AZIZ ANSARI is blowing up. Two seasons on NBC's "Parks and Recreation" and a scene-stealing role as obnoxiously overconfident comedian Randy in the film Funny People made fans take notice. Now, one Comedy Central special and an MTV awards show hosting gig later, Ansari is the industry's favorite new flavor of comedy. The silly little Indian with a penchant for T-Payne and hyperbole is a hilarious storyteller that stretches jokes to their full potential. He's bringing his Dangerously Delicious Tour to the Tabernacle for two shows in one night.

Arj Barker, handler of hecklers, indifferent New Yorker on "Flight of the Conchords" and co-creator of "Marijuana-Logues," has made several appearances on Comedy Central. Jokes and skits on board, Barker also made it to the semifinal round of the fifth season of "Last Comic Standing." The Punchline has nabbed Barker for three nights of solid entertainment.

The all new Sketchworks main stage's "Night of the Living Sketch" runs Fridays and Saturdays, Sept 17 to Oct 16 at 8pm at the Sketchworks Theatre. 3041 N. Decatur Rd. Scottdale (Decatur) GA 30079 This is Sketchworks' main stage show as a 501c3 non-profit organization. Sketchworks is Atlanta's premier live scripted sketch comedy troupe.

Improv Comedy down in The Basement. Always different! Always Fun! 100% Improvised and based on audience suggestions! Shows every Fri & Sat at 8 & 10pm

Ongoing improv comedy, stand-up and improvisational theatre shows. Tuesdays: Richard Kickers. Fridays: Cineprov 2Girls3Eyes, and Sideshow. Saturday: JaCKPie Theatre Workshop.

Seven shows weekly. Also, specially timed Sunday children's shows.

Pageant: The Musical Comedy Beauty Contest is hosting a preview fundraiser of their performance on Monday, August 23, two days before Opening Night. The “ladies” of Pageant will begin their heated competition for the crown at 14th Street Playhouse. All proceeds from this exclusive showing will go towards Atlanta Cotillion IX, a unique fundraising concept in which a group of gentlemen from the Atlanta gay community participate as “debutantes” during a season of events that has raised more than $620,000 since 2002 for AID Atlanta.

Laugh yourself to health with the Laughter Club.

A smorgasbord of stand-up comedy.

Cheyenne Grill invites you to witness "Hysterical Events". Stand-up comedy entertainment every Sunday night starting September 5th! Admission is free for an hour of open-mic followed by an hour long three-comedian show. Our venue provides a full bar and menu and friendly waitstaff. Kick back with some laughs before the weekend's over. See new local comics every week. Join us September 5th to be the first to witness our Hysterical Events!

Phat Comedy is moving their weekly Sunday comedy show to a larger venue, Tavern 99 (formerly Aiko).

No rush or anything but, the first 20 families to arrive at the park are provided with tents for this bonding campout. Come to hike the trails, star gaze, and scavenger hunt. Make sure to bring sleeping bags, bug spray, flashlights and overnight gear. Oh, and each kid should bring an ingredient for trail mix, but no nuts.

Check out one of the leading university choral groups led by Timothy Brown. The group has toured all over from Europe, Unite States, Japan, China, Russia and the Middle East. The group features classical works as well as new.

Haute.lanta Fashion Week kicks off with Avant-Gardian: Couture Collections and a live performance by Zayra. The fun continues Friday with Urbana: Urban Chic Collection, showcasing urban wear designs. Saturday's lineup features Enviro-Couture, sustainable collections touting socially responsible fashion, and the week concludes Sunday with Maximalism, an all white fashion party. This is Atlanta's fourth year infusing the best of fashion, beauty and art.

Lakeside Screening, Friday, Sept. 17th, 7pm Remember the magic of Dirty Dancing while watching the movie against the waterfront site of "the lift" on the original location of Johnny's cabin. Admission is free, donations are appreciated! Family Dance Festival, Saturday, Sept. 18th, 9am-4pm Games, food, a beer garden, live music and entertainment, the Dirty Dancing Storytellers, surprise performances, and more! Don't miss talks with original cast members and original artists from the soundtrack!

Lucky 13!! Now in its 13th year, the East Atlanta Strut is a community organized, one-day festival, featuring music, art and events to raise money for neighborhood charities and organizations and support local businesses.

Take the chance to explore all the cool trucks you see in the area everyday. Vendors, demos and other activities will be available. All ages are welcome, especially truck-lovers. Pre-Registration required.

A beautiful and unique collection of ethnic Indian jewelry, trendy tunics, Indo-western outfits, designer clutch bags, fun shoes, hand-woven scarves and so much more!

Youth with disabilities can explore adventures with demonstrations in Therapeutic Recreation basketball, sit volleyball, bocce ball and fun, adaptive games. Parent/Caregiver supervision required.

The galleries of i45 are pleased to announce “Convergent Frequencies”, a site-specific art installation commissioned by ArtBox, a collaboration between i45 and Possible Futures. Three local artists will reinvent the empty lot with three large shipping containers using images, film, and sound. Matt Haffner will apply narrative portraits to the exteriors of the shipping containers. Matt Gilbert presents his new video inspired by the modularity of the brain’s vision system and the similar separation of color and movement in digital video. Nat Slaughter will convert the interiors of the containers into a series of sound installations of binaural field recordings.

Live performance: 9 p.m.

The galleries of i45 are pleased to announce a site-specific art installation commissioned by ArtBox, an i45 project. The event will take place at the intersection of Krog Street and Irwin Street/Lake Avenue, where three local artists will reinvent the empty lot with three large shipping containers using images, film and sound, while simultaneously celebrating the surrounding neighborhoods. i45 is a collective of Atlanta galleries in Inman Park (i), the Old Fourth Ward (4) and Little Five Points (5) working together to promote the neighborhoods' rich, creative identity. Member galleries include Barbara Archer Gallery, Henley Studios, Whitespace Gallery, and Wm Turner Gallery.

The seasons are changing, and Atlanta has just the festival to accommodate your adjusting senses. Reawaken your dormant artist, hippie, inner child, whatever, and bring it to the park for two days full of art from more than 200 artists from around the country. Glass blowers, sculptors, speed painters, performers, and many more integrate the natural fall beauty of the park with their art. Also includes live music, instructional classes, and foodstuffs like frozen bananas, kettle corn, and corn dogs.

JapanFest, one of the largest Japanese festivals in the country, is an annual celebration of Japanese culture. JapanFest will feature taiko drum concerts and dance performances, martial arts demonstrations, cultural workshops including tea ceremony, kimono, and calligraphy, children’s games, Japanese food and beer garden, bonsai trees, and contemporary and traditional music.

Come see acres & acres full of new & used foreign and domestic motorcycles, all indoors. Find everything from sport bikes and cruisers to one of a kind custom rides, priced to move. This show is perfectly timed for cooler weather riding. Get great deals on bikes, gear, trailers, parts, detail, insurance, custom chrome, leather, apparel, seats, finance, & more to outfit your ride. Motorcycle Madness is full of entertainment for the entire family, including a huge rock concert on Saturday night!

Experience a rejuvenating weekend in moving meditation and rhythm exploration. World-renowned percussionist and master facilitator, Reinhard Flatischler leads a 3-day TaKeTiNa workshop. TaKeTiNa is a fun process that uses your body as an instrument to guide you into a state of inner silence. It is also a highly effective way to learn to reach the height of your innate rhythmic intelligence. This unique program is of practical use for musicians, accessible to complete novices, and of value to anyone interested in the mind/body/spirit connection.

Another Way Out, Inc. will host its Annual Southwest Music Festival. The event will feature family fun, entertainment, flavorful food and delectable treats, merchant vendors, children's rides and activities, a car show and much more!

Come Experience 39 movements combining 4,000 year old practices with Hip Hop and Spoken. Learn to release tension and regain mental clarity, stay physically and emotionally fit, and create peace and sacred space right where you are

Join motorcycle enthusiasts on Saturday, September 18 for the "Ride for Life" motorcycle event to benefit the Georgia Transplant Foundation. The ride will start at Turner Field in Atlanta and end at Killer Creek Harley-Davidson in Roswell. Registration is from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Kickstands up @ 12 noon. After the ride, come and party at Killer Creek Harley-Davidson where there will be live music, food and beverages from The Tilted Kilt, vendors and more.

Braves sportscaster Pete Van Wieren recounts some of his best stories over the years and memories covering the Atlanta Braves.

The Arizona Cardinals travel to the Georgia Dome for the first time since 2006 to go head-to-head in the Falcons' home opener. After beating out Matt Leinart for the starting position, the Cardinals' Derek Anderson will fill the shoes of legendary quarterback Kurt Warner. The Falcons, ranked 25th last season in pass defense, are looking to improve that ranking, but may have trouble with the Cardinals' well-known passing attack.

This mile-long hike (easy to moderate) will lead us to the five story ruins of the Civil War-era New Manchester textile mill and focus on the history of the Sweetwater Creek Valley.

Explore nature's treasures on a hike that journeys from Panola's nature center to the height of Panola's mountains, and hear insightful information about why the mountain is protected and about preserving granite outcrops. Items such as water, bug spray and sturdy shoes are highly recommended.

Each trip is led by a CNC naturalists and offers a unique introduction to the ecology of the Chattahoochee River. Pre-registration is required. e-mail scheduling@chattnaturecenter.org.

Spend your Sunday afternoon hiking to the top of Panola Mountain for a beautiful view of the Atlanta skyline! These guided hikes depart from Panola's nature center and are for people in good physical condition. This hike allows visitors to see Panola Mountain up close, as a ranger explains why the mountain is protected and what we can do to preserve granite outcrops. Bring sturdy shoes, water and your camera. Rain or shine. Meeting at the nature center.

Explore the city and intown neighborhoods on two wheels! The three-hour, 10-mile tour takes guests on a journey through the city’s rich history while exploring beautiful intown neighborhoods, including Piedmont Park, Ansley Park, Cabbagetown, Inman Park, the King Historic district, Oakland Cemetery, Old Fourth Ward, Little Five Points, and more. High-quality bikes, helmets, bottled water and knowledgeable tour guides provided for all tours. Private, company and team-building events available.

Saving the art of professional wrestling one match at a time.

Learn about nonsurgical spinal procedures for treating pain through free consultations. By appointment only.

Offers classes in ballet, modern, jazz, hip-hop, pilates, yoga and more. Classes range from beginner to professional.

Regular weekend and midweek training sessions. All players and skill levels welcome. Refer to website for complete schedule and game times.

Classes for shinkendo and aikibujutsu offered.

Learn breathing techniques, anti-stress relaxation and meditation. Call for details. First class free.

Be introduced to 39 movements combining 4,000 year old spiritual exercises with Hip Hop dance and Spoken word. Learn to release tension and regain mental clarity, and stay physically and emotionally fit. all ages welcome. Be one of the first 20 to register, and receive a free copy of 'B Boy B Girl Yoga; Raising the Frequency of the Hip Hop Generation' via www.healersofthenewschool.com or Facebook @ search term 'B Boy B Girl Yoga Workshop'

Join CityDance Ensemble for a performance that includes modern dance, jazz ballet, and original choreography to Delibes’ lyrical opera Lakme. All proceeds benefit the educational fund of our recent graduate continuing her professional dance education at the Ailey Center in New York City.

Works from the MOCA GA permanent collection by Thomasine Bradford, Beverly Buchanan, Andrew T. Crawford, Nene Humphrey, Susan Loftin, Andy Nassise, Mario Petrirena, Jim Waters, and Martha Whittington.

An exhibition that includes the site-specific work of Ichiyo School headmaster Akihiro Kasuya and work from the Atlanta Chapter of the Ichiyo School of Ikebana. This exhibition of Japanese flower design, along with a series of workshops, will examine the connection between our environment and this living art form.

A traveling exhibition that introduces visitors to the remarkable diversity of these lizards. Visitors can experience gecko night vision, listen to gecko voices, learn unusual facts from gecko experts, try to spot camouflaged geckos and build a custom gecko for various environments.

A multimedia exhibition journeying from Buenos Aires, Argentina, that features works from 54 Japanese architectural offices. Curated by Argentine designers Noberto Feal and Anabella Gatto. A PennHouse production.

We know Salvador Dalí for his epic use of foreshortening, melting clocks, and unusual landscapes that don't quite follow the laws of physics. Although less famous, Dalí's post-surrealism work continues in his, ahem, quirky style. The High Museum of Art is the sole venue for DALÍ: THE LATE WORK, a brand-spanking-new exhibition focusing on the second half of the artist's career, chock-full of the convention-bucking playfulness for which Dalí was renowned.

The first major exhibition dedicated to the work of Danish-born American photographer Peter Sekaer. The exhibition consists of 75 vintage gelatin silver prints, which span the years of 1935 through 1945 and document the effects of the Great Depression in several American cities.

Includes metal and glass artifacts that led Fernbank's lead archaeologist, Dennis Blanton, to conclude Hernando de Soto could be traced to an unexpected location in Georgia.

Commemorates the 10th anniversary of the Atlanta Olympic Games. Part of the Atlanta History Center's permanent collection.

An exhibit on the earlier inhabitants of Georgia featuring a 17-foot-long dugout canoe dating back more than 300 years.

Come see the official 2008 Beijing Olympic Games Torch on display.

The museum's newest permanent exhibit explores how people around the world use personal adornment to convey social, political and economic information about themselves and their societies.

Largest collection of ancient art in the Southeast with objects from ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, the Near East and the ancient Americas. Collections of 19th- and 20th-century sub-Saharan African art and European and American works on paper from the Renaissance to the present.

A personal tour of the museum and its exhibitions.

A new exhibition featuring a collection of fossils, gemstones, animals, ceramics and more chosen by guest curators.

For a limited time, MODA's $9 for Design campaign allows individuals to buy annual memberships for only $9.00, while dual memberships are $18.00, and family memberships are $27.00! These annual memberships offer the following privileges: * Unlimited free admission to MODA * Special invitations to member-only previews and events * Subscription to e-newsletter * Two (2) Museum guest passes for one-time use * Free/discounted admission to MODA special events, lectures, workshops, and films * 10% discount on Museum merchandise and catalogs * Special members-only offers from MODA partners

Enjoy a fall afternoon on the Georgia Tech campus with a free performance by this instrumental crossover group.

Featuring Bent Frequency. This concert of Nurnberg and Atlanta-based composers will include works by Vivienne Olive and Dieter Buwen (Nurnberg) and Tim Jansa, Nick Demos and Robert Thompson (GSU, Atlanta). Sponsored by the Center for Collaborative and International Arts (CENCIA), which brings together creative writers, visual arts, composers, musicians, actors and playwrights, filmmakers and scholars engaged in arts-related research at Georgia State.

Check out the smooth, enchanting voice of Yahzarah with Darien Brockington performing Friday night.

Be introduced to 39 movements combining 4,000 year old spiritual exercises with Hip Hop dance and Spoken word. Learn to release tension and regain mental clarity, and stay physically and emotionally fit. all ages welcome. Be one of the first 20 to register, and receive a free copy of 'B Boy B Girl Yoga; Raising the Frequency of the Hip Hop Generation' via www.healersofthenewschool.com or Facebook @ search term 'B Boy B Girl Yoga Workshop'

The galleries of i45 are pleased to announce “Convergent Frequencies”, a site-specific art installation commissioned by ArtBox, a collaboration between i45 and Possible Futures. Three local artists will reinvent the empty lot with three large shipping containers using images, film, and sound. Matt Haffner will apply narrative portraits to the exteriors of the shipping containers. Matt Gilbert presents his new video inspired by the modularity of the brain’s vision system and the similar separation of color and movement in digital video. Nat Slaughter will convert the interiors of the containers into a series of sound installations of binaural field recordings.

Live performance: 9 p.m.

Envisioning "The Odd Couple" as more of an odd quadruple, Tom Griffin's play depicts four mentally disabled guys (John Benzinger, Spencer G. Stephens, Luis R. Hernandez and Chad Martin) who live in the same house, supervised by a social worker with his hands full (David Kronawitter). Acclaimed Atlanta actress Tess Malis Kincaid directs a cast that also includes such local favorites as Cara Mantella and Wendy Melkonian. The current debates over how to discuss development disabilities should put the tear-jerking material into a fresh context.

An extraordinarily innovative comedy centering on a young architect and his encounter with the peculiar, inept and hopelessly stupid nerd who saved his life in Vietnam. Tension rises and robust remarks fly as the visitor quickly outstays his welcome.

Sometimes a bad first date can be the first step in a beautiful love affair. When friends fix up Max (Andrew Benator) with the title character of Actor's Express' comedy BECKY SHAW (Veronica Duerr), the evening includes a robbery at gunpoint, bad sex and attempted suicide. Will this relationship survive? Should it? "Law & Order" writer Gina Gionfriddo wrote the script, a Pulitzer Prize finalist. Actor's Express artistic director Freddie Ashley helms a production that includes Jill Hames, Tony Larkin and Kathi Welch.

Winner of five Tony Awards, including Best Musical, "The Music Man" follows traveling salesman, Harold Hill as he cons the people of RIver City, Iowa into buying band equipment and uniforms with the promise of organizing a boys' musical group. Enjoy the talented cast that brings the musical back to life on the stage of The Strand.

In this Tony-Award winning musical comedy for adults, six teenagers are pitted against each other in the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee for the competition of a lifetime. Join FTC for a hilarious evening of musical theatre. For tickets call the FTC box office at 404-876-9468 or email us at box-office@fabrefaction.org. Tickets range from $15 to $30. Performances take place at Fabrefaction Theatre Company located at 999 Brady Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30318. We're in the heart of West Midtown right next to Miller Union restaurant and close to some of the best shopping, dining, and galleries in the city.

They're baaack! Polk Street Players opens its 32nd season with the hilarious farce "Southern Hospitality" by Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope and Jamie Wooten. Most of the cast of last year's hit "Christmas Belles" returns to reprise their roles in this sequel of the feuding Futrelle sisters. This time Frankie, Twink,, Honey Raye and Rhonda Lynn are out to save their belowed Fayro, Texas, which is suffering an exodus of population dur to print closings.

Considered to be Sam Shepard's greastest play, "True West" tell the story of sibling rivalry & friendship between two brothers. The characters contrasts set the tone for an intense yet comedic performance.

Catch the innovative musical that mixes an ambivalent Cinderella, a blood-thristy Little Red Riding Hood, a Prince Charming with a roving eye and a Witch who raps in a comedy where the phrases "nothing is what it seems" and "be careful what you wish for" play out in full effect. Based off book by James Lapine. Fun for the entire family, rated PG.

Aurora Theatre's GGC Lab Series gives Atlanta play-goers another reason to venture to Lawrenceville with the quirky one-man show CIRCUMFERENCE OF A SQUIRREL, directed by Susan Reid. Daniel May, who quick-changed his way through the roles of twins at Aurora's Corpse! last year, gives a solo performance as Chester, whose reminiscences of his father's loathing of squirrels extend to such weighty themes as microbiology and anti-Semitism. Amusingly, Aurora's website gives the play four out of five chili peppers to signify "spicy language and content." That's a spicy squirrel!

The Alliance Theatre opens its 42nd season with the musical TWIST, but don't get out your old Chubby Checkers records. This new musical offers a fresh spin on the tale of Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens, and Oliver! was obviously taken. With a book by The Wiz author William F. Brown and music and lyrics from Grammy winner Tena Clark, Twist relocates the hapless orphan to 1928 New Orleans. Directed and choreographed by Debbie Allen, renowned for Fame and previous collaborations with the Alliance Theatre.

Select works by WWII veterans Jack Smith and Bronislaw Bak.

The closing reception for the Dreamer Boy Dan exhibit is rocking out with Atlanta band The Back Pockets. Free and open to the public.

The galleries of i45 are pleased to announce “Convergent Frequencies”, a site-specific art installation commissioned by ArtBox, a collaboration between i45 and Possible Futures. Three local artists will reinvent the empty lot with three large shipping containers using images, film, and sound. Matt Haffner will apply narrative portraits to the exteriors of the shipping containers. Matt Gilbert presents his new video inspired by the modularity of the brain’s vision system and the similar separation of color and movement in digital video. Nat Slaughter will convert the interiors of the containers into a series of sound installations of binaural field recordings.

Live performance: 9 p.m.

In partnership with the Atlanta Fine Arts League.

A collection of nature, landscape and interpretive botanical paintings that evoke a spiritual awakening through art. Features the work of renowned artists Jean Larson and Larry Gray.

Sanithna Phansavanh debuts a superstitious series that depicts habits or beliefs that people hold near and dear. His works portray the psychological effects of superstitions from around the world, as well as talismans and charms that attempt to relieve the anxiety in the human psyche resulting from superstitious habits. Special pre-show scavenger hunt Sept. 11, and a performance by Modern Skirts opening night. Opening reception Sept. 11, 7 p.m.

Witness a display of works and cultivated portraits from more than 450 artists.

The Atlanta Artists Center is hosting its 7th Annual National Exhibition. The juried show begins with a free reception from 6:00 to 8:00pm Saturday, August 28. The show is then open daily Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00am to 4:00pm until September 29. Eighty works were selected by Michael David from 583 works submitted by 216 artists in 21 states. Mr. David, an American-born artist received a BFA from Parsons School of Design and his work is in the permanent collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles and other major institutions.

Presented by Atlanta Fine Arts League.

A sampling of 17 Southern realistic landscape painters. Some of the painters work literally by representing the specific scene in front of them. Others create their landscapes through their imagination. Some embellish the vistas they are seeing, or knit several landscapes together to create more perfect images. Uniting these artists as a group are their creative and technical abilities to describe the very literal world they see. Opening reception Sept. 9, 6 p.m.

Exhibition of self-taught artists, showcasing the work of Nellie Mae Rowe, Mose Tolliver, Leroy Almon, Linda Anderson, Capt. William Jordan and more. More than 25 years have passed since the explosion of interest in contemporary folk art, leaving us now with a plethora of faux folk art and a shortage of significant work by the early, authentic creators in this field of art. These works represent creative expression in its most direct and uninhibited form. Not only are the works unique and original but the ingenuity, wit and reverence of their creators has developed in small communities across the American South, often outside the influence of art movements or academic circles.

ALL FOLK is an exhibition showcasing works by self–taught artists including Nellie Mae Rowe, Mose Tolliver, Leroy Almon, George Andrews, James Harold Jennings, Sarah Mary Taylor, J.B. Murry, Jimmy Sudduth, David Butler, Robert Lindsay Walker, & Captain William Jordan. The work of the highly recognized and widely exhibited artists featured in ALL FOLK represents creative expression in its most direct and uninhibited form. Not only are the works unique and original but the ingenuity, wit and reverence of their creators has developed in small communities across the American South, often outside the influence of art movements or academic circles.

A solo painting exhibition by Timothy McDowell, who takes inspiration from the infinite aspects of nature. His imagery is an ongoing investigation of nature, from tiny pollen molecules to towering clouds. The new paintings and works on paper have expanded their subject matter to include animals. Opening reception Sept. 11, 6 p.m.; artist talk Sept. 12, noon.

Print portfolio project by Kim Anno, Kate Javens, Joanne Mattera, Timothy McDowell, Don Pollack, and Katherine Taylor. Opening reception Sept. 11, 6 p.m.; artist talk Sept. 12, noon.