CINCINNATI — Take a beer flight in Middletown, snag some fresh seafood in Newport, find your inspiration during Paloozanoire, watch tennis stars face off and sing happy birthday to legendary King Records drummer Philip Paul as he turns 94 this weekend.
FOOD & DRINK
Great Inland Seafood Festival: 5-11 p.m. Thursday and Friday; noon-11 p.m. Saturday; noon-9 p.m. Sunday. Newport Festival Park, Riverboat Row, Newport. No admission. Did you know the best place to catch the freshest seafood this weekend is along the banks of the Ohio River? It’s true . . . or at least that’s what the organizers of the Great Inland Seafood Festival promise. For more information visit the event Facebook page.
Union Centre Food Truck Rally: 11:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Friday. The Square at Union Centre, 9171 Union Centre Blvd., West Chester Township. This is the one day this year when the Union Centre Boulevard Merchant Association gathers Cincinnati’s best food trucks for its annual Food Truck Rally. Food trucks will sell a variety of food options including smoothies, barbecue, mac & cheese, seafood, heart-healthy items, vegan, sweet treats, Cajun and Cuban. For more information visit the event Facebook page.
Hops in the Hangar: 5-9 p.m. Saturday. Middletown Regional Airport, 1707 Run Way, Middletown. $20-$75. Ages 21 and up. This is the second year for Hops in the Hangar, an event that puts a unique twist on “beer flights.” More than 25 Ohio craft breweries will have beers on tap for tasting inside a decked-out hangar. Multiple food vendors also will be on hand. Pay $20 more than general admission and get into the hangar an hour before everyone else. (All admission prices are higher if you buy a ticket at the event versus in advance online.) www.hopsinthehangar.com
COMMUNITY
Western & Southern Open: Daily Saturday through Aug. 18. Lindner Family Tennis Center, 5460 Courseview Drive, Mason. Single session tickets start at $38. Some of the biggest stars of tennis will face off during the annual Western & Southern Open in Mason. The first two sessions of the tournament will take place at 8 and 10 a.m. Saturday, followed by morning and evening sessions Sunday through Aug. 17 before the finals on Aug. 18. www.wsopen.com
Paloozanoire: 5:30 p.m.-2 a.m. Friday; 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday; noon-4 p.m. Sunday. 21c Museum Hotel, 609 Walnut St., Downtown. $20-$75. Paloozanoire is a three-day celebration of all things black, according to its website. The inaugural palooza is expected to bring together more than 2,000 black women and men together for sessions led by local and national leaders in the fields of fashion, journalism, the arts and entrepreneurship. Most sessions will take place at the main stage inside the 21c Museum Hotel. Event admission ranges from free for some sessions to ticketed prices for brunch events and mixers. For all details, visit www.paloozanoire.com
Reds Sliding Into Om: 7:45 -10 a.m. Saturday. Great American Ball Park, 100 Joe Nuxhall Way, Downtown. $15-$25. Find your moment of Zen in the outfield of Great American Ball Park. Both the $15 and $25 ticket packages include a yoga session led by the Yoga Bar, snacks and beverages and a view level ticket to Sunday’s Reds versus Chicago Cubs game at the ballpark. The $25 package also includes an exclusive Reds yoga block. www.mlb.com
1940s Day: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday. Cincinnati Museum Center, 1301 Western Ave., Queensgate. $5.50-$14.50 for non-members; free for museum members and veterans. The Cincinnati Museum Center will celebrate Union Terminal’s heritage as a transit hub and friendly respite during this year’s 1940s Day. The day will feature dance shows and lessons, a classic car show, speakers from the Nancy and David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center, a costume contest and more. Access to all 1940s Day activities is included with admission to the Museum Center. www.cincymuseum.org
Family Day at Stricker’s Grove: 1-8 p.m. Sunday. Stricker’s Grove, 11490 Hamilton Cleves Road, Hamilton. $14 per person; free admission for children ages 2 and under. Stricker’s Grove has a special place in my heart. I remember going to this tiny amusement park for both my father's and grandfather’s annual company picnics every summer as a child. Stricker’s Grove’s Family Day opens the park’s rides, roller coasters and 18-hole mini golf course to the public. For more information visit the event Facebook page.
THE ARTS
House Party: 5-9 p.m. Thursday. Taft Museum of Art, 316 Pike St., Downtown. Free. Kick off your weekend at Taft’s monthly “House Party.” August’s event will feature the Screaming Goat food truck, a Visionaries and Voices art-making station, music by Knots, a mini performance from ArtWorks' Light + Shadow team, giant board games and a tour of special exhibit "L’Affichomania: The Passion for French Posters.” For more information visit the event Facebook page.
OTR International Film Festival Announcement Party: 4-6 p.m. Friday. Mikey’s Late Night Slice, 2014 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine. Sneak out of work a bit early and join the organizers of the OTR International Film Festival as they announce the films they have lined up for the movie fest taking place in October. The group also will give away festival tickets, a year of advance screening passes, four admissions to Showcase Springdale 18, four admissions to the Esquire Theatre group cinemas and digital copies of select Disney movies. For more information visit the event Facebook page.
“Chameleon: The Lucretia Bowman Story”: 7 p.m. Friday; 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Aronoff Center for the Arts, 650 Walnut St., Downtown. $25. “Chameleon" is a one-woman show detailing how childhood trauma forced Lucretia Bowman to create methods of survival to deal with abandonment, pain, fear and incarceration. The show culminates with a climactic moment where Bowman decides to be free from it all. www.cincinnatiarts.org
MUSIC & COMEDY
JJ Grey & Mofro and Jonny Lang: 6:30 p.m. Thursday. PNC Pavilion, 6295 Kellogg Ave., Cincinnati. $23.50-$53. Are you 21 or older? If so, you’ll want to arrive at Riverbend about 90 minutes before JJ Grey & Mofro and Jonny Lang, along with special guest Marc Broussard, take the PNC Pavilion stage. Your concert ticket grants you access to a pre-show wine tasting that ends 15 minutes before the concert begins. www.riverbend.org
Squirrel Nut Zippers: 8 p.m. Thursday. Madison Theater, 730 Madison Ave., Covington. $30-$33. Get into the swing of things with the Squirrel Nut Zippers. The swing band gained popularity in the late 1990s/early 2000s with its 1920s sound. www.madisontheater.com
Jordan Rock: 7:30 p.m. Thursday; 7:30 and 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 7 p.m. Sunday. Liberty Funny Bone, 7518 Bales St., Liberty. $15-$45. Ages 21 and up. Comedian Jordan Rock will deliver the laughs multiple times this weekend at the Funny Bone. When not on stage, Rock can be seen in three seasons of Judd Apatow’s Netflix series “Love.” www.liberty.funnybone.com
Santana: Supernatural Now Tour: 7 p.m. Saturday. Riverbend Music Center, 6295 Kellogg Ave., Cincinnati. $47-$173. Rock & Roll Hall of Fame guitarist Carlos Santana will rock Riverbend as part of his "Supernatural Now" tour. He’ll be joined by The Doobie Brothers in the Queen City. www.riverbend.org
Common's Let Love Tour: 8 p.m. Saturday. Madison Theater, 730 Madison Ave., Covington. $50 in advance; $60 at the door. Common will be joined by rapper Rapsody during his tour date in Covington. Every pair of tickets purchased for this show includes new music from Common. https://madisontheater.com
Living Legend Philip Paul's 94th Birthday Party: 3-5 p.m. Sunday. Fretboard Brewing Co., 5800 Creek Road, Blue Ash. Legendary King Records Studio drummer Philip Paul will celebrate his 94th birthday at the musically inspired Fretboard Brewing Co. Paul performed on more than 300 singles, including creating the beat for Hank Ballard's “The Twist.” For more information visit the event Facebook page.
