13 fun ideas for Friday the 13th

2. Charles Dickens' final, unfinished novel involves the unlucky love triangle of a choirmaster, his student and her lover, leading to a mysterious disappearance. In "The Mystery of Edwin Drood," a musical at the New London Theatre in Snellville, the audience votes on a new ending every night. 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 2:30 p.m. Sundays. Through March 1. $15; $12 advance. New London Theatre, 2485 E. Main St., Snellville. 770-559-1484, www.newlondontheatre.org.

3. The ancients believed the stars foretold our fates. Maybe you can learn something about yours by stargazing tonight at Bradley Observatory at Agnes Scott College. A program on "From Earth to the Universe: Astronomical Images for the International Year of Astronomy" starts at 8. Agnes Scott College, 141 E. College Ave., Decatur. 404-471-6430, bradley.agnesscott.edu/openhouse.html.

4. Have you ever seen a ghost? Go on one of these ghost tours and maybe you'll get, er, lucky:

The Marietta Ghost Tour is a lantern-lit one-mile (90 minutes) walking tour of Marietta. Reservations recommended. 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Through May 2. $15; $10 ages 12 and younger. Ghosts of Marietta, 131 Church St., Marietta. 678-290-9193, www.ghostsofmarietta.com.

5. On the Roswell Ghost Tour, paranormal investigators lead a one-mile walk in and around Roswell's square and the historic mill area (two hours). Tours leave from the bandstand across from the Roswell Visitors Center. Most Friday and Saturday nights, starting at 7 or 8 p.m.; check the Web site for exact days and times. $15; $10 ages 12 and younger (cash only). Reservations required. Roswell Town Square, 616 Atlanta St., Roswell. 770-649-9922, www.roswellghosttour.com.

6. Are there waterlogged ghosts? "Titanic: Aquatic," at the Georgia Aquarium, features more than 190 artifacts recovered from the sunken liner's debris field, including 40 objects previously unseen by the public. Some aquarium workers have also reported ghostly encounters in and near the exhibit, perhaps spirits from the famous 1912 shipwreck. Check it out for yourself. 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Fridays; 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays. Through Spring 2009. $31.50; $26.50 senior citizens; $23.50 children (includes general aquarium admission). Georgia Aquarium, 225 Baker St. N.W., Atlanta. 404-581-4000, www.georgiaaquarium.org.

7. The original bloodsucker is back in town — and dancing. In "Dracula," the Atlanta Ballet performs Bram Stoker's tale of vampiric seduction and surrender. 8 p.m. Feb. 13-14. 2 p.m. Feb. 15. $15-$125. Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, 2800 Cobb Galleria Parkway, Atlanta. 404-892-3303, 404-249-6400, www.atlantaballet.com.

8. You want spooky? How about .... clowns? You have two chances to observe these outlandish jesters in their native environment: a circus.

See clowns as well as tigers, elephants, trapeze artists, motorcyclists, acrobats and more in "Over the Top," the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus tour running at Philips Arena. 10:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. Fridays. Feb. 13-20; 11 a.m., 3 p.m., 7 p.m. Saturdays. Feb. 14-21; 11 a.m., 3 p.m., 7 p.m. Feb. 15; 12:30 p.m. Feb. 16; 7:30 p.m. Feb. 19; 11 a.m., 3 p.m., 7 p.m. Feb. 21; noon and 4 p.m. Feb. 22. $14-$130. Philips Arena, 1 Philips Drive N.W., Atlanta. 404-878-3000, 404-249-6400, www.ringling.com.

9. Grandma the Clown and assorted jugglers, acrobats, aerialists, horses, dogs and other performers hang out at The Big Apple Circus, opening today at Stone Mountain Park. 6:30 p.m. Feb. 13; noon and 4 p.m. Feb. 14-16; 11 a.m. Feb. 18-19; 11 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Feb. 20; noon and 4 p.m. Feb. 21-22; 11 a.m. Feb. 25; 11 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Feb. 26-27; noon and 4 p.m. Feb. 28-March 1; 11 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. March 5; noon and 4 p.m. March 6-7. $13-$42, plus $8 parking. Stone Mountain Park, U.S. 78 East, Stone Mountain. 770-498-5690, 1-888-541-3750, www.bigapplecircus.org.

10. Now let's move on to the odd and strange, and pucker up for the Chihuahua Smooch-a-Thon. Chihuahua Rescue of Georgia is hoping to get 1,000 virtual smooches for its adoptable dogs by Valentine's Day (you know, that day after Friday the 13th). Every smooch is $1 and the dogs in the program are vying to see which can get the most kisses. Votes can be made online or mailed in, so you don't even have to leave home to participate. Chihuahua Rescue of Georgia, 7380 Spout Springs Road, Suite 210 — Box 175, Flowery Branch. www.chihuahuarescuega.com/smoochathon.html.

11. Why stop with dogs? It's Kiss a Fish Day at the Whole Foods Market in Johns Creek. People who buy a lobster tail in the seafood department and then are willing to kiss a fresh fish will get a second lobster tail free. They'll also get a photo of their piscatorial puckering. 3 p.m. Feb. 13. Whole Foods Market — Johns Creek, 5945 State Bridge Road, Duluth. 678-514-2400, www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/duluth/index.html.

12. Perhaps you can kiss a cartoonist, too (be sure to ask nicely). Sergio Aragonés, the Spanish-American cartoonist known for his cartoons in Mad magazine since 1963 and more recently for his "Groo the Wanderer" comic books, is this year's Jack Davis Lecture speaker at UGA. His artwork has appeared in hundreds of advertisements and in animation, and Aragonés has acted on TV shows and in movies. 5:30 p.m. Feb. 13. Free. Lamar Dodd School of Art, University of Georgia, 270 River Road, Athens. 706-542-1511, art.uga.edu.

13. And finally, let's do the "Time Warp" again! Top off your Friday the 13th with a late-night unspooling of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Join Brad, Janet, Dr. Frank N. Furter and a few dozen-odd (make that very odd) friends for all the fun. 11:55 p.m. Fridays. $7.50. Plaza Theatre, 1049 Ponce de Leon Ave., Atlanta. 404-873-1939, www.lipsdownondixie.org.