01:00 AM EDT on Friday, June 25, 2004

TODAY

CONTRA DANCE: There will be a contra dance at 8 p.m. at Goff Memorial Hall, Bay State Road, Rehoboth. All dances will be taught by caller Lisa Greenleaf to the music of Dave Langford and Karen Axelrod.

Beginners and singles are welcome. The cost is $6. For more information, call (508) 252-6375.

TODAY AND TOMORROWMISS MASSACHUSETTS PAGEANT: The 54th annual Miss Massachusetts Pageant will be held at 7:30 p.m. today and tomorrow at Bristol Community College, 777 Elsbree St., Fall River.

Contestants will compete for scholarship money and an opportunity to represent the state in the nationally televised Miss America Pageant on Saturday, Sept. 18, in Atlantic City, N.J.

Admission is $20 for the preliminary show on Friday and $30 for the final competition on Sunday. A combination ticket for both shows is $40.

For ticket information, call (508) 673-4880.

ALL WEEKENDSUMMER THEATRE: The Little Theatre of Fall River will open its annual summer season with the musical Forever Plaid. Performances will be held at 8 p.m. today and tomorrow and at 7 p.m. Sunday at the Firebarn, at Prospect Street at Highland Avenue.

The play is about the goofy reincarnation of four male singers who were killed in a car crash on the way to their first big concert.

Tickets are $12 with discounts available for students, seniors and children. For reservations, call (508) 675-1852.

TOMORROW AND SUNDAY

AMATEUR RADIO CLUB: Members of the Sturdy Memorial Hospital Amateur Radio Club will put their emergency communication skills to the test when they participate in a Field Day Saturday and Sunday.

The annual emergency preparedness exercise brings together Amateur Radio operators from throughout North and South America who are committed to assisting their communities in the event of a natural or man-made disaster. The American Radio Relay League, a national association of Amateur Radio operators, sponsors the annual event.

The Sturdy club will hold the event at World War I Memorial Park, Elmwood Street, North Attleboro. The event will open at 2 p.m. on Saturday and will close at 2 p.m. Sunday. Amateur Radio Day and Press Day will be held Saturday. For more information, call Jim Duarte at (508) 695-3147.

SANTO CHRISTO FEAST: The Santo Christo Feast will be held this weekend with the following events planned:

At 6 p.m. Saturday, there will be an outside Mass with the transfer of the image of Santo Christo from the church at 185 Canal St., Fall River, to the parking lot. The Most Rev. George W. Coleman, bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fall River, will preside and the homilist will be the Rev. Jose Paulo Machado, pastor of Santa Clara in Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel, the Azores.

After the Mass, a procession will take place that will travel on Columbia, Canal, Ferry, Mulberry, William and Grant streets and back to the church.

From 8 p.m. to midnight, there will be feast activities including the music of Jack Sebastiao.

On Sunday, a solemn procession with the participation of several priests, civic authorities, business leaders, cultural, civic and sporting organizations will travel on Columbia, Hunter, Hope, Fountain, Division, Almond, Williams, Broadway and Columbia streets back to the church.

From 6:30 to 11 p.m., feast activities will take place including the music of Marc Dennis and his band, Atlantis.

Portuguese and American food, booths, games for all ages, and an auction will be available both days.

TOMORROW

TALENT SHOW AUDITIONS: The Fall River Area Chamber of Commerce will hold its second Fall River Catches a Star talent show search for local stars to perform at this year's Fall River Celebrates America.

The auditions will be held at 10 a.m. at the Fall River Chamber of Commerce, 200 Pocasset St. It is not necessary to register.

This year's age categories are: under 12, ages 12 to 17, and ages 18 and older.

A panel of judges will decide on 25 semi-finalists who will appear on the Heritage State Park stage during Fall River Celebrates America. The winners will open for singer and songwriter Dante Mazzetti on Sunday, Aug. 8.

For more information, call the Fall River Chamber at (508) 676-8226.

FIRE TRUCK PARADE: The Seekonk Fire Department will hold a fundraiser, parade and competition field day.

The parade will begin at 4 p.m. at Seekonk High School and travel to the Dr. Kevin Hurley Middle School.

After the parade, a firefighting competition will take place at 5 p.m. Seekonk firefighters will compete with firefighters from other towns to see who is the fastest at connecting a hose to a water supply and then knocking down a target. Trophies will be awarded.

The event will also feature refreshments. Proceeds from the sale of food will go toward the purchase of water rescue survival suits for the Fire Department.

STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL: The Somerset Baptist Church, 363 High St., Somerset Village, will hold its annual Strawberry Festival at 6 p.m.

The event will feature chicken salad on a bed of lettuce, green beans, potato chips, cranberry sauce, dinner rolls and strawberry shortcake for dessert.

Tickets are $7.50 for adults, $4 for children and $7 for two children.

For tickets, call Bel Somers at (508) 674-9419 or Dee Nascimento at (508) 676-3975.

COOKING WORKSHOP: Baker Books and Cafe Arpeggio's Rob Gould will present a cooking workshop, Cool Snacks and Drinks from 11 am. to 1 p.m. at the store, 139 S. Main St., Fall River.

SUNDAY

QUEQUECHAN FESTIVAL: The first Quequechan River Festival will be held from noon to 6 p.m. at Britland Park, Seventeenth St., Fall River. The festival, sponsored by Green Futures, is being held to bring attention to the hidden river that flows through the city.

The event will feature music and entertainment, field games, a rock climbing wall, pony rides, archery, kayak demonstrations, children's arts and crafts, games, food, juggling acts and kite flying demonstrations.

Parking is available at the end of Wordell Street.

BREAST CANCER WALK:20The City of Hope's Walk for Hope to Cure Breast Cancer, for breast cancer survivors and supporters, will be held at 9 a.m. from Albert's Furniture, 100 Highland Ave., Seekonk. Registration begins at 7:45 a.m. for both the 3K and 5K walks.

JUNK MUSIC NIGHT: The New Bedford Community Drum Circle will hold its second annual Junk Music Night at 7 p.m., at the First Unitarian Church, 71 Eighth St., New Bedford.

Participants are invited to bring unusual noise makers to the event including plastic buckets, metal washtubs, or an old suitcase for drums or coffee cans filled with nuts, bolts or old keys for maracas. Chopsticks can be used for testing prospective musical instruments at home that could include aluminum pots, tupperware, a hubcap or a kitchen sink.

For more information, call (508) 636-3871.

UPCOMING

CONCERT AND FIREWORKS: The University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, 285 Old Westport Rd., Dartmouth, will hold its Independence Day Pops Concert and Fireworks at 6 p.m. Friday, July 2. The Sounds of Ashe, a university student-faculty jazz ensemble, will lead the musical program at 6 p.m., followed by the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra's program of classical and popular music at 7:45 p.m. Fireworks will provide the grand finale at approximately 9:30 p.m.

Picnic suppers, lawn chairs and blankets are encouraged.

If it rains, the fireworks display and concert will be postponed until September. For details, call the main university phone number at (508) 999-8000.

SUMMERFEST 2004: The greater New Bedford Summerfest will be held from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, July 3 and 4, at the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park.

The event, sponsored by the New Bedford Area Chamber of Commerce, the City of New Bedford and The Standard Times, will feature performances on six stages, crafts and seafood.

Admission is $7 each day. For more information, log on to www.newbedfordsummerfest.com or call (508) 999-5231.

JULY 4 CELEBRATION: The Fall River War Veterans Council will host a July 4 celebration at 3 p.m. Sunday, July 4, at Kennedy Park, Broadway entrance. The rain date is July 5.

The event will feature food and beverages and live Yankee pro wrestling exhibitions. The city's annual fireworks will begin at 9:30 p.m.

Area bands are invited to sign up for performances on the Overlook stage.

To volunteer or to sign up bands, call (508) 673-9089.

RIVER RUN: The Somerset Recreation Department will hold its annual July 4 five-mile River Run Road Race at 9 a.m. beginning at Somerset High School, Luther Avenue entrance.

Participants can begin checking in at 8 a.m. The registration fee for all applications received before June 18 is $10 and $12 after that date. All participants will receive a July 4 River Run T-Shirt.

For an application, call the recreation office at (508) 646-2808.

POWWOW: The Dighton Intertribal Indian Council will hold a Native American Powwow, Honor Our Elders, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. next Saturday and Sunday, at the North Elementary School, Whetstone Hill Road, off Route 138, Somerset. The grand entry will be at 1 p.m.

The event will feature Native American drumming, singing, dancing and flute playing, crafts and storytelling.

TALENT SHOW AUDITIONS: The Fall River Area Chamber of Commerce will hold its second Fall River Catches a Star talent show search for local stars to perform at this year's Fall River Celebrates America.

The auditions will be held at 10 a.m. on July 10, at the Fall River Chamber of Commerce, 200 Pocasset St. It is not necessary to register.

This year's age categories are: under 12, ages 12 to 17, and ages 18 and older.

A panel of judges will decide on 25 semi-finalists, who will appear on the Heritage State Park stage during Fall River Celebrates America. The winners will open for singer and songwriter Dante Mazzetti on Sunday, Aug. 8.

For more information, call the Fall River Chamber at (508) 676-8226.

PARADE OF PONDS: A unique garden at Briggs Nursery, 295 Kelley Blvd., North Attleboro, that combines waterfalls, fish, plants and a working train, will be a featured stop on the 2004 Rhode Island Parade of Ponds, a two-day self-guided tour that will be held Saturday and Sunday, July 10 and 11.

The annual event, sponsored by Tranquil Water Gardens of Cumberland, includes more than 30 water gardens in southeastern New England.

The event will also feature lectures on water plants and pond landscaping at noon, both days.

Tickets for the two days of the tour are $15 for adults and $8 for children 5 to 16, children under 5 are free. Participants receive a map, driving directions, and a brief biography of each pond and garden. Tickets may be purchased at Briggs Nursery. Proceeds from the tour fund the Tranquil Water Gardens Pondering Award, a college scholarship for students with cystic fibrosis.

USED BOOK SALE: The 43rd annual Westport Quaker Meeting used book sale will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 17, under a large tent and in the buildings on the grounds of the 190-year-old Quaker Meetinghouse, 938 Main Rd.

More than 19,000 books will be available for sale including local history, travel, humor, religion, philosophy, cookbooks large format art books, science fiction and Harlequin romances.

Books are priced individually and range from six for $1 paperbacks to hardbound first editions. A number of families have donated entire libraries to this year's sale.

In the early years of the sale, a first edition of Moby Dick was found.

A light lunch and snacks will be available. The opening day of the sale runs until dusk. The sale will continue daily for the next two weeks.

ROAD RACE: The 12th annual Christopher Baldwin Scholarship Road Race/Walk will be held, rain or shine, Saturday, July 24. The seven-mile race will begin at 8 a.m. and the 3-mile race/walk will begin at 9 a.m. from Somerset High School, 625 County St.

Application fees are $12 before Saturday, July 24, and $15 on race day.

For more information, call (508) 324-3146 or (508) 324-3148.

VICTORY AT SEA: Victory at Sea, a 12-Meter Charity Regatta departing from Battleship Cove, Fall River, will take place on Saturday, July 30 and Sunday, Aug. 1.

Gen. Alexander M. Haig Jr., former secretary of state for President Reagan will be the guest of honor.

Victory at Sea will include a Saturday sailing competition on America's Cup 12 Meters in Mount Hope Bay. After the race participants will attend an evening gala on the battleship's fantail.

Sunday's sailing competition will depart from the Battleship Cove Community Boathouse at 11 a.m. for a distance race to Newport. After Sunday's competition, guests will enjoy a bon voyage reception and trophy ceremony at the New York Yacht Club at Harbour Court.

For more information, call David F. Guertin at (508) 678-1100.

HARVEST FESTIVAL:20Christ Church, 57 Main St., Swansea, will hold its 51st Harvest Festival at 9 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 11. An auction is planned for 1 p.m. under the big tent. The festival will also feature entertainment, food, raffles, a white elephant tent, used books, a country store, gifts and crafts, quality used clothing, children's games, and baked goods.

ROCK RHYTHM & BLUES: The Rock Rhythm & Blues fundraiser for A-Wish-Come True of Tiverton, will be held the weekend of Sept. 10 to 12 at the Holy Ghost Club fairgrounds, 171 Sodom Road, Westport.

The festival opens Friday, Sept. 10, with an All American Buffet dinner and dance from 6 to 10 p.m. The cost is $15 and tickets should be reserved in advance. The evening will feature entertainment by noted DJ, New Wave Express.

Saturday and Sunday, the event opens at noon with live outdoor entertainment beginning at 1 p.m. A $10 gate donation covers adult admission for both days. Children younger than 12 are admitted free.

The fundraiser's first annual Motorcycle Run will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. from Dave's Beach, Fall River. A $20 bike registration fee also includes two days' admission to the music festival.

Featured bands on Saturday are Shot in the Dark, Louie Leeman & Cheap Sneakers, Red Hot 'N Blue and Mr. Chubb.

Sunday's performances will be by Blues Train, Sanctuary, Bob's Day Off and Wild Nites. The festival finale will also feature a live auction of a Harley Davidson motorcycle accessories package, a Boston Red Sox signed baseball and an official player's jersey signed by five team members.

For the children, the two-day event will feature a bubble-bounce, face painting and pony rides for the children.

Food and beverages may be purchased and concert-goers are encouraged to bring their own picnics and chairs.