Major fair

The Westmoreland County Fair, one of the biggest in the game, opens on Friday for nine days of country fun.

Among the daily attractions will be Wild World of Animals, Tropical Amusement's Carnival, magician and balloon artist Dennie Huber, bee keeper Curt Fisher, wool spinning and sheep shearing and milking parlor demonstrations.

Motor sports include motocross racing 7:30 p.m. Friday; demolition derby and bus derby 7:30 p.m. Sunday; and a minivan demolition derby 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Animal judging starts at 9 a.m. Sunday and continues daily. Other 4-H activities include pet care, cat grooming and showmanship (Monday); the model rocket flight test (Tuesday); and the public speaking contest (Wednesday).

As for the musical action, George Lucas performs at 5 p.m. Saturday. Other shows taking place include Whiskey Outlaws at 7 p.m. Sunday, Kortney Jean at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Girlz in Black Hats at 7 p.m. and NoMaD at 8 p.m. Wednesday and Broken Spoke at 7 p.m. Aug. 28.

There also will be food booths and senior bingos. End the fair at the 4-H dance, sweeping your sweetheart around the dance floor, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 28.

Admission: $7, extra fees for some events. Early-bird discount $3 per person before 2 p.m. every day except Aug. 27 and 29. Children under 2 are free. Take the Pennsylvania Turnpike to Irwin exit and head east to Greensburg. Follow Route 30 to Mount Pleasant exit, and go south 6 miles. Information: 724-423-5005 or www.westmorelandfair.com.

Ribs on the River

Ribs on the River 2010 is the first of three rib festivals coming up, followed by the Coors Light Kickoff and Rib Festival at Heinz Field (Sept. 2-6 with the Clarks, Bret Michaels, Little Big Town and Uncle Kracker).

This weekend's event begins tonight at 6 at the Trib Amphitheatre, Station Square, with rib vendors Jacked Up BBQ, Chop Shop BBQ, Smokin' Joe's Hog Wild Barbeque, Sgt. Oinks BBQ Co., Mojo's Ribshack, & Pittsburgh's The Flame BBQ.

Tonight's lineup is Night Ranger ("Sister Christian") along with One Sweet Burgh (Dave Matthews tribute band), Big Bottom, T.J. Cornwall, Twist Off Irony, East Coast Turnaround, Distant Signals (Rush tribute band), Lady Beast and Skell.

On Saturday, Donnie Iris and the Cruisers headline a bill with special guests The Delaneys, Bishop Clay, Walk of Shame, Bryan Cole, 9sundays, Weathered Soul, Voodoo Babies, Masters of the Universe, Berlin Way, Rising Regina, Nick Marzock Ban, Call to Attraction and Pop Rocks.

On Sunday, Eddie Money is joined by Gene the Werewolf, Smokin' Section, Terry Lee Spencer Band, 28 North, The Chain (Fleetwood Mac tribute band), Kardaz, Stonebroke, The Gingerbeards, LoveBettie, Neon Swing X-perience, Blues Machine, Mahajibee Blues, Music From Another Room, The Silent Wire, & The Hang Lows.

Information: 1-800-745-3000.

Soul bears

Newsday said of Black Joe Lewis that he "hits his groove by grunting out syllables like the second coming of James Brown."

The LA Weekly said, "With Redding, Pickett and Brown all long gone, young Lewis has arrived to carry their torch with his hot and sweaty house-party ruckus."

You can decide for yourself when Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears play the Rex on the South Side tonight. The eight-piece garage-soul band is still touring on last year's Lost Highway debut, "Tell 'Em What Your Name Is!," that stays squarely in the old-school vein.

The show is at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15. Call 412-381-6811 for information.

All the rage

The Rage of Stage Players theater group is helping the Pittsburgh New Works Festival in honor of its 20th anniversary.

All proceeds from tonight's performance of "Fairest: The Black Tale of Snow White" at The Studio Theatre, Cathedral of Learning basement, will benefit the city's annual new play festival. The show starts at 8 p.m., and tickets are $13 (cash only). Reservations: 412-851-0922. The show continues Fridays and Saturdays through Aug. 28.

Hanson still bops

It was back in 1997 that Hanson scored a massive hit with "MMMBop."

Brothers Isaac, Taylor and Zac could have packed it in after the initial fury died down, but they have kept bopping along, maturing in their sound and ability.

The Oklahoma trio's latest and fifth studio record is "Shout it Out," a tribute to their roots.

"We love playing classic songs," Zac says in the press notes. "But we never sat down and wrote our version of what that sounds like until now."

Hanson returns to the Carnegie Library Music Hall of Homestead at 7:30 p.m. Friday with power-pop band Rooney. Tickets: $32 and $37. 412-368-5225.

Secret Pockets

A release party will be held for "The Flying Destructicate: Secret Pockets" from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday at SPACE gallery, 812 Liberty Ave., Downtown. The event celebrates the 2010 edition of an annual award and book series presented by Encyclopedia Destructica that includes a residency and a publication that will be available at the organization's website and local bookstores. Award recipient Mary Mack Tremonte is a zine and print artist. Her zine collection will be available for browsing, DJs Amor Secreto & D.H. will provide music, Pop Through the Ages Wizards of Sound will perform, and there will be a photobooth by Caldwell and tamales by Heidi & Caleb. Admission is free. Information: 724-971-7264 or www.encyclopediadestructica.com.

Tribute to Ray

The Ray Charles would have turned 80 this year, and in honor of that, his greatness and his lasting influence, Roger Humphries and his Big Band, with singer D.C. Chandler, will present "Let the Good Times Roll: A Music Tribute to Legendary Ray Charles."

Back in the day, Mr. Humphries served as drummer for Mr. Charles, in addition to playing with Stanley Turrentine, The Horace Silver Quintet and Shirley Scott. The band will touch on his diverse sounds, from jazz to blues to country to gospel, with greatest hits like "Hit the Road Jack," "I Can't Stop Loving You," "What'd I Say" and "Georgia on My Mind."

It will take place at the Richard E. Rauh Theater at Shady Side Academy's Hillman Center for Performing Arts in Fox Chapel at 7 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $25. For details, call 412-377-4681.

Kelly birthday

The Kelly-Strayhorn Theater will celebrate one of its namesakes on Saturday when it opens its doors from 2 to 5 p.m. for the Gene Kelly Birthday Party (he was born Aug. 23, 1912).

The celebration will feature a hand-made paper workshop led by East Liberty artist Erika Johnson, whose installation "uproot" is on display in the lobby.

There will be birthday cake, tours of the theater and a 3 p.m. screening of the 1944 film "Cover Girl," featuring Mr. Kelly and Rita Hayworth.

Admission is free and movie tickets $2; no reservations are needed. It's at 5941 Penn Ave., East Liberty. Visit www.kelly-strayhorn.org or call 412-363-3000.

JazZelie

The Strand Theater in Zelienople will be a hot spot Friday and Saturday as it presents JazZelie, its inaugural jazz festival, with three shows, hosted by WDUQ's Tony Mowod.

Here is the lineup:

8 p.m. Friday: Kenia (Brazilian pop and jazz) and Jimmy Sapienza (torch and swing).

2 p.m. Saturday: The Joe Negri Trio (master guitarist) and The Benny Benack Band (big band swing to Dixieland jazz to Broadway).

8 p.m. Saturday: The Donna Bailey Quartet (soulful jazz standards and originals) and The Pittsburgh Jazz Divas (Lilly Abreu, Donna Bailey, Tania Grubbs and Jessie Glovier).

Tickets are $30; $49 for two concerts; $63 for three concerts; discounts for Pittsburgh Jazz Society members and Strand Broadway Concert Series subscribers are available by calling the box office (724-742-0400). Go to www.thestrandtheater.org,

Wiggling

The preschool version of that McCartney concert would be The Wiggles, who will fill the Petersen Events Center at 12:30 and 4 p.m. Sunday with the "Wiggly Circus Live!"

"The Fab Four From Down Under," as they're billed, will be joined by Captain Feathersword, Dorothy the Dinosaur, Henry the Octopus, Wags the Dog and all the Wiggly Dancers.

Tickets: $12-$77; www.ticketmaster.com or 1-800-745-3000.

• The Drifters and The Marcels will join forces for the second annual Nite of Dinner, Dance and Doo Wop at the Syria Shrine in Cheswick from 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday. Charlie Apple will emcee the event that benefits local nonprofit senior healthcare provider The Cedars. Tickets: $60. 412-373-3900, ext. 172.

• It's not every day you see a Tom Waits tribute band. The Chicago-based B1G T1ME will show how it's done at Altar Bar in the Strip at 9 Friday night with what it calls "one authentic, whiskey-stinking, growly-howly main-event, including selections spanning the Waits catalog." Ben Haddad opens. Tickets: $12. 1-800-745-3000.

Critics Andrew Druckenbrod and Scott Mervis talk about music on "The Beat," available exclusively at PG+, a members-only web site of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.