The Top Ten Gimmicks of Fashion's Night Out

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With just a few hours left until Fashion's Night Out, we've got two more Top Ten countdowns left to go. Bone up with earlier lists like the top blogger events and best places to eat, and stay tuned for Best Parties, coming soon. Up first, though, here are the night's Top Ten Gimmicks.

Tonight's weather forecast calls for torrential rain, which means flitting from store to store like a consumerist butterfly might not be the best way to handle FNO this year. This is the kind of weather that rewards commitment: Park yourself in one place for the night, and you'll stay relatively dry. As such, here are the night's best gimmicks—events that should keep you occupied for longer than the time it takes to down a free drink.

10. Chinese games at JNBY
JNBY's games party is the exceedingly rare child-friendly Fashion's Night Out event, although that doesn't mean there won't be wine. Parents can win a prize worth up to $300 if they succeed at the Mahjong Memory game, while kiddos get a piece of children's clothing worth $200 or less if they can successfully transport objects using chopsticks. 75 Greene Street, 6pm.

9. Girls on Bikes at 3.1 Phillip Lim
Further proof that fashion people love bike culture: Phillip Lim is transforming his Soho boutique into a "bike stop," a truck stop "for chic girls around town who ride bikes." Get a drink, shop the collection, and enter a drawing for a Linus Bike and Lim's Pashli bag. Also, if you're one of the first four people to stop by, you'll get a free stay at the Mondrian Hotel, with dinner vouchers and tickets to see Neon Indian. 115 Mercer Street, 6pm.

8. Plinko at Odin
Odin takes a page from The Price Is Right with a giant game of Plinko. How it works: Guess the price of a small prize to win a disc. Drop the disc down the Plinko board, and depending on where it lands, you could win a piece from a brand like Billy Reid, Florsheim by Duckie Brown, or Timo Weiland. Heineken, Honest Tea, and hot dog whiz kids Asia Dog will provide the refreshments. 199 Lafayette Street, 6pm.

7. LA takes over Creatures of Comfort
New Yorkers can get a little snotty about LA style, but even the worst fashion snob has to admire the LA wing of bicoastal boutique Creatures of Comfort. For FNO, four California designers—Hansel from Basel, Jasmin Shokrian, LD Tuttle, and Alexandra Cassaniti—are taking over the Nolita location. They'll be dressing the windows, serving Mezcal cocktails, and, in the case of LD Tuttle, offering a fencing demonstration. Also, if you buy anything from the store, you'll walk away with a handmade gift from the Creatures staff. 205 Mulberry Street, 6pm.

6. The Rockettes at Michael Kors
Fresh off his appearance at Bergdorf, Kors will arrive at his new Rockefeller Center flagship just in time to join the Rockettes in an opening performance. Says the press release: "Michael Kors will literally 'kick off' his new store opening with The Rockettes." If that doesn't mean he's actually part of the kick line, then we're going to be very disappointed. 610 Fifth Avenue, 7:30pm.

5. Loehmann's designer sample sale
The Loehmann's in Chelsea is hosting two runway shows sourced from the brand's "Back Room" collection of high-end designer merchandise—one at 6:30pm and one at 7:30pm. They're also exhibiting LBDs owned by celebrities and auctioned of for charity via Little Black Dress Wines. Hardened deal-hounds might be more interested in their third FNO plan, though: A sample sale featuring labels like Oscar de la Renta, Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Missoni, Versace, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Etro. You can find similar deals uptown at their Broadway store. 101 Seventh Avenue and 2101 Broadway, 6:30pm.

4. Lanvin's dance challenge
Are you a better dancer than the models shaking it to Pitbull in Lanvin's adorable fall/winter 2011 video? Find out at Lanvin tonight, where teams of two will get the chance to recreate the video in front of a panel of judges in exchange for prizes. 815 Madison Avenue, 6pm.

3. Bergdorf's dog show
For the second year in a row, the department store has invited designers and their four-legged friends to walk the runway. This time around, the catwalk will feature designers like Badgley Mischka, Joseph Altuzarra, and Lela Rose, and the judges will include Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig of Marchesa, among others. 745 Fifth Avenue, 7pm.

2. Bergdorf's beard debate
If for some unnatural reason you're not interested in a dog fashion show, Bergdorf still has you covered with a debate about facial hair featuring Whoopie Goldberg. Take a minute to let that sink in: It's a debate about facial hair featuring Whoopie Goldberg. Whoopie. Facial hair. Debate. Got it? OK, then allow us to blow your minds: Cintra Wilson will also be there. And it's not like this is just Whoopie vs Cintra—other participants include such notables as socialite/financier Euan Rellie and writer Sloane Crosley. 745 Fifth Avenue, 7:30pm.

1. Barbie Scavenger Hunt
Barbie has asked four designers—Alice & Olivia, Alexis Bittar, Tracy Reese, and Rogan—to stash tiny, Barbie-sized versions of their own designs at their stores around town. Find a piece, grab the QR code, and you could win an adult-sized version for yourself. The best part: There's free transportation involved. A double-decker Barbie bus stocked with dolls will be stopping at ten different locations over the course of the night. See the FNO website for locations, 6pm.