Going out

May Festival: The granddaddy of all choral festivals continues with Roberto Porco conducting Mendelssohn's gigantic masterpiece Elijah based on passages from the Old Testament. 8 p.m. today, Music Hall, $11-$60. 381-3300.

The Beach: The sprawling park flips on the waterjets for a preview weekend. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. today, 2590 Waterpark Drive, Mason. $9.50-$25.95. 398-7946.

Previews: Catch one of the final dress rehearsals of the one-woman tour-de-force The Syringa Tree, populated by 24 characters out of the hothouse atmosphere of 1960s South Africa. 9 p.m. today, Thompson Shelterhouse Theatre, Playhouse in the Park, $30. 421-3888.

The Samples: The world beat-inspired pop masters are at the Southgate House with Brit rockers Fiction Plane. 9 p.m. today, 24 E. Third St., Newport. $15-$18. 779-9462.

On TV

Top pick: After numerous appearances on Saturday Night Live, original cast member Dan Aykroyd, 50, finally hosts his first SNL (11:30 p.m., Channels 5, 22). The SNL season finale also will be the last show for regulars Tracy Morgan (who stars in a NBC sitcom next winter) and Chris Kattan. Musical guest is Beyonce Knowles.

• Critic John Kiesewetter also says fans of The Agency (10 p.m., Channels 12, 7) won't likely ever see a resolution to today's season-ending cliff-hanger, because CBS canceled the drama Wednesday.

Hot tickets

Idols: Tickets for the July 13 American Idols Live show at U.S. Bank Arena go on sale at 10 a.m. today at Ticketmaster outlets, by phone at 562-4949 and www.ticketmaster.com. They're $28, $38, $48.

• Hootie & the Blowfish with Big Head Todd & the Monsters, at Riverbend July 14 go on sale at 10 a.m. today at $27.75 and $17.75. Same locations as above.

• Sheryl Crow has added a second show to her Kettering stop - 8 p.m. July 11 at Fraze Pavilion (Her July 10 show sold out.) Tickets: $45, $40, $25, on sale at 10 a.m. today at all the usual Ticketmaster stops. Limit four per person.

Planning ahead

24 hours out: The arts-inspired Great Miami Arts Jam includes a day full of interactive classical music activities, hands-on art workshops, performances and more. Noon-4 p.m. Sunday, Fitton Center for Creative Arts, 101 S. Monument Ave., Hamilton, free. 863-8873.

48 hours out: The best-selling novelist and former U.S. Air Force captain Dale Brown is arrives to introduce his new military thriller Air Battle Force. 7 p.m. Monday, Books & Co., 350 E. Stroop Road, Kettering. (800) 777-4881.

A week away: The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden unveils the always popular Zoo Babies next Saturday with recently born ocelots, giraffes, gorillas, rhinos and many more, 3400 Vine St., Avondale. 281-4700.

Jim Knippenberg

E-mail jknippenberg@enquirer.com