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Local favorite A free family fair in Mililani Carnival booths, clowns, show cars, food booths, displays from the fire and police departments and pony rides will be part of the Keiki Fun Fair, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Jan. 25 at Melemanu Park, corner of Waikalani Drive and Kamehameha Highway in Mililani. It all culminates in a car-crushing exhibition. The free event is sponsored by Pacific Islands Bible Church. 625-0411.

There are blues legends and there are blues legends. This blues legend is the Godfather of British Blues, John Mayall, who has released more than 40 albums as leader of The Bluesbreakers and who has nurtured the talents of all-stars such as Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Mick Fleetwood, John McVie and Walter Trout. Mayall and The Bluesbreakers, whose last Honolulu gig was in January 2001, return for a three-island tour, accompanied by The Colin John Band:

• Jan. 16, 7:30 p.m. at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center's Castle Theater. Tickets: $22, $25, $30; a portion to benefit arts education in the schools. A pau hana jam at 5:30 p.m. in the Founders Court is free. (808) 242-7469.
• Jan. 17, 8:30 p.m. at the Hawaiian Hut in Honolulu. Tickets: $35 general, $30 advance. Cocktails and pupu service available. 941-5205.
• Jan. 18, 5 p.m. at the Ohana Keauhou Beach Resort lu'au grounds; gate opens at 4 p.m. Tickets: $25 general, $22 advance. Food and drinks available. (808) 322-3441.

CONCERTS: Jan. 17-18

American reggae band Big Mountain invades Kapono's Jan.17 and 18; the group is known by most pop fans for a sun-kissed 1994 remake of Peter Frampton's "Baby I Love Your Way," courtesy of the Gen X angst-fest "Reality Bites." But dig deeper into the band's recorded work and you'll find a sweet collection of roots reggae. $18 ($15 advance). Also performing in Hilo next Thursday at Uncle Mikey's and Jan. 19 at Kaua'i's War Memorial Stadium. A free "unplugged" performance happens at 7:30 p.m. tonight at Borders Books & Music Waikele.

• 7 p.m. Jan. 17-18/ Kapono's/ res. 536-2161

CONCERTS: Jan. 18-20

Jack Russell, frontman of the defunct band Great White, brings his own band, co-founding GW member Mark Kendall and the GW material for concerts at Gussie L'Amour's. Great White, which hit it big in the late 1980s, is known for "Once Bitten, Twice Shy," "The Angel Song" and "Rock Me." The bill at Gussie's is titled "Jack Russell's Great White" and will include songs from Russell's solo album, "For You." Tickets: $18 general for the Jan. 18 show; $15 general for Jan. 19-20 shows; $15 advance pass good for all three shows, $12 advance pass good for Jan. 19-20 shows; available at Gussie's and Gold Zone in Wahiawa.

• 8:30 p.m. Jan. 18-20 / Gussie L'Amour's, 3251 N. Nimitz Highway / 836-7883, 622-6928

CONCERT: Jan. 24

Far out! That describes the booking, as well as the distance many will travel, for a sampling of The Makaha Sons' Hawaiiana, Jan. 24 at the Ali'i Lu'au Restaurant at the Polynesian Cultural Center. Louis "Moon" Kauakahi, Jerome Koko and John Koko will headline "E Luana Kakou," along with kumu hula Keith Kalanikau Awai and his Halau Kaaipuhilani and kumu Sunday Mariteragi's halau Napuananionapalionako'olu. Both kumu hula studied under the late Aunty Sally Wood Nalua'i, who was the PCC's first hula instructor when it was open from 1963 through 1980. Tickets: $10 ($8 in advance).

• 8 to 10 p.m. Jan. 24 / Ali'i Lu'au Restaurant, Polynesian Cultural Center / 293-3333

EXHIBIT: Jan. 25-March 16

"Century of the Tiger: A Centennial Celebration of Korean Americans 1903-2003" will include historic photographs, ceramics, calligraphy scrolls and educational activities at the Bishop Museum. It's part of the ongoing celebration in honor of Hawai'i first Korean immigrants. Calligraphers Jong Sun Lee, Sung Ja Cho and Seungryun Hong will offer a demonstration of the artform 2-3:30 p.m. opening day. General admission to the museum is $14.95 adults, $11.95 youths 4-12, free for kids 4 and younger and for museum members; kama'aina rates are available, too.

• 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, Jan. 25-March 16 / Bishop Museum / 847-3511

STAGE: Jan. 29-Feb. 2

"Darkweed" is a horror comic-book character and the title of an original play by Deborah Poage, a master's candidate in fine arts at the University of Hawai'i-Manoa. The drama, on stage beginning Jan. 29 at the Earle Ernst Lab Theatre, stars Chris Doi as Fred, creator of Darkweed, whose reality and fantasy worlds blur into tragedy. There's a post-show rap session after the Jan. 31 performance. Tickets go on sale Jan. 27: $9 general, $7 seniors, military, UH faculty and staff, non-UHM students and youths, $3 UHM students.

• 8 p.m. Jan. 29-Feb. 1, 2 p.m. Feb. 2 / Earle Ernst Lab Theatre / 956-7655

CIRCUS: Jan. 30-Feb. 2

Gravity-defying acrobats, trapeze artists, contortionists and clowns are all part of Cirque Éloize, the Montreal-based circus troupe, which returns with a new production, titled "Nomade," at the Hawai'i Theatre beginning Jan. 30. It's billed as an adventure about two clans of circus performers that wander through a nighttime carnival of memories and dreams. Cirque ƒloize was last in Honolulu in November 2000 with its "Excentricus" production. Tickets: $17-$35, at the box office.

• 7:30 p.m. Jan. 30-Feb. 1, 2 p.m. Feb. 2 / Hawai'i Theatre / 528-0506

COMEDY: Jan. 30-Feb. 2

Get ready to laugh out loud and maybe catch a rising comedy star when The Second City Touring Comedy Troupe makes a stop in Honolulu for four shows Jan. 30-Feb. 2. The revered Second City was founded in 1959 in Chicago and has spawned such talents as Alan Arkin, Peter Boyle, Harold Ramis, John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Gilda Radner, Martin Short and so many others. The shows will include improv and some of the best sketches in Second City history. Tickets: $25 general, $20 advance, available at Gussie's and Hawaii's Natural High, 339 Saratoga Road. And there's a show on Maui: 7:30 p.m. Feb. 3 at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center's Castle Theater; $10, $20, $25; (808) 242-7469.

• 8:15 p.m. Jan. 30-Feb. 2 (doors open 7 p.m.) / Gussie L'Amour's / 836-7883, 926-3000

STAGE: Jan. 31-Feb. 16

Maybe you remember Jack Nicholson and crew in that film about the inhabitants of a mental institution, "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," back in 1975. Now the drama, by Dale Wasserman and based on the novel by Ken Kesey, takes the Diamond Head Theatre stage beginning Jan. 31. The DHT production stars Allen Cole in the Nicholson role and Bridget Kelly as the oppressive Nurse Ratched (a role made famous by Louise Fletcher). Tickets: $10-$40, with discounts for students, seniors and military.

• Opening 8 p.m. Jan. 31, repeating 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, 4 p.m Sundays through Feb. 16 / Diamond Head Theatre / 733-0274

OPERA: Jan. 31, Feb. 2, 4

Pomp and pageantry return to the Blaisdell Concert Hall as the Hawaii Opera Theatre's 42nd season begins with a production of "Eugene Onegin." It's the tale, based on Alexander Pushkin's classic poem, of a dashing but jaded aristocrat and his romances, which have tragic consequences. At right is an artist's rendering of a set from "Onegin." The other opera productions this year are "The Magic Flute," Feb. 14, 16 and 18; and "La Bohéme," Feb. 28 and March 2, 4, 6. Tickets: $27-$95, at the HOT box office (985 Waimanu St., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays) and the Blaisdell box office; www.hawaiiopera.org.

• 8 p.m. Jan. 31, 4 p.m. Feb. 2, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 4 / Blaisdell Concert Hall / 596-7858; 800-836-7372 from the Neighbor Islands

NEW YEAR: Feb. 1

Happy Year of the Ram! Market City Shopping Center rings in the Chinese new year with traditional lion dances, fire crackers and fortune cookies beginning at 10 a.m. Feb. 1, at the lower parking level. In the Chinese lunar calendar, the Year of the Ram begins Feb. 1 and run through Jan. 21, 2004.

• From 10 a.m. Feb. 1 / Market City Shopping Center / 734-0282

COMING UP:

• "War," a Honolulu Theatre for Youth production, Feb. 1, 8, 15, Tenney Theatre
• "Art," Feb. 5-March 2, Yellow Brick Studio
• Jimmy Eat World, Feb. 7, Pipeline Cafe
• "The Magic Flute" opera, Feb. 14, 16, 18, Blaisdell Concert Hall
• "Dance Korea!" Feb. 14-16, 21-23, Kennedy Theatre, University of Hawai'i-Manoa
• "Godspell," Feb. 27-March 15, Richardson Theatre
• "Once on This Island," Feb. 28, March 1, 7-9, Kaimuki High School auditorium
• "La Bohéme" opera, Feb. 28, March 2, 4, 6, Blaisdell Concert Hall
• "Spirit of the Dance," March 11-16, Hawai'i Theatre
• Frederica Von Stade, opera star, March 21, 23, Blaisdell Concert Hall

BUZZING ABOUT:

• This just in: Tower of Power plays the Sheraton Waikiki's Hawaii Ballroom at 8 p.m. Jan. 25; tickets ($45, $35) go on sale Saturday at the Blaisdell Center box office and Ticket Plus outlets. 526-4400.
• Thrice is nice: Chinese New Year is Feb. 1, when the Year of the Ram begins; it'll be the proper time to celebrate. However, the Chinese community jumps the gun this year with two early celebrations: Jan. 17 and 18, at the Chinese Cultural Plaza at Maunakea and Beretania streets, and "A Night in Chinatown" follows, on Jan. 25, in Chinatown. 533-3181, 595-6417.
• Afternoon delight: For those who want to be home after the sun sets, a 4 p.m. matinee performance Jan. 19 called "I Fell in Love with Honolulu," at the Hawai'i Theatre, might be your ticket. Hula and chant by Ed Collier and Halau O Na Pua Kukui will celebrate the glory of Honolulu. 528-0506.
• Do-se-do time: If square (or round) dancing is your bag, get ready for the 38th annual Aloha State Square & Round Dance Festival, Jan. 20 to 26, in Honolulu, with three days of dance festivities beginning Jan. 23 at the Ala Wai Golf Course ballrooms. 923-0446.
• Love is in the air: "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," which has emerged as the highest-grossing indie romance ever, should score with lovers galore come Valentine's day. The movie will be released on DVD and VHS on Feb. 11, a suitable substitute for Godiva's chocolates.

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The Great Index to Fun (TGIF) four-week guide at least 10 working days before the event. This planner appears weekly, featuring major events only; others are listed in the weekend and daily calendars.

Write: TGIF, The Honolulu Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110, Honolulu, HI 96802, or fax 525-8055.

Schedule is subject to change.