I’m sending off an old friend who’s leaving Philly for a job, boo. But I can take solace in some of this:

>>>All weekend: Philadelphia Independent Film Festival digs into its fourth year, at Media Bureau, Raven Comedy Lounge, Random Tea Room (!), IMAX at Franklin Institute (!!), and Cafe Treece (‽) on Brown Street in Northern Liberties. It’s one of the only times of the year you can see film shorts in Philly, and pretty much you’re only shot to see most of everything else on the big screen. Get cracking.

>>>Friday: AGGROCRAG winds up its run of The Most Inspiring and Magnificent Tale of Alfridge Von Waddlegrave, The Greatest Actor Who Ever Trod the Boards of Earth at Underground Arts (stay tuned for next week’s story on the venue). The group’s 2010 Philly Fringe show Hello from the Children of Planet Earth was a “What Not to Miss” pick in Philadelphia Weekly, and got a lovely review (“sweet, endearing”) from the Inquirer‘s Howard Shapiro. AGGROCRAG will be back at the 2011 Philly Fringe with a new work.

>>>Saturday: Fringe fundraisers The Groundswell Players host a party at Arts Parlor to celebrate the successful end of their Kickstarter campaign–they raised about 25 percent more money than they needed. But you can give them more. $25 VIP tix get you in at 8:30 pm for beer and wine, and grilled feed. $15 tix get you in at 9:30 pm for music from George Urgo and DJ Apt One. They emphasize: Free drinks after entry. Whoop!

>>>Saturday: If you’re in the mood for something more northerly, Found Theater Company is hosting a fundraiser for its 2011 Philly Fringe show Event End up at BookSpace (a venue we’re also profiling, crazy!). $7, mostly music, including Rosie Langabeer. Her score for Pig Iron’s Cankerblossom at last year’s Live Arts Festival was utterly charming.

>>>Sunday: Recovery! And PIFF.

–Nicholas Gilewicz