Weekend planner: Dozens of hot events

It's not just the temperature this weekend that'll be sizzling.

A full-blown heatwave will blanket the region through Monday with highs approaching 100 degrees coupled with oppressive humidity.

So keeping cool may take a little work.

But dozens of events - a live-music fests on the Delaware River Waterfront, an international cycling championship and an ethnic street festival - will provide a distraction from the summertime swelter.

ALL WEEKEND

North America's most prestigious cycling contest rolls into Philadelphia this afternoon with three-days of parades, picnics, and family biking activities that'll culminate Sunday with the 24th Commerce Bank Philadelphia International Championship and Liberty Classic.

More than 200 of the world's top pro cyclists race at 9 a.m. Sunday on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, competing for more than $90,000 in prize money.

.

SATURDAY

Three music festivals!

The Roots Picnic Hip-hop's hometown heroes throw down the party of the year at Festival Pier on the waterfront. The Roots, Gnarls Barkley, Sharon Jones, and Santogold top the bill for day-long beat-heavy bacchanal. Columbus Blvd. at Spring Garden Street. Doors open at noon. Tickets: $49.50.

WXTU Anniversary Concert. A star-studded hoedown at the the Susquehanna Bank Center on Camden's waterfront brings some of country music's biggest names to the region to celebrate WXTU's 24-years on the air. Sugarland, Billy Ray Cyrus, Keith Anderson lead the line dancers. The all-day fest is free but tickets are required.

Appel Farm Arts Music Festival. A fantastic line-up of family-friendly folk, pop, rock is on tap in the South Jersey countryside. The ever-winsome Suzanne Vega shares top-billing with the kings of quirky pop, They Might Be Giants. Also appearing: The Smithereens, Marc Cohn, Vienna Teng, Enter The Haggis, and others. A Childrens Village will entertain with Tuckers Tales Puppet Theatre and storyteller Ken Kaplan. Tickets: $45. Children under 12, free. Appel Farm Arts and Music Center, 457 Shirley Road, Elmer.

More Concerts:

Swervedriver with Longwave and Terra Diablo at the TLA , 334 South Street.

John Gorka Bryn Mawr Twilight Concerts The Bryn Mawr Gazebo, 9 S. Bryn Mawr Ave.

In Atlantic City:

The O'Jays headline a celebration of the Sound of Philadelphia. Also performing are the Stylistics, Harold Melvin's Bluenotes, The Delfonics, The Intruders, Three Degrees, Soul Survivors, Jean Carn, Bunny Sigler and MFSB. Jerry Butler hosts at the Borgata Event Center.

Clint Black Tropicana Casino.

Manhattan Transfer House of Blues, Atlantic City.

Engelbert Humperdinck Trump Plaza.

.

Other Saturday events

Philly Pride Festival. 20th annual celebration begins with Sing-Along Sound of Music at The Great Plaza at Penn's Landing. 8 p.m. Free. The Festival - which unites the city's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender communities - continues Sunday with a noon parade led by Bruce Vilanch, concerts and performances at four Old City locations.

Dragon Boat Regatta Schuylkill River. Kelly Drive near Strawberry Mansion Bridge. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free.

Rittenhouse Square Fine Arts Show 140 artists. 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

QUASH Scrounge up a team of two to four members and participate the Quest to Unravel Alzheimer's Scavenger Hunt , a scavenger hunt to fight Alzheimer's Disease, on Saturday. The mental - and physical - challenge will take place among Philadelphia landmarks beginning at 10 a.m.

David Sedaris Satirist and writer reads at Joseph Fox Bookshop. 1724 Sansom Street. Free with purchase of book. Noon.

Paul Taylor Dance Company Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, 3680 Walnut St. 2 p.m. & 8 p.m.

Pennsylvania Ballet Carnival of Animals. Narration by John Lithgow. Academy of Music. Broad and Locust Streets. Noon and 8 p.m.

Philly Roller Girls. Warrior Cup Championship. Broad Street Butchers face off against Lancaster's Dutchland Rollers at 6 p.m. Philthy Britches roll against the Heavy Metal Hookers for the Warrior Cup at 7:30. Sportsplex, Feasterville, Pa. Tickets: $12.

Championship Boxing Undefeated middleweight champ Kelly "The Ghost" Pavlik defends his title against challenger Gary Lockett at Boardwalk Hall in AC.

The Happiness Lecture. Comedian-actor Bill Irwin stars. Through June 15. Suzanne Roberts Theater, 480 S. Broad St.

.

DOWN THE SHORE:

West Cape May Strawberry Festival New Strawberry Queen and King will be crowned at the end of the day. Wilbraham Park, corner of Sunset and Broadway, West Cape May. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free.

Ocean City Downtown Street Fair. 6th to 11th Streets along Asbury Avenue, 10am-4pm. Free.

Ocean City Miss Artisan Pageant Music Pier, Moorlyn Terrace and Boardwalk. Music and entertainment. 7 p.m. Free.

Celtic Festival Historic Cold Spring Village. 720 Rt. 9 South, Cape May. Bagpipers, dancing, workshops, music, children's activities and crafts. 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

.

SUNDAY

Street fests and music, music, music.

ODUNDE Festival and African Marketplace Celebration of African-American heritage includes a noon procession to the Schuylkill, where offerings will be made to Oshun, the Goddess of the River. Crafts people will offer wares for sale as traditional and contemporary music artists perform on two stages. KRS-ONE, this year's headliner, will close the festival with his conscious hip-hop. Along South Street (between 21st and 23rd Streets) and Grays Ferry Avenue (to Christian Street) from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Free.

Philly Pride Festival Uniting the city's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender communities, but open to everyone, Pridefest continues Sunday with a noon parade led by Bruce Vilanch, a concert by Betty, and outlandish performances at four Old City locations.

Rittenhouse Square Fine Arts Show 140 artists. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free.

Pennsylvania Ballet Carnival of Animals. Narration by John Lithgow. Academy of Music. Broad and Locust Streets. 2 p.m.

.

More Sunday music:

In Philadelphia

The Breeders with The Montana Boys. TLA, 334 South Street.

Dan Bern. World Cafe Live. 3025 Walnut Street.

.

In Atlantic City

Robert Plant and Alison Krauss Borgata Event Center

moe. Music Box at The Borgata.

John Legend at the Borgata Event Center.

.

Down the Shore

Cape May Music Festival: The Dixie Hummingbirds Gospel greats at the Paul W. Schmidtchen Theatre, Lower Cape Regional High, Route 9 South.