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Local favorite Head for Hale'iwa July 26-27 Celebrate the arts and take in the ambiance of the North Shore at the annual Hale'iwa Arts Festival, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. July 26 and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. July 27 at Hale'iwa Beach Park. Artists, musicians, trolley tours and storytellers make this a joyous day in the country. Admission is free. 637-2277, HaleiwaArtsFestival.org.

Hear harmonious chamber melodies performed with jazz, Latin American and other ethnic influences when contemporary classical music band Ufonia presents a concert at the Honolulu Academy of Arts. Composed of Benjamin Verdery (guitar), John Marshall (percussion) and Keith Underwood (flute), each member is established in the classical musical scene and are teachers as well. Verdery heads the guitar department at Yale University, Marshall instructs at Washington Montessori and The Gunnery schools in Connecticut, and Underwood teaches at New York University and Mannes College of Music. Tickets: $18 general, $15 students, seniors, museum members.

• 7:30 p.m. July 11 / Doris Duke Theater / 532-8703

STAGE: July 16-Aug. 3

This powerful docu-drama closes out Manoa Valley Theatre's current season with a look at a horrific event and its aftermath. Matthew Shepard, a 21-year-old college student, was murdered in Laramie, Wyo., the victim of a hate crime because he was gay. "The Laramie Project" is based on a series of interviews with the citizens of Laramie as they struggle to understand and come to terms with the crime. Tickets: $25, with discounts for seniors, military and those 25 and younger.

• 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays-Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, 4 p.m. Sundays, July 16-Aug. 3 / Manoa Valley Theatre / 988-6131

CONCERTS: July 18-19, 25-26

The Hawaii International Jazz Festival, celebrating its 10th year, offers two weekends of music — first in Honolulu, then on Maui — by acclaimed artists from near and far.

In Honolulu, at the Blaisdell Concert Hall:

• 7-10 p.m. July 18, "Guitar Magic and Vocal Jazz": Guitarist Larry Coryell, vocalist Tierney Sutton and the USC Thornton Jazz Orchestra, and the Honolulu Jazz Quartet with Keahi Conjugacion.
• 7-10 p.m. July 19, "International Jazz": Flutist Nestor Torres, right, trumpeter Tiger Okoshi, pianist Makoto Ozone, 'ukulele stylist Jake Shimabukuro and Gypsy Pacific.

On Maui, at the Wailea Marriott Resort's Aulani Ballroom:

• 7-10 p.m. July 25, "International Jazz": Coryell, Okoshi, the San Diego State University Big Band, Honolulu Jazz Quartet with Conjugacion, and others.
• 7-10 p.m. July 26, "Hawaiian Jazz": saxophonist Gabe Baltazar, vocalists Jimmy Borges and Conjugacion, Gypsy Pacific, and Ukulele Madness.

Jam sessions will follow the Maui concerts at the Lokelani Ballroom.

Honolulu concert tickets — $20, $35, and $40 — are available at Ticketmaster outlets and the Blaisdell box office. Two-night pass on O'ahu only: $5 off combined price of tickets. Discounts available for seniors, military and students.526-4400, 591-2211.

Maui tickets — $30 and $45, including one drink — are available now at Borders and Request Music in Lahaina and beginning July 22 at the Wailea Marriot.

www.hawaiijazz.com.

FAIR: July 18-Aug. 3

Lions and tigers and bears? Not quite. Try horses and pigs and cows instead! The 31st annual Hawaii State Farm Fair kicks off July 18 for three weekends of fun. Frolic with farm animals in the petting zoo, admire the lush greenery at the plant sale or feel like a kid again on the E.K. Fernandez midway. Presale tickets are $6, including one admission and three ride coupons. Admission: $3 general, $1.50 children ages 5-12, free for kids under 5.

• 6 p.m.-midnight Thursdays-Fridays, noon-midnight Saturdays-Sundays July 18-20, 25-27 and July 31-Aug. 3 / Aloha Stadium / 848-2074, www.hawaiistatefarmfair.org

STAGE: July 18-Aug. 3

Follow the yellow brick road to see "The Wizard of Oz," which closes out the season at Diamond Head Theatre. Kimi Anderson appears as Dorothy while her entourage includes Julie Ogilvie as the Scarecrow, Jimi Wheeler as the Tinman and Agaton Pasion as the Cowardly Lion. The rest of the cast is filled out by Tracy Yamamoto as Glinda/Aunt Em, F.L. Cabacungan as Guard/Uncle Henry, Kathy Sulieman as the Wicked Witch/Gultch and Dion Donahue as the Wizard/Professor Marvel. Tickets are $10-$40, with discounts for students, seniors and military.

• 8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays and 4 p.m. Sundays July 18-Aug. 3 / Diamond Head Theatre / 733-0274

CONCERT: July 20

It's time for some smooth, slow grooves with the '70s Soul Jam. Featuring hit bands from the decade of big hair and equally big shoes, The Stylistics, The Manhattans and The Chi-Lites get it on with their silky sounds to help you dance the night away on two dance floors. Jimmie "JJ" Walker serves as the "Dyno-Mite" host. Tickets: $35 and $45.

• 7 p.m. July 20 / Blaisdell Arena / 526-4400

STAGE: July 25-Aug. 3

'Ohi'a Productions brings back an original musical by Lisa Matsumoto and Roslyn, "On Dragonfly Wings," inspired by Alana Dung, who died of leukemia when she was 3 years old. Energetic songs and colorful characters follow Wendy the waterbug as she turns into a gorgeous dragonfly. This heartwarming story, which celebrates life and portrays death as a beginning rather than an end, has been rewritten with new characters and songs. Tickets: $15-$40.

• 7:30 p.m. July 25-26, 30-31 and Aug. 1-2, and 4 p.m. July 27 and Aug. 3 / Hawai'i Theatre / 528-0506

CONCERT: July 25-26

It's one of the biggest birthday parties of the year. The two-night KCCN FM100 Birthday Bash showcases local music entertainers, the return of the Island Music MVPs and an all-star revue. The July 25 lineup includes Sean Na'auao, Three Plus, Na Palapalai, left, Pati, O-Shen, 'Ekolu, Sudden Rush and The Next Generation. July 26 features Kapena, Fiji, Keahiwai, Natural Vibrations, Ten Feet and B.E.T. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. July 25 and 4 p.m. July 26, with a "Live at Five" segment at 5 p.m. on July 26. The first 5,000 through the gate each night receive a free FM100 Birthday Bash cap. Tickets for each show are $18.50 lawn, $19.50 terrace and $26 pool. Two-night admission tickets are $30 lawn and $32 upper terrace.

• 5:30 p.m. July 25-26 / Waikiki Shell / 526-4400, 296-1003

FESTIVAL: July 27

Professional and amateur 'ukulele players from around the world come together to strum their stuff during the 33rd annual 'Ukulele Festival. Entertainers this year include Raiatea Helm, Frank DeLima, Ernie Cruz Jr., Troy Fernandez, Herb Ohta Jr. and Herb "Ohta-San" Ohta, above. Roy Sakuma's 800 piece 'ukulele band, featuring more than 800 children, also performs. Danny Kaleikini serves as emcee. Free.

• 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. July 27 / Kapi'olani Park bandstand / 732-3739

COMING UP:

• New Found Glory, Aug. 14, Pipeline Café
• Beethoven's Nightmare, the deaf rock 'n' roll band, Aug. 15, Hard Rock Café
• 2003 Made in Hawaii Festival, Aug. 15-17, Neal Blaisdell Center Exhibition Hall and Arena
• "Gypsy," Sept. 4-20, Army Community Theatre
• Midori, violinist in concert with the Honolulu Symphony, Sept. 5 and 7, Blaisdell Concert Hall
• "Green Eggs and Ham & Gertrude McFuzz," a Honolulu Theatre for Youth production, Sept. 6-21, Hawai'i Theatre
• "Bat Boy: The Musical," Sept. 10-28, Manoa Valley Theatre
• Hawai'i International Film Festival, Oct. 30-Nov. 9
• "A Merry Christmas with Friends & Nabors," Dec. 5-7, Hawai'i Theatre

BUZZING ABOUT:

Movie, movie: "Charlotte Sometimes," the indie by Honolulu filmmaker Eric Byler, returns July 11 to The Art House at Restaurant Row. "Charlotte" has made the rounds at a number of film festivals, winning awards for narrative form, and has collected a few rave reviews, including one from Roger Ebert, who gave it 3 1/2 stars. A public reception (no-host bar, free pupu) for Byler is scheduled for 5-7 p.m. that day at Meritage restaurant, followed by the screening, then a Q&A session with Byler.

Other Art House films scheduled in the coming weeks include:

• July 11: "Love and Diane"; and "The Bread, My Sweet"
• July 18: "The Sea" (Iceland); "Family Affair"; "Marooned in Iraq" (Iran); "Respiro" (Italy)
• July 25: "Capturing the Friedmans"; "On Line"; "Sweet Sixteen" (Great Britain)

Wat dat?: Three rising young performers will be in the spotlight at "Tita Out," presented by Hybolics magazine and pidgin guerrilla Lee Tonouchi, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the University of Hawai'i-Manoa's Art Auditorium. It's an evening of poetry, drama and storytelling by MANE, a filmmaker and actress; Elena Cabatu, a Washington, D.C., pidgin performer originally from Hilo; and Eve Brown, a leading poetry slammer. You might even find out what "tita" means. Free.

You are getting sleepy ... : Hypnotist Tony Angelo brings his high-energy, comedic show to the Hawaii State Farm Fair, which gets under way July 18. He'll perform on the second and third weekends of the fair, casting his good-natured spells on audience volunteers.

Submit information for

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.