Best Bets/Hot Tickets FRIDAY

Best Bets/Hot Tickets FRIDAY
* Shove off for Sharon, Pa., site of the 23rd annual Small Ships Review. A parade featuring the homemade boats and their crews will be at 6 p.m. in the downtown area, and the vessels will be put to the test on the Shenango River at 7 p.m. The first-place crew will receive $1,000 cash; in all, more than $5,000 in prizes will be awarded. Stick around for the Red-Hot Fest at Three By the River, featuring music by The Hern Brothers at 8 p.m., Karaoke at 9 and fireworks at 10. Another band, Velveeta, will play in Hot Rod Cafe.
* It's Jimmy Buffett Weekend in Youngstown. First stop for Parrotheads: The Italian American War Veterans Centre, 115 S. Meridian Road, from 8:30 to 12:30. Prizes will be awarded to the best-dressed Buffett fan and for the best performance of a Buffett song. Cheeseburgers will be on the menu, of course. The party continues at 10 p.m. Saturday at Little Gail's, 1544 Mahoning Ave., with contests and food that will be cooked on a spit.
* Mariah Carey knows what you want -- tickets to her Aug. 3 concert at Scene Pavilion in Cleveland's Flats district. Buy them as of 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster. Mariah's latest chart-climbing song is "I Know What You Want," a duet with Busta Rhymes.
* Other concert tickets going on sale include rock singer Meat Loaf, who's embarking on what he says will be his last world tour, Sept. 19 at Tower City Amphitheatre, Cleveland; and gothic-metal band Type O Negative with Lacuna Coil, July 31 at Odeon Concert Club, also in Cleveland. Call Ticketmaster.
SATURDAY
* Twenty is the magic number at B & amp;B Backstage, U.S. Route 224 and Tiffany Boulevard, Boardman. It's the Fabulous Flashbacks 20th Anniversary Reunion Show, at which people will begin to gather at 6 p.m. Twenty also is the benchmark number for admission. For people ages 20 and under, cost is $10. For those over age 20, tickets are $20 now and $25 at the gate. Call (330) 758-1557.
* For cutting-edge rock music, check out Trapt, Three Days Grace and Smile Empty Soul on Aug. 7 at Agora Theatre, Cleveland. Ticketmaster will sell tickets beginning at 10 a.m.
* Celebrate "Kissmas in July" with hip-hop artist Nelly at 7:30 p.m. July 28 at Cleveland Music Hall. Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. at Ticketmaster outlets. Nelly also will perform July 27 at Cafaro Field in Niles.
SUNDAY
* Sidney E. Shuler, who recently completed his degree in music education at YSU's Dana School of Music, will be guest cornet soloist at the "Sounds of Summer" performance by W.D. Packard Concert Band, at 7 p.m. on the Packard Music Hall lawn, 1703 Mahoning Ave. N.W., Warren. Shuler will be featured during "Carnival of Venice." The band also will perform a tribute to Sammy Davis Jr. Shuler has enrolled at University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana, where he will pursue a masters degree in trumpet performance.
* "Jazz in the Garden" returns to Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, One Schenley Park, Pittsburgh. A concert featuring Pittsburgh Jazz Society Hall of Fame inductee Sandy Staley will be from 1 to 3 p.m. in the conservatory's outdoor garden. Other jazz concerts will be by Frank Cunimondo Trio on July 27 and Algo Latino, The Premier Latin Big Band, on Aug. 31. Conservatory hours are 9 to 5 Tuesdays through Sundays. Admission is $6 for adults, $5 for senior citizens, $4 for students and $3 for children ages 2 to 12.
NEXT WEEK
* Talk about rappers' delight -- hitmakers 50 Cent ("21 Questions"), Jay-Z ("03 Bonnie and Clyde"), Missy Elliott ("Work It"), Busta Rhymes ("I Know What You Want") and Sean Paul ("Get Busy") will perform at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Post-Gazette Pavilion, Routes 18 and 22, Burgettstown, Pa. Call Ticketmaster about tickets.
* Gateway Clipper Fleet, which docks at Station Square in Pittsburgh, has special events planned for the July 4th weekend. Tony Janflone Jr. Band will play on the Rhythm & amp; Blues Cruise from 8 to 11 p.m. Thursday. Polka with Dick Tady, Eddie Rodick and Ray Skovenski orchestras from 1 to 4 p.m. July 4. Brownie Mary will be featured on the New Rock Cruise from 9 p.m. to midnight July 5, and Italian Day will be celebrated by Marco Carroccia, The Capri Band and Carmelina & amp; The Masquerade Band from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. July 6. Call (412) 355-7980 for information.
* Sharon Speedway isn't just for cars anymore. U.S. Flat Track Motorcycle Championship Series races will be July 5 at Sharon Speedway, 3301 Orangeville-Custer Road, Hartford. Gates will open at 4 p.m. Call (330) 772-5481 for ticket information.