Thanks for the beer, Blank Slate Brewing Co.!
BrewRiver GastroPub will give its East End neighbor a fond farewell Thursday with a special tapping event. Blank Slate abruptly closed Monday after six years of brewing craft beer. Blank Slate’s Fork in the Road, Out and About, Movin' On, Shroominous and Hi-80 Pale -- as well as a lot of love for the brewery -- will flow throughout the evening at BrewRiver. Band We R Us, which BrewRiver employees first heard at the brewery, will play during the tapping, too.
5-10 p.m. Thursday. BrewRiver GastroPub, 2062 Riverside Drive, East End. For more information visit the event Facebook page.
Hamilton County Fair
Enjoy the 162nd Hamilton County fair through Sunday. See competitions, exhibits and plenty of good food at this truly homespun affair. And don’t miss the Naked Karate Girls, who will perform Friday evening.
4-11 p.m. Thursday-Friday; 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday; noon-10 p.m. Sunday. Hamilton County Fairgrounds, 7801 Anthony Wayne Ave., Carthage. $7 admission; $5 parking. www.hamiltoncountyfair.com
Great Inland Seafood Festival
This is one of the more interesting food festivals hosted along the banks of the Ohio River each summer. The Great Inland Seafood Festival features lobsters, crab cakes and a host of other ocean cuisine served by local restaurants. Expect to hear live music, too.
5-11 p.m. Thursday-Friday; noon-11 p.m. Saturday; noon-9 p.m. Sunday. Riverboat Row, Newport. Free. www.newportky.gov
Union Centre Food Truck Rally
Come hungry to the Union Centre Food Truck Rally on Friday. The rally features more than 30 participating food trucks serving everything from wings to gluten-free to vegan options. The event, which is organized by the Union Centre Business Merchants Association, is one of the most popular annual events in Butler County.
11:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Friday. The Square at Union Centre, 9285 Centre Pointe Drive, West Chester Township. Free. ucbma.com
Kings of Leon with Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats
Plan to be rocked by Grammy Award-winning Kings of Leon when the group plays Riverbend on Friday. The show is part of the band’s WALLS tour. Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats will open for Kings of Leon in what promises to be a great night of music.
7 p.m. Friday. Riverbend Music Center, 6295 Kellogg Ave., Anderson Township. $29.50-$79.50. www.riverbend.org
Cincy Blues Fest
If the blues are more your speed, you’ll definitely want to attend at least one night of Cincy Blues Fest. This three-stage event features some of the best blues artists around, including Everett and Delta Storm, Ruthie Foster, Ronnie Baker Brooks, Albert Cummings and others.
5 p.m.-midnight Friday; 4:30 p.m.-midnight Saturday. Sawyer Point Park, 705 E. Pete Rose Way, Downtown. $25 per day; $45 weekend pass; VIP tickets available. cincybluesfest.org
The Color Run
The Color Run returns to Cincinnati on Saturday and promises to live up to its tagline of being “the happiest 5K on the planet.” Prepare to get blasted with a rainbow of colors while running through foam and inflatable unicorns along the 3.1-mile course.
9 a.m. Saturday. Cincinnati Riverfront Parking Lot E, 425 W. Mehring Way, Downtown. $44.99 per team member; $49.99 individual participants. thecolorrun.com
Revel Party Brunch
Start your weekend right with the Revel Party Brunch this Saturday at Revel OTR. The urban winery is offering $20 bottomless mimosas from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., as well as seasonal wine cocktails such as mojitos, margaritas and mules. Beer and specialty shots also will be available, and DJ ETrayn will provide the dance music.
11:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. Revel OTR Urban Winery, 111 E. 12th St., Over-the-Rhine. RSVP requested. For more information visit the event Facebook page.
1940s Day at Lunken Airport
Take a trip back in time during the Cincinnati Museum Center’s 1940s Day at Lunken Airport. A panel of World War II veterans and Holocaust survivor Dr. Al Miller will share stories of sacrifice and survival. Classic cars from the 1920s-1940s and vintage planes will be on display. There also will be dancing and other demonstrations performed throughout the day.
10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday. Lunken Airport, 262 Wilmer Ave., East End. $10 adults; $5 children. www.cincymuseum.org
Bonus events
Darkness Brewing Anniversary party: Celebrate this Northern Kentucky brewery’s first year of business in Bellevue with specialty tappings and food. 1-11 p.m. Saturday. Darkness Brewing, 224 Fairfield Ave., Bellevue. For more information visit the Facebook event page.
Western & Southern Open: The annual Cincinnati Masters hardcourt tennis tournament kicks off Saturday in Mason. Some of the biggest names in tennis will face off on the court while live music and other attractions entertain off the court. Starts at 10 a.m. Saturday. Lindner Family Tennis Center, 5460 Courseview Drive, Mason. For ticket prices and daily schedule visit www.wsopen.com.
Covington Farmers Market Dinner: End the weekend with a fantastic meal at the Hotel Covington. Chefs from Bouquet, Coppin's Restaurant & Bar, the Gruff, Inspirado and Colonel De Catering are preparing unique local dishes for the event, which benefits the Covington Farmers Market. 5-9 p.m. Sunday. Hotel Covington, 638 Madison Ave., Covington. $35 in advance. $45 at the door. For more information visitthe event Facebook page.
