The festival kicked off this year with an astonishing opening-night Porchlight Storytelling bash on Friday. Over 900 people packed into the Herbst Theatre to hear authors spin their hilarious and harrowing tales of poor judgment, accompanied by the best damn band in San Francisco, Marc Capelle and the Casuals featuring Tommy Guerrero. Among many highlights, Cintra Wilson’s brief foray into doing 976 phone-line scripts, April Sinclair’s encounter with a nose-picking Whoopi Goldberg, and Jonathan Ames’ show-closing whopper about his race to puberty. VIPs enjoyed a groovy post-show reception upstairs on the Green Room balcony. Photos here were taken by Cynthia Wood.

Litquake events attracted scads of lit fans throughout the weekend. The “Off the Richter Scale” afternoon readings at the library’s Koret Auditorium culminated both days with author receptions at Books Inc. The Writers’ Grotto multimedia blowout on Saturday night ended with a bountiful wine and cheese soiree in the Jewish Community Center’s plush lobby. And Sunday night’s Barely Published Writers event filled up the Make-Out Room, with luminaries like Tamim Ansary and crime novelist Domenic Stansberry in the crowd.

A limited number of tickets are still available for Litquake’s star-studded Barbary Coast Award tribute to Tobias Wolff tomorrow evening. Although Dave Eggers and Vendela Vida were unable to attend, they have spent the last week putting together a special commemorative booklet for the occasion. Published by McSweeney’s, the publication is filled with quotes and memories from people about Tobias Wolff, and will be available for every ticket holder. Contemporary Jewish Museum hosts the night, which begins at 7:30 pm at 736 Mission Street. See you this week!