CINCINNATI — Have a frighteningly good time this weekend at the USS Nightmare or Dent Schoolhouse, jamming at the inaugural Lando's Old School Music Festival, watching "Field of Dreams" at Great American Ball Park, immersing yourself in local Chinese and Russian cultural fests and much more.
COMMUNITY
World War II LST-325 in Aurora: 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Friday-Monday. Ohio Riverfront, Third and Water Streets, Aurora, Ind. $10 admission 18 and older; $5 ages 6-17; free ages 5 and under. Tour one of the last remaining Landing Ship Tanks (LST) to be used to deliver troops and equipment during World War II. Tours of the ship consists of self-guided, walking tour of ship with LST staff stationed throughout answering questions and giving explanations on both the upper and lower decks of the ship. lstvisitsaurora.com
Rocktoberfest 2019: 6 p.m.-midnight Friday; 5 p.m.-midnight Saturday; noon-8 p.m. Sunday. St. Barbara Church, 4042 Turkeyfoot Road, Erlanger. Free. Join the folks at St. Barbara Church for a fun-filled weekend featuring live music, games, food and a $5,000 grand raffle drawing. Sunday’s guests will also be able to watch the Cincinnati Bengals' first home game starting at 1 p.m. in the big tent. For more information visit the event Facebook page.
Cellar Dweller Oktoberfest: 5-11 p.m. Friday; 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday. Valley Vineyards, 2276 East U.S. 22 & 3, Morrow. Cellar Dweller plans to do Oktoberfest just right with live music, plenty of Cellar Dweller craft beer, pretzels, sausages, wiener dog races, beer stein races and and a legit German toast. www.valleyvineyards.com
"Field of Dreams”: 8 p.m. Friday. Great American Ball Park, 100 Joe Nuxhall Way, Downtown. Free. If you screen it, they will come. That will most certainly be the case when the Cincinnati Reds organization opens the gates of Great American Ball Park at 7 p.m. Friday for a free screening of “Field of Dreams,” the classic 1989 baseball movie starring Kevin Costner and James Earl Jones. www.mlb.com
Dent Schoolhouse: 7:30 p.m.-midnight Friday and Saturday; 7:30-10 p.m. Thursday and Sunday. Dent Schoolhouse, 5563 Harrison Ave., Green Township. $20-$30. It’s time for boys and girls of every age who like to see strange things to celebrate. The Dent Schoolhouse will open for the Halloween season this Friday. The fright fest will then continue each weekend through Nov. 2. www.frightsite.com
USS Nightmare: 7 p.m.-1 a.m. Friday and Saturday. USS Nightmare, 101 Riverboat Row, Newport. $20-$75. For a ghoulishly good time head down to the Ohio River for a walkthrough tour of the USS Nightmare. The haunted steamboat returns Friday the 13th and will remain docked at Riverboat Row through the first weekend of November. www.ussnightmare.com
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16th Annual Blues and Brews 5K race and Taste of College Hill: 4:30-9 p.m. Saturday. College Hill Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation, 1551 Marlowe Ave., College Hill. Work up an appetite and have fun this weekend as College Hill showcases its established and recently opened eateries. The 16th annual Blues and Brews 5K will begin at 6 p.m., followed by the Taste of College Hill at 6:30 p.m. Registration for the race costs $40 with a shirt included or $35 without the shirt. Admission to the tasting is free. College Hill staples Kiki, Tortilleria Garcia, Red Rose Jems, Chung Ching, Linda’s Kitchen, Bacall’s, Marty’s Hops and Vines and Sweet Jazz Treats will be serving up your favorite dishes. Each menu item will cost $5 or less. For more information visit the event Facebook page.
Cincinnati Moon Festival: 3-8 p.m. Saturday. Fountain Square, 520 Vine St., Downtown. Free. The Greater Cincinnati Chinese Cultural Exchange Association and the Cincinnati USA Convention and Visitors Bureau welcome back the Cincinnati Moon Festival at Fountain Square this weekend. The second year of this unique event will once again showcase Greater Cincinnati’s Chinese community and its cultural heritage through family-oriented activities, food and performances. For more information visit the event Facebook page.
Cincinnati Russian Fest: 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday. St. George Russian Orthodox Church, 118 N. Lebanon Road, Loveland. Free. Join the good folks of St. George Russian Orthodox Church for a taste of the world’s largest country and its Slavic neighbors. The Cincinnati Russian Fest will feature live music, traditional dancers, games, a dunk tank, bounce house, food, drink, authentic jewelry, merchandise and church tours. www.stgeorgeroc.org
Oaktoberfest: 6-9 p.m. Saturday. Oakley Square, 2980 Madison Road, Oakley. Free. The community of Oakley will put a new spin on Oktoberfest when it hosts “Oaktoberfest” this weekend. There will be plenty of great beer, entertainment, food and time with hang out with neighbors in Oakley Square. For more information visit the event Facebook page.
Old Milford Oktoberfest: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday. Little Miami Brewing Co., 208 Mill St., Milford. Free. Milford is hosting its inaugural Oktoberfest in partnership with Little Miami Brewing Co. on Water Street between Mill and Garfield. The street will be filled with live music, food, Little Miami brews and games. www.littlemiamibrewing.com
THE ARTS
The Kaplan New Works Series: 7:30 p.m. Thursday; 8 p.m. Friday; 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday; 1 p.m. Sunday. Aronoff Center for the Arts, 650 Walnut St., Downtown. $58-$78. Celebrate the start of the Cincinnati Ballet’s new season with a mix of innovative dance by some of today’s most talented choreographers, including a trio of female powerhouses—Heather Britt, Andrea Schermoly, and Sarah Van Patten. The Kaplan New Works Series will also include three world premieres from Cincinnati Ballet dancers Taylor Carrasco, Melissa Gelfin, & David Morse. The Kaplan New Works Series continues through Sept. 22. www.cballet.org
Renée Elise Goldsberry: 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. Music Hall, 1241 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine. Don't miss your shot to hear “Hamilton" star Renée Elise Goldsberry perform with conductor John Morriss Russell and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra in a program full of pop, Broadway and soul. www.cincinnatisymphony.org
Westwood Art Show: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday. Westwood Historic Business District, Harrison Avenue, Westwood. The heart of Westwood will be full of art, music and community festivities this weekend. The 11th annual Westwood Art Show will feature more than 70 local artists and food vendors lining the corner of Montana and Harrison avenues. www.westwoodartshow.com
FOOD & DRINK
2019 Cocktails & Couture: 6-9 p.m. Friday. Cincinnati Art Museum, 953 Eden Park Drive, Mount Adams. $15-$37. One of the most anticipated events that blends drinks and design returns to the Cincinnati Art Museum to kick off the weekend. During Cincy Chic's 2019 Cocktails & Couture event you’ll learn history through vintage fashion vignettes, enjoy cocktails mixed by Molly Wellmann and view the Cincinnati Art Museum's "Kimono: Refashioning Contemporary Style” exhibition — all while shopping a variety of local pop-up boutiques before viewing a high-end designer vintage fashion show. www.cincy.live
West Side Oktoberfest: 6 p.m.-midnight Saturday; noon-10 p.m. Sunday. West Side Brewing Co., 3044 Harrison Ave., Westwood. Free. Come out to West Side Brewing for a week-long Oktoberfest celebration. The fun kicks off Saturday with the Zinzinnati Bierband, a stein holding contest, German food and of course, West Side’s suds. The brewery will then have German-inspired food, live tunes, contests and games all week. For more information visit the event Facebook page.
Bourbon in the Park: 5-10 p.m. Saturday. Washington Park, 1230 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine. $50-$100. Prepare to either discover your favorite new bourbon or learn what makes a good bourbon during the inaugural Bourbon in the Park event this weekend. The event at Washington Park will feature a wide variety of bourbons, along with educational sessions and interactive demos led by bourbon experts. www.bourboninthepark.com
Bikes and Beers Cincinnati: 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Saturday. 3241 Spring Grove Ave., Camp Washington. $25-$60. Earn that tasty craft beer before you drink it during the 2019 Bikes and Beers Cincinnati this weekend. This two-wheeled event offers 15 and 30-mile out-and-back rides from Rhinegeist’s Spring Grove location with a fun party after you're done. Registration includes an official pint glass, koozie, two free pints and a raffle ticket for a chance to win a new bike and other prizes. A portion of the event’s proceeds will also go to a local cycling charity. For more information visit the event Facebook page.
MUSIC & COMEDY
Lord Huron: 7:30 p.m. Thursday. Taft Theatre, 317 E. Fifth St., Downtown. $35-$65. Los Angeles-based Lord Huron has gained quite the following in recent years with its blend of ethereal electronics, folk riffs and sock-hop sway. The band will play at the Taft Theatre as part of the tour promoting its latest album, “Vide Noir.” www.tafttheatre.org
Gladys Knight: 8 p.m. Friday. Taft Theatre, 317 E. Fifth St., Downtown. $39.50-$75.50. Legendary singer Gladys Knight will perform classic hits, along with new song when she takes the stage at the Taft Theatre. This is Knight’s first solo tour since releasing “Another Journey” in 2013. www.tafttheatre.org
Nappy Roots with Triiibe and In2itiv3: 9-midnight Friday. Radio Artifact, 1662 Blue Rock St., Northside. $15 advance; $20 day of show. Hip hop heavyweights Nappy Roots will stop into the Urban Artifact taproom lounge along with Triiibe and IN2ITIV3. For more information visit the event Facebook page.
Lando's Old School Music Festival: 3-11 p.m. Saturday. Hamilton County Fairgrounds, 7801 Anthony Wayne Ave., Carthage. $40 in advance; $60 day of event. Lando’s Old School will be a familiar name for anyone who has ever attended one of the many parties usually hosted inside Jack Casino during the past few years. RILEntertainment, the group behind the “old school” series of events that blends music and dance plan to take that party atmosphere up a few notches with inaugural Lando’s Old School Music Festival at the Hamilton County Fairgrounds. Lando's first-ever outdoor concert in Greater Cincinnati will feature performances by Solo, Donnell Jones and Stokley of Mint Condition. Be aware that this is a bring-your-own-lawn-chair event and parking will cost $10-$25 extra. www.rilentertainment.net
The Raconteurs: 8 p.m. Saturday. Taft Theatre, 317 E. Fifth St., Downtown. $49-$79. Mind-bending rocker, Jack White will perform at the Taft Theatre as part of The Raconteurs. The stop is one of the first for the band that’s been in semi-hibernation since 2011. That said, folks will hear a cadre of new songs that make up The Raconteurs’s latest album, “Help Us Stranger.” www.tafttheatre.org
