The Butler County Symphony Orchestra will begin its 61st season Oct. 10 with music from three Old World countries.

"Coming to America" opens with folk music from Germany, Austria and Italy. All concerts this season will explore the influence of the Old World on the American music.

The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Butler Intermediate High School auditorium, 551 Fairground Hill Road.

Individual tickets cost $15 in advance or $18 at the door. All student tickets are priced at $5. Group rates are available.

For more information, call the symphony office at 724-283-1402 or visit the Web site at www.butlersymphony.org.

BUTLER TWP — Some tickets are still available for the Music for Medicine, From Classical to Jazz, concert on Saturday that will benefit the Community Health Clinic of Butler County.The show will begin at 7:30 p.m. at Butler County Community College's Succop Theater.Area natives William Purvis on French horn, Jim Pugh on trombone, and Jim Cunningham on trumpet will open the concert with a brass trio performance.Tickets are $20 in advance, or $25 at the door. VIP tickets, which include special seating and a reception after the concert, are $50.Reservations can be made by calling 724-284-8505 or going online to www.bc3.edu/theater.

The Maridon Museum's annual "Treasures or Trinkets: Appraisals" is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 10.Six antique dealers will be on hand to give verbal appraisals of family treasures. Cost is $5 per item, limited to 10 items per person. No reservations are requiredThe museum, at 322 N. McKean St., houses a recently renovated netsuke exhibit, as well as hundreds of pieces of ancient and contemporary Asian art and Meissen porcelain.Regular museum hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays; closed Mondays and holidays. Call 724-282-0123.

EAST BRADY — The Armstrong Rails to Trails Association and the Allegheny Valley Land Trust will have a 31-mile fall bicycle ride Oct. 17.The ride will start 1 p.m. at the northern end of the Armstrong portion of the trail in the borough and end in Rosston.The registration fee, which is due Oct. 9, is $5. The fee is $15 if the rider uses a ferry ride to East Brady. Checks should be sent to: The Armstrong Rails to Trails Association, P.O. Box 177, Kittanning, PA 16201. For information, call 724-543-4478 or 724-526-3552.

PITTSBURGH — A celebration of children's books and their creators will take place Oct. 9 at the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh's fifth annual Fall Festival of Children's Books.This year's theme is "New Ways of Reading" and will feature three authors and illustrators: Eric Wight, Rachel Griffiths and Jonah Winter.Tickets are $15 for the program only, and $25 for the program and lunch. For tickets, call 412-322-5058, Ext. 240 or visit www.fallfestivalofchildrensbooks.org.

CABOT — Concordia Lutheran Ministries will hold its annual Oktoberfest celebration from 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday at a new venue this year: Haven I, 112 Marwood Road.Entertainment will include The Continental Dukes German Band, as well as a car show and hay rides. For the children, there will be caricature artists, a petting zoo, pony rides, bouncer castle, face painting, games and crafts. The soon-to-be-finished baseball field in Concordia's backyard will be dedicated as well. Food will be available.A Zambelli Fireworks display will light up the sky at 7:45 p.m.The event is open to the community and children age 12 and younger will receive free food tickets. For information, call 724-352-1571, Ext. 8266.

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Public Theater opens its 35th season with "Ella," the bio-musical about Ella Fitzgerald, known as The First Lady of Song."Ella," which includes 23 hits, will open tonight and run through Nov. 1 at the O'Reilly Theater, 621 Penn Ave.The show goes on at 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays (except Oct. 27 when the show will begin at 7 p.m.); at 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays (except Oct. 10); and at 7 p.m. Sundays (except Nov. 1).Tickets range from $40 to $60; students and those age 26 and younger pay $15. For tickets call 412-316-1600 or visit www.ppt.org.