Rah Power

 FRI 11/28

It's easy to overlook the cheerleaders. They can be seen on the game-day sidelines in their matching uniforms. Black and gold for the Liberty City Warriors. Red, white, and black for the Northwest Boys & Girls Clubs Falcons. Not many people realize that these girls battle it out every bit as fiercely as football games played by the boys.

Anyone who's ever seen a cheerleading championship knows that girls are way, way tougher than boys. Cheerleading coaches are much more into it than even the most over-the-top football coach. Squads will showcase 3-minute routines of their tightest cheers. It's a spectacle with a Ludacris soundtrack. The Pop Warner Southeast Region Cheerleading Competition starts at 9:00 a.m. at the Miami Arena, 721 NW 1st Ave. Tickets cost $7 for adults and $2 for children grades K-12. Call 305-530-4400 or contact Frank Gowan at FG1948@cs.com. -- By Robert Andrew Powell

X-Mouse

Experience the politics of treelighting

FRI 11/28

"Hey Mickey you're so fine, you're so fine you blow my mind." Could it be? Next year's candidate for "Best Place to Go Stoned"? Downtown's Holiday Village theme park, featuring the show "Mickey's Magical Gathering," promises to produce the world's tallest Christmas tree, a nearly century-old Norway spruce from New York state. And while some may wax nostalgic for our former Mickey Mouse Mayor Joe Carollo, it will be Mayor Manny Diaz who will join the cartoon rodent for the tree-lighting ceremony. The village opens at 4:00 p.m. and runs through Sunday, January 4. The tree-lighting ceremony starts 7:30 p.m. at Bayfront Park, 301 Biscayne Blvd. Admission is free. Call 305-263-1413. -- By Victor Cruz