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Local favorite The talk of the town in October The 15th annual Talk Story Festival, three nights of storytelling and oral history, takes place 7-9:30 p.m. Oct. 24-26 at McCoy Pavilion, Ala Moana Beach Park (gates open at 6 p.m.; seating is limited). Oct. 24's theme is "Spooky Stories"; Oct. 25's is "New Voices"; and Oct. 26's is "Tales of Aloha: Peace, Tolerance and Inspiration." The special Mainland guest is children's book author/folklorist Margaret Read MacDonald. Workshops, 1-4 p.m., are titled "Story-ology: The Science of Story Trading" Oct. 25 and "Playing with Story" Oct. 26. It's all free. 692-5751.

Turn-of-the-century America comes to life during Diamond Head Theatre's season opener "Ragtime." This Tony-award winning musical features three guest artists from the national tour of "Ragtime": Jerold E. Solomon as Coalhouse, Crystal Williams as Sarah and guest director Mary Gutzi, below, in the role of Emma Goldman. Rounding out the cast are Buz Tennant as the Father, Mary Chesnut Hicks as Mother, Douglas Scheer as Tateh, Zenia Zambrano as Bridget, Kirsten Dixon as Evelyn Nesbit, Jimi Wheeler as Harry Houdini and Scott Moura as Henry Ford. Tickets: $12-$42, with discounts for full-time students, seniors and military.

• 8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays and 4 p.m. Sundays Sept. 26-Oct. 12 / Diamond Head Theatre / 733-0274

CONCERT: Sept. 26

For a frame of reference, think enough Jamaica-lovin' local bands to fill a smallish lava-created hole in the Earth. That's Reggae in the Crater, a live music fest featuring Ho'onu'a, Natural Vibrations, B.E.T., Ooklah the Moc, Hot Rain, Free Sound, Stir Crazy and Maacho and Cool Connection. Now scrounge up $10 and you're in.

• 6 p.m.-4 a.m. Sept. 26 / Volcanoes Night Club / 528-7071

CONCERT: Sept. 27

"Rhythms of India," an annual program, features a rare performance of the santoor (a 100-stringed instrument) and flute by professor Mohini Mohan Patnaik and a solo classical dance of spirituality and devotion by Jyoti Rout. Tickets: $15 general, $10 students and seniors 60 and older, free for kids under 6 years old.

• 6 p.m. Sept. 27 / Keoni Auditorium, East-West Center / 395-1181, 988-9677

FESTIVAL: Sept. 28

Prepare your palates for a food feast courtesy of the Taiwanese Association of America Hawai'i Chapter. The 2003 Taiwanese Food Festival features regional delicacies such as fried mochi, tea-leaf eggs, taro rice cake, crunchy meat balls and pan-fried rice noodles. Admission is free, but a $10 Taiwan Pass allows tastings of 12 food samples. After each sample, the pass will be stamped. After collecting all 12 stamps, the pass will be entered into the prize drawing. Other programs at the festival include an art demonstration by Taiwanese metal-mosaic artist Dar Far Hu, Chef Chang's dough figures and fruit carving, Lu Carol Corporation's jewel designs and free karaoke.

• 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sept. 28 / Ala Moana Park, McCoy Pavilion / 373-3828, 839-4371

CONCERT: Oct. 2

The Hawaii Blues/Rock Tour 2003 travels the islands with featured guitar slinger Jimmy Thackery and the

Drivers. Thackery brings his legendary style of "jaw-dropping guitar pyro techniques" while touring in support of his latest release, "True Stories," on TELARC Records. Tickets: $20 advance, $25 at the door.

• 8:30 p.m. Oct. 2 / Hawaiian Hut / 941-5205

Also: The Hawaii Blues/Rock Tour 2003 will be at Hapa's on Maui at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 1 (808-879-9001, 808-870-8378); Ohana Keauhou Beach Resort in Kona at 7 p.m. Oct. 3 (808-322-3441); and Kilauea Military Camp in Volcano at 7 p.m. Oct. 4 (808-985-7167, 808-896-4845).

FESTIVAL: Oct. 4-5

Thomas Square plays host to a showcase of Native American culture during the 29th annual American Indian Pow Wow Association's Pow Wow. There'll be dancing, drumming, singing, arts and crafts and food as Native Americans who live in Hawai'i, the Mainland, Alaska and Canada come together to celebrate. Admission is free.

• 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 4-5 / Thomas Square / 734-5171

Also: The Fourth Annual Native American Flute and Storytelling Concert takes place at 7 p.m. Oct. 6 at the Center for Hawaiian Studies, 2645 Dole St. Flutists Tommy Wildcat (Cherokee), Troy DeRoche (Blackfeet), Andrew Thomas (Navajo) and Shane Ridley-Stevens (Te-Moake Band of Western Shoshoni) will perform. Liz DeRoche (Metis) is the storyteller.

CONCERT: Oct. 10

The Hawai'i Fire Fighters Association and KITV 4 present the 7th annual Hawai'i Fire Fighters benefit concert for the School Tools program. Headliner Frankie Moreno, below, and his band bring a smooth blend of blues, soul, funk and country-rock fresh from Las Vegas. Also performing are local favorite Kapena and funnyman Andy Bumatai. Tickets are $25.

• 8 p.m. Oct. 10 / Sheraton Waikiki Hotel, Hawaii Ballroom / 949-9673

Also: The concert will travel to the Neighbor Islands. Showdates are 5 and 7:30 p.m. Oct. 12, Maui Arts & Cultural Center's Castle Theatre; 7 p.m. Oct. 17, Kaua'i War Memorial Auditorium; and 7 p.m. Nov. 7 without Frankie Moreno and his band at the King Kamehameha Hotel Ballroom on the Big Island.

CONCERT: Oct. 11

Steely Dan's "Everything Must Go" tour comes to a close with two stops in Hawai'i. The tour, which promotes the band's newest CD of the same name, has traveled all over North America, including New York, Ontario, Texas, Florida, California and Pennsylvania. The jazzy rock band is known for such hits as "Can't Buy a Thrill," "Countdown to Ecstasy," "Aja" and "True Companion." Tickets are $66, $71 and $81.

• 7 p.m. Oct. 11 / Blaisdell Arena / (877) 750-4400

Also: Steely Dan will be at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center at 7 p.m. Oct. 10. Tickets are $51, $66 and $76. (808) 242-7469.

CONCERT: Oct. 17

You want them back? Well, you can have them ... the Dance Hall Crashers are smashing into Honolulu yet again. The band is best known for ska-licious catchy songs such as "Old and Grey," "He Wants Me Back" and "DHC," and the members also have a penchant for hitting up late-night eatery Eggs 'n' Things when in town. Tickets: $18.50.

• 7 p.m. Oct. 17 / Pipeline Café / (877) 750-4400

COMING UP:

• Latin Salsa Music Festival, Sept. 26, Ala Moana Hotel's Hibiscus Ballroom
• Blues Cruise, Sept. 27, with four bands aboard the Navatek I
• James Ingram, pops concert with the Honolulu Symphony, Oct. 3-5, Blaisdell Concert Hall
• "My Fair Lady," Oct. 23-Nov. 16, Paliku Theatre, Windward Community College
• The Gridiron Show, Oct. 24-25, Diamond Head Theatre
• "Rock and Roll Super Show," with Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard and Chuck Berry, Oct. 25, Blaisdell Arena
• Cecilio and Kapono, a symphony pops concert, Oct. 31-Nov. 1, Blaisdell Concert Hall
• LeAnn Rimes, Nov. 1, Blaisdell Arena
• Dave Alvin, blues and folk artist, Nov. 15, Hawaiian Hut

BUZZING ABOUT:

Hello, Follies: The Pearl Harbor Performing Arts Association — that parade of glitz and glam and flag-waving fun — will hold three auditions for the 49th Annual Mardi Gras Follies: open auditions at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 1 at the WaikikiCommunity Center, 310 Paoakalani Ave.; for military personnel at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 2 at the Banyans Club, Pearl Harbor; and for singers only at 7 p.m. Oct. 7 at Don Ho's Island Grill, Aloha Tower Marketplace. Jack Cione is directing, Bill Doherty is costuming. It opens Feb. 27 and continues Fridays-Sundays through March 27. Call 922-8401.

Fame game: When artist Peggy Chun (who is living with ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease) is inducted into the Compadres Bar & Grill's Wall of Fame on Nov. 18, she'll have first-rate entertainment: Keola Beamer performs. An 11:30 a.m. luncheon ($100) is part of the hoopla. Call 732-7733.

The jungle calls: Exotica fans are in for a treat when "Primitiva," Don Tiki's tribute to the sounds of Martin Denny, takes the Hawai'i Theatre stage at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 4. Other performers include Lopaka Col—n and Augie Col—n, Ho'okena and Teresa Bright. Tickets are $22-$36, available at the box office; discounts for groups of 12 or more. A VIP ticket — $92 — includes a pre-show cocktail reception at nearby Indigo restaurant with Denny, a two-CD set of Don Tiki and a signed poster by Denny and Don Tiki. 528-0506.

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.

E-mail: tgif@honoluluadvertiser.com

Schedule is subject to change.