CINCINNATI — It's just another summer weekend in paradise.
Jimmy Buffett will once again be looking for his lost shaker of salt at Riverbend. (Hopefully, he doesn't leave it in Covington on Braxton Brewing Company's new rooftop this Saturday.)
Of course, if Jimmy needs to buy another one, Jungle Jim's probably has plenty of salt shakers to chose from. Oh, and there will be quite a few dudes who abide at Jungle Jim's Eastgate for the market's Big Lebowski Bash.
Jimmy Buffett Tailgate Party: 1-10 p.m. Thursday. Hotel Covington, 638 Madison Ave., Covington. Free general admission; $100 VIP Experience. Find that lost shaker of salt at the Hotel Covington this Thursday before heading to Riverbend Music Center to see Jimmy Buffett live. The VIP Experience includes a complimentary entree, four drinks and transportation to and from the concert. Both VIP and general admission attendees will be able to enjoy live music by The Bacchanal Steel Band. For more information visit the event Facebook page.
Sips Under the Sea: 7-11 p.m. Friday. Newport Aquarium, 1 Aquarium Way, Newport. $34.99 non-pass holders; $24.99 pass holders. Sips Under the Sea is an after-hours, kids-free evening of fun for adults 21-and-older. The Newport Aquarium will serve specialty cocktails and appetizers as you explore. There will also be a silent disco party in the Shark Ray Bay Theater provided by Sounds of Cincinnati. Tickets include entry, a signature drink, appetizer bites, desserts and a candy buffet. A full cash bar will also be available. www.newportaquarium.com
View at Shires’ Garden: 6 p.m. Friday. View at Shires’ Garden, 309 Vine St., Downtown. When the View at Shires’ Garden opens on the tenth floor of the City Club Apartments this Friday evening, it will pay homage to an obscure bit of Queen City history. William Shires, an English aristocrat, opened the original Shires’ Garden entertainment resort in 1842 between Third and Fourth streets, from Race to Vine. The owners of the new View at Shires’ Gardens incorporated elements of that era into the design of the restaurant’s spacious dining area and rooftop patio with its stunning view of The Banks and Ohio River. theviewatshiresgarden.com
Bourbon Fest: 6-10 p.m. Friday. UC Health Stadium, 7950 Freedom Way, Florence. $10-$14. Sip some locally distilled spirits while watching the Florence Freedom take on the Evansville Otters this Friday at UC Health Stadium. A variety of local distilleries will be set up at the stadium during the game for the annual Bourbon Fest. www.florencefreedom.com
Tequila Fest: 5-11 p.m. Saturday. Fountain Square, 520 Vine St., Downtown. $22-$125. This weekend Tequila Fest returns to Fountain Square for its third year. The fest will showcase more than 50 different tequilas, a 50/50 raffle, beer specials, food trucks and live entertainment. Ticket prices include tequila sample tickets, food from Mazunte and a little more. The $22 ticket is for designated driver admission. tequilafestcincinnati.com
Braxton Four-Year Anniversary Party & Rooftop Grand Opening: Noon-11 p.m. Saturday. Braxton Brewing Co., 27 W. Seventh St., Covington. Braxton’s annual anniversary bash is going big this year with the grand opening of the brewery’s new rooftop venue in Covington. There will be games, live music, special tappings and more in Braxton’s taproom, on the street, in the Loft and on the rooftop throughout the day. Tap here for a sneak peak of the new rooftopFor more information visit the event Facebook page.
Crafted Food, Beer & Music Festival: 3-7 p.m. Saturday. Sawyer Point, 705 E. Pete Rose Way, Downtown. $25-$60. Enjoy more than 42 craft beers, eight restaurants and live music by Dock Robinson and the Buffalo Wabs and the Price Hill Hustle at Sawyer Point Park this Saturday. The event will benefit the League for Animal Welfare. craftedfest.com
Schützenfest Cincinnati 2019: 6 p.m-midnight Friday; 4 p.m.-midnight Saturday; 1-9 p.m. Sunday. Kolping Society, 10235 Mill Rd., Springfield Township. Already looking forward to Oktoberfest season? The Kolping Society’s 153rd annual Schützenfest should help keep you going until then. This medieval-era inspired event will feature German beer, wine, food and entertainment all weekend long. www.schuetzenfestcincy.com
St. William Summer Festival: 6:30 p.m.-midnight Friday; 5-11 p.m. Saturday; 4-9 p.m. Sunday. St. William Parish & School, 4108 W. Eighth St., West Price Hill. Free. Advertised as the oldest fest on the West Side, St. William Summer Festival promises to be a whole lot of fun again this year. There will be live music each night of the festival, games, food, drink, raffles and more entertainment. saintwilliam.com
The Ohio Challenge Balloon Festival: 4-10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Smith Park, 500-600 Tytus Ave., Middletown. Come out and enjoy a weekend of hot air balloon activities, festival food and drinks, live music, carnival rides and a hot air balloon glow in Middletown. ohiochallenge.com
IHM Festival: Begins 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 3 p.m. Sunday. Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, 7820 Beechmont Ave., Amelia. Come out for food, fun, games drinks, raffles and rides during this year’s Immaculate Heart of Mary Festival this weekend on Cincinnati’s east side. www.church.ihom.org
City Flea: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. Washington Park, 1230 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine. Free. It’s July City Flea time. Bring family and friends out to Washington Park for a day full of food, drink and craft browsing. For more information visit the event Facebook page.
Mixx Reunion: 6 p.m.-2 a.m. Saturday. Copa Lounge, 1133 Sycamore St., Over-the-Rhine. This is the best kind of reunion – one that starts as a happy hour and ends as a night club affair. For those who remember Mixx, a nightclub that was a little bit of everything in Over-the-Rhine, this event is definitely for you. For more information visit the event Facebook page.
Jungle Jim’s The Big Lebowski Blast: 4-11:30 p.m. Saturday. Jungle Experience Center, 4450 Eastgate S. Drive, Eastgate. $35 VIP; Free general admission. The Dude abides. Do you? If so, you won’t want to miss The Big Lebowski Blast this Saturday at Jungle Jim’s Eastgate location. VIP entry will get you into a screening of the Coen Brothers’ 1998 classic “The Big Lebowski;” a swag bag; two drink tickets redeemable for a White Russian or a Stella Artois; and a themed appetizer buffet with an array of finger foods. Free admission will get you access to Jungle Jim’s Garden Party in the Paradise Pavilion where you can purchase drinks from the pavilion’s full bar. Both VIP and free-admission attendees should come dressed as their favorite Big Lebowski character for a chance to win prizes during the after-party costume contest. junglejims.com
“When I Get Home:” 7 p.m. Thursday. Cincinnati Art Museum, 953 Eden Park Drive, Mount Adams. The Cincinnati Art Museum will host a free screening of Solange Knowles’ art film “When I Get Home” Thursday evening. The extended director’s cut features new scenes and musical arrangements of Knowles’ interdisciplinary performances. Cincinnati is one of 16 cities in the United States and Europe where “When I Get Home” is being show. For more information visit the event Facebook page.
RuPaul’s Drag Race: 8 p.m. Friday. Aronoff Center for the Arts, 650 Walnut St., Downtown. $45.75-$123.75. The cast of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” season 11 will roll into the Aronoff Center for the Arts this Friday. Host Asia O’Hara will introduce live performances from Yvie Oddly, Silky Nutmeg Ganache, A'kiera Chanel Davenport, Plastique Tiara, Kahanna Montrese, Nina West and Ariel Versace. www.cincinnatiarts.org
Price Hill Creative Community Festival: 5 p.m.-midnight Friday; 3-11:45 p.m. Saturday. The fourth annual Price Hill Creative Community Festival will showcase the talents of neighborhood residents and programs across four venues this weekend. The festival is presented by Price Hill Will and MYCincinnati, two nonprofits dedicated to taking music and the arts to the streets. The event will feature more than 50 free performances that involve dance, music, poetry, puppetry, film and theater. creativecommunityfestival.org.
“Porgy and Bess:” 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Music Hall, 1241 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine. $40-$195. The Cincinnati Opera will bring the George Gershwin classic “Porgy and Bess” to life this Saturday at Music Hall. The opera’s performance will not only include hits such as “Summertime” and “It Ain’t Necessarily So,” but also deliver a touching story of love and perseverance in adversity through the production of star director Francesca Zambello. “Porgy and Bess” will also be performed at 7:30 p.m. on July 25 and 27, and again at 3 p.m. July 28 in Music Hall. www.cincinnatiopera.org
Jimmy Buffett & The Coral Reefer Band: 8 p.m. Thursday. Riverbend Music Center, 6295 Kellogg Ave., Cincinnati. $36-$146. It wouldn’t be summer in Cincinnati without a visit from Jimmy Buffet. The Hawaiian shirt-clad rocker will fill Riverbend with the rhythm of his familiar music Thursday evening. The music center will also be hosting a pre-show party from 4-6 p.m. at the Picnic Pavilion on the west side of Coney Island before the show. The Queen City Silver stars will be performing and Coney will be serving $5 happy hour cheeseburgers, select beers and margaritas. www.riverbend.org
Case: 7-10 p.m. Friday. Washington Park, 1230 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine. Free. Two-time Grammy Award nominee, Case will perform a free show this Friday at Washington Park. The concert is part of Washington Park’s free R&B Series, Friday Flow. washingtonpark.org
The Soul Pocket Band: 7-11 p.m. Friday. Fountain Square, 520 Vine St., Downtown. Free. The Soul Pocket band will rock Fountain Square on Friday as part of 3CDC’s free Fifth & Vine Live series. Beer, wine, liquor and Wild Turkey will be available for purchase during the evening as well. For more details visit the event Facebook page.
Tedeschi Trucks Band "Wheels of Soul 2019:” 7 p.m. Friday. PNC Pavilion, 6295 Kellogg Ave., Cincinnati. $52-$149. Grammy Award-winning Tedeschi Trucks Band will bring its “Wheels of Soul” tour to PNC Pavilion this Friday. Blackberry Smoke and Shovels & Rope will be joining the band. For those 21-and-older, show up 90 minutes before the show for a craft beer tasting. www.riverbend.org
Remember the 90’s with Everclear: 7-11 p.m. Saturday. Land of Illusion Adventure Park, 8762 Thomas Road, Middletown. $20-$100. Take a walk down memory lane and jam out to some of the best music from the 1990’s this Saturday in Middletown. Everclear and The Verve Pipe will headline an evening of great tunes at the Land of Illusion Adventure Park. Upcoming artist, Trevor Ohlsen will join the bands on stage. aqua.landofillusion.com
Brad Paisley: 7:30 p.m. Sunday. Riverbend Music Center, 6295 Kellogg Ave., Cincinnati. $33.75-$93.50. Brad Paisley will bring his "2019 World Tour" to Riverbend this Sunday. Special guests Chris Lane and Riley Green will join Paisley on the tour stop. www.riverbend.org
