Cincinnati SneakerBall
Lace up your nicest pair of sneakers and come dressed in black-tie attire for the inaugural Cincinnati SneakerBall. This fun event at the 21c Museum Hotel will feature art, music, a silent auction, food and drinks. Proceeds from the ball will support the Ohio Cleats for Kids "Ready to Run Program," which provides new pairs of sneakers to more than 600 Greater Cincinnati youth participating in a free coed summer baseball program.
9 p.m. Friday to 1 a.m. Saturday. 21c Museum Hotel, 609 Walnut St., Downtown. $50-$65. Ages 21 and older. For more information visit the event Facebook page.
Sprouts & Stouts Festival
This may be the perfect Mother's Day weekend event. Covington's historic Trinity Episcopal Church will host its annual flower sale starting Friday. The sale will begin at 9 a.m., with lunch from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Then on Saturday, the church will host five different bands, along with children's activities and plants, food and beer for sale.
9 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday; noon-9 p.m. Saturday. Trinity Episcopal Church, 326 Madison Ave., Covington. For more information visit the event Facebook page.
Dance Theatre of Harlem
Enjoy an evening of dance Friday and Saturday at the Aronoff Center for the Arts. The Dance Theatre of Harlem will give new life to ballet classics by celebrating African-American culture. Arthur Mitchell and Karel Shook created the dance company 48 years ago to carry a message of empowerment through the arts, community engagement and educational activities to minority children in New York City. The Dance Theatre of Harlem has toured the world and garnered acclaim ever since.
8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Aronoff Center for the Arts, 650 Walnut St., Downtown. $30-$70. www.cincinnatiarts.org
100 Blacks on Bikes: May Community Ride
One Hundred Blacks on Bikes is a community bicycle ride organized by Red Bike & Green, a collective of black urban cyclists dedicated to "improving the health, economy and local environment of African-Americans by creating a relevant and sustainable black bike culture." This month's ride will take place Saturday, starting from the Findlay Market Red Bike station. Red Bike is providing 100 free bikes for the ride that will be given out on a first-come-first-serve basis. Participants are asked to start gathering at 11 a.m. The ride will begin at noon along a mostly flat course, followed by a post-ride afterparty from 2-5 p.m. Just make sure to check the weather before heading out. A slight chance of rain is in the forecast this weekend.
11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday. Findlay Market, 1801 Race St., Over-the-Rhine. Free. For more information visit the event Facebook page.
TEDxCincinnati Main Stage Event
Elevate your mind and inspire your soul at one of two TEDxCincinnati Main Stage events on Saturday. The local speaker series will feature a biker who stands up against child abuse, a local poet and activist who aims to transform discussions surrounding race and gender, an advocate for public health and a musician who mixes traditional Vietnamese music with modern hip-hop. All stories that will be shared further TEDx's mission to empower others through technology, entertainment, design, science, humanities, business and development.
4-6 p.m. and 7:30-9:30 p.m. Saturday. Memorial Hall, 1225 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine. $75 general admission; $40 college student; $99 two-ticket bundle. tedxcincinnati.com
Cincinnati Beer Run
It's not quite the Flying Pig Marathon, but you'll probably feel better after the Cincinnati Beer Run than after running 26.2 miles. The two-and-a-half-mile run and walk starts in Newport with specialty craft-beer samples located every half-mile along its course. I'd recommend coming dressed in a kitschy costume and running in tandem with friends for maximum fun. After you finish your boozy jaunt there is an afterparty at Hofbrauhaus with food, music and plenty more to drink.
10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday. Hofbrauhaus, 200 E. Third St., Newport. $45. For more information visit the event Facebook page.
Crafty Supermarket Spring Show
Spring will be in full bloom with the latest edition of the Crafty Supermarket. The growing crafters market will take place inside Music Hall's ballroom on Saturday. Browse and buy works from dozens of local artisans, then step outside and enjoy our next recommended event, which will take place across the street in Washington Park.
11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday. Music Hall, 1241 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine. craftysupermarket.com
Asian Food Fest
Bring your appetite to Washington Park for the annual Asian Food Fest, which features authentic Asian and Asian-inspired cuisine from local restaurants, aspiring restaurateurs and community groups. I recommend Kuya Ed's LechonAtbpa's Filipino-style pork barbecue served with rice and pickled papaya. I first ate Kuya Ed's at last year's Taste of Cincinnati and fell in love. Individual dishes at the food fest will cost between $2-$6.
Noon-10 p.m. Saturday; noon-8 p.m. Sunday. Washington Park, 1230 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine. Free admission. www.asianfoodfest.org
Loveland Food Truck Rally
Looking for more good eats? The Loveland Food Truck Rally will feature more than 20 food trucks this Saturday. There also will be local bands, children's activities and beverages for sale during the rally, which is sponsored by the Little Miami River Chamber Alliance.
3-10 p.m. Saturday. Shoppers Haven Center, 655 Loveland Madeira Road, Loveland. Free admission. business.lovelandchamber.org
Bonus events
Mother's Day Brunch: Want to know how to really win Mom over? Take her out to brunch and let someone else clean up. Get your reservations quickly, though, because Mother's Day is an extremely busy time for restaurants. WCPO contributor Grace Yek recommends nine spots in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky to get you started.
The OFF Market: Not enough locally made arts and crafts in your life? Then head to MadTree Brewing for the May edition of the OFF Market. The market gives you the chance to browse high-quality local craft products while sipping MadTree's craft beers. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. MadTree Brewing, 3301 Madison Road, Oakley. For more information visit the event Facebook page.
