolina and sample gourmet foods while listening to music at Symphony Park during the Great Grapes festival. Art exhibits will also be on display to peruse over your glass of Malbec.

Sunday

Meet Liza, Reba and Madonna

8 p.m. and 10 p.m. 1919 Commonwealth Ave. $5. www.myspace.com/gigimonroe.

“Illusionist” (read: female impersonator) Gigi Monroe of Atlanta comes to Petra’s to display her amazing transformations into such icons as Liza Minelli, Madonna and Reba McIntyre. Petra’s resident drag queen Roxy Moorecox will be doing her own impersonations of Cyndi Lauper and Boy George.

Where to watch tonight's game

Wanted to let you guys know about a couple of out-of-the-ordinary events going on in honor of tonight's matchup between the Panthers and the Cowboys:

• WCNC will host a pregame special at Wild Wing Cafe at the EpiCentre tonight. WCNC's Greg Bailey and former Panther Mike Minter will be taping live before kickoff. The party starts at 7 and includes a wing-eating contest.

• EpiCentre Theaters will be showing the game on one of the movie screens. Free admission; first come, first served. Prizes and giveaways. Specials include $2 Bud Lights and half-price wine; half-price chicken sliders. Cocktail waitresses will serve game-watchers in the theater.

Where will YOU watch?

This week's party picks

Here's the best of Charlotte nightlife this weekend.

Saturday

PlayDate Charlotte

9 p.m. Tyvola Marriott, 5700 Westpark Drive. $10. www.playdatecharlotte.com.

Be a kid again at this month’s PlayDate party. Games include Twister, Connect 4, Pac-Man and Wii Bowling – and don’t miss the always entertaining hula hoop contest.

Anniversary bash

4 p.m. 19712 One Norman Blvd., Cornelius. $5 donation. www.ontheroxx.com.

On the Roxx martini bar celebrates five years in Lake Norman this weekend with a block party. Free food for the first two hours, live music, a fashion show, silent auction, and of course great drinks. Proceeds benefit the Huntington’s Disease Society of America.

Gimme Shelter benefit

8-11 p.m. Dilworth Neighborhood Grille, 911 E. Morehead St. $10. www.jinglebellball.com.

Help raise funds for this winter’s Jingle Bell Ball at the Gimme Shelter benefit concert. Underground Detour performs live at this fundraiser for United Family Services’ Shelter for Battered Women.

’70s party

9 p.m. Visulite Theatre, 1615 Elizabeth Ave. $10 in advance; $12 day of show. www.visulite.com.

Join Nasty Productions and metal band Iron Cordoba for "Funk You: A '70s Flashback of Peace, Freaks and Hair Grease." Prizes will be awarded in the SupaFly Guy and Foxy Mamma costume contest, and don't forget your platform dancing shoes for the Soul Train dance-off.

New to Charlotte?

Come join me, Observer columnist Tommy Tomlinson and WCNC news anchor Sonja Gantt at the Levine Museum of the New South tomorrow evening.

Tommy, Sonja and I will be speaking as part of the museum's New South for the New Southerner series, and we'll be talking about why we chose to live in Charlotte as well as giving a sneak peek of the Observer's annual newcomers magazine, Living Here. I'll specifically be talking about what makes the city appealing to young professionals.

The evening starts at 5:30 p.m. It's $5 per person. Wine and food will be provided by Mert's.

Hope to see you there!

Film Fest parties, plus win tickets!

The Fourth Annual Charlotte Film Festival is already under way, but it's not all about the movies. Just like SunDance (OK, maybe on an extremely small scale), it's about the after-parties, too.

Mingle with the directors and producers of this year's festival lineup at these receptions:

Thursday

Awards Celebration: After the awards are handed out, you can see the Best Documentary winner. 6 p.m. Whisky River. $25 (includes party and admission to screening).

Friday

VIP and Filmmaker Reception: Meet the filmmakers and watch "Amreeka." 5 p.m. BlackFinn Saloon. $25. 

Saturday

After-party: Celebrate the end of the festival at Therapy Cafe. Show your ticket stub to join VIPs, filmmakers and volunteers for one complimentary martini and appetizers. 10 p.m.-midnight. 

Win tickets!

I have two tickets to Friday night's screening of Michael Moore's "Capitalism" (9:15 at EpiCentre Theaters). Want 'em? First person to e-mail me gets them. ***UPDATE: Tickets gone. Thanks for playing!***

Live music Thursdays continue this fall

For those of you mourning the end of Alive After Five this week, fear not: Whisky River is continuing the Thursday night live music tradition with a five-week concert series called "Rockin the River."

Jessie James and The Carter Twins open the series Oct. 1. Tickets are $15. Proceeds from the series benefit the Dale Jr. Foundation.

The rest of the schedule follows:

Oct. 8: Rehab, $15.

Oct. 15: Gavin DeGraw, $25.

Oct. 22: Blake Shelton following a live taping of QVC's race show with Junior, $25.

Oct. 29: Phil Vassar, $15.

Package deals are available for $75.

For more info, click here.

Stool Pigeons unveiling new look

The uptown sports bar temporarily closed Monday and is tentatively set to reopen next Wednesday with a new look and a new owner.

Greensboro's Rick Buckner bought the bar from CSM Restaurant Services -- which owns other Stool Pigeons locations around North Carolina -- but plans to keep the name and a loose affiliation with its namesake bars, according to manager J.K. Savilla.

Savilla says renovations include a much-needed audio and visual overhaul to add HD programming and plasma TVs throughout.

(Thanks to Rob for the tip!)