1. Madonna: Can you name another performer who can pretty much sell out two nights at AAC? Well, anyone who's not a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee? Her Madgeness returns to Dallas for the first time in two decades, 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at American Airlines Center, 2500 Victory Lane, Dallas. $48.50-$358.50. 800-745-3000; www.ticketmaster.com
2. World Series: So it may be a touchy subject, what with the fact that the Rangers aren't in it for the first time in three years. But for those of you who aren't still suffering from a heartbreak hangover, the series begins next week, with the showdown between the American and National League champs (still undetermined). Time TBD, Oct. 24; on Fox.
3. 4 Amigos Guitar Show: The electric guitar has been around for more than half a century, and there haven't been many improvements made to it. That's because you can't improve on something that was bad-ass to begin with. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Arlington Convention Center, 1200 Ballpark Way, Arlington. $15. www.texasguitarshows.com
4. Dallas Whiskey and Fine Spirits Festival: Enough with the wine and beer fests; bring on the good (and expensive) stuff. 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Million Air Dallas, 4300 Westgrove Drive, Addison. $100-$225. dallaswhiskeyfest.eventbrite.com/#
5. Fort Worth Blues Festival: Go old-school blues and R&B, with Bobby "Blue" Bland, Mel Waiters, Benny Latimore and Dallas' R.L. Griffin. 8 p.m.-midnight Saturday at Fort Worth Convention Center, 1201 Houston St., Fort Worth. $51. 800-462-7979; www.centralticketoffice.com
6. Dallas Comic-Con FanDays: Dallas is becoming one of the big hubs for these things, since we have like two a year. This time, the guests include Bruce Campbell, Stan Lee (pictured), Robert Englund, Lance Henriksen, Gina Torres and many others. 2-8 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday at Irving Convention Center, 500 W. Las Colinas Blvd., Irving. $20-$25 daily, additional cost for autograph and other sessions. www.scifiexpo.com/DCC/Home.html
7. Pug-O-Ween: It's all about pug life at this annual celebration. Costumes not necessary, but very welcome. We've been to this ridiculously adorable event, and still fondly recall one of our favorite sights: the pug dressed as Marvin the Martian. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday at Grapevine Convention Center, 1209 S. Main St., Grapevine. $7 pre-registration; $8 at the door; $3 entry for costume contest. www.dfwpugs.com
8. Peer Gynt: Texas Ballet Theater revives Ben Stevenson's balletic version of the Ibsen play; about as out-there as it gets for TBT these days. Not that we're complaining. 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Bass Hall, Fort Worth; and Oct. 26-28 at the Music Hall at Fair Park in Dallas. $19-$99. 877-828-9200; www.texasballettheater.org
9. Lolaspalooza III: Awesome lineup at this three-day Halloween weekend marathon, led by Meat Puppets. Also: Brutal Juice, Big Mike's Box of Rock, Exitmusic, Quaker City Night Hawks, the Me-Thinks,, Woodeye, Calhoun, Dove Hunter, Spoonfed Tribe, Hanna Barbarians and more. Friday-Sunday at Lola's Saloon, 2736 W. Sixth St., Fort Worth. $10 per day, or $20 three-day pass. www.lolasfortworth.com
10. Fort Worth Zombie Crawl: We're confirmed zombie lovers, so we can't imagine anything more fun than being a zombie on a pub crawl through downtown Fort Worth. Register from 8 to 10 p.m. Saturday at the Houston Street Bar in downtown Fort Worth; the crawl is 10-10:30 p.m. Saturday in downtown, ending with after-party at 11 p.m. at Paddy Red's Underground Pub. fwzombiecrawl.weebly.com
11. Norah Jones: Her music has changed somewhat since she broke out more than a decade ago, but that jazzy, smooth voice is still the draw. 8 p.m. Monday at McFarlin Auditorium on the campus of Southern Methodist University, 6405 Boaz Lane, Dallas. $49.50-$60. 800-745-3000; www.ticketmaster.com
12. Butterfly Flutterby: Spring isn't the only time for new beginnings. Hundreds of butterflies will emerge from their chrysalises and be released periodically from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday at this annual event. Near the Grapevine Cotton Belt Depot, 705 S. Main St., Grapevine. Free. www.grapevinetexasusa.com