CINCINNATI — Oktoberfest season kicks off in Colerain, a hippy folk fest takes over Smale Riverfront Park, comedians yuck it up at Sawyer Point and people will run wild inside the Cincinnati Zoo this weekend.
FOOD & DRINK
Germania Society Oktoberfest: 6 p.m.-midnight Friday; 2 p.m.-midnight Saturday; noon-8 p.m. Sunday. Germania Park, 3529 W. Kemper Road, Colerain Township. $5 admission; ages 12 and under free; free parking. This year marks the 49th annual Germania Society Oktoberfest, which the Germania Society boasts as the "official kickoff of the Oktoberfest season in Cincinnati." There will be plenty of German bier, food, dancing and fun again this weekend. www.germaniasociety.com
Tizana with Friends release party: Noon Saturday. Samuel Adams Taproom, 1727 Logan St., Over-the-Rhine. Samuel Adams and Fifty West Brewing Co. will celebrate the release of their limited-edition collaboration brew Tizana with Friends with a party featuring live music and food. Tizana is a Venezuelan-inspired 6% alcohol-by-volume fruited sour beer. For more information visit the event Facebook page.
I Love the '90s Bash Bar Crawl: 3-10 p.m. Saturday. The Righteous Room, 641 Walnut St., Downtown. $18 general admission; $16 four-tickets. Gear up with your fanny packs, bangle bracelets and scrunchies. This themed bar crawl includes a slap bracelet, a color-changing stadium cup, '90s music and an open invite to dress in your most outrageous '90s clothes. For more information visit the event Facebook page.
THE ARTS
2019 CAC Gala: “Opening Minds”: 6-11 p.m. Friday. Contemporary Arts Center, 44 E. Sixth St., Downtown. $75 single ticket. Support the arts in Cincinnati with an evening of food, drinks and entertainment during the CAC’s annual gala. Ben Sloan, Eddy Kwon, the MYCincinnati Youth Orchestra Student Quartet and violinist Jordana Greenberg will perform. There also will be pop-up art and video installations by Channel 77. www.contemporaryartscenter.org
MUSIC & COMEDY
Whispering Beard Folk Festival: 4-11 p.m. Thursday; noon-1 a.m. Friday; 11 a.m.-1 a.m. Saturday. Smale Riverfront Park, West Mehring Way, Downtown. $8 riverboat shows; $20-$50 single-day advance purchase tickets; $30-$55 day-of single tickets; $99 advance three-day tickets; $120 day-of three-day tickets; $255 VIP. Whispering Beard, the homespun folk festival traditionally held in Friendship, Indiana, is relocating to the Queen City this weekend. The three-day festival will take place at Smale Riverfront Park, along with special “riverboat” shows. The festival lineup will include M. Ward, Ryan Bingham, Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band and more artists. www.whisperingbeard.com
Comedian Taylor Tomlinson: 7:30 p.m. Thursday; 7:30 and 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 7 p.m. Sunday. Funny Bone Comedy Club, 7518 Bales St. Space A-120, Liberty Township. $10-$45. Ages 21 and older. Taylor Tomlinson has been featured on Netflix, "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon," "Conan," MTV’s "Safe Word" and Comedy Central's "Adam Devine's House Party." Variety Magazine also recently honored Tomlinson as a "Top 10 Comic to Watch.” She will bring the laughs during multiple sets at the Funny Bone. liberty.funnybone.com
Big Freedia: 9 p.m. Friday. Bogart’s, 2621 Vine St., CUF. $20. Bogart’s will bounce when Big Freedia brings her New Orleans-infused brand of hip-hop to the Queen City. www.bogarts.com
Cincy Brew Ha-Ha: 5 p.m.-midnight Friday; 4 p.m.-midnight Saturday. Sawyer Point Park 705 E. Pete Rose Way, Downtown. Free admission; $5 for beer wristband plus $1 per beer ticket. Cincy Brew Ha-Ha returns for its 13th year with more than 100 beers, ciders and wines, along with more than 80 comedians performing on four stages. This year’s comedy headliners include Preacher Lawson on Friday and Jay Mohr on Saturday. www.cincybrewhaha.com
beWILDerfest Music Festival: 6 p.m.-1 a.m. Friday; 2 p.m.-1 a.m. Saturday. Urban Artifact, 1660 Blue Rock St., Northside. $30 single-day advance; $50 weekend pass advance. The eclectic beWILDerfest returns to Urban Artifact with its showcase of some of Cincinnati’s best music talent and select artists from around the world. This year’s festival will feature performances by Zach Deputy, Alec Ounsworth, Listener, Screaming Females, Glosik Willy and Baoku. www.bewilderfest.com
Kool & the Gang: 8-10 p.m. Saturday. Jack Casino, 1000 Broadway St., Downtown. $65. Get ready to boogie when Kool & the Gang, one of the most iconic bands from the 1970s, performs in the Queen City. www.jackentertainment.com
Woodstock 50th Anniversary Concert: 4-9 p.m. Sunday. Washington Park, 1230 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine. Free. Join School of Rock Mason at Washington Park for a celebration of Woodstock’s 50th anniversary. This event will feature an opening performance by the Music Resource Center and items for sale from local vendors. The School of Rock will then take the stage at 6 p.m. People are encouraged to come dressed in their best 1960s outfits. For more information visit the event Facebook page.
Why Don’t We: 7 p.m. Sunday. PNC Pavilion, 6295 Kellogg Ave., Cincinnati. $43-$83. Why Don’t We will roll into Riverbend with EBEN as part of the band’s "8 Letters Tour." The visit is an extension of the pop group’s tour that begins in Costa Mesa, California, on July 18. www.riverbend.org
COMMUNITY
Farmula Fest 2019: 10 a.m.-11:15 p.m. Friday and Saturday. AJ Jolly County Park, 1565 Race Track Road, Alexandria. $20-$105. Farmula Fest is a little bit of everything. There is kayaking, slip and slides, lakeside camping, a farmers market, local beer, food and artist vendors and 18 bands. Festivities officially begin at 10 a.m. Friday and Saturday before winding down at 11:15 p.m. each night. Official checkout time for campers at AJ Jolly Park is at 10 a.m. Sunday. farmulafest.com
The Color Run 5K: 9 a.m.-noon Saturday. Cincinnati Riverfront Parking Lot E, 425 W. Mehring Way, Downtown. $15-$35. Sun, run and fun. That’s the winning formula for the Color Run 5K. www.thecolorrun.com
Cheetah Run 5K: 8-10 a.m. Sunday. Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, 3400 Vine St., Avondale. $35 zoo members; $45 non-members. You might not be able to outrun a cheetah in a sprint, but dodge and weave for 3.1 miles and, well, you probably still wouldn’t outrun the world’s fastest land mammal. The annual Cheetah Run 5K through the zoo is pretty fun, though. And everyone who registers gets a commemorative T-shirt. www.cincinnatizoo.org
