Watch rowing races, adopt a dog, celebrate the Italian Market and more things to do, May 17-May 23

FAMILY

Mt. Airy Kids Literary Fest

This weekend-long book fest aims to please tots through teens. Visits from authors of Poppy's Pants and Boy + Bot, plus kids' yoga, craft time, music, creative writing, poetry slamming and loads more fill the kid-genda.

Big Blue Marble Bookstore, 551 Carpenter Lane, 10:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. today, 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. tomorrow, 10:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Sunday, most events are free, 215-844-1870, bigbluemarblebooks.com and Color Book Gallery, 6353 Germantown Ave., noon-4 p.m. tomorrow, free, 215-844-4200, colorbookgallery.com.

Stotesbury Cup Regatta

Last week was Dad Vail. This week, it's high schoolers' turn to take over the Schuylkill. Nearly 200 schools will race, starting early today.

Kelly Drive from Strawberry Mansion Bridge to Columbia Railroad Bridge, shuttles from plateau above Kelly Drive, 8 a.m.-5:50 p.m. today and tomorrow, free, stotesburycupregatta.com.

With Love: Super Adoption Day

More than 30 animal-welfare organizations, including ACCT, PSPCA, Morris and PAWS, bring adoptable pets and info to Penn's Landing for this large fair organized by Citizens for No-Kill Philadelphia.

Also in attendance: dog trainers, gear vendors, animal gyms, Sheena Parveen, kids tugging on adults' hands and begging, "Please can we take him home? Please?" And, if he's up to it, Lentil, the local French bulldog puppy with a cleft palate and umpteen Facebook fans.

Walnut Street Plaza on Penn's Landing (S. Columbus Boulevard at Walnut Street), 11 a.m.-4 p.m. tomorrow, phillynokill.org.

How the Elephant Got its Trunk

Puppets tell Rudyard Kipling's classic animal stories, and more animated dolls sing opera to Mozart, Rossini and Strauss. Puppeteer Jim West, who's played both the Met and "Mister Roger's Neighborhood" makes high art appeal to the highchair set. (Today's performance is sold out.)

Sellersville Theater, 24 W. Temple Ave., Sellersville, 1 p.m. tomorrow, $8-$10, 215-257-5808, st94.com.

FESTIVALS

Italian Market Festival

Some people avoid crowds. Others seek them out. The latter will be on hand in spades to watch the Procession of Saints, listen to DJ music, get their faces painted and play in a halfball tournament. Now that's Italian.

S. 9th Street from Catharine to Federal streets, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. tomorrow and Sunday, free, 215-278-2903, italianmarketfestival.com.

Kensington Kinetic Sculpture Derby and Trenton Avenue Arts

Wonder where Philly gets its rep for artsy-fartsy fun? Stop by this popular six-block-long Fishtown event, which combines a parade of fantastical human-moved floats, 200 vendors of crafty arts (and artsy crafts), a serious lineup of food trucks and a neighborhood-wide afterparty at (where else?) art galleries and hipster bars.

Trenton Avenue between Norris Street and Frankford Avenue and Susquehanna from Martha Street to Trenton Avenue, noon tomorrow, free, kinetickensington.org and trentonaveartsfest.org.

Brewerytown Spring Fest

All food trucks, and some duplicates, not at the Derby will be parking and serving at this neighborhood block party. Local art, beer, clothes and more for sale, too.

W. Girard Avenue between 27th and 28th streets, noon-5 p.m., free, fairmountcdc.org.

MUSIC

Asleep at the Wheel

"Battle of the hillbilly jazzsters" night? Pick your poison. Doug and Tellisha open for Ray Benson and his AATW compadres.

Sellersville Theater, Main and Temple streets, Sellersville, 6 and 9 tonight, $29.50. 215-267-5808, st94.com.

Tom Jones

Oh, Delilah, it is that Tom Jones - though a more current representation. While his really big decades as a singer, sex symbol and TV variety show host/star were the '60s and '70s, the still-studly Welshman refuses to carry on as an oldies act. His new album ("Spirit in the Room") finds Jones getting positively folksy, with intimate vocals, light acoustic arrangements and apt covers.

TLA, 334 South St., 8 tonight, $55-$75, 800-745-3000, livenation.com.

Clutch

Stoner rockers strip gears and steer straight for the wall with a pedal-to-the-blues-metal attack. Think Led Zeppelin riffing with Pantera.

Electric Factory, 7th and Willow streets, 8 tonight, $20, 215-627-1332, electricfactory.info.

Les Sampou

Boston has birthed many a fine "Americana" talent. And Les is more of the same, well worth your ears. Catch her (and band) performing blues/jazz flavored tunes from the new "Lonesomeville" album, plus standards by Peggy Lee, Bill Withers and others. Philly Blues Kings open in this intimate living-room music venue.

Jamey's House of Music, 5841 Overbrook Ave., 8 tonight, $25, 215-477-7578, psalmsalon.com.

Charles Bradley and His Extraordinaires

Who says they don't make knock down, drag out, soul sweatin', whole lotta lovin' R&B testifiers/composers like James Brown anymore? Extraordinaire! Paul and the Tall Trees bloom first.

Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden St., 8:30 tonight, $20, 215-232-2100, utphilly.com.

Bill Kirchen

Veteran Texas swing and rockabilly talent (long flying with Commander Cody) remains a master of snazzy guitar licks and snappy, funny lyrics.

Tin Angel, 20 S. 2nd St., 8:30 tonight, $15, 215-928-0978, tinangel.com.

Trace Adkins

The contemporary country star is back on a tour that brings him to Atlantic City tonight with a new album to promote. "Love Will" finds Adkins dipping a toe in new musical waters like soul and mainstream pop.

Caesars, Boardwalk at Arkansas Avenue, 9 tonight, $50-$80, 800-736-1420, ticketmaster.com.

The Killers

Their postponement (from 12/13) is your gain, as the rescheduled date opens up unreserved lawn accommodations to this previously sold-out (when indoors-only) show. The Killers are one of our favorite guilty pleasures. Think a desert-rat Springsteen basking in the glow of the Las Vegas strip. The Virgins open.

Susquehanna Bank Center, 1 Harbour Blvd., Camden, 8 p.m. tomorrow, $25 (lawn seats), 800-745-3000, livenation.com.

Philadelphia Orchestra

Guest conductor Simon Rattle's unusual program consists of Webern, Berg and Ligeti contrasting with Beethoven's Sixth ("Pastoral") Symphony. At the Saturday evening concert, Rattle will begin by leading the West Philadelphia-based Play On, Philly Orchestra, young musicians involved in Venezuela's fabulously successful El Sistema program, in the first movement of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony. Talk about being inspired - in both directions!

Verizon Hall, Kimmel Center, Broad and Spruce streets, 8 p.m. tomorrow and 2 p.m. Sunday, tickets extremely limited, 215-893-1999, philorch.org.

Paul Anka

The Canadian-born singer-composer, in his sixth decade in show business, continues to be a draw, especially on the casino circuit.

Sands Bethlehem, 77 Sands Blvd., 8 p.m. tomorrow, $45.50-$110, 800-745-3000, sandseventcenter.com.

Dolce Suono

The ensemble's founder, flutist Mimi Stillman, along with pianist Natalie Zhu and soprano Susan Shafer, present "Debussy as Painter of Song." Plus music inspired by Debussy composed by seven competition winners.

Field Concert Hall, Curtis Institute, 1726 Locust St., 3 p.m. Sunday, $25, 267-252-1803, dolcesuono.com.

Symphony in C and Mendelssohn Club

These two impressive ensembles, under the baton of Rossen Milanov, team up in Haydn's glorious oratorio "The Creation," depicting the creation of the world based on Genesis and Milton's "Paradise Lost."

Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral, 3723 Chestnut St., 4 p.m. Sunday, $30-$40, 215-735-9922, mcchorus.org.

Mötley Crüe

Hop on the Harley and rev your personal engine for a trip to the devil's zone, er, little town of Bethlehem. Might even want to stay over, as the Crüe's cranking two nights in a row.

Sands Bethlehem Events Center, 8 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, $79.50, 800-745-3000, sandseventcenter.com.

The Temptations Review

Early Temp Dennis Edwards headlines this toe-tapping (OK, dancing out of your seat) tribute group, performing in slick Motown style to benefit Haverford Avenue's St. Ignatius Nursing and Rehab Center.

Mitten Hall, Temple Performing Arts Center, 1837 N. Broad St., 8 p.m. Tuesday, $48, 800-298-4200, templeperformingartscenter.org.

Chicago

Do you really know what year it is? Do you really care? This chart-topping holdout from the '70s - four of the six original members remain - keeps the nostalgia flowing and hits reprising.

Sands Bethlehem, 77 Sands Blvd., 8 p.m. Wednesday, $60.50-$96, 800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com.

ON STAGES

Dance Theatre of Harlem

After an eight-year hiatus, and now featuring spectacular local dancer Michaela DePrince of "First Position" fame, this esteemed troupe takes the stage in West Philly to do what they do best: Balanchine. The choreographer's "Agon," a collaboration with Stravinsky, and the Act III Pas de Deux from "Swan Lake" are on the program, as are three Philly premieres.

Annenberg Center, 3680 Walnut St., 8 p.m. tonight, 2 and 8 p.m. tomorrow, 3 p.m. Sunday, $20-$75, 215-898-3900, annenbergcenter.org.

- Compiled by Jonathan Takiff, Lauren McCutcheon, Tom Di Nardo and Chuck Darrow