1. U OF T DRAMA FESTIVAL
This long-running theatre fest made the switch to student-only works nine years ago and hasn't looked back. In this weekend-long competition, talented young playwrights, actors and directors vie for five prizes. The lineup features one-act plays set in a post-zombie apocalypse (Dead-End), a tiny lifeboat adrift at sea (Life Boat) and in Cell Block D (A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Electric Chair). Feb. 25 to 27. $12. 7:30 p.m. Hart House Theatre, 7 Hart House Cir., 416-978-8849, uofttix.ca.

2. CANADIAN DESIGNERS SALE (FREE!)
Fashion-savvy Torontonians will be found at the Gladstone this weekend, where luxe pashminas by Jabberdust, glam gowns by Karamea and goods by five other Canadian designers are on offer at this customer appreciation event. Prices are slashed by 40 to 80 per cent. Feb. 26 and 27. Art Bar, Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen St. W., 416-531-4635, gladstonehotel.com.

3. UNPLUGGED FOR ENERGY CONSERVATION
This concert takes MTV’s concept and raises it to the next level, literally unplugging everything for a night of energy-efficient entertainment. With candles for atmosphere and such local bands as The Strumbellas and the Free Press providing tunes, this is probably the greenest way to rock out in the city. Feb. 27. $10. Lou Dawg’s, 589 King St. W., torontosocialevents.com.

4. DIASPORIC DIMENSIONS
The Collective of Black Artists tops off Black History Month with a gorgeously choreographed program that examines themes of innovation, spirituality and legacy. Focusing on both Africa and the diaspora, expect works by BaKari E. Lindsay, Julia Morris, Charmaine Headley and Jeanguy Saintus. Feb. 26 to 28. $18–$32. Fleck Dance Theatre, Harbourfront Centre, 207 Queens Quay W., 416-973-4000, harbourfrontcentre.com.

5. RAIN: A TRIBUTE TO THE BEATLES
Hardcore Beatles fans and casual listeners alike will enjoy this theatrical tribute to the Fab Four, which includes almost 200 of the band’s songs spanning their entire career. John, Paul, George and Ringo are played by members of Rain, a tribute band that’s had a longer run than the original—they've been together since the ’70s. Feb. 26 to 28. $35–$85. The Princess of Wales Theatre, 300 King St. W., 416-872-1212, mirvish.com.

6. NEW FOUND GLORY
Natives of the Sunshine State, these pop-punk rockers are known for their high-energy shows. Expect an eclectic set list; these are guys who've done high-octane versions of songs by everyone from Tears for Fears to Bob Dylan on their two cover albums, plus six CDs of their own songs, which yielded such hits as their breakthrough single "Hit or Miss," "Head on Collision" and "It's Not Your Fault." Feb. 28. $38.50. Sound Academy, 11 Polson St., 416-870-8000, ticketmaster.ca.

7. HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
The lineup of flicks at this year’s festival is documentary-heavy and includes such standouts as Last Train Home, a Canadian doc about a family of Chinese migrant workers, and The Greatest Silence, about the use of rape as a weapon in the Congo. In features, look for reformed Hollywood bad boy Colin Farrell as a PTSD-stricken war photographer in Triage and Mexican actress Ana de la Reguera in Backyard, a drama about the unsolved murders of young women in the Mexican border town Ciudad Juárez. Feb. 24 to March 6. $10.14. Jackman Hall, Art Gallery of Ontario, 317 Dundas St. W., 416-968-3456, humanrightsfilmfestival.ca.