Are you listening to music? The poor guys and gals with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra are not heading to the beach. Instead they are playing TWO outdoor concerts. Join the ASO and The Temptations at Caldwell Park Friday night at 8. Beer, wine and soft drinks will be available for purchase. (FYI, law says you can’t bring your own and you can’t bring glass containers … unless you are very, very sneaky. Just don’t expect us to bail you out.) The park is located at 1116 26th St. South. Tickets are $20/students $10. Call ’em at 251-7727.

Then Saturday, the ASO takes the show on the road to Fort McClellan’s Longleaf Park. In honor of the holiday Monday, the show is patriotic in theme. Tickets at the gate are $25/ages 4-12 $5/and under 3 free. Grounds open at 6 p.m. for picnics and visiting, show starts at 8. Food and drinks will be for sale and picnic baskets/coolers encouraged. I can’t find anything on the Web site that tells you what you can’t have in that cooler, so BYOB. For more info, call (256) 310-0852.

Pretty much the ASO is going to be doing outdoor concerts all summer in Caldwell Park and Fort McClellan. Check the websites for future dates and plan to enjoy some music under the stars. Also, both series offer advance tickets/ticket packages at discount. Worth checking out to save some dough for the gas pump.

And since many folks are traveling this long weekend, those gas pumps are going to be busy. If, because of the gas prices, you can’t go far but still want to go someplace, anyplace … how about heading to Decatur for the 31st Annual Alabama Jubilee Hot-Air Balloon Classic? Besides the pretty balloons floating above, there will be fun down on the ground too. Car show, art show, tractor pull … okay after tractor pull, enough said. And they’ll have food and live music too. The festival is both Saturday and Sunday. Check the Web site for the event schedule and directions.

Travel safe whether you are leaving town or staying here. State troopers will be out in full force for the holiday weekend. Besides, going the speed limit is suppose to save you gas.

And keep the comments coming. You guys were so great last week to post your own plans. You’ve got me curious — now I want to know what you’re doing this weekend…