If you're underage and looking to party for Pride this weekend, local queer collective Bend-It is your new best friend: four days of gay-friendly, all-ages events—and it's all FREE.

Kicking things off Thursday, June 24, is a carnival/dance party at the Black Lodge with music by DJs Mel-O-Drama, Fistf*ck, and Gutter Glamour. The press release says to "dress in your carnival and circus best," so break out the clown suits.

On Friday, June 25, starting at 3:00 p.m., half a dozen bands will rock out in Cal Anderson Park on Capitol Hill. The lineup includes the Redwood Plan, who recently released a fantastic new album; they're like a less-disco Gossip—don't miss 'em. The next day, again at Cal Anderson, Bend-It hosts its annual Big Gay Field Day with rubber-duck races, giant Twister, and Hula-hooping. Hula-hooping! Then things wind down Sunday, June 27, with a spoken-word and acoustic show at Hugo House featuring a set by S (aka Jenn Ghetto).

All of Bend-It's event info is available at www.myspace.com/bend_it.

And now, a note for the drinkers: The Vera Project has announced this year's A Drink for the Kids fundraiser, July 11–17. For one week, you can barhop all over the city and get embarrassingly wasted off drink specials while raising money for Vera.

There will be a grand (and all-ages!) finale at Neumos on July 17 featuring Brite Futures, formerly known as Natalie Portman's Shaved Head. That's right, NPSH announced last week that they're kicking their old band name to the curb and that Brite Futures is, uh, their future.

Something must be in the air. The Whore Moans are changing their name, too—to Hounds of the Wild Hunt. Sounds like a Nancy Drew novel to me, but whatever. I won't care so long as they still rock.

Sat June 26: Thou, Moloch, the Helm, Marrow, Anhedonist at Fusion Cafe, 7 pm, $8.

Tues June 29: Defiance Ohio, Kimya Dawson, Your Heart Breaks, Theo Grizol, Chinup, Meriwether at the Ballard Mine, 8 pm, $6–$10 donation.