Giorgee Awards Gina Gaston of Channel 13 hosts this year's gala, and all the stars of the Ensemble Theatre are sure to be on hand, either picking up awards or sharing in the glory. Join Houston's oldest black professional theater company as it celebrates anotheryear.10:30p.m.(following Ceremonies in Dark Old Men), Midtown Art Center Gallery, 3414 La Branch (at Holman), 520-0055. $15.
saturday
september 28
Heritage Sale and Auction Only you and your checkbook need to know that you're on the island for the rummage sale side of the event; everyone else can believe you're out to bid on serious antiques and collectibles. Garage sale stuff and fine pieces such as a silver Victorian epergne will all be sold at the Galveston County Historical Foundation's semiannual sale and auction. Opening at 8 for preview; bidding begins at 10 a.m. 2005 Postoffice (across from the Grand 1894 Opera House). For more information, call 280-3907. No registration fees and no sellers' premiums.
Museum of Health & Medical Science Safety Sally, a mannequin decked out with padding and gear for anything except normal human life, is at her place in Safetytown, a new permanent exhibit about preventing "injuries and mortality in the home." Wow -- "mortality in the home" is a sobering phrase, isn't it? The terror continues as kids are led into a home in Safetytown, the "House of Hazards," with displays to illustrate typical dangers in suburban dwellings. Safetytown has a grand opening today. Today and tomorrow, Prevent Blindness Texas will present a puppet play about eye care. Museum hours today, 9 a.m.5 p.m.; Sunday, noon-5 p.m. 1515 Hermann Drive, 521-1515. $4; $3, seniors, students and children under 12; free.
Wanna buy a duck? When they said "Ducks Unlimited," we thought it was a slogan, not a literal statement, but now we begin to wonder. Ducks proliferate, both the wetland web-footed creatures whose habitats are protected by DU and the marketing logos on DU goods sold to pay for this habitat protection. Live quackers and DU merchandise are on the bill today as a grateful public receives its first peek at the Ducks Unlimited Home Furnishing Collection -- and even better, at the Peabody Marching Ducks, flown in from Memphis in a gilded cage to waddle down a red carpet while accompanied by a John Philip Sousa march. DU promises they will then "float and play in the fountain for a couple of hours, depending on how they feel." Storytelling for kids and decorating seminars for adults, 12:30, 1:30, 2:20 and 3:30 p.m.; ducks march at 2 p.m. Star Furniture SuperShowcase, Park Ten at I-10, 492-5494.
Pause for Pets Play musical chairs with your dog, find out if you have the most photogenic cat in the Clear Lake area and test your knowledge of "Animal Trivia" at the Homeless Pet Placement League fair. There will be contests for about anything a dog can win (such as the "softest dog" award), obedience demonstrations and games for young and old. The point of the whole thing is to make people aware of the importance of responsible pet ownership and to raise money for the league's animal adoption program. 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m. PetsMart, 1549 West Bay Area Boulevard. For more information, call 862-PETS.
New Films from Iran: The Blue-Veiled and Canary Yellow The series, offers the rare opportunity to see Iranian film, and this week the films are from a female Iranian filmmaker, Rakshan Bani-Etemad. Canary Yellow, a 1989 movie, is about revenge and honest men in corrupt societies. The Blue-Veiled is a story we see in every culture: romance crossing class lines. Tonight, The Blue-Veiled is the first part of the double feature; tomorrow, it's the second. Films begin at 6 p.m. each evening. Museum of Fine Arts, Brown Auditorium, 1001 Bissonnet, 639-7515. Double feature $6; $5, seniors and students.
Tom Paxton Singer/songwriter Tom Paxton, the man who wrote the line "Peace will come, and let it begin with me," will appear in concert. Traveler, a four-piece acoustic group, will open. 8 p.m. First Unitarian Church, 5210 Fannin. For more information, call Bob or Gay Pangle of the Houston Folklore and Music Society, 347-3235. $12; $8, children six-11; free, children under six. Refreshments will be sold.
sunday
september 29
Top Dogs A new play about an old problem has a staged reading tonight. Local writer Diana Howe has penned a comedic drama about how there's always someone -- a boss or just some jerk on the bus -- who has to stomp on you so he can be top dog. 7 p.m. Country Playhouse, 12802 Queensbury (Town & Country Village), 467-4497. Free.
