Music in the air

Raise your voice: Join the May Festival Chorus for Carolfest, a holiday tradition for 29 years. A heaping helping of local talent will join the sing-along, including the May Festival Youth Chorus and the Cincinnati Boychoir. Carolfest is at 1 and 4 p.m. today in Music Hall. Tickets: $10 adults; $5 children 12 and under. 381-3300 or www.mayfestival.com.

Garage rock: Tonight, Cincinnati's internationally acclaimed garage-rock demi-gods, the Greenhornes, rock the Comet, 4579 Hamilton Ave., Northside. Music kicks off around 10 p.m., and there's no cover. 541-8900.

Roots rock: Cincinnati roots rockers Mark Messerly & Brian Ewing bring their full band to Phil's Music, Books & more for a free show at 6 p.m. today. (Note the time change.) 4307 Winston Ave., Latonia, next to Kroger's. (859) 431-7774.

CSO guest star: Gold medal-winning Russian pianist Nikolai Lugansky plays Rachmaninoff's brilliant Piano Concerto No. 4 with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Rising star guest conductor Stephane Deneve leads Rachmaninoff's The Rock (really), plus music by Frenchmen Gabriel Faure and Albert Roussel. It's at 8 p.m. today and Saturday in Music Hall. $13-$54; discounts available. 381-3300 or visit www.cincinnatisymphony.org.

Shopping everywhere

Dollar days: The Fourth Street Boutique, a hot spot for high-end thrift shoppers that is run by Dress for Success is in the last day of its annual Dollar Days sale today, with dresses, trousers, blouses, shoes and skirts, including designer brands ... priced at a buck. The sale benefits Dress for Success, which outfits and counsels low-income women for job interviews. 10 a.m.-3 p.m., 135 W. Fourth St., downtown. 651-3372.

International shopping: Shop around the world today at the Intercommunity Justice & Peace Center's fair trade sale with wood carvings from Madagascar, handsculpted art from Ghana, handpainted CRISPAZ crafts from El Salvador, handpainted candles and gifts made by the Peaslee Girls Group. Peaslee Neighborhood Center. 10 a.m.-2 p.m., 215 E. 14th St., downtown. 621-5514

A runner's world

Waddle with the Penguin: John "The Penguin" Bingham, author and columnist for Runner's World magazine, is the keynote speaker for the Team in Training Breakfast of Champions awards breakfast at 9 a.m. today at the Manor House in Mason. Later, meet "The Penguin" for a run/walk at 1 p.m. from Fleet Feet Sports in Kenwood. After the run, he will be available for autographs, questions and conversation about running. Breakfast: $15 (limited seating), call 361-2100, Ext. 110. 793-8383.

Planning ahead

24 hours out: In spite of its name, the Seven Hills Run/Walk is not a race; no times will be kept and no results will be recorded or published. This annual 12.3-mile event Sunday challenges runners and walkers to trek over a rugged course with steep hills from downtown to Price Hill's Community Center. Return transportation provided. Day-of-race registration starts at 8 a.m. Race begins 9:30 a.m., Butterfield Senior Center, 22 Garfield Place, downtown, $20, $25 with long-sleeve T-shirt. 352-4020.

Also 24 hours out: It's a virtual Who's Who of women's music pioneers: Radical Harmonies, a film about the history of women's music, is presented by MUSE Cincinnati's Women's Choir at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sunday at the Esquire Theatre in Clifton. Filmmaker Boden Sandstrom will join musicians Judith Casselberry and June Millington for a panel discussion at 5 p.m., St. John's Unitarian Church, Clifton. Tickets: $10 at the door. 221-1118 or visit www.musechoir.org.

E-mail jbennett @enquirer.com; fax 768-8330