First Fridays on Fern: South Park stores and joints are open late tonight, as part of First Fridays on Fern (and Juniper too), with refreshments and special sales. The event takes place on the first Friday of every month. Go to Fern and Juniper streets in South Park to explore.

Rock City Hall: The first Friday of every month from 7:00-10:00 p.m., Cathedral City Concerts in the Square presents a free “Music With A Purpose” concert, held in front of City Hall in Cathedral City. Designed to build bridges among diverse communities, besides great music the concert offers food vendors, games and different activities planned for each month. For more information or to volunteer, call (760) 408-8420.

More Palm Springs fun: Villa Resort owners Bob Grinchuk and Reuel Olin are hosting a grand re-opening celebration this weekend, after finishing phase one of a planned million-dollar renovation of the historic resort in Cathedral City. A ribbon cutting ceremony kicks off the event at 12:00 noon today, followed by tours and refreshments. An evening of riotous comedy and music begins with the “Wardell and Dr. Eve Show” and their “Sordid Lives” band. Also featuring Levi Kreis of the Southern Baptist Sissies and a prix fixe dinner including cocktail. Call (760) 328-7211 for more information. The Villa is located at 67-670 Carey Rd., in Cathedral City.

Monkey night at the BGC: Come celebrate the Year of the Monkey tonight from 7:00-11:00 p.m. at the Book Garden Café, 4496 Park Blvd, with live jazz, by Direct from the Source, and featured artists Amanda Coots, MB Farlow, Leslie Andersen, Epetrodesign, Nathan Cartwright, Leroy Samuel Davis and Sergio Hernandez. Call (619) 260-1917 for details.

It’s Leather Week!: Come down to Wolfs at 11:00 p.m. for the official After Party for the Mr. San Diego Leather Contest, complete with a slave auction. Wolfs is located at 3404 30th St. Call (619) 291-3730 for more information.

Laugh break: Openly gay comic and actor Jason Stuart, who has a recurring role on Daman Wayans’ “My Wife & Kids”, makes a stop tonight in San Diego on his “Big Fat Gay Jewish Comedy Tour”, at 8:00 p.m. at the Adams Avenue Studio of the Arts, 2804 Adams Ave. Call (619) 584-3593 for tickets and information.

Catch the spirit: A champagne boat cruise on the “Spirit of San Diego”, featuring the Sue Palmer Trio, leaves port today at 11:30 a.m. for a two and a half hour cruise of the San Diego bay. The cruise honors the contributions of the Human Dignity Foundation, a nonprofit agency that reaches out the San Diego GLBT community. Tickets are $75. Call (619) 236-1257 for details.

Desert bloom: It’s time again for the spectacular early spring wildflower desert bloom at the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Because the blossoms grace the desert floor for as little as two weeks every year, timing is everything. Call the park’s Wildflower Hotline at (760) 767-4684 for regularly updated information on the most opportune time to visit. Their website is updated weekly with photos of current blooms. The park is located at 200 Palm Canyon Dr. in Borrego Springs.

Bush’s brides: The Old Women’s Project invites all the ladies to join them as Bush Brides today, which is International Women’s Day. From 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in front of the Federal Building downtown, women of all ages will don wedding dresses in response to President Bush’s “Healthy Marriage” initiative. The Bush Brides are satirical street theater created to challenge and mock the amendment designed to take away GLBT rights. Get down to the thrift store and pick up something white. Bouquets are encouraged! Call (619) 696-7017 for more information.

Ebony Pride meetings: Want to know more about Ebony Pride, and what’s going on? Ebony Pride holds meetings on the 2nd and 4th Monday of every month at Bienestar, 3020 North Park Way. Meetings start at 7:00 p.m. and run until about 9:00 p.m. Membership is $10, and is now open. Benefits include event discounts, a quarterly newsletter, networking and a voice in the community. Call (619) 515-3606 for more information.

Esoterica: The San Diego Repertory presents “Cest L’Absurd! One Acts by Cocteau & Ionesco”, tonight at 8:00 p.m. The evening of riotous avant-garde farce begins with The Wedding on The Eiffel Tower by Cocteau (Why are all those people in the tower and where is the ostrich?) and concludes with The Painting by Ionesco (Will the artist actually pay the buyer to keep his painting? Is the painting alive?). Technology, war, bourgeois society and the nature of reality itself are subjected to the scrutiny these artists’ unique and poetic visions. Call (619) 544-1000 for tickets and information.

Arachno-love: Manuel Puig’s Kiss of the Spider Woman plays tonight at 6th @ Penn at 7:30 p.m., and plays through March 31. The play, which contains mature subject matter, is the story of two men who discover their capacity to love, despite the cruelty of their society and despite fundamental flaws in their own personalities. Sex also becomes an act of human decency, although that act is more impinged by hints of manipulation. Tickets are $15-20 and may be purchased at the box office by calling (619) 688-9210.

Foster parenting: Walden Family Services is a private, nonprofit foster family agency that addresses the special needs of children that traditional foster care cannot provide for. They hold informational meetings on becoming a foster parent on the second Wednesday of every month at The Center, 3909 Centre St., 6:00-7:00 p.m. Call Melanie at (619) 584-5777 ext. 228 for more information.

Books, LPs and music, oh my!: The Athenaeum Music & Arts Library is holding its quarterly book sale today from 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. at 1008 Wall Street in La Jolla. The sale offers books, periodicals, recordings (yes – including LPs), sheet music and rare and special volumes. Call (858) 454-5872 for more information.

Extended funk: Eveoke Dance Theatre’s hip-hop dance sensation, Funkalosophy, has been extended through March 14. The show plays Wednesdays-Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 7:00 p.m. at Sushi Performance and Visual Art, 320 Eleventh Ave. The show blends street hip-hop, modern dance theatre and social/political activism. Tickets are $20-25. Call toll free (866) 386-5101 for tickets and further information.

Dave Howard: The popular local songwriter and performer has just released his new CD Into the Wind, and will be playing tonight at Humphrey’s Backstage Lounge, 2241 Shelter Island Dr. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and admission to the show is $7. Call (619) 224-3577 for more information.