I am just wild about Harry and Harry is just wild about me. This month - Harry Potter (and a few hundred other things to do). 

After years of shame, America can once again stand proud. Oh no, we’re still mucking up the globe with our selfish foreign-affairs policies. The reason we can stand proud is because American Joey Chestnutt recently broke Takeru Kobayashi’s hot-dog-eating record to bring the title back here from Japan. In 12 minutes, Chestnutt ate 59 hot dogs and buns, and now he’ll compete against Kobayashi in front of an international audience, at the annual Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Contest in NYC, shown on ESPN (www.nathansfamous.com). Don’t puke, Joey!

The last Mad Art Radio Hour was just so adorable. Actors dressed in period fedoras and bobbed hairdo’s to recreate the golden age of radio dramas, complete with Foley (sound effects) artist and “vintage” commercials. They’re at it again, with live music by Swing Set and two new, original radio plays by Jamie Foehner and Jaime Gartelos: “Intergalactic Space Squad” and “The Hands of Bret Verlorn.” Join the studio audience and clap like a seal when the “APPLAUSE” sign goes on (July 14, www.madart.com).

Hey you—trivia contest stud. You think you’re tough, eh? Think you know politics? History? Sports? Music? Movies? I got news for you – you don’t know movies like you think you do, pal. You head down to the annual Cinema St. Louis “I Love Movies” Trivia Night Benefit at the Centene Building and you’ll see the score. These questions are rough – no joke. If you like challenging, you’re gonna love it there. Sometimes they read a question and everyone just groans -- you know you’re screwed. You’re having fun, sure. You’re supporting Cinema St. Louis. You’re doing good. But unless you’re damned good, you ain’t doing well. (July 14, 314-454-0042, ext. 10; www.cinemastlouis.org)

Harry! Potter! Seven! Is! Out! Oh! My! God! Goodbye, Harry. So long, Hermione. Farewell, Hagrid (sniffle). I always liked ya, bud. Say goodbye to the best bunch of wizards ever to put on robes and fight the good fight at the Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows Midnight Madness street party, over by Left Bank Books. Enjoy trivia & costume contests, raffles, potions & herbs classes, arts & crafts, butterbeer, ice cream & games (July 20, 314-367-6731, www.left-bank.com). Maybe it’s finally time to get that lightning-bolt tattoo on your forehead. The world will always need a Harry.

Through Summer: Maplewood  Farmers’ Market from 4-7 p.m. Wednesdays at Schlafly Bottleworks parking lot (www.schlafly.com)

Thursdays through Aug.: Chapungu Nights with self-guided tours of the African sculptures, entertainment, stone-sculpting demonstrations, outdoor dining and cocktails for purchase at Mo. Botanical Garden (www.mobot.org)

Saturdays at the Market cooking demos at Market in the Loop (www.creativeon-line.com/satsite/index.html)

Through July27: Matt and Sharlene Kindt husband-and-wife duo exhibition Books or Your Friends at UMSL’s Gallery Visio (314-516-7922, www.umsl.edu/~galvisio)

July 1: Cowboy Cabaret featuring burlesque dancers, live music by St. Louis Symphony Orchestra trumpeter & friends, plus pole-dance supahstars Gravity Plays Favorites at Atomic Cowboy (www.atomic-cowboy.com)

July 1: Freeform Film Festival featuring screening of doc about mom who threatened to kill daughter and their eventual reunion Manhattan, Kansas at Mad Art (www.madart.com)

July 2-27: Benjamin Pierce paintings at St. Louis Community College-Forest Pk. Gallery of Art

July 3-4: Fair St. Louis with fireworks, parade, exhibits, kids’ fun and performances by Lifehouse, Goo Goo Dolls & Cyndi Lauper on Riverfront (www.celebratestlouis.org)

July 3-4: Pole Vault Explosion pole-vaulting competition with pros & amateurs at Riverfest Independence Day party at Riverside Pk. in St. Charles (www.polevaultexplosion.com)

July 4: Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Contest in NYC, on ESPN (www.nathansfamous.com)

July 5: Chuck Klosterman at Mad Art (www.left-bank.com)

July 5: Local dance band Berlin Whale free in-store performance at Vintage Vinyl (www.vintagevinyl.com)

July 5, 12, 19 & 26: Whitaker Urban Evening Series presents free movies & live music at St. Louis Place Park (Rauschenbach and St. Louis Avenue Center Island, 314-539-9500)

July 6: Ball4Real Streetball contest as seen on ESPN2 at Scottrade Ctr. (www.ticketmaster.com)

July 6: Angry post-punk aggro-types The Conformists free in-store performance at Vintage Vinyl (www.vintagevinyl.com)

July 6: First Friday Gallery Walk downtown (www.downtownstlouis.org)

July 6-7, 13-14, 20-21, 27-28 & Aug. 3-4: Live on the Levee with free performances by Los Lonely Boys, Emmylou Harris, G. Love & Special Sauce, Bruce Hornsby, AniDiFranco, Pete Yorn, Steel Pulse, Musiq Soulchild, Robert Randolph & John Michael Montgomery, plus reserved dining outdoors at Sauce Café, fireworks & family fun on Riverfront (www.celebratestlouis.org)

July 6-8: Tivoli Midnights cult cinema series presents Back to the Future at Tivoli Theatre (www.landmarktheatres.com/Market/St.Louis/St.Louis_Frameset.htm, 314-995-6270)

July 6-8: Surreal Belgian film The Iceberg at Webster Films (314-968-7487, www.webster.edu/filmseries.html)

July 6-22: The Tin Ceiling presents 2 period-action one-acts, A Clash of Swords, featuring "Dragon's Lair"by Christopher Cyr and "Blackbird White"
by Damien S.K. Samways (314-435-7834, This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it )

July 6-30: Creation of Fate, featuring works in various media by Veronica Blaha, Mike Calway-Fagen, and Amanda Wiles at Mad Art (www.madart.com)

July 7: Acting with the Stars St. Louis Shakespeare benefit featuring local celebs performing Shakespeare & scenes from cult movies onstage at Grandel Theatre (314-361-5664, www.stlshakespeare.org)

July 7: Southside Rocks Off $10 wristband gains entry to 4 clubs to benefit KDHX-FM (www.southsiderocksoff.com)

July 7, 9, 13, 17, 20, 23 & 24: St. Louis Aces pro team tennis at Dwight Davis Center in Forest Pk. (www.stlouisaces.com); July 13: The Bryan Bros.; July 23: Serena Williams; July 24: Pete Sampras

July 7 & 14: Comics illustrator/designer Matt Kindt presents a hands-on workshop on the creation and development of graphic novels; materials provided; at St. Louis Public Library branches (www.slpl.org)

July 8: Century of the Automobile & Motorcycle at World's Fair Pavilion in Forest Pk. (www.1904stl.com)

July 8, 15, 22 & 29: Gateway Festival Orchestra performs classical fare at Washington University Quadrangle on Sundays (July 29 in Graham Chapel, 314-569-0371, www.gatewayfestivalorchestra.org)

July 9: Screening of Race to Execution on fates of 2 death-row inmates & other controversial matters at Mo. History Museum (www.mohistory.org)

July 9: Panel discussion with comics authors/artists Dr. Peter Coogan and Sacha Mardou at St. Louis Public Library-Central Library (www.slpl.org)

July 9, 10, 11 & 12: Webster University Summer Jazz Concerts featuring students & crack musicians of faculty at Recital Hall in Thompson Music Bldg. (314-968-7032)

July 10, 17, 24 & 31: U. City Summer Band performs marches, show tunes and big band music at Market in the Loop (314-862-8246, www.ucitymo.org)

July 11: Strange Brew: Cult Films at Schlafly Bottleworks features Fantastic Voyage, sponsored by Webster Films (314-968-7487, www.webster.edu/filmseries.html)

July 12: Experimental Art Thursdays invites artists to gain input & show off works-in-progress at Mad Art (www.madart.com)

July 12: Author of salacious classics The Bitch & The Stud Jackie Collins discusses her books at St. Louis County Library Headquarters (www.slcl.org, 314-994-3300)

July 12: Musical comedy I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change begins open-ended run at Westport Playhouse (www.metrotix.com)

July 13: Ariana String Quartet performs Beethoven compositions for free in Grigg Gallery of St. Louis Art Museum (314-721-0072, www.slam.org)

July 13-14: Let Them Eat Art Maplewood Bastille Day event with widespread visual & performance art, live music and food specials throughout downtown Maplewood's shops, restaurants and galleries; featured art opening (Friday July 13) including seven local artists (Jerald Ieans, Michael Behle, Doug Kassabaum, Belinda Lee, Matt O'Shea, Michael Hoffman, William LaChance and Alicia LaChance) followed by screenings of French New Wave cinema (Saturday July 14) (www.cityofmaplewood.com/uploads/POSTER3.pdf)

July 13-15: Tivoli Midnights cult cinema series presents Asian action extravaganza Dynamite Warrior at Tivoli Theatre (www.landmarktheatres.com/Market/St.Louis/St.Louis_Frameset.htm, 314-995-6270)

July 13-15: Bastille Day fest in Soulard (314-621-6226)

July 13-28: HotCity Theatre presents devilish satire Say You Love Satan at ArtLoft Theatre (www.metrotix.com)

July 13-29: Clayton Community Theatre performs Agatha Christie’s The Hollow at the Concordia Seminary

July 13-29: Orange Girls present Wendy Wasserstein’s American Daughter at COCA (www.orangegirls.org)

July 14: Free Hot Wheels appraisals by expert at St. Louis Public Library, Machacek Branch (www.slpl.org)

July 14: Mad Art Radio Hour old-time radio shows featuring live music by

Swing Set and 2 new, original radio plays by Jamie Foehner and Jaime Gartelos: “Intergalactic Space Squad” and “The Hands of Bret Verlorn” (www.madart.com)

July 14: Cinema St. Louis “I Love Movies” Trivia Night Benefit at Centene Bldg. (314-454-0042, ext. 10; www.cinemastlouis.org)

July 14-15: Contemporary Indian Art Show & Sale at Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site (www.cahokiamounds.com)

July 15: Eddie Levert of the O’Jays discusses & signs  I Got Your Back: A Father and Son Keep It Real About Love, Fatherhood, Family and Friendship with Lyah Beth LeFlore at Mo. History Museum (www.mohistory.org); on the same day, National Day of Ice Cream celebrated with free ice cream, North Star penguin, plus live music at the Museum

July 16: River Styx presents Hungry Young Poets at Duff’s (314-533-4541, www.riverstyx.org)

July 18: Author of The Poe Shadow Matthew Pearl reads from & signs his mystery at Left Bank Books (314-367-6731, www.left-bank.com)

July 20: Sadness & Beauty: Films of Kenzi Mizoguchi featuring Ugetsu, tale of brothers who leave their wives for ambition (with ghosts!), at St. Louis Art Museum (314-721-0072, www.slam.org)

July 20: Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows Midnight Madness street party with trivia & costume contests, raffles, potions & herbs classes, arts & crafts, butterbeer, ice cream & games near Left Bank Books (314-367-6731, www.left-bank.com)

July 20-22: Tivoli Midnights cult cinema series presents Princess Bride at Tivoli Theatre (www.landmarktheatres.com/Market/St.Louis/St.Louis_Frameset.htm, 314-995-6270)

July 20-29: St. Louis Shakespeare presents Othello featuring son of Morgan Freeman, Antonio Freeman, at Grandel Theatre (314-534-1111)

July 20-Aug. 25: Frank Schwaiger: Mythologies at Bruno David Gallery (www.brunodavidgallery.com)

July 20-Aug. 26: Speak Up, St. Louis! American Democracy Project Redux at Gallery at the Regional Arts Commission (www.stlrac.org)

July 20-Jan. 5: Water new exhibition at the Pulitzer Foundation (www.pulitzerarts.org)

July 21: NASCAR Gateway Busch 250 at Gateway Intl. Raceway (866-35-SPEED, www.gatewayraceway.com)

July 21: CommUnity Days in Fairground Park includes kids’ activities such as Double Dutch, tennis & corkball, sponsored by Mo. History Museum, at Fairground Pk. (Natural Bridge & Grand, www.mohistory.org)

July 21-22: Open Studios self-guided tour of artists' studios in metro area sponsored by Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis (www.contemporarystl.org)

July 21-26: St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase (www.cinemastl.org)

July 21-29:  Henry Shaw Cactus Society show & sale at Mo. Botanical Garden  (www.hscactus.org)

July 24: Screening of doc The Gay Marriage Thing at Mo. History Museum (www.mohistory.org)

July 25: Jammin’ at the Zoo Young Friends evening benefit with live music, cash bar, wine taste & happy-hour food ($10, 314-781-0900, www.stlzoo.org)

July 25: The Hymns & Melba Toast free in-store performances at Vintage Vinyl (www.vintagevinyl.com)

July 25-29: Universoul Circus at Lewis & Clark Tower Parking Lot (Hwy. 367 & Chambers Road, www.universoulcircus.com)

July 27: Sadness & Beauty: Films of Kenzi Mizoguchi featuring Life of Oharu, tale of courtier gradually stripped of respectability as well as her clothes, at St. Louis Art Museum (314-721-0072, www.slam.org); also that night, St. Louis Osuwa Taiko Japanese drumming corps performs on museum lawn

July 27-29: Tivoli Midnights cult cinema series presents Clockwork Orange at Tivoli Theatre (www.landmarktheatres.com/Market/St.Louis/St.Louis_Frameset.htm, 314-995-6270)

July 27-Sept. 15: Exposure 10, featuring works by Jason Hoenig, Sarah Giannobile, Cameron Fuller & Sarah Paulsen, at Gallery 210 (314-516-5976,
www.umsl.edu/~gallery)

July 28: World Washers Championship at Queeny Park (www.worldwashers.com)

July 29: 106.5 FM The Arch High School Reunion concert with ZZ Top, The Pretenders, The Stray Cats, The Cars & The Gin Blossoms at Scottrade Center (314-241-1888)

July 29: Holocaust Museum & Learning Ctr. Film Series presents Passenger of Doom (www.hmlc.org)

July 30: Harry & the Potters plus Draco & the Malfoys play St. Louis Public Library Headquarters (6 p.m., www.slpl.org)