CINCINNATI – This may be the most "Queen City" weekend of the year.
Kick off the end of the work week by celebrating Cincinnati-style chili during National Chili Day on Thursday. And don't forget to honor 30 years of ribs served at the Montgomery Inn Boathouse, followed by three days of Bockfest that begins Friday afternoon with a parade through Over-the-Rhine.
FOOD & DRINK
National Chili Day Party: 5-10 p.m. Thursday. Taft's Brewpourium, 4831 Spring Grove Ave., Spring Grove Village. Taft's Brewing Co. and Gold Star Chili have teamed up to throw a very special National Chili Day Party. The party will include Taft's tapping of its Gold Star Chili-inspired beer, Cincy Chili Porter. The brewery will also be serving Gold Star Chili New Haven-style pizzas and loaded tater tots for the event. The first 25 people to walk into Taft's starting at 5 p.m. will also receive a gift basket from Taft's and Gold Star. cincinnatichiliday.com
Montgomery Inn-The Boathouse's 30th Anniversary: 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Thursday; 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Friday; 3-10:30 p.m. Saturday. Montgomery Inn Boathouse, 925 Riverside Drive, Downtown. The Montgomery Inn is hosting a savory celebration for the 30th anniversary of The Boathouse location this weekend. The Ribs King restaurant is collaborating with Jim Beam and local mixologist Molly Wellmann to bring diners the ultimate dining experience. Enjoy a slab of Montgomery Inn's original world-famous ribs and one side dish for $19.89 in honor of the Boathouse's opening in 1989. There will also be an optional cocktail addition by Wellmann and $4 drafts of Mt. Carmel Brewing Co.'s Ted Amber Ale honoring Montgomery Inn's founder, Ted Gregory. For more information visit the event Facebook page.
Sapphire Room Grand Opening: 4 p.m.-2:30 a.m. Friday. Sapphire Room, 611 Madison Ave., Covington. No Cover. 21 and older. Come out to Covington's newest bar and cocktail lounge for its grand opening this Friday. DJ FurSur will provide the sounds from 9 p.m.-2 a.m. For more information visit the event Facebook page.
Mardi Gras Mainstrasse Village Pub Crawl: 6 p.m.-midnight Saturday. Cock and Bull, 601 Main St., Covington. Celebrate Mardi Gras Covington-style during the Mainstrasse Village Pub Crawl this Saturday. Enjoy drink specials at participating Mainstrasse bars, the Big Head Parade at the Goose Girl Fountain and live entertainment starting at 7 p.m. before the crawl, which officially kicks off at 8:30 p.m. For more information visit the event Facebook page.
Mardi Gras 2019 - The Main Event: 10 p.m.-2 a.m. Saturday. Energy Nightclub, 700 W. Pete Rose Way, Downtown. Energy Nightclub will be celebrating Mardi Gras with thousands of free beads, aerial performers and free Mardi Gras masquerade face painting. There will also be free food including Cajun chicken, gumbo, jambalaya and King Cake while supplies last. For more information visit the event Facebook page.
Girl Scout Cookie and Beer Pairing: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday. Listermann Brewing Co., 1621 Dana Ave., Evanston. $10. This may be the best food and drink pairing event ever. Listermann is pairing four Girl Scout cookies with four of its beers for $10 this Sunday at its taproom. No tickets are necessary but the event will only go on for as long as supplies last. So, you might want to show up early. For more information visit the event Facebook page.
COMMUNITY
Bockfest: 5 p.m.-1 a.m. Friday; 10 a.m.-1 a.m. Saturday; 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday. Bockfest Hall, 1619 Moore St., Over-the-Rhine. Bockfest may be one of the most quirky festivals held in the Queen City. Bockfest is part celebration of the approaching spring, part celebration of Cincinnati's German heritage, part celebration of Over-the-Rhine and all about bock beer. Festivities "officially" kick off at 6 p.m. Friday with a bawdy parade that begins at Arnold's Bar & Grill at 210 E. Eighth St, Downtown and ends at Bockfest Hall, which is located in the Christian Moerlein Brewing Co.'s taproom at 1619 Moore St. in Over-the-Rhine. Then on Saturday there is the Bockfest 5K in the morning and the crowning of the Bockfest Sausage Queen and Beard Baron in the evening. Sunday's festivities wrap up with more food, brewery tours and fun. www.bockfest.com
20 Years of Shake It!: 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday. Shake It Records, 4156 Hamilton Ave., Northside. Free. Shake It Records will celebrate 20 years in business each Saturday in March with special musical guests and specials. To get things rocking, the record store is holding a 20 percent off everything sale this Saturday. For more information visit the event Facebook page.
MUSIC & MORE
The Big Turn On Music Festival: 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Woodward Theater, 1401 Main St., Over-the-Rhine. $10 advance; $12 day of show. 18 and older. The Woodward Theater is going to get lit this weekend during its two-day music festival celebrating the return of its historic marquee. The venue's owners have spent the past year restoring the Woodward's marquee, which includes 300-plus facade light bulbs, and plan to flip its light switch with live music and beer. The festival lineup includes Lauren Eylise & the Part Time Lovers with Jon Schuyler and Audley performing Friday. Then on Saturday Ernie Johnson from Detroit with Doctor Bionic and Flocks will perform. www.woodwardtheater.com
The Era of Enchantment: Friday-May 12. Cincinnati Art Museum, 953 Eden Park Drive, Mount Adams. $12 adult general admission; $6 college students, seniors (65+) and children (6–17 years); Free admission for Cincinnati Art Museum members. Transport yourself to 1900 Paris with the Cincinnati Art Museum's new "The Era of Enchantment Exhibit." Paintings and prints by artists Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Camille Pissarro and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, along with sculptures by Auguste Rodin, Antoine Bourdelle and Camille Claudel will be on display to the public starting Friday through May 12. www.cincinnatiartmuseum.org
Orchestral Fireworks: 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Music Hall, 1241 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine. $14-$99. Legendary English conductor Sir Mark Elder will take the podium as guest conductor for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra for this weekend's performance of "Orchestral Fireworks." Elder and the CSO will perform Dvorák's "The Midday Witch," Stravinsky's "Concerto for Piano and Wind Instruments," Suk's "Scherzo fantastique" and Janácek's "Sinfonietta." cincinnatisymphony.org
Disney's DCappella: 8 p.m. Friday. Taft Theatre, 317 E. Fifth St., Downtown. $29.50-$63. Fans of both Disney music and a cappella sound will want to attend this event Friday evening at the Taft Theatre. Disney Music Group's new a cappella group features seven world-class vocalists, who will perform modern versions of Disney hits during its Eleventh Hour tour stop in the Queen City. tafttheatre.org
Gaelic Storm: 8 p.m. Saturday. Taft Theatre, 317 E. Fifth St. Downtown. $33-$38. For more than 20 years, Gaelic Storm has entertained millions around the world. The band will bring its blend of vibrant Celtic music to the Taft Theatre this Saturday evening. tafttheatre.org
The Grateful Ball: 8-11 p.m. Saturday. Memorial Hall, 1225 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine. $24-$34. The Travelin’ McCourys and Jeff Austin Band will present The Grateful Ball this Saturday evening at Memorial Hall. This concert is exactly as it sounds, with both bands playing a set of Grateful Dead covers, followed a third set where the bands combine to jam the Grateful Dead songbook to close the show. www.memorialhallotr.com
