Benefits

Ranken Jordan, a pediatric specialty hospital, hosts The Crystal Ball from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Sat., Jan. 31 at Kemp Auto Museum. Cocktails, dinner, dancing, silent and live auctions and prizes are featured. Tickets are $150 per person. Call Elaine at 872-6414 or Lisa at (314) 872-6412.

The annual Friends of Kids with Cancer Musical Madness Trivia Night is at 7 p.m. (doors open at 6 p.m.) on Sat., Jan. 31 at CBC High School. Music, drinks, dancing and a live band are featured. Admission is $35 per person with 10 guests per table. Call 275-7440 or visit friendsofkids.com.

Erin Bode performs at 8 p.m. on Sat., Feb. 7 at DeSmet Jesuit High School’s Hunter Theater. Tickets are $30 and include appetizers and beverages prior to the show and a post-performance dessert bar. Proceeds fund scholarships for DeSmet students whose parents pass away during their time at the school. For tickets, call 567-3500, ext. 276.

Artist Dawn Gano hosts “Art with Heart,” an art sale to benefit St. Louis Children’s Hospital art therapy and horticulture programs, at 6 p.m. on Fri., Feb. 13 at Gateway Gallery (7921 Forsyth) in Clayton. A reception and silent auction are featured. Art and auction items can be previewed at dgano.com. Call (636) 293-0139.

“Uncorking a Cure” Wine and Dinner Auction is at 6 p.m. on Sat., Feb. 28 at Norwood Hills Country Club. A gourmet dinner with wine pairings for each course and silent and live auctions featuring rare wines and unique wine-related items are featured. Tickets are $250 per person; tables of eight are available for reservation. Proceeds benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Call Allison Starling at 878-0780.

The St. Louis Fire Department Bachelor Auction is at 6 p.m. on Fri., March 20 at the Millennium Hotel (200 S. 4th Street) in downtown St. Louis. Local celebrities, live entertainment, prizes and a post-auction party are featured. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door with proceeds benefiting Backstoppers and The Missouri Children’s Burn Camp. E-mail ffbachelorauction@yahoo.com.

Family & Kids

A Daddy/Daughter Dance for girls aged three to 10 and their fathers, grandfathers or guardians is from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Fri., Jan. 30 at Kirkwood Community Center. A live DJ, craft project, photo opportunity and snacks are featured. Tickets are $20 for one resident adult and one daughter and $7 for additional daughters; non-resident tickets are $25 for an adult and one daughter and $9 for additional daughters. Call 822-5855.

John Burroughs School, Mary Institute and Country Day School (MICDS), and Whitfield School hold a Summer Opportunities Fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sat., Jan. 31 at Whitfield School (175 S. Mason Road). Parents and children explore summer activity opportunities available locally, nationally and internationally. Admission is free. Call 434-5141, ext. 1323, or visit summeropportunitiesfair.org.

“An Exploration of ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ Through Art,” the culminating event for Washington University’s The Big Read, is from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Sat., Jan. 31 at the Regional Arts Commission (6128 Delmar Blvd.). Local artisans explore racial and social justice issues through the arts at a family-friendly event with storytellers, a quilting project, theatrical performances, a writing and journaling workshop and the chance to win signed books and a signed 2008 Art Fair commemorative framed print. Admission is free. Visit bigread.net.

The fourth annual Backyard Bird Festival is from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sat., Feb. 7 at Missouri Botanical Garden. Guided birding walks, live exhibits, identification tips, and informative classes for children and adults are featured. Admission is $18/$15 for Garden members. Registration is required. Call 577-9506 or visit mobot.org/education.

The city of Clayton’s “Cupid Ball” for girls ages three to 12 and their dates (father, grandfather, uncle) is from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Mon., Feb. 9 at The Ritz-Carlton in Clayton. A buffet dinner, dancing, commemorative photo opportunity and gift for the girls are featured. To register, call 290-8500.

An “Un-Valentine’s” Party for Teens is at 6 p.m. on Tues., Feb. 10 at The Heights (8001 Dale Ave.) in Richmond Heights. Games, activities and snacks are featured. Admission is free. Registration is required. Call 645-6202.

The second annual Manor Grove “Soup’s On” Cook-Off is from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sun., Feb. 22 at Kirkwood Community Center. Soup samples from more than 20 local restaurants, dessert and drinks are included in the ticket price of $10 for adults and $5 for children younger than age 12. Call Penny or Janelle at 965-0864.

Health

The National Women’s Healthy Heart Day Health Fair is from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Fri., Feb. 6 and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sat., Feb. 7 at West County Center in Des Peres. Free health screenings with on-the-spot results and counseling, if recommended, are provided. Pre-registration is preferred. Call (866) 450-0575 or visit sistertosister.org.

Performers Needed

Christine LaBlaine DeHart's Dancing Thru Life dance studio in Ballwin is seeking adult performers to participate in the studio's first variety show, scheduled for 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Sat., May 2 at Crestview Middle School in Ellisville. The studio is seeking adult singers, instrumentalists, dancers, comedians, etc., to audition for a spot in the show. The show will benefit Friends of Kids With Cancer and Whole Kids Outreach. For more information, call 391-5678 or e-mail dancingthrulife@att.net.

Crestwood/Kirkwood Youth Theatre holds auditions for its spring production of “Once Upon a Mattress” at 9 a.m., 10 a.m., 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. on Sat., Feb. 14 at Kirkwood Community Center. Those aged six to18 may schedule an audition time by calling 822-5855.