Go Irish

Gaelic Storm, the foot-stomping band that rocked the hull in "Titanic," not to mention Irish festivals all over the world, returns to headline the Pittsburgh Irish Festival this weekend at Riverplex in Homestead.

The family-friendly festival will feature more than 25 groups along with Irish food and refreshments, marketplace, dance workshops, children's activities, an Irish Dog area, storytelling, Gaelic Mass (Sunday at 10 a.m.), Irish Extreme Zone for teens, Curragh Racing on the Allegheny River (6 p.m. Saturday and 4 p.m. Sunday) and, new this year, a Living History area with Scottish, Welsh and Irish re-enactors.

Also the musical menu will be the Screaming Orphans, Scythian, Makem, the Glengarry Bhoys, the John Doyle Trio (featuring founders of the Irish band Solas) and more. At the festival, look for the new "Best of the Fest, Vol. 2" CD, a selection of some of popular headliners of the past 20 years. Gaelic Storm's just-released album, "Cabbage," incorporates influences from rock, bluegrass, Jamaican, African and Middle Eastern music.

Riverplex is between Sandcastle and Waterfront. Hours are 4 p.m. to midnight Friday; 11 a.m. to midnight Saturday; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $12; $8 seniors (60+) and students with ID, $5 military active/retired and public safety officers with ID; children 12 years and under free. $3 admission Friday from 4 to 6 p.m.

There are several stages. Here is the schedule at the main stage:

FRIDAY
4 p.m.: The Weathered Road
5:30 p.m.: Screaming Orphans
6:45 p.m.: Scythian
7:45 p.m.: Burke Conroy School of Irish Dance
8:30 p.m.: Glengarry Bhoys
10 p.m.: Gaelic Storm (Emerald Amphitheatre)

SATURDAY
12:30 p.m.: Homeland
1:45 p.m.: Makem and Spain Brothers
3 p.m.: Gaelic Storm
4:30 p.m.: Scythian
5:30 p.m.: Shovlin Academy of Irish Dance
6:00 p.m.: Curragh Racing -- Pittsburgh Irish Rowing Club (Hedge School)
6:15 p.m.: John Doyle Trio
7:30 p.m.: Makem and Spain Brothers
8:45 p.m.: Scythian
10 p.m.: Gaelic Storm

SUNDAY
12:15 p.m.: Pittsburgh Irish Reelers
1 p.m.: Ballet Academy of Pittsburgh
1:30 p.m.: Pittsburgh Ceili Club
2 p.m.: Bell School of Irish Dance
2:45 p.m.: Burke Conroy School of Irish Dance
3:30 p.m.: Shovlin Academy of Irish Dance

Information: 412-422-1113 or www.pghirishfest.org

Carnegie fest

The 23rd annual Carnegie Arts and Heritage Festival opens at 4 p.m. today with music, arts and crafts booths, food, children's activities and a community stage with performers ranging from belly dancers to jazz and folk musicians. A Battle of the Bands will be held Saturday afternoon on East Mai Street with $1,000 in prizes and a People's Choice Award. Carnegie United Methodist Church has created a "Yinzer Roll" for the festival, and Sts. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Church returns with pierogies, halushka, stuffed cabbage and kielbasa.

Here is the main stage lineup:

TODAY
4:30-6 p.m.: The Dirty Charms
6-7:30 p.m.: Anthony Rankin Band
7:30-9 p.m.: Norm Nardini
9-10:30 p.m.: Bill Deasy Band

FRIDAY
4:30-6 p.m.: Pump Fakes
6-7:30 p.m.: The Elliotts
7:30-9 p.m.: 8th Street Rox
9-10:30 p.m.: Jimbo and the Soupbones
10:30 p.m.-midnight: Bill Toms and Hard Rain

SATURDAY
Noon--4 p.m.: Battle of the Bands
4:30-6 p.m.: Brewers Row
6-7:30 p.m.: Tom Breiding and American Son
7:30-9 p.m.: Mansfield 5
9-10:30 p.m.: Jill West and the Blues Attack
10:30 p.m.-midnight: Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers

Visit www.carnegieartsandheritage.com.

Fair in the Park

The Craftsmen's Guild of Pittsburgh presents the 41st annual A Fair in the Park, one of Sunshine Artists' top 100 art shows nationwide, this weekend in Mellon Park with an artists market, children's activities, food and a music lineup.

Hours are 1-7 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday; and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

SATURDAY
Noon-1 p.m.: Roger Humphries & The RH Factor
2-3 p.m.: Race the Ghost
4-5 p.m.: The Harlan Twins
5:30-6:30 p.m.: Machete Kisumontao

SUNDAY
Noon-1 p.m.: Air Farce
3-4 p.m.: Emily Rodgers

Information: www.afairinthepark.org.

Theater openings

The start of fall is today, as far as local theater is concerned. Getting under way are:

• The CLO Cabaret's "Triple Espresso," through Jan. 9 at the Cabaret at Theater Square, Downtown, tells of a reunion of a failed comedy trio that flopped in their shot at the big time. The show has been around for 14 years, showing in 52 theaters in six countries for more than a million theatergoers.

Among the trio is actor/magician Christopher Hart, whose fame is all in his hands: He's "acted" as Thing in the three "Addams Family" films and played an evil, disembodied hand in the movie "Idle Hands." Brian Kelly and Dane Stauffer round out the cast.

Info: clocabaret.com or 412-456-6666.

• Pittsburgh New Works Festival presents four weekends of new one-act plays, beginning today through Sunday at the Father Ryan Arts Center in Mc­Kees Rocks.

Week 1 entries are "The Joy of Theft," a comedy by James C. McKelly of Opelika, Ala., and produced by the Heritage Players; "Call Back" by Jim Hinkley of Edmonds, Wash., produced by the Theatre Factory; and "Shaving Lessons and Half-Windsor Knots" by F.J. Hartland of South Park; produced by CCAC South.

After each Thursday evening performance, audience members may mingle with the cast, crew and playwrights.

Info: pittsburghnewworks.org or 412-881-6888.

• Little Lake Theatre presents the local premiere of "Red, White And Tuna," the third installment of the "Greater Tuna" -- "A Tuna Christmas" trilogy, through Sept. 25.

The play features Kevin Bass and Art DeConciliis playing 20 different characters at a Tuna High School Reunion.

Information: littlelaketheatre.org or 724-745-6300.

Patriot music

The U.S. Army's "Spirit of America" marches into Consol Energy Center for sold-out shows at 10:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. Friday and 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

Ticketholders for the free, general admission show will be admitted 90 minutes before the first three performances and 60 minutes before the 7:30 show on Sept. 11.

"Spirit of America," which previously sold out Mellon Arena for multiple shows in 2007, is a patriotic show featuring ceremonial performances and re-enactments of the Army's role in American history.

The set up will be different from the two concerts -- Paul McCartney and Lady Gaga -- that recently opened Consol. The performances take place on the floor where you'll soon see Penguins' ice, with performers emerging from behind a curtain.

More information: www.consolenergycenter.com.

PCA openings

Pittsburgh Center for the Arts kicks off its fall season with six wide-ranging exhibitions opening with a 5:30-8 p.m. reception Friday at 6300 Fifth Ave. at Shady ($5 donation, members free).

Patricia Villalobos Echeverria's "Outbreak" is a two-part multimedia solo show with a political, trans-national context. Artist/filmmaker Lenka Clayton's "Five Women, Five Men, One Child" is an audio record of words uttered at exactly the same moment by eleven people separated by geography and circumstance. "Paintings and Works on Paper" by the late Maxo Vanka includes several newly discovered works by the famed Millvale Murals artist. Group shows complete the bill, by Group A ("Touch Me, Please"), PCA Ceramics Access members ("Pour"), and The Center for Emerging Visual Artists in Philadelphia ("Context Ingeminate"). 412-361-0873 or www.pittsburgharts.org.

Highland Games

The cultural, musical and athletic traditions of Scotland will be celebrated Saturday at Idlewild Park during the annual gathering of the Clans -- The Ligonier Highland Games.

Among the customs represented will be piping and drumming, tossing the caber and the Scottish hammer throw, Highland and Scottish country dancing, and fiddling and storytelling.

There will be a living history demonstration of the Scottish military, Scottish breed dog exhibits, a competition involving Scottish Gaelic prose, poetry and song, and vendors displaying pottery, jewelry, tartans, Scottish food and kilts.

The musical guests include tenor Colin Grant-Adams, Celtic roots band MacTalla Mor (featuring The Great Highland Bagpipes), guitarist Bruce E. Golightly (aka DruidSong) and The Pittsburgh Scottish Country Dance Society.

The games begin at 9 a.m. At noon, welcoming ceremonies will feature performances by the Massed Bands (all competition and demonstration pipe and drum groups). At 5:30, the Massed Bands gather for the awards presentation.

Tickets are $18; $15 for seniors (55 and over); $8 for children ages 9-15; and free for children under 9. For more information, visit www.ligonierhighlandgames.org.

Zany 'Alphabet'

Citiparks celebrates the fun and zany side of the alphabet with "Alphabet Trail and Tales," a free event for families Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Blue Slide Playground at Frick Park, Beechwood Boulevard and Nicholson Street entrance.

It will feature magic shows, interactive storytelling, art activities, a Pirate scavenger hunt and artist John Manders with his book "Henry & the Crazed Chicken Pirates." For more information, call 412-665-3665 or visit www.Citiparks.net

Jazz Day

The Pittsburgh Jazz Society presents a Jazz Day in the Park on Saturday at Schenley Plaza, Oakland, with an all-star lineup of Pittsburgh-based musicians from different generations and genres.

Here is the schedule:

Noon: Catch 22
1 p.m.: Benny Benack Swing Band
2 p.m.: Joe Negri Quartet
3 p.m.: Hall of Fame Induction
3:30 p.m.: Kenny Blake Quartet
4:30 p.m.: Tuesday Night Big Band, featuring Lori Russo
5:30 p.m.: Aurora Jazz/Fusion
6:30 p.m.: Scholarship Presentation
7 p.m.: Eric Johnson's Fabalous A-Team, featuring Leroy K. Wofford
8 p.m.: David and Maureen Budway Quartet
9 p.m.: The Sean Jones Trio

Get your Wings

The Wings Over Pittsburgh Air Show, hosted by the 911th Airlift Wing, takes off Saturday and Sunday from the Pittsburgh International Airport Air Reserve Station in Moon.

Attractions include the Thunderbirds, U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team, the F/A-18F Super Hornet and ACC F15-E Strike Eagle Demonstration Teams, Team Oracle. the Firebirds X-treme and the B-2 Spirit.

The ramp is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. No one will be admitted after 3 p.m. Admission and parking are free.

Just an FYI, there is an interesting list of items prohibited: "Backpacks, duffle bags, coolers, scooters, pets, balloons, brass knuckles, box cutters, darts, fireworks, alcoholic beverages, large purses, camelback, bicycles, skates, nunchuks, knives, razor blades, firearms, mace/pepper spray, paint, illegal drugs, water guns, and uniforms worn by non-military persons."

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.