20 Things To Do in Cincinnati This Week (May 22-28)

WEDNESDAY 22

ART: Magic & Melodrama: Cincinnati Posters from the Gilded Age
The Taft Museum has mounted an exhibit featuring seven theatrical posters from the collection of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County advertising turn of the 20th century productions. According to the museum, “Traveling actors, illusionists and theatrical producers promoted live performances with brilliantly colored printed outdoor advertisements.” Created in Cincinnati by the Strobridge Lithographing Company, these posters will transport viewers to The Wizard of Oz and Peter Pan via bits of entertaining magic, melodrama and fantasy. Through August 18. $12 adults; $10 seniors; free youth and members. Taft Museum of Art, 316 Pike St., Downtown, taftmuseum.org.
Photo: From the Collection of The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County

WEDNESDAY 22

MUSIC: mewithoutYou
For a band that’s aged enough to embark on 15th anniversary tours, mewithoutYou remains as puzzling and adventurous as ever, despite curtailing some of the scorched-earth brutality that marked early works like 2002’s [A-->B Life]. Joined by scene veterans Cursive and The Appleseed Cast, their current tour feels like a throwback to Emo’s pre-web 2.0 incarnation, though revitalized interest in the era’s sub-genres allows its participants to sound as fresh as ever. 7 p.m. doors Wednesday. $22 advance; $25 day of. Woodward Theater, 1404 Main St., Over-the-Rhine, woodwardtheater.com.
Photo: Carina Romano

WEDNESDAY 22

MUSIC: PUP
Canadian Punk quartet PUP heads to Bogart's. PUP frontman Stefan Babcock makes his lyrical mood known from the get-go on the Toronto quartet’s new album, Morbid Stuff. His snotty vocal delivery on the titular album opener clamors, “I was bored as fuck/Sitting around and thinking all this morbid stuff/Like if everyone I’ve slept with is dead and I got stuck/On death and dying and obsessive thoughts that won’t let up/It makes me feel like I’m about to throw up.” 7 p.m. doors Wednesday. $20. Bogart's, 2621 Vine St., Corryville, bogarts.com.
Photo: Vanessa Heins

WEDNESDAY 22

ART: Creatures: When Species Meet
A plaque on the wall at the Contemporary Arts Center’s newly opened Creatures: When Species Meet informs visitors of the etymology of the word “animal.” It comes from the Latin animalis, meaning “having breath” or “soul.” It’s a perfect introduction for an exhibition that celebrates the artistic relationships between human and animal. After five years as head curator, it also marks Steven Matijcio’s last exhibition with the CAC. In March, he began a new position as director and chief curator at the Blaffer Art Museum on the University of Houston’s campus. “I think work in the past has grabbed the headlines for all the wrong reasons when artists work with animals,” Matijcio says. “I wanted to show that there could be a more complex dynamic and negotiation that’s happening with the work showcased at the CAC.” Creatures: When Species Meet runs through Aug. 18 at the Contemporary Arts Center. For more info, visit contemporaryartscenter.org.
Photo: Courtesy of the artist, Miguel Angel Rios, and Gallery Wendi Norris

THURSDAY 23

EVENT: Margarita Madness
Attention margarita lovers: CityBeat and Milagro Tequila present Margarita Madness, an evening of tequila, food, live music and lively competition on the Purple People Bridge. Participating restaurants include Bakersfield, Keystone Bar & Grill, Condado Tacos and other favorites — each of which will be competing in a margarita throwdown. Guests will vote for their favorite marg to win the People’s Choice award alongside local judges, who will be bestowing honors on the Best and Most Creative margaritas. Don’t miss the Guac-Off competition to inaugurate the Queen City’s guacamole master, either. Live music will be provided by The SunBurners. Tickets include 10 drinks, food samples and one token to vote for your favorite margarita. 5:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday. $40. Purple People Bridge, 1 Levee Way, Newport, margaritamadnesscincy.com.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

THURSDAY 23

ONSTAGE: A Flea in Her Ear
You’ve probably never had a flea in your ear, but you can imagine that it would bug you considerably and perhaps inspire bizarre behavior. That’s what happens in Georges Feydeau’s 1907 classic French sex farce A Flea in Her Ear. It's not a real flea, mind you, but a spark of annoying suspicion is what sets comic pandemonium in motion at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s final production of its 25th season. A Flea in Her Ear, presented by Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, continues through June 2. Tickets and more info: cincyshakes.com.
Photo: Mikki Schaffner Photography

THURSDAY 23-SUNDAY 26

COMEDY: Mike Cronin
Cincinnati native Mike Cronin blows in from the Windy City to headline a run of shows at Go Bananas this weekend. He’s lived in Chicago for the past few years and when he’s not on the road headlining a club or featuring for the likes of Tom Segura, he runs a comedy night at a bar across from Wrigley Field. “I’m gearing up to record a second album,” he says. It will be a follow up to his 2015 debut Hot for Too Long. “It will have more family stuff and a lot of relationship stuff, as well as some traveling and living in Chicago bits. And farts, as always.” Indeed, family is a constant source of material for Cronin. “My mom is the exact opposite of my dad — she’s very tech-savvy, almost to an inappropriate degree,” he tells an audience. “She’s told me two of my grandparents have died through text messages, which is so inappropriate. Why don’t you just tweet it to me at that point mom?” 8 p.m. Thursday; 7:30 and 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 8 p.m. Sunday. $8-$14. Go Bananas, 8410 Market Place Lane, Montgomery, gobananascomedy.com.
Photo: RooftopPRO Press Photo

THURSDAY 23-MONDAY 27

EVENT: Spring Grove Memorial Day Weekend
Spring Grove Cemetery hosts a series of events this Memorial Day weekend in tribute to veterans. Running Thursday through Monday, the weekend kicks off with a concert courtesy of the Ohio Military Band. After walking tours of Norman Chapel and the cemetery grounds, a customary scattering of petals over soldiers’ graves, a Civil War music performance by Steve Ball and a presentation by a President Lincoln impersonator, the weekend will conclude with a walking tour detailing the site’s Civil War history. Various events through Monday. Free admission. Spring Grove Cemetery & Arboretum, 4521 Spring Grove Ave., Spring Grove Village, springgrove.org.
Photo: Civil War Section Section 21 // Provided by Spring Grove

FRIDAY 24-SUNDAY 26

MUSIC: Nowhere Else Festival
Over the Rhine hosts their fourth Nowhere Else Festival, a micro-Woodstock the band presents annually at their Clinton County farm. The fest stands as a potential new direction for Over the Rhine to pursue going forward. This year’s Memorial Day weekend lineup features James McMurtry, Birds of Chicago, John Paul White (ex-Civil Wars), Leigh Nash (ex-Sixpence None the Richer), Joan Shelley, Carrie Newcomer, Over the Rhine guitarist Bradley Meinerding and many others. The 2019 Nowhere Else Festival takes place May 24-26 at Over the Rhine’s land in rural Clinton County. For directions, tickets and more info, visit nowhereelsefestival.com.
Photo: Kylie Wilkerson

FRIDAY 24

EVENT: Furry Friends Festival
Celebrate Memorial Day weekend with man’s best friend. Washington Park is hosting a pet-friendly, kid-friendly festival complete with vendors offering dog food, pet toys and photography services. With live Bluegrass music from acts including Black Mountain Throwdown, The Vims and Ohio Valley Salvage, plus food and a full bar featuring brews from Fifty West, Rhinegeist, Taft’s and more, this two-day festival is sure to be doggone fun. 6-10 p.m. Friday; noon-6 p.m. Saturday. Free admission. Washington Park, 1230 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine, washingtonpark.org.
Photo: 3CDC

FRIDAY 24

MUSIC: Stryper
Thirty-five years ago, a proudly Christian band that filled its albums with songs of faith getting any kind of foothold in the Heavy Metal world seemed an impossible feat. Metal was at the center of the ’80s “Satanic panic,” a time where urban legends about roaming devil worshipers looking for their next sacrifice were commonplace and those heathens were almost always tied back to Hard Rock music. But amid the Satanists and Hair Metal groups of the era, one band did triumphantly climb the ranks to notch several MTV hits with an earnest message and — most importantly — an authentic sound, which is most often the biggest obstacle for Christian acts trying to puncture the mainstream bubble: Stryper. 7 p.m. doors Friday. $25. Bogart's, 2621 Vine St., Corryville, bogarts.com.
Photo: Alex Solca

FRIDAY 24-MONDAY 27

EVENT: Pre PRIDE in Northside
Cincinnati PRIDE takes place June 22 at Sawyer Point, but Northside is getting in the spirit early with a Pre PRIDE party. Head to the neighborhood this weekend for a ton of events including the free, all-ages North by Northside Music Festival Friday and Saturday featuring more than 50 artists and performers spread across seven family-friendly venues, ranging from the Northside Tavern and Urban Artifact to Tillie’s Lounge and Happen, Inc. In addition to NXNS, catch a screening of Call Me By Your Name Friday night at New Spirit Metropolitan Community Church; a neighborhood-wide pub crawl and silent auction Saturday to benefit Caracole; Hoffner Pride in the Park family fest on Sunday; a variety show and contest at Mixwells Sunday; and a wrap-up Tiki party Monday at Tillie’s. Events take place Friday-Monday. For full details, search “Pre PRIDE Northside” on Facebook or check out facebook.com/northbynorthsidefest.
Photo: Tillie's // Provided

SATURDAY 25-MONDAY 27

EVENT: Taste of Cincinnati
The Taste of Cincinnati food festival is back for the 41st year. Over 50 of Cincinnati’s best restaurants will set up booths along Fifth Street downtown for the nation’s longest-running free culinary festival. More great eats can be found at the Taste of Findlay Market, where market vendors and “foodpreneurs” will serve fresh mini meals along the Fifth Street ramp to I-71. Or at the Rhinegeist Food Truck Alley along the Columbia Parkway Ramp. Visitors can savor food while listening to 45 musical acts spread across five stages and three days, or try their hand at building vegetable vehicles at the GoVibrant! Veggie Races Friday at noon. This year’s event will also feature the first-ever Eat & Run 5K on Sunday. 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday. Free admission; food prices range from $3-$6. Fifth Street between Main and Sentinel street, Downtown, tasteofcincinnati.com.
Photo: Provided by Taste of Cincinnati

SATURDAY 25

EVENT: Hello Kitty Café Truck
If you ever thought Sanrio’s Hello Kitty was just so dang cute you could eat her, now you can... kind of. The two Hello Kitty Cafe Trucks are touring the U.S. and one of them is making a stop in Cincinnati. The truck will be at the Kenwood Towne Centre near the Cheesecake Factory with treats and merchandise on Saturday. Launched in 2014 at Hello Kitty Con, this mobile cafe offers sugary snacks to kitty fans across America with a menu featuring minicakes, macarons, cookies, pocket pies and a “giant chef cookie,” plus a signature bow-adorned bottle of water. Of course, the truck also peddles plenty of Hello Kitty and Hello Kitty Cafe merch. 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday. Free admission. Kenwood Towne Centre, 7875 Montgomery Road, Kenwood, facebook.com/hellokittycafetruck.
Photo: facebook.com/hellokittycafetruck

SATURDAY 25

EVENT: Family Festival: Animal House
The Contemporary Arts Center is hosting a free family-friendly fest themed around the new exhibit Creatures: When Species Meet. The museum will host special, pettable animal guests from Sunrock Farm and the Cincinnati Museum Center will have artifacts for visitors to view and interact with. Families can also make their own masks to match the animal theme and become one with their newfound furry friends. Noon-3 p.m. Saturday. Free. Contemporary Arts Center, 44 E. Sixth St., Downtown, contemporaryartscenter.org.
Photo: Contemporary Arts Center Facebook

SATURDAY 25

EVENT: Coney Island Opening Day
Kick off summer with Coney Island as it opens its doors for 2019. Attractions include rides for kids and adults and the Sunlite Water Adventure water park, which features the world’s largest recirculating pool. The event will also include a WWII-style Swing dance and USO show to honor veterans, featuring the Tom Daugherty Orchestra, which will recreate Glenn Miller’s Army Air Force Band. Held in Moonlight Pavilion (6-10 p.m.; $17-$20), the event will also include Cincinnati Lindy Society Swing dancers, prizes for period-authentic outfits and a cash bar. Park opens 10 a.m. Saturday. $21.95; $19.95 seniors; $12.95 ages 2-7; other prices vary. Coney Island, 6201 Kellogg Ave., California, coneyislandpark.com.
Photo: Coney Island

SUNDAY 26

EVENT: Bike Month Preservation Ride
May is National Preservation Month and National Bike Month. Celebrate both on Sunday with a slow, steady guided bike ride through the city while learning about Cincinnati’s rich history, various landmarks and ongoing preservation projects with the Cincinnati Preservation Collective. The collective is a group aimed at being “positive and proactive stewards of Cincinnati’s historic infrastructure.” Don’t have your own bike? Cincy Red Bike rental stations are available along the way. This tour is for all ages and all levels on a primarily flat route. 1-3 p.m. Sunday. Free. Bike route is TBA. More info at queencitybike.org.
Photo: facebook.com/PreserveTheNati

SUNDAY 26

ATTRACTION: Butterflies of Ecuador
The Krohn Conservatory's annual butterfly show welcomes the Butterflies of Ecuador through June 16. This year, the popular extravaganza will celebrate the biological diversity of Ecuador, which is home to around 4,000 different butterfly species. Drawing inspiration from the butterflies’ South American country of origin, the exhibit is curated for visitors to get familiar with Ecuador’s “four worlds in one” through the representation of different climate regions, its coastal beaches and Andes mountains to the Galapagos Islands and the rainforests of the Amazon. (As an ode the llamas that roam freely through the Andes, you might spy a cut out of one of these large furry creatures hiding in the foliage along with the butterflies.) Through June 16. $10 adults; $7 youth 5-17; free children 4 and under. Krohn Conservatory, 1501 Eden Park Drive, butterflyshow.com.
Photo: Paige Deglow

SUNDAY 26

ART: No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man
No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man exhibit at the Cincinnati Art Museum now through Sept. 2 was organized by the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, with the collaboration and assistance of the Burning Man Project. The show here occurs in two phases — additional art will arrive for exhibition on June 7. The curator David J. Brown has tried to give the exhibit’s stop in Cincinnati some of the sense of discovery that accompanies seeing the art in the Burning Man playa, where distances are so great that coming across a specific installation is a surprise — even if you’re specifically looking for it. The exhibition is spread throughout the museum. The exhibition pamphlet has a map showing the locations of the No Spectators artworks, but doesn’t tell you which is where. (There are directional signposts in the museum proper.) No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man is on display at the Cincinnati Art Museum through Sept. 2. For more information on programs, events and more, visit cincinnatiartmuseum.org.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

MONDAY 27

EVENT: Hunger Walk & 5K Run
The 16th annual Memorial Day Hunger Walk & 5K Run raises funds for the Freestore Foodbank. Since it began in 2004, the event has raised more than $1,800,000 — or 5,400,000 meals — for those in need in counties across Greater Cincinnati. Each race registration is a donation to assist the Freestore and its 450 partner food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters and community centers, which, according to the Hunger Walk website, provide 27.3 million meals each year to children and families in Southwest Ohio, Southeast Indiana and Northern Kentucky. The race/walk route takes participants from West Pete Rose Way, into Covington and back to Smale Riverfront Park with the goal of fighting hunger with every step. 9 a.m. Monday. $25 with T-shirt; $20 without; $100 suggested fundraising goal. Race leaves from The Banks, Downtown, cincinnatihungerwalk.org.
Photo: Freestore Foodbank Facebook