The Next 7: Your guide to this week’s entertainment

With all the exciting events going on this summer, the possibilities are practically endless. Here’s a look at what’s coming up this week, from August 4 to August 10. In the “Main Attractions” section, you’ll find the region’s biggest festivals, concerts and other events. “A Week’s Worth of Fun” offers ideas for close-to-home fun for the family most days of the week. Finally, “Ongoing Adventures” is your guide to museums, parks and other attractions ripe for a summer visit with your family. Enjoy the summer!

MAIN ATTRACTIONS

Thursday-Sunday, August 7-10: NASCAR Series Weekend at The Glen, NASCAR's biggest stars come to The Glen for the Sprint Cup Series. From The Bog to the McDonald's Family Grandstand to camping or just one-day tickets, there is something for racing fans of every age. Watkins Glen International, 2790 County Route 16, Watkins Glen. theglen.com.

Sioux Empire Fair Brings New Entertainment

After 75 years, it can be a challenge to keep things fresh.
Therefore, Sioux Empire Fair organizers made some changes to this year's entertainment for the event's 75th anniversary.

With the finishing touches being put in place for the start of the Sioux Empire Fair, there's quite a bit of anticipation surrounding the event's 75th anniversary.

For starters, those planning to come out to the 10-day event can expect some changes to the entertainment...as well as a bang for their buck.

Comedy Is The Most Popular Genre in the In-Flight Entertainment Business

Passengers laughing at what they view on seatback screens is nothing new in the airline industry, and Spafax research shows comedy is still the most watched genre.

To airlines seeking to please passengers and attract ancillary revenue, comedy is therefore serious business.

The findings of Spafax, which supplies in-flight entertainment to 30 airlines in 20 countries, including British Airways and Lufthansa, point to passengers on long flights seeking people to relax and laugh, and there is less emphasis on watching thriller or horror films, although some airlines still offer those genres.

Will Adamsdale: sitting at the cheap bar between theatre and comedy

Ten years after his Perrier victory with Jackson's Way, the one-time Human Computer is back at the Edinburgh festival with a new show about borders

Will Adamsdale and I are leafing through the 2014 Edinburgh fringe brochure, seeing which of the sections his new show, Borders, could conceivably fall into. It's quite a fun exercise. "I could be in theatre, sure. I'm not saying it would be good theatre, but … spoken word, yes; music, yes." And so on. We figure out that if he relieved Borders of its two swearwords (thus qualifying him for "children's shows"), he could be listed in over half of the available categories.

Jamestown welcomes Lucy home with annual comedy festival

It all starts with Lucille Ball – and next week, she will be remembered – and laughed about – in grand fashion.

Once a year, coinciding with the comedienne’s Aug. 6 birthday, legions of Lucy lovers from around the country and overseas converge on Jamestown for the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival. The five-day event, which starts Wednesday and continues through Aug. 10, includes headliners Jay Leno, Tom Cotter and Caroline Rhea; several interactive lunches and comedy classes; and plenty of Lucy-centric activities. (Think you can stomp grapes and wrap chocolate as well as Lucy and Ethel? You’ll get a chance to find out.)

Lucie Arnaz, daughter of Ball and Desi Arnaz and herself a noted entertainer, is the featured musical guest, sharing the stage with Leno, whose Saturday evening performance has been sold out for weeks.