*HEAR some smooth sounds in Lyme Regis with the town's Jazz and Blues Festival.

Beginning tonight, jazzers and blue hounds will be flocking to the town centre, the Marine Theatre and other venues to hear a cool cacophony of sound.

Maggie Bell will be performing tomorrow night (read our interview in The Guide), while Canvey Island rockers Dr Feelgood will be rounding things off on Sunday evening.

See lymeregisjazzfestival.co.uk for more information.

*PINK ladies will be wending their way around a tricky uphill course at Kingston Maurward College on Sunday.

The Dorchester Race for Life, in aid of Cancer Research UK, gets under way from 11am.

*JINGLE those ankle bells at the Wessex Folk Festival this weekend.

All the action will be in Trinity Road and Hope Square with morris dancing, food and craft stalls along the picturesque harbourside.

There will also be ticketed concerts in Hope Church workshops and traditional sessions. See wessexfolkfestival.com for full timings.

*SEE how many laughs £10 will buy you will the Bridport Comedy Network at the Electric Palace tonight.

Up and coming stand-ups Matt Winning, Tiff Stevenson and Mark Smith will feature.

Tickets are £10 in advance or £12 on the door. Call 01308 424901 to pre-book.

*CANINE fun is on the cards at the Joseph Weld Hospice in Dorchester tomorrow with Weldmar's Family Dog Show.

Running from 12pm to 4pm, judging begins at 1pm. Entrance is £1 for adults and under 16s go free.

Among the categories dogs will be competing in are Most Waggiest Tail and Cutest Puppy.

*THOSE with green fingers should get themselves along to Stratton Village Hall tonight.

A Gardeners' Special is being held by Dorchester Casterbridge Rotary Club in support of their Nepal projects.

Stephen Griffith, curator of Abbotsbury Gardens and its head gardener for the last 25 years, will talk about the gardens' development over 250 years.

He will be joined by Nigel Hewish, head gardener at Kingston Maurward.

Tickets cost £7.50 on the door or £6.50 in advance. Tickets are available from Dorchester Tourist Information Centre on 01305 267992 or from Rotary members or contact Mike Beesley on 01305 880055 or mjbeesley@btinternet.com

*CELEBRATE Dorset Wild Flower Week with a guided walk near Wareham tomorrow.

The walk takes place at Stoborough Heath and will take people across heathland and acid grassland flora.

Meet at the small car park off the Arne Road at Ridge, near Wareham at 10.30am.

Donations of £2 to the Dorset Flora Group are welcome.