Going out

UniverSoul Circus: It's under the big top and full of international circus acts, a blues-gospel soundtrack and hand-clapping sing-along. It opens a five-day stand tonight, 7:30 p.m. Jordan's Crossing, Reading Road and Seymour Avenue, Roselawn, $16.50-$45. 562-4949.

Hallmark tour: Meet a writer and illustrator from Hallmark Greeting Cards' creative team for an interactive discussion on how greeting cards can impact people's lives. 7-8 p.m. today, Awakenings Coffee and Tea, 2343 Buttermilk Crossing, Crescent Springs. (800) 565-6617.

Documentary: The Cincinnati Film Society has a screening of Horns and Halos, a full-length documentary on a writer and publisher's attempt to release an unauthorized documentary on President Bush. 7 p.m. today, Cincinnati Art Museum auditorium, Eden Park, $4-$6. 721-2787.

On TV

Top pick: Music fills the air tonight as American Idol goes to two hours (8-10 p.m., Channels 19, 45), and Alan Jackson, Toby Keith, Martina McBride, the Dixie Chicks, Keith Urban, LeAnn Rimes, Wynonna and Diamond Rio among others perform on CBS' Academy of Country Music Awards (8-11 p.m., Channels 12, 7).

• Critic John Kiesewetter also says NBC celebrates the 300th episode of Law & Order by repeating the 1990 pilot (8 p.m., Channels 5, 22), followed by two new episodes (9-11 p.m.).

The goods

Photo op: A little something to take on vacation this year: The Picture Yourself tripod and camera timer. So you can be in the family photos, that's why. According to the Photo Marketing Association, photo fans buy 220 million single-use cameras a year and are generally happy with the results. The drawback? No timers like the expensive cameras have. That's where Picture Yourself comes in. It's a tripod and timer (12-second delay) that let's you set the camera and then run back to the family and get in on the photo. It also comes with a self-release timer. It's $8.95 from Web site.

Planning ahead

24 hours out: The Heartland Wrestling Association begins a weekend full of area shows with an all-star lineup including WWE star D'Lo Brown, former HWA champion Matt Stryker and women's tag team action. 10 p.m. Thursday, Forest Fair Mall's Metropolis Nightclub, Winton Road and I-275, Fairfield, $10-$17. 671-2881.

48 hours out: The Carl Solway and Linda Schwartz galleries offer a joint reception for the opening of intense video and multimedia art featuring art world notables including Nam June Paik, Mark Fox, Joel Otterson and others. 6-9 p.m. Friday, 315 W. Fourth St., downtown, and 424 Findlay St., West End, with shuttle service available between galleries. 621-0069 or 241-4202.

72 hours till Saturday: Taste of Cincinnati closes the downtown portion of Central Parkway for the holiday weekend: noon-midnight Saturday-Sunday, noon-9 p.m. Monday. 579-3100.

Jim Knippenberg

E-mail jknippenberg@enquirer.com