HOT TICKETS

Best bets for the coming week

Friends of the Library book sale

Mysteries, art books, travel adventures, cookbooks and best-selling nonfiction will be on sale Friday from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. during the Friends of the Library's book sale at the Main Library Auditorium, 68 Calhoun St., Charleston.

"Gently used" books, CDs, videos and DVDs will be available for prices starting at 50 cents. Proceeds of the sale go the Charleston County Public Library to help fund programs, special events, outreach and patron activities. For more information, call 805-6930 or visit www.ccpl.org.

Taylor Music Festival

The Taylor Music Festival returns to Charleston June 11-15 at Ashley Hall School. This 5-day event combines musical performance with education and instruction from many of North America's and Europe's finest classical and folk instrumental artists, instructors, and composers.

By day, participants can attend the Suzuki Institute, the Celtic Institute or vocal/violin classes. In the evening, the Taylor Music Festival Concert Series, which is open to the public, features performances by the faculty and the festival's flagship ensembles Na Fidleiri (pictured) and the Taylor Festival Choir. This year's featured artists are Ferintosh and duo John Doyle and Liz Carroll.

For a complete schedule of all the events going on, visit www.taylormusicgroup.org. Tickets to most evening performances (which take place at St. Matthew's Lutheran Church) are $15 for adults and $8 seniors and students. For more information, call 991-3878.

'Under the Boardwalk'

If you like the idea of going under the boardwalk without actually, well, physically going under the boardwalk and getting all wet and sandy, be sure to check out Good Food Catering's "Under the Boardwalk" (yes, we said that three times) evening of beach music, shagging and summertime foods at the Historic Rice Mill Building at 17 Lockwood Drive at the City Marina.

The event is today from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Mingle and snack on soft hot pretzels, homemade mini corn dogs, buffalo shrimp tacos and chicken. Sip on lemonade coolers and shag with seasoned instructor Kae Childs.

Watch the demonstration and then enjoy a lesson yourself. Beach music will be provided by Other Brother Entertainment. Coastal Cigars will have a premium cigar bar on site.

Tickets are $25 per person (which includes food, wine, gratuity and tax) and can be purchased by calling723-7952 or e-mailing info@goodfoodcatering.net.

Chicks with Checks

Family Connection, a nonprofit organization that assists families who have children with special needs, has been chosen to be the nonprofit beneficiary of this month's Chicks with Checks networking event that will take place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at Social Wine Bar, 188 East Bay Street.

Chicks with Checks, founded in 2006, is a membership organization which combines like-minded women with a fun gathering focused on awareness and raising funds for local charities.

"Each party focuses on a single community service organization, giving them a much needed voice that helps them connect to potential sources of funds and volunteers," said Kelli Grogg, Executive Director of Chicks with Checks.

Admission is $25, which includes appetizers. There will be a cash bar at the event.

For more information on attending the networking event, please contact Chicks with Checks, at 708-3965 or Family Connection at 556-5010.

AVP Charleston Open

The 2007 AVP Charleston Open event will mark the AVP's first appearance in Charleston as the world's top volleyball stars come to the Family Circle Tennis Center when the tournament runs today through Sunday.

Stars to compete at the tournament include five Olympic Gold medalists Kerri Walsh, Misty May, Karch Kiraly, Eric Fonoimoana and Dain Blanton.

It will take 80 dump trucks of sand to build the volleyball courts for the event. That's 1,472 tons of sand.

Twenty-four teams will compete in both men's and women's competition for a total purse of $200,000, awarding each championship team a check for $33,000 ($16,500 each player).

Qualifying takes place at the tennis center today from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and tournament play starts Friday at 7:30 a.m. Tickets for daily main draw matches Friday and Saturday range between $20 and $35. Semis and finals will take place on Sunday, and are also $20 and $35. Weekend ticket packages are $140.

Tickets are available on www.avp.com. For specific match times and more information, go to www.familycirclecup.com. 849-5300.