CINCINNATI – Geek out, celebrate the strength of community, be swept away by the Cincinnati Ballet and feast at multiple fests this weekend.
Bengals Opening Day Event at The Banks: Pies & Pints is ready to celebrate the Cincinnati Bengals first home game of the 2018-19 season this Thursday. The restaurant will feature Cincinnati breweries and a few Bengal-themed beers on tap at its kick-off event. Beers on tap will include Rhinegeist's Cheetah, Lynx, Cougar and Puma beers, along with Listermann's Fiona and Brass Monkey, Six Point's Bengali, Victory's Sour Monkey and Heavy Seas Tropicannon. 1-4 p.m. Thursday. Pies & Pints, 56 W. Freedom Way, Downtown. For more information visit the event Facebook page.
Bud Light Tailgate Zone: Kick-off the Cincinnati Bengals 2018-19 football season before the team's first home game this Thursday at the Banks. The Bud Light Tailgate Zone is a free event that will feature music by Cherry on Top and a lot of positive vibes before the Bengals play the Baltimore Ravens at Paul Brown Stadium. 5-8:30 p.m. Thursday. East Freedom Way, Downtown. cincinnatiusa.com
Flavor of Findlay: Come hungry for Findlay Market's annual Flavor of Findlay fundraising event. The event will bring together market merchants, Cincinnati's top chefs and local mixologists to celebrate the Queen City's vibrant culinary culture at the historic market. Flavor of Findlay will include more than a dozen tasting stations that pair a Findlay merchant, chef and wine at each. There will also be a silent auction, DJ and special event cocktail prepared by local mixologist Molly Wellmann. 6:30-9:30 p.m. Thursday. Findlay Market, 1801 Race St., Over-the-Rhine. $75 general admission. For more information visit the event Facebook page.
2018 Cocktails & Couture: Learn history through vintage fashion vignettes while tasting cocktails mixed by Molly Wellmann this Friday evening at the Cincinnati Art Museum. The evening will also include the chance to shop and watch a vintage fashion show. All tickets include a swag bag. Guests will also be able to purchase a Cincinnati Art Museum family membership for 20 percent off at checkout. 6-9 p.m. Friday. Cincinnati Art Museum, 953 Eden Park Drive, Mount Adams. $12.24-$63.49. For more information visit the event Facebook page.
Fifty Fest 2018: Fifty Fest returns to Fifty West Brewing Co. with more than 40 local craft beers, local food vendors and three stages of live music this Saturday. There will also be heritage tastings at the Fifty West cottage, which is across the street from the Fifty West Production Works. This is an all-ages festival. Noon-midnight Saturday. Fifty West Brewing Co., 7800 Wooster Pike, Columbia Township. $7 advance; $10 day of event; children 12 and under free admission.fiftyfest.fiftywestbrew.com
'The Sandlot' at Great American Ball Park: "You're killing me smalls!" is probably one of my most-used movie quotes. It also just happens to be from one of my favorite movies. "The Sandlot" follows a group of young boys who love baseball during one summer in the 1960s. The Cincinnati Reds will celebrate the 25th anniversary of "The Sand Lot" this Friday with a free screening of the movie inside Great American Ball Park. All you need to do is enter the Kroger Fan Zone gates, which open at 7:15 p.m., to enjoy the film. Concessions will be sold in the Fan Zone before and during the movie. 8-10 p.m. Friday. Great American Ball Park, 100 Joe Nuxhall Way, Downtown. Free. www.mlb.com
Loveland Strong Street Fest: Come out and celebrate Loveland during this three-day city-wide event. The weekend celebration will include a concert under the clock, the Loveland Frogman Triathlon, music each day with a performance by the New Orleans Jazz Band on Saturday, fireworks, ribbon cuttings and special proclamations. The fest is celebrating the return of businesses affected by a massive fire that gutted the upper floors of three buildings on West Loveland Avenue near the Little Miami Scenic Trail in May 2017. The Loveland Strong Street Fest is sponsored by the city of Loveland, the Loveland-Symmes Fire Department and the Little Miami River Chamber Alliance. 4-10 p.m. Friday; 1-10 p.m. Saturday; noon-6 p.m. Sunday. Little Miami River Chamber Alliance, 425 W. Loveland Ave., Loveland. For more information visit the event Facebook page.
Glendale 2018 Street Fair: The Brother Smith Band and the Apples will fill the streets of Glendale with music this weekend during the Glendale 2018 Street Fair. The fair will also feature food, vendors and Belle's beer. The fair is hosted by the Glendale Chamber of Commerce. A portion of all proceeds from the fair goes to support charities in the Glendale community. 5-11 p.m. Friday; 2-11 p.m. Saturday. Glendale Village Square, 30 Village Square, Glendale. For more information visit the event Facebook page.
Cincinnati Comic Expo: Get your geek on this weekend during the Cincinnati Comic Expo. This year's expo will include guest appearances by "Game of Thrones" actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, "Reading Rainbow" and "Star Trek" star Levar Burton, Clark Gregg from "Agents of Shield," Summer Glau from "Firefly" and Benedict Wong from "Dr. Strange." There will also be multiple comic book artists and writers, along with vendors selling all of your favorite geek memorabilia. And don't forget to attend the expo's "Geek Prom" and other events taking place throughout the weekend. 3-8 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Duke Energy Convention Center, 525 Elm St., Downtown. $55 weekend adult pass; $5 weekend youth pass (ages 8-12); $20 Friday adult pass; $35 Saturday adult pass; $25 Sunday adult pass. cincinnaticomicexpo.com
The Dent Schoolhouse 2018: Tis the season to be scared. The Dent Schoolhouse will open for its 2018 season this Friday. The schoolhouse promises to get your blood pumping with its maze of gruesome rooms. The schoolhouse will then be open Thursdays through Sundays through Oct. 31. 7:30 p.m.-midnight Friday and Saturday; 7:30-10 p.m. Thursday and Sunday. The Dent Schoolhouse, 5963 Harrison Ave., Green Township. $20-$25. frightsite.com
Sandyland Acres Haunted Hayride: If haunted houses aren't your thing, what about a haunted hayride? The Sandyland Acres Haunted Hayride will also open this weekend for the Halloween haunt season. For more than a decade this haunted farm in Petersburg, Kentucky has delivered plenty of frights to brave visitors. 8 p.m.-midnight Fridays and Saturdays through Oct. 27. Sandyland Acres, 4172 Belleview Road, Petersburg, Ky. $12 hayride; $20 VIP hayride; $10 farmer's revenge; $20 combo tickets. Cash only. www.sandylandacres.com
Cincinnati Mini Maker Faire: Check out all of the cool and creative inventions made by curious local minds during the Cincinnati Mini Maker Faire this Saturday and Sunday at the Hamilton County Fairgrounds. The fair will showcase everything from robots and microprocessors to experimental music and jewelry, along with every act of "making" in between. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Hamilton County Fairgrounds, 7700 Vine St., Carthage. $7 adult advance tickets; $5 child advance tickets; $10 adult day-of tickets; $7 child day-of tickets. cincinnati.makerfaire.com
The Kaplan New Works Series: This year's Kaplan New Works Series presented by the Cincinnati Ballet will feature four world premieres, two company dancers and a Cincinnati premiere. Performances begin Thursday and continue through Sept. 23. This season's world premieres include one by San Francisco Ballet’s Myles Thatcher, another by Resident Choreographer Jennifer Archibald and, for the first time, premieres by two Cincinnati Ballet Co. members. 7:30 p.m. Thursday; 8 p.m. Friday; 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday; 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sunday. Aronoff Center for the Arts, 650 Walnut St., Downtown. $50-$75. www.cballet.org
Leslie Odom, Jr.: Star of the Broadway musical "Hamilton" and winner of a 2016 Tony Award, Leslie Odom Jr. will perform with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra this weekend. Odom and the Pops, led by conductor John Morriss Russell, will combine Broadway and jazz, including songs from "Rent," "Spring Awakening" and a tribute to Nat King Cole. Odom and the Pops will host three concerts at Cincinnati Music Hall. 8-10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 2-4:30 p.m. Sunday. Cincinnati Music Hall, 1241 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine. $20-$120. cincinnatisymphony.org
'The Who’s TOMMY' In Concert: Relive the musical based on The Who's classic 1969 rock concept album "Tommy" this weekend at Memorial Hall. "The Who's TOMMY" tells the story of a traumatized adolescent who discovers he has an uncanny knack for playing pinball and goes on to become an international pinball superstar. The original musical won five Tony Awards. The local production will feature vocals, psychedelic projections and live rock performances. "The Who's TOMMY" will be at Memorial Hall through Friday, Sept. 21. 8-10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Memorial Hall, 1225 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine. $28-$42. www.memorialhallotr.com
Dispatch with Nahko & Medicine for the People and Scatter Their Own: Independent country music band Dispatch will play at PNC Pavilion this Sunday. The stop is part of the band's national tour promoting "America, Location 12," which is Dispatch's first new album in five years. If you go to the show make sure to come early. There will be a free pre-concert cookout that includes bratwurst, mets, hot dogs and salads. The cookout begins 90 minutes before the show and ends 15 minutes before the first act takes the stage. 7 p.m. Sunday. PNC Pavilion, 6295 Kellogg Ave., Anderson Township. $23.50-$58. www.riverbend.org
Alison Krauss: Legendary bluegrass and country music artist Alison Krauss will perform songs from her latest solo album this Sunday at the Taft Theatre. Krauss became a member of the Grand Ole Opry at 21 years old and has since released 14 albums, including five solo records with her longtime band Union Station. 8 p.m. Sunday. Taft Theatre, 317 E. Fifth St., Downtown. $66-$96. tafttheatre.org
