Free Events this Week: July 25–July 31

Don't pass up a free Walter Meego set at Double Door this week.

Have a full week of free fun (starting tonight!) with our gratis-events suggestions, below.  

MONDAY, JULY 25
Live Band Karaoke at Roscoe's
This gay/lesbian club is famous—or perhaps notorious—for their racous live-band karaoke nights... it's a must-see-to-believe event.
Roscoe's Tavern, Today 10pm. 3356 N Halsted St
Weeds Poetry Night  
Local wordsmiths spewing oddball theories and screwy wordplay. Think open mic with an extra dash of poetic lyricism.
Weeds Tavern, Today 10:30pm. 1555 N Dayton St  

TUESDAY, JULY 26
Sustainable Backyard Workshops
Ready to join the compost-bin, green-friendly, tree-hugging bandwagon? Learn all the rights and wrongs from staff members of the Chicago Sustainable Backyard Program.  
Chicago Center for Green Technology, 6pm at 445 N Sacramento Blvd, second floor
Dance in the Parks: Humboldt Park Boathouse  
Enjoy free and professional level dance performances—rain or shine—courtesy of the Extensions Dance Party. In case of rain, check out Facebook or danceintheparks.org the day of for the indoor option.  
Humboldt Park Boathouse, 6:30pm at 1359 N Sacramento Blvd

WEDNESDAY, JULY 27
Jim Butcher 
Butcher returns to Chicago to read from his latest Harry Dresden—a wizard detective who calls our fair city home—ghost story.
Anderson's Bookshop, Wed at 7pm. 123 W Jefferson Ave
Underground
Organized in collaboration with the Chicago Underground Library, this exhibition and pop-up library of zines, comics and other self-published works features more than 50 female, transgender and gender-nonconforming artists from across the U.S.
Woman Made Gallery, Wed noon–4pm  685 N Milwaukee Ave  

THURSDAY, JULY 28 
Frat House Thursdays   
Miller Lite specials, cheap Long Island Ice Teas, beer pong, and sexy drunk men? It's a gay haven at Scarlet Bar this Thursday.  
Scarlet Bar, 9pm at 3320 N Halsted St
Jump Up Records: DJ Chuck Wren  
Join Ska DJ Chuck Wren, force behind Jump Up Records, for a night of mind-freeing dance.
$3 drink specials available for Bitburger Pints and Heaven Hill Bourbon.  
Delilah's, 10pm at 2771 N Lincoln Ave

FRIDAY, JULY 29
Out of Site: Collaboraction and Environmental Encroachment
Collaboraction and self-described "magic circus band" Environmental Encroachment team up with acclained author James Kennedy to present Dome of Doom. And along the Polish Triangle area Friday night you may just get tangled up in a "dance battle" come 6 pm.  
Wicker Park, Polonia Triangle Area, Fri 5pm–7pm. W Division St at N Milwaukee and N Ashland Aves
Printers' Ball
The seventh annual Printers' Ball returns Friday with more giveaways from various Chicago presses and magazines. In case all the free stuff isn't enough incentive to attend, there will be a poetry reading from former Silver Jews frontman David Berman.
Columbia College Chicago, Luddington Building, Fri 6pm–11pm. 1104 S Wabash Ave  

SATURDAY JULY 30
Two Cookie Minimum
Journalist John Wawrzaszek hosts this annual reading series that features special guests such as: Carrie Colpitts, Cyn Vargas, Erin Nederbo, Dan Copulsky, Kevin Kern and Jill Summers.
Fritz Pastry, 4pm at 1408 W Diversey Pkwy
Lollapalooza Remix Throwdown: Live Finals
Watch as your everyday Joe turns DJ and  boasts his skills at this Lollapalooza-sponsored contest. Last year's champ Craig Williams gets things started, followed by performances from Moneypenny and Walter Meego.
Double Door, 9pm at 1572 N Milwaukee Ave  

SUNDAY, JULY 31
Zombie  
Dir. Lucio Fulci. 1979. 91 minutes in Italian with subtitles. Fulci made a lot of movies in the '70s and '80s, many of them offensive, most of them totally inept.
Delilah's, Sun 6pm. 2771 N Lincoln Ave
Super Saver Sundays  
Calling all broke gays! Indulge in cheap end-of-the-weekend cocktails ($1 wells and $2 mimosas) while watching sexy go-go boys.  
Cocktail, 5pm at 3359 N Halsted St