What to Do? What to Do?

There are some great festivals on tap this weekend. Tomorrow, the second annual Frank Zappa festival, Manifesto, will be held at the Southeast Anchor Library (Eastern Avenue and Conkling Street) and the Creative Alliance in Highlandtown. The day-long event includes music by Arbouretum, All Mighty Senators, Gene Ween, and others; panel discussions with members of the Zappa family; and a “free mind” award presentation to David Simon and Nina Noble.

Also, the 10^th Annual Pigtown Festival takes place in… you guessed it… Pigtown (700-900 Washington Blvd.) and features an impressive lineup of music—including singer/songwriter Erin McKeown, hip-hop quartet Soul Cannon, and School of Rock students—and events such the “Running of the Pigs.”

And the likes of The Avett Brothers, Flogging Molly, Dr. Dog, and the Gin Blossomos play the revived HFStival at Merriweather Post Pavilion.

Modern dance fans won’t want to miss Ailey II, Alvin Ailey’s American Dance Theatre at Towson University tonight at 7:30 pm.

Sunday, Roots Café presents an impressive double bill of Ellen Cherry and Sandy Asirvatham at An die Musik at 5 pm. That show is organized by Baltimore contributor Geoffrey Himes, who wrote our Artscape story in July.

[Zappa statue photo by John Lewis]