Reminders: This Saturday is the Charm City Roller Girls bout and the Bicyculture event is all weekend. Tonight means Joan of Arc at Floristree...oooh secret locations make me shiver;)

Virgin Festival is coming back very soon (August 9 and 10), which I guess would be exciting if I weren't going to be at my damn cousin's wedding. They also seem to be scrimping on the infield entertainment this year, which I'm sure is not the way to attract the added ticket sales they definitely need if they want to keep things rolling. Then again, when was the last time big corporations ever thought about the bottom line? um, wait...

If I were going this is who I'd see: Gogol Bordello, She & Him (that Zooey Deschanel is too cute), Foo, Bloc, and not Moby...perhaps that's not all, but there are only so many hours in an imaginary day, you know?

Who are your V-fest picks?

Well, how was Artscape? Any amazing things you have to share? I'm still in the Big Easy...and, yes, it's effing hot.

This week we're looking forward to Joan of Arc on Thursday at Floristree Space. Plus, Saturday the Charm City Roller Girls bout it out again at Du Burns Arena. Also Saturday is the Bicyculture event...very strange thing where bike messengers race eachother in a scavenger hunt-like way but with the added high-stakes challenge of not being killed by traffic and crappy drivers. A challenge I surely wouldn't take on.

Miss you. brb from nola...haha.

When I repeated the tagline that Artscape was the biggest arts festival in the country, a little bird reminded me of the qualifier "free." Well, maybe it's not the biggest, but it's up there, and this weekend is going to be a crazy ride for much of the town.

Hightlights: Artscape Midway (from noon to 10 p.m. and noon to 8 p.m. on Sunday the Charles Street bridge will be walkable as part of Artscape): Midway will present installations, performances, sculpture and other forms of art and performance to create an alternate carnival midway. Emily C-D will be unveiling her IMAGO MACHINE, a whirling kaleidescope of deceiving reflections and many masks. The Oranges Band will play Artscape this Friday at 5 p.m. at the Saturn Stage (Mt. Royal/North Ave). And "Starbooty" and "Black Devil Doll" (scenes and trailers) will screen at Metro Gallery Sunday at 8 p.m. And Whartscape near Joe Squared and MICA with Wham City kids in full throttle.

I'm sure there's even more kick-ass stuff to do there and beyond, but those would be my picks if I had picks. I'm actually going to NOLA. I know, I know, I've heard, I'm an idiot for leaving when Artscape has finally gotten so big, but I got to go sweat it out Crescent City-style, so have fun kids! And please, please let me know how it was!