Florida community calendar

Miami: Miami-Dade County Fair & Exposition, open through April 2. Fair Expo Center, Coral Way (Southwest 24th Street) at 112th Avenue, Miami. Opens 3 p.m. Monday-Friday (exception: noon March 31) and noon Saturday and Sunday. Admission gates close at 10 p.m. but fair operates until midnight nightly. $8 (ages 13-59); $7 (60 and over); $7 (6-12); free for kids 5 and younger; season pass $20 (any age). One-day ride pass $20 (Monday-Friday only). 34 coupon-card $30, 24-coupons $20, single coupon $1.Parking: Free; entrances at Coral Way at 112th and 114th avenues; Southwest 107th Avenue at 17th Street; Southwest 117th Avenue just north of Coral Way. Info: 305-223-7060 or www.fairexpo.com.

Miami Beach: M3 Music Summit, March 24. Live performances day and night by Adam Freedland (Marine Parade), Antoine Claraman (Pool E) Bad Boy Bill (IHR/ Beatport), Booka Shade (present Get Physical), Boom Boom Satellites, C2C (DMC World Champions), Chris Liebing (presents Native Instruments Trak). National Hotel, 1677 Collins Ave.

Riviera Beach: Riviera Jazz & Blues Music Festival, Singer Island, 100 Ocean Drive, March 24, 25. Scheduled to appear: Patti Labelle, Kirk Whalum, Percy Sledge, Alex Bugnun, Najee, Eric Benet, Peabo Bryson, Jeffrey Osborne, Mike Phillips, Donna Richardson Joyner and Shirley Murdock.

Jacksonville: 4th Saturday Cruise-In, March 25, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Penman Plaza, Atlantic Blvd., Jacksonville Beach.

Jacksonville: Improvisation Workshops, March 25. Improvjacksonville hosts improvisation workshops every Wednesday night from 6 - 8PM & every Saturday from noon -2PM. The workshops are held at ImprovJacksonville Comedy Theatre, The Jacksonville Landing, Jacksonville. Space is limited and spaces will be filled on a first come, first serve basis. For registration information and fee, call (904) 361-5779 or email aimee@improvjacksonville.com. Please include your name, phone number and workshop date. For more information about improvjacksonville, visit www.improvjacksonville. com.

Tampa: March 27, Spoken Word-Open Mic, Studio @620, 620 First Ave. South St. Petersburg. Call 727-895-6620.

Jacksonville: TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), March 28,10:00 am-12:00 pm. TOPS is a non-profit, noncommercial organization. Men, Women, Teens and children age 7 or over welcome. Calvary United Methodist Church Hall, 112 Blanding Blvd., across from Orange Park Mall. Orange Park. $5 monthly.

Fort Lauderdale: March 31, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 SW Fifth Ave. 8 p.m. Tampa: March 30 - April 2, The Tampa Improv, LaVell Crawford, 7:30 p.m. 10:00 p.m. Note this takes the place of the previously scheduled D.L. Hughley appearance. Call 813-864-4000 for tickets.

Jacksonville: TRULY BEAUTIFUL Photo Contest, March 31. Girls Incorporated of Jacksonville is inviting all girls ages 10-17 to participate in a "TRULY BEAUTIFUL" Photo Essay contest. Create a picture of real beauty by submitting an original photograph of a female in your life - mother, sister, aunt, grandmother, teacher or friend - whom you believe to embody real beauty. Take pictures of girls and women who you believe to be "TRULY BEAUTIFUL." They can be playing, competing, reading, working, cooking or doing nothing at all. Contest dates are from March 8, 2006 to March 31, 2006. Contest information and materials are available at the Girls Inc. Administrative Offices at 1627 Rogero Rd. Call Diane DeCoy at (904) 731-9933 for more information.

Miami: The Covenant With Black America Tour, March 31, 7:00 PM, New Birth Baptist Church Cathedral of Faith, 2300 NW 135 St. Free. The Covenant Tour is a series of community town hall meetings hosted by Tavis Smiley and focusing on how we, as individuals and as a community, can implement national and local solutions to the top ten issues of greatest concern to African Americans. Registration: free and open to the public.

Tampa: March 31 The Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, Ferguson Hall, Florida Smooth Jazz Foundation Concert, 8:00 p.m. Contact www.tbpac.org for tickets.

Jacksonville: Diabetes Exposed, April 1. Diabetes Exposed is a oneday trade show and conference from 9am-3pm with screenings, seminars, and exhibits designed to give people with diabetes and their caregivers up-to-date information about diabetes diagnosis, prevention, intervention, and treatment. Bethelite Conference Center, 5865 Arlington Expressway, Jacksonville. $5. Call 904-730-7200 x 3064.

Jacksonville: Earth Day Event, April 8, 10 am-2pm. Fort Clinch State Park, 2601 Atlantic Ave, Fernandina Beach, is having its first Earth Day Event on Saturday, April 8th from 10 am to 2 pm. There will be having several different speakers with displays and plenty of information to share. Kids have the opportunity to win prizes by entering a coloring contest. $5/vehicle. Call (904) 277-7274.

Tampa: April 7-23, Fridays and Saturdays 8:00 p.m., Sundays 2:00 p.m., Masque Community Theatre, 'The Piano Lesson' by August Wilson. Contact www. http://www.masquetheatre. net for tickets.

Tampa: April 8, Ruth Eckerd Hall, The Pointer Sisters, 8:00 p.m. Call (727) 791-7400 or (800) 875-8682 for tickets.

Submitting a Calendar Event

As a courtesy to readers, the Florida Courier publishes upcoming events in the Community Calendar at no charge on a space-available basis. Information on your event should be sent at least four weeks before the event occurs. All event notices should include date, time, place, a short description, admission price if applicable, and a contact phone number, e-mail address, or website for readers to receive further information.

Please include your contact information, including phone. Email information about your event to us at event@flcourier.com. If you are interested in advertising to support your event, call Marketing Consultant Angeletta Holmes at 813-620-1300, ext. 29, or e-mail the Florida Courier at ads@flcourier.com,with your contact information, including phone. We will contact you with details regarding pricing.