PONIES AT PRIMROSE: The Primrose School of Hilburn is hosting its annual Spring festival from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday Proceeds will benefit three children's charities: Reach Out and Read, a national nonproft that promotes early childhood literacy, Kindness for Kyra, which benefits the family of a child who attended the school and is battling cancer, and Team Jackson, which raises money for another local child with cancer. Activities include pony rides, arts and crafts and games. Admission is free, but there is a charge for some activities. The center is at 6941 Hilburn Drive. Call 783-8222 for info.

PICK A PLANT: The Pilot Club, which has members from North Raleigh, will take part in a plant sale today through Sunday at the State Fairgrounds. Hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and noon to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday. They will be selling annuals including geraniums, bedding plants, ferns, hanging baskets, and other assorted annuals. Most of the proceeds from this sale will go to Project Lifesaver in Wake County. Project Lifesaver quickly locates people with brain disorders, such as Alzheimer's and Autism, who wander away from home. In addition to the Pilot Club's sale, azaleas will be sold by Gardeners of Wake County, rhododendrons and camellias by the 4-H Club, and perennials by the Raleigh Garden Club.

SPOKES FOR HOPE: A bicycling fundraiser to benefit the Foundation of Hope for Research and Treatment of Mental Illness will be held Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon. Start times for 65-mile, 35-mile and Family Fun Ride (5-10 mile) routes will be staggered. The event will be held at Trek Bicycles of Raleigh, 10911 Raven Ridge Road. Registration is $25 for adults and $15 for children, plus $1 per mile. For more information, visit www.walkforhope.com or call 781-9255.

SUNDAY

ART SHOW: Sertoma Arts Center is having an opening gallery reception from 2 to 4 p.m. The exhibit includes the group Sertoma Park Artists, exhibiting works in oil, acrylics, pastel, charcoal, watercolor and mixed media. Also on display will be hand-woven jewelry by Linda Ayers. The exhibition goes through May 17.

RIDE FOR THE CURE: Motorcyclists are invited to Ride for the Cure. The ride, which raised $5,000 last year for the Susan G. Komen Foundation, will start and end at Scooters Bar and Grill, 1911 Sego Court. Registration is from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Tickets are $20 per ride and include a T-shirt. Music will be provided by "The Switch." Go to www.rideforthecure.us.

CHOIR BOYS: The Raleigh Boychoir presents the annual "American Music Festival" on Sunday at 4 p.m. at the Bayleaf Baptist Church, 12200 Bayleaf Church Road. The event is free and includes an afternoon tea. For more information, please call 881-9259 or visit www.raleighboychoir.org.

BENEFIT CONCERT: A concert to benefit the people of Uganda will be held at 6 p.m. at Wake Forest Baptist Church, 107 E. South Ave. in Wake Forest. An offering will be taken at the end of the concert. For more information, go to www.embraceuganda.org/home.

MUSIC SERIES: Zydecopious, the Triangle's zydeco band, will kick off the 17th year of Six Sundays in Spring, an outdoor concert series sponsored by the Wake Forest Cultural Arts Association. The free concert is at 5 p.m. at the Wake Forest Birthplace.

DURING THE WEEK

BOOK SIGNING: Elaine Luddy Klonicki, author of "All on Account of You: A True WWII Love Story," will be doing a slide show, reading, and signing of her book at the Friends of the Wake Forest Library's annual meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Northern Regional Center, next door to the Wake Forest Public Library at 400 E. Holding Ave., in Wake Forest. For more information, call 554-8498.

URGENT NEED: The Pest Foster Network urgently needs dog and cat food. The nonprofit serves 30 local pet rescue and adoption organizations by helping recruit foster homes and educating the public. Recently, two foster owners lost their jobs, and money is nonexistent for dog/cat food. Purina One, Pedigree, Alpo and Iams food is what these pets usually consume. Puppy food is also needed. Donations are being collected through May 15. All donations are tax-deductible. Pet food can be dropped off at Frannie's Grooming, 9101 Leesville Road #161, or call 870-8840. Financial contributions will go toward purchasing food. Make checks payable to Pet Foster Network, 6040A Six Forks Road, #131. For more information, contact msusanlee@att.net.

CELEBRITY SCIENTIST: Dr. Kathy Reichs, a renowned forensic anthropologist and author, will be the luncheon speaker for Pages To Podium, a speaking series sponsored by the Raleigh Professional Women's Forum. Reichs' forensic work and her novels were the inspiration for the TV series "Bones." In addition to working in medical examiners' offices in North Carolina and Quebec, Reichs is a professor of anthropology at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. The luncheon is Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tickets are $50 and include a sit-down lunch at Brier Creek Country Club. Go to www.rpwf.net or call 233-6600.