St. Patrick is expected to make an appearance at the "Halfway to St. Patrick's Day" celebration Sept. 22 at Paddy O'Leary's on Pensacola Beach. 'The Used' headline in Pensacola

The wait is finally over for fans that missed "The Used" in March, as the multiplatinum selling act will perform at the Pensacola Civic Center on Saturday, Sept. 8. Opening acts will include The Bled and Army of Me.

Ex-presidential violinist in Ft. Walton Beach

Carol Hayes, renowned local violinist, will present a concert entitled "My Favorite Encores" on Sunday, Sept. 9 at 3 pm at Playground Music Center in Ft. Walton Beach, FLa. Hayes was member of the White House orchestra for several years and performed at many events there under several presidents. She currently plays with the Northwest Symphony, the Philharmonic, and smaller groups of classical musicians in addition to her solo work. Her program will include "Meditation" by Jules Massenet, "Rondo in D" by Mozart, and "Waltzing Doll" by Poldini. She will be accompanied by pianist, Connie Smith. Choctaw Bay Music Club is sponsoring this event, which is free and open to the public.

Amy Pfrimmer, upper left, and Ron Loyd, upper right, serenade the crowd at a previous PSO Jukebox Gala. Playground music center is located at 99 Eglin Parkway in Suite 1B in Ft Walton Beach, Fla.

Belmont changes concert dates

On Friday, Sept. 21, at 8:30 p.m., the Belmont Arts Center will host its next Music @ the Belmont concert, which has moved to a new night. Moving from every third Thursday of the month to every third Friday, the concert series will continue to showcase a talented array of local and regional acts.

Mobile's own Mithril head lines this month's concert. Mithril is fast becoming one of the most sought after Celtic/World music groups on the concert series scene. The band's unique progressive style has its roots in traditional Celtic music but moves far beyond that, weaving such diverse influences as American folk, classical, and Middle Eastern melodies into their full tapestry of sound. Mithril has been featured on arts and concert series and festivals throughout the Southeast and beyond. Learn more about this band at http://www.mithril.us/index.php

The show will be held at the Belmont, 401 North Reus St., located inside the Window Factory, downtown Pensacola. Cost for admission is $5. This is an all-ages show.

For more information, contact the Belmont Arts and Cultural Center at 850-429- 1222 or visit www.belmontartscenter.com .

Halfway to St. Patrick's Day

Bummed out by summer nearing an end? Take a trip down to Paddy O' Leary's on Pensacola Beach Sept. 22 for their Halfway to St. Patrick's Day celebration. The night of Irish-themed shenanigans will feature musical act Dublin Green at 7:30 p.m. followed by Duel Christian. The bar will be serving authentic Irish fare such as corned beef and cabbage. St. Patrick is expected to make an appearance along with a reenactment of Finnegan's Wake. Paddy's will have lots of great giveaways, too, so come by around 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 22 to quaff a pint of Guinness and pay homage to the Emerald Isle at Paddy O'Leary's Irish Pub, across from the Marriott Springhill Suites on Via de Luna Drive, Pensacola Beach.

PSO presents Jukebox Gala

Pensacola Opera's upcoming Jukebox Gala is planned for Saturday, Sept. 22, starting at 6:30 pm at New World Landing in Pensacola. Don't miss this fabulous opportunity to hear a preview of the upcoming season. Guests are encouraged to come ready to feed the jukebox chock full of favorite opera arias and Broadway hits.

Over dinner, you can enjoy the beautiful voices of some of your favorite singers: soprano Jane Redding, soprano Amy Pfrimmer, soprano Karin Wolverton, mezzosoprano Gwendolyn Jones, tenor Drew Slatton, tenor Eric Fennel, bassbaritone Matthew Lau, baritone Ron Loyd, our very own director of education and outreach Timothy Kennedy, and the magnificent Blake Riley tickling the ivories.

All proceeds from Jukebox Gala go to support the many culturally viable and enriching programs Pensacola Opera is committed to providing all Northwest Floridians throughout the year.

For tickets, sponsorships or more information, contact Erin Kelley, Marketing and Development Coordinator for Pensacola Opera at (850) 433- 6737.

Fair searches for local talent

The Pensacola Interstate Fair is offering local bands, dance groups, musicians, magicians, singers and other talented performers a chance to show their skills on stage each night during the 11-day Fair from Oct. 18-28.

The application requirements are fairly simple. Ideally the person or group has one hour of family-friendly material to present. There is no pay, there are no dressing rooms and minimal technical support is available for sound or light set up. There is no formal audition process, and the Fair staff will decide on the final line-up.

One-hour slots include set up, performance and tear down. To apply and for more information, email stageacts07@earthlink.net .

The 73rd annual Pensacola Interstate Fair returns in 2007 with more rides, exhibits, food, fun and shows than ever before. New this year are the Great American Frontier Show and the Midway Stage featuring local talent.