Check out our Best Bets for the weekend and beyond

Friday, Oct. 17

The Third Friday Film series screens the Oscar-nominated “Winter’s Bone,” sponsored by the Social Justice Guild, at First Existentialist Congregation, 7:30 p.m., www.firstexistentalist.org

Out artist Cathe Hall Payne opens her “The Sugar Bean Sisters” at Onstage Atlanta tonight, running through November 8, 8 p.m., www.onstageatlanta.com

Blake’s hosts Glitter Bomb, 75 minutes of high-energy illusion, at 11 p.m., www.blakesontheparkatlanta.com

Saturday, Oct. 18

Lift Up Atlanta is sponsoring an Empowering Women Today for a Better Tomorrow workshop hosted by Onyx Keesha, founder of MPower. There will be motivational speakers and spoken word. Tickets are $8 in advance, $15 at the door, 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., at the Phillip Rush Center, www.facebook.com/atlantas.womyn

HomoFlow, a special yoga event benefiting AIDS Walk Atlanta, is hosted by Elizabeth and the Atlanta Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. This is a safe space for all gender varieties, identities, and expressions. Suggested donation is $15 with all money going to AIDS Walk Atlanta (please bring cash). 12:30 p.m., Candler Park. In case of rain, the event will be held at Tough Love Yoga, www.toughloveyoga.com

The Little Five Points Halloween Festival and Parade take over the eclectic neighborhood from 3-11 p.m. with the infamous parade beginning at 4 p.m. There will be live music, food vendors and more, l5phalloween.com

Honor those who have died without health insurance at a silent candelight vigil, Capitol Building Exterior, Washington Street. Bring a white candle. 6 p.m. For more information, contact expandgeorgiamedicaid@gmail.com

Sandra Bernhard comes to the ATL for two shows at the W Midtown, 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m., benefitting AIDS Walk, www.sandrainatlanta.com

“The Doctor, The Devil & My Dad” continues at 7 Stages, with out Heidi S. Howard directing, 8 p.m., www.7stages.org

The Unofficial AIDS Walk Freak Show Ball raises money for AIDS Walk. It’s a party packed with Drag Star Edie Cheezburger, Dominatrix Goddess Phoenix, Marilyn Chen, Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Sister Sissy S Tea, VJ Anthony, Funk Master Romeo Cologne, DJ-Seraph Atlanta, Ritual Oni, and go-go dancer sensation Angie Starr. The night starts with DJ Seraph Atlanta spinning at 9 p.m. VJ Anthony will continue until 3 a.m. in the morning. World class guest dominatrix Goddess Phoenix will be performing on stage and in the dungeon with additional guests, The Loft at Center Stage, www.centerstage-atlanta.com

Legendary Children Atlanta presents Freakshow, a cabinet of curiosities—a feast for the senses! Nicole Paige Brooks is back to be the twisted ringleader for the evening. Featuring a menagerie of performers, oddities from antiquity, kings and queens of drag, fortune tellers, sword swallowers, aerialists, dancing go-go clowns, and other freaks of nature! DJ Vicki Powell + DJ King Atlas + DJ Silk Wolf will be making you sweat under the big top! 10 p.m. – 2:30 a.m., Masquerade, www.masqueradeatlanta.com

Sunday Oct. 19

The 24th annual AIDS Walk brings out thousands of people to Piedmont Park to raise money for AIDS service organizations, www.aidswalkatlanta.com

The lesbian-themed “Lasso of Truth” closes at Synchronicity today, 5 p.m., www.synchrotheatre.com

“Laughter Matters,” an evening of live music, comedians, raffles, heavy hors d’oeuvres, libations and more is an event to benefit the Ben Marion Institute for Social Justice. Tickets are $65 in advance, $75 at the door. www.benmarioninstitute.org/

At the “Late Night With the Boys – Confessions of a Leather Bar Chanteuse” event, Alex Bond and Ken Hornbeck read from Ms. Bond’s novel. A hit at numerous festivals in the U.S., this book reading transports listeners back to Dallas 1977 with delightful and poignant tales of a Southern Chanteuse and her gay family-of-friends in this pre-AIDS wildly magical era. Directed by Justin Anderson, benefitting the Phillip Rush Center. Tonight and Oct. 26 at 7 p.m., www.rushcenteratl.com

$2 well drinks are on tap all day and night at Sunday Funday at Bulldogs, 893 Peachtree St., Atlanta, GA 30309

Atlanta’s Angelica D’Paige and friends — including Brent Star and Destiny Brooks — purr up fun at Sex Kitten, with $5 burgers and Smirnoff cocktails, 8 p.m. at 10th and Piedmont, www.communitashospitality.com/10th-and-piedmont/promotions/Sex-Kitten-with-Angelica-DPaige

Monday, Oct. 20

The Stars of the Century drag show is every Monday at Jungle, 10 p.m., http://tinyurl.com/matzdvf

Tuesday Oct. 21

The Atlanta Zine Library, Atlanta Zine Fest, and Charis Books & More are partnering to form a zinester writer’s group geared at 11-19 year olds. Zine content is the focus of this group. Each month we will highlight a specific aspect of zine culture, including perzines (personal zines), feminism and queer politics, music fanzines, and so on. This is a Charis Circle Whole Children, Strong Families Program. The suggested donation is $5 but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Meets the third Tuesday of every month from 5 – 6:30 p.m. New members always welcome! $5 suggested donation. Suggested ages: 11 – 19, www.charisbooksandmore.com

Wednesday, Oct. 22

Join Charis in celebrating the publication of the first history of the United States told from the perspective of indigenous peoples. Today, in the United States, there are more than five hundred federally recognized indigenous communities and nations comprising nearly three million people.  In “An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States,” Dunbar-Ortiz challenges the founding myth of the United States and shows how policy against the indigenous peoples was genocidal and imperialist—designed to crush the original inhabitants. This is a Charis Circle From Margin to Center Event. The suggested donation is $5. 7:30 – 9 p.m., Charis Books, www.charisbooksandmore.com

Scare-A-Bear brings together local bears, meeting at Woof’s at 7 p.m. and the going to Netherworld Haunted House at 8 p.m., https://www.facebook.com/events/461120690693780/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming

Get your bingo on tonight at Joe’s on Juniper at 8 p.m., www.joesonjuniper.com

Ruby Redd hosts bingo 8:30 p.m. at the Hideaway, www.atlantahideaway.com

Thursday, Oct. 23

Join Charis in welcoming Robbin Shipp, one of the co-authors of “Justice While Black,” a first-of-its-kind essential guide for African-American families about how to understand the criminal justice system, and about why that system continues to see black men as targets and as dollar signs. The book provides practical, straightforward advice on how to deal with specific legal situations: the threat of arrest, being arrested, being in custody, preparing for and undergoing a trial, and navigating the appeals and parole process. This is a Charis Circle From Margin to Center event and the suggested donation is $5. 7:30 – 9 p.m., Charis Books, www.charisbooksandmore.com

Every Thursday is 3 Legged Cowboy Night with free dance lessons from 8 – 9 p.m. at the Heretic, www.hereticatlanta.com

Decadence: A Night of Drinking and Debauchery is every Thursday starting at 10 p.m., hosted by Adam Bland and Ashley Mitchell with beats by DJ Daryl Cox. A wet underwear contest begins at 11 p.m., with a cash prize and dancers galore, TEN Atlanta, www.tenatlanta.com

UPCOMING

Friday, Oct. 24

The award-winning, gay themed film “Lilting” opens at the Midtown Art Cinema, www.landmarktheatres.com

Saturday, Oct. 25

Traveling Through Time, produced by Jerusalem House, is Atlanta’s premier open bar Halloween party. This 15th annual event includes a renowned costume parade and contest with $3,000 in cash and prizes to the best individual, best group and best Haloween Krewe. 7 p.m., W Atlanta Midtown, www.watlantamidtown.com

Wednesday, Oct. 29

GLAAD Atlanta, presented by Ketel One Vodka, The Coca-Cola Company, and A Legendary Event, is a celebration of national and local leaders advancing LGBT equality through the media. During a night of exceptional honorees, special guests, and inspiring speeches, your attendance will help GLAAD extend its long history and successful track record of advocating for LGBT equality on critical cultural frontiers through the media. GLAAD Atlanta will serve as a launch pad for GLAAD’s Southern Stories Program which aims to drive cultural change in the American south. 3109 Piedmont Estates and Gardens, 6 – 9 p.m., www.legendaryevents.com

The Revival: a QWOC Poetry Salon featuring guest poet Jericho Brown -Charis welcomes T. Miller, Queen Sheba, and Be Steady to town for a poetry concert like no other. Part of a nine city tour, featuring guest poet Jericho Brown. Free to Georgia Tech students, www.gatech.edu

Thursday, Oct. 30

Out director David Crowe stages “The Elephant Man” at Georgia Ensemble Theatre, 8 p.m., www.get.org

Black women are strong. At least that’s what everyone says and how they are constantly depicted. But what, exactly, does this strength entail? And what price do black women pay for it? In “Too Heavy a Yoke,” the author, a psychologist and pastoral theologian, examines the burdensome yoke that the ideology of the Strong Black Woman places upon African American women. Chanequa Walker Barnes demonstrates how the three core features of the ideology-emotional strength, caregiving, and independence-constrain the lives of African American women and predispose them to physical and emotional health problems, including diabetes, hypertension, and anxiety. This is a Charis Circle Founding the Future of Feminism event, and the suggested donation is $5.  7:30 – 9 p.m., Charis Books, www.charisbooksandmore.com