There are around a million city-sponsored events celebrating Halloween. It’s almost scary. Go to egov.cityofchicago.org for a full list.

Friday, October 29

The Animals and the Law Conference, an international conference on animal welfare standards and disclosure guidelines in the food production industry, takes place today at the Law School, gathering scholars, industry leaders, non-governmental organizations, and the scientific community together. Support academia’s efforts at actually changing policy. (10 a.m.-5 p.m., free. Contact awillard@law.uchicago.edu)

Gender Studies will conduct a roundtable discussion on Bondage & Dominance/Sadism & Masochism. And if that ain’t a great lunchtime topic, I don’t know what is. (12:15-11:30 p.m., free, 5733 South University Avenue Seminary Room)

The College Class Librarians want you to head over to the Special Collections Research Center for Things That Go Bump in the Stacks. This involves candy. And books. (2-4 p.m., free, Regenstein Library)

You or someone you know once wore an XL black Smashing Pumpkins T-shirt every day, felt sorrow, and scrawled down lyrics in a Mead wire-bound notebook during math class. Well, the source of this inspiration— Chicago’s own Billy Corgan—will be signing his latest book of poetry, Blinking with Fists, at the 830 North Michigan Avenue Borders. Apparently he is only signing his book, so it’s a slight investment to meet your once biggest hero. (Line starts forming at 5 p.m.; signing commences at 7)

We recommend that you go see Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11, if only because it might become an important movie. This film about the Bush administration is disgusting in many ways. (6:30, 9, 11:30 p.m., $4, Max Palevsky Cinema)

Aging college rock monsters Camper Van Beethoven will be at the Metro tonight. Can I admit that my introduction to Camper Van Beethoven was none other than Stephan Jenkins, of last week’s Friday STD fame? Am I digging my own grave in doing so? (7 p.m., 18+, $20)

Get on the Haunted “El” at the Chicago Cultural Center for a 25-minute ghost-story-filled ride around the Loop, complete with Quest Theater Ensemble’s pirate puppets. (7, 7:25, 7:50, 8:15 p.m., free, 77 East Randolph Street)

Mikhail Kopelman and his fellow graduates of the Moscow Conservatory—the Kopelman String Quartet—have at Prokofiev, Miaskovsky, and Tchaikovsky. (8 p.m., $11, Mandel Hall)

Organist Jay Warren accompanies the 1926 silent film The Bat at this Rockefeller pre-Halloween tradition. (8 p.m., $8, Rockefeller Chapel)

If we were in London, I could assure you that people would definitely be getting their dance on at this show. But maybe you can make it happen here in the Midwest, too. Mouse on Mars hits Logan Square Auditorium with Ratatat and the Junior Boys. (9 p.m., 18+, $13)

Saturday, October 30

While we all wait for the Christkindlmart (we love mulled wine) to roll around again, Daley Plaza has turned into Pumpkin Plaza and features a haunted village, free pumpkin decorating (11-2 p.m.), ghoulish storytellers (4 and 6:15 p.m.), trick-or-treating, and performances from the Midnight Circus (11:30 a.m., 12:30, 2, 5:30, 7 p.m.) where they’ll give out free tickets to the Paramount flick Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events. (October 15-31, free, Daley Plaza)

Baadasssss!, a movie about Marvin van Peebles—the godfather of blaxploitation cinema—plays at Doc. (6:30, 9, 11:30 p.m., $4, Max Palevsky Cinema)

Even though they’re wearing costumes—and the early show is mostly peopled by the 10-and-under crowd—the University Symphony Orchestra attack their Halloween concert repertoire with sophistication and spirit. This year’s theme is “Ring of Destiny,” and the ensemble will be playing excerpts of Wagner’s “Der Ring des Nibelungen” and parts of Howard Shore and Johann de Meij’s Lord of the Rings soundtrack. (7 p.m. and 9 p.m., $8 suggested donation, Mandel Hall)

Clinic is playing at the Abbey Pub tonight and tomorrow. (10 p.m., 21+ tonight, 18+ tomorrow, $21)

Dress up and head over to The Music Box for a midnight showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. (midnight, $10)

Sunday, October 31

Do that danse macabre. Daylight Savings Time ends. Be sure to take at least one stroll up and down Harper Avenue between 57th and 59th to view the legendary Halloween decorations.

It’s the last day of the Terra Museum of American Art’s final exhibit: Chicago Modern, 1893-1945: Pursuit of the New. Check out modernist works from artists like Frank Peyraud, who was trained in Chicago. (12-5 p.m., $5 suggested donation)

Hop on the H.M.S. Bounty, transformed this month into the Haunted Ship of Navy Pier. You can’t get a good un-haunted ship these days. This is the last day of the month-long event. (1-4 p.m., $8, Navy Pier)

Monday, November 1

All of the Cool Films from Cold Countries so far have been sweetly humorous, and Songs from the Second Floor, directed by TV-commercial-maker Roy Andersson, is no exception. (7 p.m., $4, Max Palevsky Cinema)

Tears for Fears play the Vic Theatre; Dirty Vegas open. (8 p.m., 18+, $34.50)

Tuesday, November 2

Get your vote on, or P. Diddy might personally come by and assassinate you. In your dorm room! (You’ve been warned.)

Wednesday, November 3

Marshall Sahlins gives some Apologies to Thucydides: Understanding History as Culture and Vice Versa. (5:15 p.m., Gleacher Center Room 621)

Mizoguchi’s Kinema Junpo award-winning film, Sisters of the Gion, chronicles the relationship between a master and apprentice geisha in the famous Gion district of Kyoto. (7 p.m., $4, Max Palevsky Cinema)

Head to Piper’s Alley for the opening night of the 20th Annual Israel Film Festival. The festival, which runs through November 14, features 24 new films and television dramas focused on Israeli culture. The festival kicks off with Avi Nesher’s Turn Left at the End of the World. Set in a tiny 1960s Israeli village, the film tells the story of Moroccan and Indian neighbors and the sexual adventures of each family’s teen daughter. (7:30 p.m., $9.25)

All of the tickets have been distributed, but Garrison Keillor gives a talk at Rockefeller. Poopies. (8 p.m., Rockefeller Chapel)

Thursday, November 4

Graduate student William Coble plays Handel, Schubert, and his own music on piano and trumpet. He’s joined by soprano Katherine Keberlein and pianist Pelarin Bacos for the Noontime Concert Series. (12:15 p.m., free, Fulton Recital Hall)

Professor and poet Mark Strand, a former Poet Laureate of the United States and Pulitzer Prize winner, gives the John Nuveen Lecture. (4 p.m., Swift Lecture Hall)

Now that baseball’s over, Fox is coming out with its new season, and oh yes, this means the return of last year’s extremely popular The O.C. It’s moved to a new night and time, but we assure you, it will retain its awesomeness (and Peter Gallagher’s eyebrows). Word on the street is that Marissa Cooper is going to go crazy (again), and Seth Cohen is still the most adorable geek ever. (7 p.m., free!)

The Beastie Boys play the United Center tonight; Talib Kweli opens. (7:30 p.m., $30.50- $41.00)

University Theater presents Danny and the Deep Blue Sea, directed by Paul Dichter, and The Musgrave Ritual, a radio play based on the Sherlock Holmes story and directed by Mordechai Eli-Levy. (8 p.m., $7, Francis X. Kinahan Third Floor Theater)