1. COMRADES IN CRAFT (FREE!)
This indie craft fair is an uprising against grandma-style DIY. Forget tea cozies and macramé; these Toronto-area crafters recycle and reuse materials to create pretty and unique handmade art. Keep and eye out for co-organizer Danielle Holke’s bottle cap jewellery, Priya Narasimhan’s botanical bath goodies and Melissa Hamel-Smith’s voodoo dolls. Cash only. Oct. 17. St. David’s Church, 49 Donlands Ave., comradesincraft.com.

2. ARGOS VS. ESKIMOS: FOOTBALL FOR A GOOD CAUSE
The Argos get a visit from just-traded cornerback Byron Parker this weekend; he’ll be back in the city with his new team, the Edmonton Eskimos. If potential drama isn’t enough of a draw, discounted tickets are on offer, with proceeds going to MukiBaum, a charity that serves children and adults with dual disabilities. Oct. 16. $25–$50. Rogers Centre, 1 Blue Jays Way, 416-870-8000, ticketmaster.ca/mukibaum.

3. AN EVENING WITH MEASHA BRUEGGERGOSMAN
The esteemed opera singer gives her only Toronto concert this year at this fundraiser for the African Medical and Research Foundation, a charity Brueggergosman has been involved with for the past two years. Post-performance, VIP attendees can brush elbows with the Canadian diva at an exclusive reception. Oct. 17. $60–$175. St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, 73 Simcoe St., 416-961-6981, canada.amref.org.

4. TORONTO TRAVEL EXPO (FREE!)
Yes, this annual event has all sorts of information on vacations and an abundance of travel agents to offer advice, but the deep discounts on flights and hotels are the best reasons to attend. Oct. 17. Metro Toronto Convention Centre, South Bldg., 222 Bremner Blvd., flightcentre.ca/travelexpo.

5. SCREEMERS
’Tis the season to scare ourselves silly, and what better way to do that than by wandering around the grounds of Exhibition Place, where ghouls, ghosts and long-legged beasties are happy to oblige? Horror fans will appreciate the haunted house, black hole and corpse-littered maze. Ages 10 and up. Oct. 16 to 31. $28.50. Exhibition Place, 190 Princes Blvd., 416-979-FEAR, screemers.ca.

6. INTERNATIONAL CHEFS DAY 2009 (FREE!)
Skip lunch this Saturday—actually, skip breakfast and dinner, too. Save all that stomach space for the cheap eats at this event; some of the city’s toques will be dishing up samples for $2 or $3 apiece. Proceeds benefit Second Harvest. Oct. 17. Yonge-Dundas Square, escoffiertoronto.com.

7. THE NIGHTINGALE AND OTHER SHORT FABLES
Director Robert Lepage returns to the COC with the world premiere of his spin on short operas by the composer Igor Stravinsky. Chinese opera, kabuki theatre, acrobatics and close to 100 puppets make this program a must-see. Oct. 17 to Nov. 5. $62–$292. Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W., 416-363-8231, coc.ca.

8. SILENT SUNDAYS
True film geeks love this ongoing series, which celebrates the very first forays into big screen entertainment: silent flicks. This Sunday, check out the godfather of slapstick, Buster Keaton, as he endeavours to claim a $7 million inheritance by finding a bride before 7 p.m. in 1925’s Seven Chances. Oct. 18. $10. The Revue Cinema, 400 Roncesvalles Ave., 416-531-9959, revuecinema.ca.