22 Things to Do in Cincinnati This Week (Sept. 18-24)

WEDNESDAY 18

ONSTAGE: The Absentee at Know Theatre
The Absentee is a play about casting your vote no matter where you are — even if you’re in outer space. Through Oct. 5. $10. Know Theatre, 1120 Jackson St., Over-the-Rhine, knowtheatre.com.
Photo: Dan R. Winters

WEDNESDAY 18

ONSTAGE: Come From Away at Know Theatre
In mid-September 2001, 38 planes with over 6,500 passengers landed unexpectedly in Gander, Newfoundland, a remote island off Canada’s east coast. U.S. airspace had been shut down in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The town’s 10,000 residents hosted people from all over the world for nearly a week. The “guests” spoke more than 100 languages. Meals were served, shelter and medications were provided, friends were made and lasting relationships were formed. The hospitality of Gander and the connections made there has been captured and recreated in the award-winning musical, Come From Away. It’s been a hit on Broadway and in Toronto, London and Australia. And its touring production will land in Cincinnati for two weeks. Assembled by Tony nominees Irene Sankoff and David Hein, the show distills events experienced by more than 16,000 people into 100 minutes that portray the innate goodness of humankind. A dozen actors play numerous passengers and locals, recreating people who met and embraced one another during the emotional moment. Through Sept. 29. Tickets start at $30. Aronoff Center for the Arts, 650 Walnut St., Downtown, cincinnatiarts.org.
Photo: Matthew Murphy

WEDNESDAY 18

DANCE: Kaplan New Works Series
The Kaplan New Works Series, Cincinnati Ballet’s annual season opener, kicked off on Sept. 12 at the Aronoff Center for the Arts. The program is stacked with six world premieres from a variety of artists, including three of the Cincinnati Ballet’s own dancers. Kaplan New Works Series runs through Sept. 22. Tickets/more info: cballet.org.
Melissa Gelfin's Clockwise // Photo: Peter Mueller

THURSDAY 19

ONSTAGE: Once on This Island at the Playhouse
Love, power and community reign supreme in the Tony Award-winning musical Once on This Island, currently onstage at the Playhouse in the Park’s Marx Theatre. Set in the present-day Caribbean French Antilles, this 85-minute production spins the enchanting story of a young peasant girl, Ti Moune, on a quest for love as four competing gods use their forces to determine her fate. Once on This Island runs through Oct. 6 at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. For more information and tickets, visit cincyplay.com.
Photo: Mikki Schaffner Photography

THURSDAY 19

EVENT: The Running of the Wieners
If you can hardly wait to see dachshunds in hot dog outfits using their teeny, tiny legs to run as fast as they can from one side of the street to the other, good news: Your wait time just got shorter. The wieners are running one day early to kick off Oktoberfest Zinzinnati. Instead of its traditional Friday race time — the unofficial launch to the Oktoberfest festivities — the race will now take place at 1 p.m. Thursday. The race will feature 100 wieners running 75 feet down Freedom Way between Walnut and Rosa Parks streets. Oktoberfest provides a hot dog bun costume for each dog, and the race will take place in heats of 10 dogs. The winner of each heat will compete in a final race to crown the first, second and third place winning wieners. The event is free — and very fun — to watch. 1 p.m. Thursday. Free. Freedom Way, Downtown, oktoberfestzinzinnati.com.
Photo: Emerson Swoger

THURSDAY 19

MUSIC: Indigo Girls
Folk Rock duo Indigo Girls play the Taft Theatre with special guest Lucy Wainwright Roche. 8 p.m. Thursday. $35-$75. Taft Theatre, 317 E. Fifth St., Downtown, tafttheatre.org.
Photo: Jeremy Cowart

THURSDAY 19

MUSIC: Dweezil Zappa
A month after Woodstock, on Sept. 19, 1969, Jim Tarbell opened The Ludlow Garage in Clifton with a Grand Funk Railroad concert. The Ludlow Avenue venue would attract some of the biggest and most influential Rock acts of the era to Cincinnati, including Santana, The Kinks, Humble Pie, James Gang, Alice Cooper, Iggy and the Stooges and MC5. The Allman Brothers also famously played the club a few times — the band’s Live at Ludlow Garage became a hugely popular bootleg recording before Polydor released it officially in the early ’90s. The Garage burned bright and left a big impact on Cincinnati in its short lifespan — it closed in 1971. This year marks the 50th anniversary of that first Ludlow Garage concert and there have been myriad celebrations, including an all-day concert in Eden Park and a forthcoming mural in Clifton featuring depictions of BB King, Judy Collins, Captain Beefheart and others who played the club that will be unveiled in October at Cliftonfest. The venue’s current owners are celebrating with a special concert event this week. Using several “50th anniversary” angles, the club will host Rock legend Frank Zappa’s son Dweezil Zappa Thursday. On his tour that kicked off on Sept. 3, Dweezil is playing Frank’s seminal album Hot Rats in full (plus “other hot stuff,” the tour’s title promises). 8:30 p.m. Thursday. $30-$90. Ludlow Garage, 342 Ludlow Ave., Clifton, ludlowgaragecincinnati.com.
Photo: Provided by the Artist

FRIDAY 20

EVENT: Oktoberfest Zinzinnati
Call your boss, call your friends and steam your lederhosen: Oktoberfest Zinzinnati is kicking off early this year and Mayor John Cranley has officially declared it a citywide half-day holiday. “Oktoberfest Zinzinnati is one of our most important traditions,” Cranley said in a press release. “And it’s time we recognize it as the holiday it is!” Instead of the usual 5 p.m. Friday start time, work is canceled starting at 11 a.m. and the drinking can begin. As North America’s largest Oktoberfest — second only to the Munich original — things kick off with the Gemuetlichkeit Games (beer stein races and beer barrel rolls) followed by the official Oktoberfest keg tapping at noon. The festivities continue through the weekend with bratwurst-eating contests, the “World’s Largest Chicken Dance” (taking place on all nine stages), German music and thousands of pounds of sauerkraut balls, goetta, cream puffs, bratwurst, pretzels and limburger cheese. 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday. Free admission. Second and Third streets between Walnut and Elm streets, Downtown, oktoberfestzinzinnati.com.
Photo: Devin Luginbill

FRIDAY 20

MUSIC: Overcast Hip Hop Fest
The Overcast Hip Hop Festival is returning for a second year this weekend. Showcasing local and out-of-town underground Hip Hop artists, DJs and dancers, the event debuted in 2018 at Urban Artifact in Northside. This year, Overcast is set to take place just across the river at the Thompson House Sept. 20 and 21. Along with live music from area and touring independent artists, like Scribble Jam, Overcast also spotlights some of the other elements of Hip Hop culture with a B-Boy/B-Girl dance battle and an MC battle. The dance battles will begin on Saturday around 5 p.m. in the Thompson House’s ballroom. Hosted by DJs Topspeed, Juan Cosby and NoahIMean, the Rap battles get going in the ballroom on Saturday at 8 p.m. On Friday, music begins in the ballroom at 8 p.m. with Cosby, Haskell, AP Counterfeit, WeirDose and Kill Bill performing with a live band that features local musicians Nick Baverman, Chris Barlow and Dan Dickerscheid. Friday and Saturday. An all-ages event, admission is $15 for single-day tickets or $25 for a two-day pass. 24 E. Third St., Newport, overcastfest.com.
Triiibe // Photo: Hailey Bollinger

FRIDAY 20

ART: Advice for Future Homecomers
People Liberty’s final installation opened at their Over-the-Rhine Globefront gallery location on Sept. 13. Staying true to that organization’s five years of forward-thinking projects, an exhibition curated by Wave Pool entitled Advice for Future Homecomers is posited on looking ahead in anticipation. Every Friday and Saturday through the end of the exhibition on Nov. 10, Schmit will host pretzel-making workshops in the Globefront from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Starting at noon on those days, he’ll take a pretzel cart through Findlay Market and neighboring streets to dispense pretzels to anyone interested in exchange for one thing: advice. “I think there are a lot of very invasive species that enter into communities and don’t really consider the needs of that community. What do they need? The pretzels will be a gesture of saying, ‘I come in peace, and then if you have the time, could you trade me some advice?’ ” Advice for Future Homecomers runs through Nov. 10 at the People’s Liberty Globefront, 1805 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine. For more info and a full list of programming, visit wavepoolgallery.org.
Photo: Courtesy Cal Cullen

FRIDAY 20

ART: Advice for Future Homecomers
The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year and is opening the season with the U.S. premiere of Bryce Dessner’s “Concerto for Two Pianos,” performed by sister duo Katia and Marielle Labèque. For this premiere, taking place at Music Hall, the Labèque sisters will be playing Dessner's work — which NPR calls “gorgeous, full-hearted” — sandwiched between works by Richard Strauss (1864-1949), including "Don Juan" and "Alpine Symphony." 11 a.m. Sept. 20; 8 p.m. Sept. 21. $14-$130. Music Hall, 1241 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine, cincinnatisymphony.org.
Photo: Umberto Nicoletti

FRIDAY 20

COMEDY: Tacarra Williams
Stand-up comedian is just but one vocation at which Tacarra Williams is adept. Born in Belize and raised in the Bronx, she is also an actress, model, motivational speaker, teacher and life skills coach. The latter takes her to prisons, primarily in Southern California, where she works with inmates. “I teach them everything they need to start rehabilitation now,” she tells an audience. “It’s hard working in a jail full of male inmates, cause I’m cute.” In addition to her on-the-job experiences, she also jokes about being the third oldest of eight kids and a twin. She also talks about her kids. “My oldest is 18,” she says. “I didn’t realize how much him dating was going to cost me. I have a 14-year-old girl, and I’ve never fought anyone, but I’m ready to go. I’ve checked the jail time.” 7:30 and 10 p.m. Friday; 7 and 10 p.m. Saturday. $20-$52. Liberty Funny Bone, 7518 Bales St., Liberty Township, liberty.funnybone.com.
Photo: Gersh Agency

FRIDAY 20

EVENT: Cincinnati Comic Expo
Cincinnati’s largest comic con and pop culture expo is back for its 10th-annual show and features artists, publishers, authors, cosplayers and fans from around the globe including slated guests Morena Baccarin (Deadpool, Gotham), Kathy Najimy (Hocus Pocus), Jewel Staite (Firefly), Alan Tudyk (A Knight’s Tale) and Will Wheaton (basically everything). 3-8 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. $25-$55 adult; $5 kids; meet and greets and photo ops cost extra. Duke Energy Convention Center, 525 Elm St., Downtown, cincinnaticomicexpo.com.
Photo: Cincy Comic Con Facebook

FRIDAY 20

MUSIC: Bogart’s Birthday Bash with Catalina Wine Mixer Band
Bogart’s — which has hosted some of the biggest acts in music, including U2, R.E.M., Prince and Bob Dylan — is celebrating its 44th birthday this month. For its birthday bash, the club is flashing back to the mid-’70s, when it first opened, bringing in Catalina Wine Mixer Band to play the soothing Soft Rock hits of the era. CWMB (which recently changed its name to Yacht Rock America) is a six-piece group featuring several local music veterans, including Sean McGary, Jimmy Lee King and Larry Feldner. The ensemble performs smooth classics from the likes of Little River Band, Steely Dan, Hall & Oates and many others. Also helping Bogart’s celebrate are local Power Pop legends the Roger Klug Power Trio and Girl Pop, which covers “female hits from the ’80s ’90s, ’00s and today.” 7:30 p.m. Friday. $7; $10 day of. Bogart’s, 2621 Vine St., Corryville, bogarts.com.
Photo: John Klare

SATURDAY 21

MUSIC: Miranda Lambert
Country star Miranda Lambert plays the BB&T Arena with Elle King. And when she rolls through Northern Kentucky this weekend, she’ll be doing double duty. Not only will she headline, but her band Pistol Annies is an opening act. 7 p.m. Saturday. $49.75-$89.75. BB&T Arena, 500 Nunn Drive, Highland Heights, thebbtarena.com
Photo: Ellen Von Unwerth

SATURDAY 21

EVENT: Fire Up the Night
International teams of pyrotechnic experts will head to Coney Island to compete in a fireworks face-off for the eighth-annual Fire Up the Night. The three countries competing — Belgium, Vietnam and Russia — will go head to head in a sparkling showdown for international bragging rights. The winner will be determined by a panel of judges. And fans can spend the start of the day riding rides, canoeing in Lake Como, partying in the empty Sunlite Pool or exploring the cultures of each participating country in Moonlite Pavilion via music, dancing and other educational fun. 4 p.m. gates; 8:30 p.m. fireworks Saturday. $25 per carload. Coney Island, 6201 Kellogg Ave., California, coneyislandpark.com.
Photo: Provided

SATURDAY 21

ONSTAGE: Suffragettes: With Liberty and Voting for All
Help your kids get excited for the 100th anniversary of women winning the right to vote by taking them to this musical performance from The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati. The 45-minute play teaches viewers about the empowering heritage of the women’s suffrage movement, which successfully won the 1920 constitutional amendment that extended the vote to females. The show, which is intended for children ages 8 and older, features four local actors and was written and scored by local artists. 2-3 p.m. and 5-6 p.m. Saturday; 2-3 p.m. Sunday. $10 tickets, $7 mainstage subscribers. Ralph and Patricia Corbett Showtime Stage, 4015 Red Bank Road, Madisonville, thechildrenstheatre.com.
Photo: Provided by Children's Theatre of Cincinnati

SATURDAY 21

EVENT: High Five Fiesta!
In 2014, Wave Pool, the community-driven, artist-led experimental art gallery, was one of the first generation of new artistic outposts to stake a claim in Camp Washington. Situated in a repurposed firehouse, Wave Pool has become a burgeoning force for change and action in the small community, like its work co-helming The Welcome Project to engage and assist recent immigrants and refugees to the area and more. It also acts as a haven for artists-in-residence and niche exhibitions. Wave Pool is turning five with a big fiesta and fundraiser. Tickets to the party include food from The Welcome Project chefs, live music, a silent art auction, a live auction and “a variety of libations.” Proceeds will go to assist the gallery and social enterprise with its next steps. According to an event release, “Over the next year Wave Pool will open a food market and teaching kitchen for and by refugees and immigrants, host a world-renowned artist group to do a soil remediation project in our post-industrial neighborhood, and continue to support artists and curators through our rigorous exhibitions and residency programs.” 6-11 p.m. Saturday. $100; $50 artists; $150 per couple. The Factory, 1546 Knowlton St., Northside, wavepoolgallery.org.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

SUNDAY 22

MUSIC: Outlaw Music Festival
Willie Nelson headlines the sold-out Outlaw Music Festival with with Luke Combs, Bonnie Raitt, Brothers Osborne and Derek Alan Band. 3:45 p.m. Sunday. Sold-out. Riverbend Music Center, 6295 Kellogg Ave., California, riverbend.org.
Photo: Blackbird Presents

SUNDAY 22

EVENT: ish Festival
Launched in 2017, the ish Festival is back this year, exploring the spectrum of Jewish and Israeli arts and cultural traditions through art, food and music for all ages via the theme “to welcome the stranger.” The goal is to deepen the understanding of what it means to be human. There will be both traditional and contemporary, secular and religious, Jewish and non-Jewish vendors, events and artisans participating in the fest in Washington Park — a location selected for its proximity to the historic Plum Street Temple and Old Jewish Cemetery. New this year is Jewish Cincinnati: A Walk Through History, a walking tour that features stops at four to six former and currently active sites of worship which correspond to photographs from J. Miles Wolf’s Jewish Cincinnati: A Photographic History, previously on view at the Skirball Museum; the images will be on display at the park during the fest. According to organizers, “ish Festival is a non-political celebration of arts and cultural heritage. We aim to celebrate the diversity and difference of many identities, beliefs, cultural heritages and experiences.” 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. Free. Washington Park, 1230 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine, ishfestival.com.
Photo: Marie Krulewitch Browne