Jackson Free Press

Start your weekend off right with a little back-to-school shopping. The Mississippi Sales Tax Holiday started at 12:01 a.m. today and ends Saturday at midnight. Buy shoes and clothes that retail for less than $100, and you pay no sales tax. Head to the Department of Revenue website for complete information.

Tonight, pedal away your buyer's remorse with the Jackson Bike Advocates' eight-mile community bike ride at 6 p.m. starting at Rainbow Whole Foods Co-operative Grocery (2807 Old Canton Road). Then take your sweaty self to one (or all) of the musical performances happening around town tonight: DJ RedCley will spin during Afrikan Funkadelic Friday at Afrika Book Café (404 Mitchell Ave.) from 8 p.m.-1 a.m.; AJC and the E-Pushers play at Sneaky Beans (2914 N. State St.) at 8 p.m.; Cucho & Los Papis perform at Underground 119 (119 S. President St.) from 8:30-11 p.m.; and Rocket 88 plays at Martin's (214 S. State St.) at 10 p.m.

If you'd rather sit and be entertained, head to "Cabaret," the musical, at Hal & Mal's (200 Commerce St.) showing tonight and tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m. I'll pique your interest by saying it is recommended for mature audiences only. Credit card reservations are required, so call 601-664-0930 for tickets; $20, $15 for students and seniors, $25 VIP.

Six words for Saturday: Top of the Hops Beer Festival. How can you resist? The Beer Festival is at the Jackson Convention Complex (105 E. Pascagoula St.), from 2-6 p.m. Tickets are $40; call 205-714-5933 or 601-960-2321 or go to ticketmaster.com for tickets. Here are three more words: Try Transit Day. JATRAN will be offering free bus rides all day Saturday, plus, you can join JATRAN staff for free food, a tour of the new buses and family activities at Smith Park (302 Amite St.) from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Saturday night, head over to Hal and Mal's Restaurant to see the Vamps perform for Hal and Mal's manager Charley Abraham's going-away party. Alternately, you could go revel in the blues at 930 Blues Café (930 N. Congress St.) where Jackie Bell and the Jerekus Singleton Band will perform at 9:30 p.m., $10 cover. If you're ready to party all night, go jam to The Houserockers at F. Jones Corner (303 N. Farish St.) where they will be playing from 10 p.m. 'til the sun comes up at 5 a.m. Sunday, $10.

Sunday, go grab some brunch at the King Edward Hotel (235 W. Capital St.), and while you're there, sit back and enjoy Howard Jones Jazz, performing from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Then, hurry over to Black Rose Community Theatre (103 Black St., Brandon) to see the final performance of "Go Ask Alice" at 2 p.m. Tickets are $5.

For more music choices go to the JFP Music Listings page. Visit the JFP's Best Bets page for alternate options this weekend, or go to JFP Events to see a complete listing of community and JFP-sponsored events. And you've got to eat, right? Don't forget the JFP Restaurant Listings and the Menu Guide.

Is something missing? To make sure your event is listed on the JFP calendars, send the information to [e-mail missing] or [e-mail missing], or add your event yourself. It's easy!