It’s tradition to fire up the grill and open pools at the start of summer, but the biggest local ritual this time of year is the Taste of Cincinnati, taking over downtown Saturday-Monday. Fifth Street will fill with local food vendors, plenty of booze stations, carnival rides, four performance stages and more. This year is the debut of food trucks at the Taste — be sure to stop by Café de Wheels, Pizza Bomba, Taco Azul and Queen City Cookies’ mobile eateries in addition to the traditional Taste staples. Pick up an issue of this week’s CityBeat for a guide to the Taste with a map and full menu or click here for a digital copy.

Tonight OTR’s green general store Park + Vine celebrates its fifth anniversary. P+V is a hub for local goods, vegan food, eco-cooking/gardening/living classes and much more. Danny Korman and the rest of the P+V crew have introduced Cincinnatians to kombucha keg parties, bike-friendly culture and even tasty vegan cheese (seriously, it exists). Stop by the shop from 6-11 p.m. tonight and enjoy a street market with local environmental organizations, food and produce vendors. Inside, there will be music, a Flashbox photo booth, beverages and the usual great shopping. Across the street, Northside vintage outfitters Chicken Lays An Egg present a fashion show at the park adjacent to Old St. Mary’s Church.

As bike month comes to a close, celebrate the way countless teens end their high school careers — with a prom! Saturday the City of Cincinnati Bike Program hosts a Bike Prom ride from Northside’s Hoffner Park to Fountain Square (and back), kicking off at 4:30 p.m. Dress in your snazziest bike-friendly formal wear, get your photo taken prom-style under a balloon arch and even vote for a king and queen. After the ride, head to Mayday in Northside for after-prom: Mobo Bicycle Cooperative’s annual fundraiser. Dance to classic prom tunes, participate in a busted bike build-off, sign up for a silent auction and enjoy delicious Mayday drinks-n-'dogs all night long. The ride is free, after-prom admission is $10.

Exhale Dance Tribe presents its season closer Saturday with Imprint. The contemporary Jazz show features original choreography by Exhale founders Missy Lay Zimmer and Andrew Hubbard. Dancing With the Stars champ and 98 Degrees alum Drew Lachey hosts the evening. Check out Lea Lachey, Sherene Schostak and Traci Swain, a father-son live art performance, solo by Andrew Hubbard and much more. The show begins at 8 p.m. Saturday; purchase tickets here.

There's even more going down this weekend: Read Rick Pender's Stage Door for theater shows, follow our music blog for nightly concerts (and plenty of music festivals this weekend), and check out the To Do page for more.

The Mercantile Library welcomes author and garden designer Jon Carloftis to speak as part of its Hearth & Home Lecture series. Carloftis, a Kentucky native, has been featured in magazines and television and has won awards for his landscaping, gardening and writing. He’s a driving force behind the now-popular trend of small space/rooftop gardening. Lit lovers and gardeners alike will enjoy hearing him reflect on his work. The lecture begins at 7 p.m. tonight; admission is $15, $10 for members.

Comedian Shane Mauss kicks off his weekend at Go Bananas tonight. Mauss has appeared on Conan O’Brien (both shows) four times, is a regular on The Bob and Tom Show, has been featured on Comedy Central and travels across the globe performing at international comedy festivals. Tonight’s show features opener Michael Palascak and MC Kelly Collette. Tickets for the 8 p.m. show are $8, $4 with college or military ID.

Winedog Wine Shoppe and Art Gallery hosts a Last Blast of Spring tonight from 6-9 p.m. Enjoy shop wines from Ralph Taylor, Spanish wines from Edgar Saborit of Cat Wines USA and Babee Bites Catering hors d’oeuvres by Debbie Hook. The shop’s attached gallery, Souleiado will feature artwork by Donna Schwarz and live music from Cheryl Renee. Guests should have already reserved their spots; find out more about Winedog here.

SmartTalk ConnectedConversations closes its speaker series tonight with Andie MacDowell — Acting As A Way Of Life. MacDowell has acted in Groundhog Day, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Sex, Lies and Videotape and many other films and television programs. She also works to raise awareness for heart health. And she has amazing hair. Check her out tonight for a lecture and Q&A session at 7:30 p.m. at the Aronoff Center. Tickets are $25-$85; find them here.

Check out more events, art exhibits and theater shows on our To Do page and follow our music blog for nightly shows.

Scared yet? Don't be. It just takes some practice. Bike polo is one of the world's up-and-coming sports, already highly popular in India and across Europe. According to the League of Bike Polo, U.S. bike polo was born in Seattle in the '90s, when a group of bike messengers were playing with a ball and some homemade mallets.

“This bike polo court is one the few official bike polo courts in the country,” says Steve Pacella, Cincinnati Recreation Commission superintendent, according to a press release. Several other cities across the U.S., including San Francisco, are scheduled to open official bike polo courts later this year.

Aside from the rise in U.S. cycling culture, its popularity is attributed, in part, to its flexibility — courts can be parking lots, roofs or grassy areas, meaning it's easy for urban-dwellers to find spots to pay.

The new bike polo court is located at the end of Joselin Avenue off Clifton Avenue, near the University of Cincinnati, and will be opened and dedicated today at 3 p.m. Councilman Chris Seelbach will be present to celebrate the court's opening, and the ceremony will also feature a bike polo demonstration for those unfamiliar with the game.

The opening of the bike court comes during Bike Month, a country-wide celebration of all things bike. Click here for a comprehensive list of Cincinnati bike happenings.

May 23 is National Lucky Penny Day, so keep an eye out for face-up coins today.

Author Emily St. John Mandel makes a stop at Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Rookwood Pavilion tonight at 7 p.m. She will discuss and sign her latest novel, The Lola Quartet. In what is being touted as her most ambitious work, Mandel “combines her most fully realized characters with perhaps her most fully developed story that examines the difficulty of being the person you'd like to be, loss, the way a small and innocent action can have disastrous consequences.”

Check out our To Do page for more art exhibits, theater shows and other events happening tonight and follow our music blog for a daily live show lineup.

Looking Ahead

Cincinnati Parks Foundation’s Women’s Committee presents its annual benefit, the Hats Off Luncheon, Thursday. Don your best hat and gather at the newly opened John G. and Phyllis W. Smale Riverfront Park on the Jacob G. Schmidlapp Stage and Event Lawn at 11 a.m. for a champagne reception followed by lunch at 12:15 p.m. Support the organization that works to endow, maintain and preserve Cincinnati greenspace and help kick off a fundraiser for a carousel at Smale Riverfront Park.

Denise Driehaus and the Southwest Ohio No Frack Forum host a free screening of Gasland tomorrow, presented by the Sierra Club and Food & Water Watch. The documentary exposes the negative side effects of the controversial Horizontal Hydraulic Fracturing, known as fracking. Some call the recent Ohio fracking boom a “gold rush,”  but filmmaker Josh Fox points out the environmental and public health consequences that may result from the drilling. The screening begins at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, followed by a discussion.

Over-the-Rhine vocal ensemble Young Professionals’ Choral Collective (YPCC) presents an evening of music and wine tonight with In Vino Veritas (translation: “in wine, there is truth”). Travel across the globe with Italian and South African choral music and wines selected by 1215 Wine Bar and Coffee Lab’s sommelier. You’ll get a taste of various regions, without leaving the city. Memorial Hall hosts the event, kicking off at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 (should have been ordered in advance) and include three glasses of wine. YPCC features more than 100 local singers in their 20s and 30s and is a product of the May Festival. If you didn’t get tickets, meet up with the crew at Below Zero Lounge for an after-party at 8:30 p.m.

Cincinnati Playwrights Initiative continues its New Voices season of staged readings of plays tonight with The Fool. The play, written by Fred Rothzeid and directed by Charlie Goetz, gives a modern twist to the role of the classic court jester. Also known as the “King’s Fool,” these jokesters used to mock the absurdity and corruption of those in power. Today, since much of the power lies in the hands of CEOs, could a “Corporate Fool” save the world’s leaders from their own destruction? Noting how congress’ rules and regulations do little to curb corporate greed, Rothzeid suggests taking a page from the past in The Fool. The staged reading begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Aronoff Center’s Jarson-Kaplan Theater. Tickets are $8.

Looking Ahead

Emily St. John Mandel discusses and signs her ambitious new novel, The Lola Quartet at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Joseph-Beth in Rookwood Pavilion. The book "pays homage to literary noir and is concerned with jazz, Django Reinhardt, economic collapse, love, Florida's exotic wildlife problem, crushing tropical heat, the leavening of the contemporary world, compulsive gambling, and the unreliability of memory."

Anderson wine shop and art gallery Winedog presents its Last Blast of Spring Thursday, with wine tastings (including some Spanish varieties), hors d’oeuvres, live music and more. After you find your new favorite wine, peruse the shop’s offerings and bring a bottle home! Make reservations for the event, which runs 6-9 p.m., by calling 888-288-0668 or sign up online before Wednesday.

So, I know you probably read CityBeat exclusively and religiously, but it is kind of cool when Cincinnati pops up in national news for fun reasons. Lately, our grub and attractions have been name-dropped by some major outlets. Food and Wine mentioned Eli's BBQ as one of their "Best BBQ Pit Masters and Grill Geniuses." Yahoo dubbed Tom + Chee's tasty concoctions one of America's most outrageous grilled cheese sandwiches. USA Today listed 10 reasons to visit Cincinnati, featuring Jungle Jim's, the Run Like Hell Halloween race, Opening Day and more. Sure, we already knew about these great aspects of our city, but it's about time everyone else did, too.

In case anyone was unaware, I really like This American Life. The true storytelling radio show presented a live theater event broadcast in cinemas across the U.S. and Australia May 10 (with an additional screening May 15) that anyone with a soul who loves the show would truly enjoy. Because the format shifted from radio to theater, fans got to enjoy visual elements like dance performances, illustrations and a short film by Mike Birbiglia. Peep the NPR-inspired hilarity below.

Check out the radio debut of the episode on public radio this upcoming week.

The Internet bombards us with exaggerated tales of people who have transformed from cheeseburger-gobbling slobs to marathon-winners every day, so I've become suspicious of any before-and-after health stories. That said, when I saw this video on Facebook about a disabled veteran who can now walk because of yoga, I was pretty amazed. Arthur Boorman was told by doctors that he'd never be able to walk unassisted, but he took up yoga, dropped 140 pounds and, well, check out the end result.

Meet Gayle Waters-Waters, a Kashi-snorting, Whole Foods-shopping, book clubbing suburban warrior princess:

Have you ever been hard at work, in the zone, on a roll when somebody stops by or calls to ask a completely random question — one no human would know off the top of their head but that anyone could easily look up since it's the year 20-GD-12 and the Internet exists? Enter Let Me Google That For You. Just type in a question, get a URL, make it tiny and send that to your troll. It'll take them to a page that looks just like Google, manually fills out said question, and brings them to a page of results (so you're not being a total dick). LMGTFY: Because my brain is not a search engine.

Finally, check out Awesome People Hanging Out Together. Hey, it's Elvis and Muhammad Ali!

When Shirley Temple sang about the “Good Ship Lollipop,” she probably wasn’t envisioning a booze cruise of drag queens (though, you know what they say about the crazy lives of child stars). Tonight, CNKY Scene and BB Riverboats present Big Ship Lollipop, a sweet late-night cruise for the local LGBTQ community and friends, complete with drag shows, DJs, drinks and hors d’oeuvres. Boarding begins at 10:30 p.m. and the boat departs at 11:30, when Penny Tration of The Cabaret and her cast of lovely ladies will perform on the first deck, while Adonis’ DJ Patrick B spins dance music on the second floor. The top deck is a VIP area (sold out) with a bar and killer view. Guests can also enjoy shopping from Pure Romance, a Flashbox photo booth and raffles supporting CNKY Scene Film Festival and Cincinnati Pride 2012. Tickets will be available tonight at the dock for $15, which includes a cash bar and complimentary snacks. Find details here.

Smale Riverfront Park, the new public space at The Banks, hosts its Phase I Grand Opening tonight. The park is located on Mehring Way between Walnut Street and Joe Nuxhall Way, and features an event lawn and stage, fountains, a bike trail, visitor’s center, labrynth and more to come. Smale is sure to be a downtown hub for locals and visitors alike. The opening event kicks off at 6:15, followed by a free concert, fireworks and kids activities.

Go OTR is more than a 5K Run/Walk — it’s a full event devoted to the historic neighborhood and all the great people and businesses making it thrive. Saturday’s celebration kicks off with the race at 10 a.m. and continues with a street festival through 5 p.m. Vine Street will be closed to traffic, full of local vendors like Christian Moerlein, A Tavola, Senate, Taste of Belgium and more local eateries. There will also be live music from Wussy, Shiny & the Spoon, Cincy Brass and others, a craft market by The City Flea and a fine art show. Online registration for the 5K has closed, but runners and walkers can still sign up at 1401 Vine St. until 7:30 p.m. tonight or between 8:30-10 a.m. Saturday.

Further proving the explosion of Cincinnati's core, the popular Asian Food Fest has relocated from the suburbs to The Banks this year. Check out our interview with Bao Nguyen, the festival's Marketing Director, for a preview of all there is to taste and see this year. Expect deliciousness from 13 vendors, performances, and more. The Asian Food Fest takes over The Banks Saturday and Sunday.

Mayday Northside presents its third annual Brews, ‘Dos and Tattoos shindig Saturday. Don your hottest alt-Americana for an evening of beers, burlesque and bustin’ moves. The crew will tap a bunch of craft beers at 4 p.m., dance music commences at 8, followed by performances from Ohio Knife and Cin City Burlqesue. Get the sizzling details here.

Joseph-Beth Booksellers brings DIY extraordinaire Kayte Terry to its Rookwood Pavilion location for a craft-stravaganza Saturday. Terry hosts this special paper crafting event in support of her new book Paper Made! 101 Exceptional Projects to Make Out of Everyday Paper. Handmade culture has made a major comeback in recent years, and with the popularity of DIY marketplace Etsy, crafting is cool again. Working with paper can be expensive and somewhat wasteful, but Terry’s book is full of projects that utilize old newspapers, magazines, maps, and other paper scraps that would otherwise end up in the trash — and they look polished and professional. Join Terry Saturday for tips and tricks on turning trash into Pinterest-approved treasure.

Weston Gallery’s annual fundraiser is not your typical cheese-and-wine arts event. This year’s Exhibitionism II is a sexy underground dance party, complete with a lingerie fashion show by Knickers of Hyde Park, dinner by the bite from the area’s top chefs, tantalizing cocktails, body painting and more. It’s a don’t-miss event for all you Cincy socialites and a great opportunity to support one of the city’s finest art galleries. The party runs 8 p.m.-1 a.m. at the Weston, located inside the Aronoff Center.

Women’s Way of Ohio and Women Writing for a Change join Grailville for a day of writing, music and spirituality Sunday. Singer-songwriter Carrie Newcomer will lead a workshop from 1-4 p.m. in which women will share and reflect on personal stories and explore creative expression. At 5:30 p.m., Grailville will serve dinner and Newcomer will perform a concert at 7 p.m. All are welcome to join in part or all of the day’s activities, with prices ranging $20-$70. Go here to register and find a full schedule.

Follow our music blog for all your concert needs and check out our To Do page for art exhibits, theater shows, festivals and more fun happening this weekend.

An after-work summer destination for many yuppies Tri-Staters, Party in the Park returns tonight for its 32^nd year tonight. Every Wednesday through July, Party in the Park brings booze and popular area cover bands to Yeatman’s Cove from 5-10 p.m. Happy hour runs 5-6:30 p.m. and for the first time, wine and cocktails are available in addition to beer. Tonight’s music comes from Naked Karate Girls. Check out the full lineup here.

Perhaps contemporary Classical is more your style? World-renown composer Yanni performs at the Aronoff Center tonight. Known for being the sound of New Wave and providing the music for the Olympics (since 1988) and countless other televised sporting events, Yanni presents a new touring show featuring new music from Truth of Touch, his first album of original studio music in almost a decade. Tonight’s performance begins at 8 p.m. Go here to find tickets.

Interior decorator and HGTV host/designer Monica Pedersen will stop by Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Rookwood Pavilion to discuss and sign her new book. Monica Pedersen Make It Beautiful: Designs and Ideas for Entertaining at Home combines the author’s DIY nature and design/décor expertise to turn readers into party-throwing pros. The event begins at 7 p.m. tonight.

Check out our To Do page for more art exhibits, theater shows and other events happening tonight and follow our music blog for a daily live show lineup.

Ricky, Julian and Bubbles, better known as the Trailer Park Boys, come to Madison Theater tonight. The Canadian mockumentary-style comedy series makes a fun transition to stage with the “Community Service Variety Show.” If last year’s live show was any indication, expect more skits, audience participation and white trash goodness than you can throw a rum and Coke at (and you know Julian will have plenty of those). The show is sold out, so try your luck with the fine scalpers of Covington!

This American Life went live last Thursday, broadcasting the show in theaters across the U.S. and Australia. The show featured its standard true storytelling format, but with ample visual components. In addition to anecdotes from David Sedaris, Tig Notaro and others, there were also dance performances, an NPR-inspired short film from Mike Birbiglia and an interactive performance by OK GO. If this sounds amazing (which it was) and you missed out, you're in luck! The broadcast will screen again tonight in several area theaters.

Pro Tip: Download this free app before you go — the TAL crew pulled some strings to allow audiences to use their phones at one point in the performance. Go here to find nearby theaters. The show begins at 7:30 p.m. and tickets are $20 (more than a 3D movie, but way less crappy).

Northside Tavern hosts a fundraiser for End Slavery Cincinnati tonight from 5-10 p.m. Learn about human trafficking in the country and right here in Cincinnati, and what you can do to help raise awareness and bring it to an end. from 5-10 p.m. Enjoy live music from The Flavor Junkies and Wild Mountain Berries, door prizes and treats, for a great cause. Admission is $5 at the door.

Know Theater welcomes two local comedy groups onstage tonight. Underbelly Comedy and Off the Rocks Improv team up for a "Little Big Night" of laughs. There will be stand-up, improv, sketch comedy and more from some of the city's truly talented performers. Five bucks gets you a seat and a beer! What more could you possibly want? Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show begins at 8 p.m.

Check our our To Do page for more productions, exhibits and events every day and follow our music blog for nightly live shows.

Today is also the kick-off of American Craft Beer Week. That’s a thing! Cincinnati has a rich brewing history, so it’s no surprise that local watering holes are celebrating the creation and consumption of delicious craft beer. Tonight, Arnold’s taps Bell’s Third Coast Ale — one of two fifth-barrels in the entire city. Find Arnold’s full ACBW schedule here.

The Crazy Fox in Newport hosts open mic and all-night happy hour every Monday. All musicians are welcome to perform in a friendly atmosphere, beginning at 8:30 p.m. The Seedy Seeds’ Margaret Darling guest hosts this week.

It's Only A Day Away

Tomorrow, Northside Tavern hosts a fundraiser for End Slavery Cincinnati. Help raise awareness about human trafficking in the country and right here in Cincinnati from 5-10 p.m. There will be live music from The Flavor Junkies and Wild Mountain Berries, door prizes and more, for $5 at the door.

This American Life presented a live cinema event last Thursday that featured its standard true storytelling format, but with ample visual elements. In addition to anecdotes from David Sedaris, Tig Notaro and others, there were also dance performances, a hilarious short film from Mike Birbiglia and an interactive performance by OK GO. The theater in Newport where I watched the show was far too empty — I found the show more entertaining than any movie in theaters right now! Those who missed out have another chance to check out the program in theaters Tuesday. Sure, it will be a recording of the live show, but the charm and excitement of the live format will surely shine through. Without spoiling anything, the stories they were able to assemble were killer: laugh-out-loud, misty-eyed, thought-provoking TAL goodness.

Be sure to download this free app before you go — the TAL crew pulled some strings to allow audiences to use their phones at one point in the performance. Go here to find nearby theaters screening the show tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. Can I gush any more? No. It’s worth the $20 ticket. Please go.

Ricky, Julian and Bubbles bring the trailer park to town for a night tomorrow! For those unfamiliar, Trailer Park Boys is a Canadian mockumentary-style comedy series and movies that has developed a cult following over the past decade. It’s white trash hilarity at its finest. If last year’s live show was any indication, Tuesday’s “Community Service Variety Show” is sure to bring the LOLs. Buy tickets here.

Four Entertainment Group (4EG) is the driving force behind nine of the most popular bars and restaurants in the area. While it would be difficult to drink at each location in one night (and possibly damaging to the liver), 4EG is bringing all of their venues to Fountain Square tonight. Try specialty cocktails, beers, wine and signature dishes from aliveOne, Keystone Hyde Park, Keystone Covington, The Lackman, The Stand, Mount Adams Pavilion, The Righteous Room, The Sandbar and Tap & Go as you get down to music from DJ Matt Joy and Bad Veins. Head down to the square from 5-10 p.m. and if you're on Foursquare, be sure to check in — the mayor of these venues will receive a prize.

On second Saturdays, Northside is the place to be. Celebrate the eclectic neighborhood and support local businesses by visiting some of the dozens of participating galleries, shops, restaurants and bars. Visitors will enjoy extended hours, drink and food specials, sales and unique promotions at places like Nvision, Mayday, Take the Cake, C&D, Tantrum, Skincraft and many more. Find a full list of participating businesses here.

Check out Stage Door for this weekend's theater offerings, our music blog for a live show lineup and our To Do page for more events, art shows, performances and more this weekend.

Dayton's Ruckus Roboticus is currently featured on MTVu.com as one of this week's "Best Freshman Videos." The funky Hip Hop bot's "Take Me To The Disco" Video, featuring local actors, is vying for a spot in MTVu's permanent rotation. To celebrate the vid's lead in votes, the crew invites everyone to happy hour at the Moerlein Lager House. Enjoy cheap drinks and a vote-a-thon — bring your smartphones and other space devices beginning at 5:30 p.m. Voting for the video continues through Friday.

Support the Junior League of Cincinnati while checking out a sweet showcase tonight at Scene Ultra Lounge. JLC's "I Want Candy" fashion show will feature items from Knickers XY and Fetish Boutique, hairstyles by High Five Salon and Bobbi Brown cosmetics from Saks Fifth Avenue. Ten bucks gets you in the door; the show begins at 9 p.m.

Check out our To Do page for art exhibits, theater shows and other events happening tonight and follow our music blog for nightly club shows and concerts.

Who is the most hilarious Tri-State resident? Each year, Go Bananas tries to answer that question with the club’s Funniest Person in Cincinnati Contest. Tonight the competition kicks off with semi-pros Dwight Simmons, Ranaan Hershberg, Jebb Lyons and Lindsay Boling and several amateurs. Five bucks gets you in the door to check out some of Cincy’s up-and-coming comics. The competition will continue weekly through August, when the favorite comedian will be crowned

Jenny “The Bloggess” Lawson makes a stop at Joseph-Beth Booksellers at Rookwood Pavilion tonight — kind of. The Internet superstar will discuss her “mostly true memoir,” Let’s Pretend This Never Happened via Skype at the book store. The Bloggess’ literary debut features mortifyingly hilarious anecdotes that helped shape an awkward girl into a wildly popular writer. The book talk begins at 7 p.m. Admission is free.

Check out our To Do page for art exhibits, theater shows and other events happening tonight and follow our music blog for nightly club shows and concerts.

In addition to Cinco de Mayo and Derby Day, the next couple days bring a ton of events and activities. Saddle up, grab some tequila and get out there this weekend!

Essex Studios blossom this weekend for the galleries’ spring Art Walk, BLOOM. The space has been transformed with a thousand origami flowers, yarn gardens by the Cincinnati BombShells and color-coded pathways. As always, more than 100 artists’ work will be on view as guests eat and drink their way through the studios. The art walk runs 6-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Saturday is Clay Alliance’s annual pottery fair at DeSales Corner. Peruse decorative and functional pottery pieces, meet local artists and get supplies to work with clay on your self. Hourly raffles and live music round out the day. The 12th annual fair takes place 11 a.m.-5 p.m., rain or shine.

The first Saturday of May happens to be Cinco De Mayo this year, but it’s also Free Comic Book Day: once a year, comic/specialty book shops across North America offer free publications to all guests. Find a nearby participating store here. Many store offer additional in-store events and promotions; Up Up & Away in Cheviot welcomes The Walking Dead co-creator and original artist Tony Moore.

Crafty Supermarket is back! Making its home at the Clifton Cultural Arts Center, the spring show brings more than 50 indie, subversive crafters from across the city and country to sell their funky, functional handmade goods. Just in time for Mother’s Day, shoppers will find unique apparel and accessories, home goods, artwork and more goodies. Fuel your shopping with delicious food and coffee from local vendors while a PROJECTMILL DJ keeps you groovin’. Show up early to nab a coveted swag bag — every year, shoppers line up around the corner of Clifton Avenue in hopes of being one of the first 100 who get a bag. The market is open 11 a.m.-6 p.m. and admission is free.

Cinco de Mayo is more popular in the U.S. than Mexico, but since when do we let historical inaccuracies stand in the way of a good drinking holiday? Nearly every bar and restaurant participates in some capacity, but we’ve selected a few to host our annual Cantina Crawl. Here’s our schedule:

5 p.m. El Coyote

5:45 p.m. Pirates Cove

6:30 p.m. Tostado’s Grill

7:15 p.m. MLT’s

8 p.m. Cactus Pear (Clifton)

8:30 p.m. Nada

9 p.m. Bakersfield

Join our roving squad of senoritas and “Seen on the Scene” photographers as they travel from place to place with more prizes than you can throw a maraca at.

Prom is a rite of passage many, but often LGBTQ kids don’t feel comfortable at school dances because of bullies and expectations about dress and dates. The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) Greater Cincinnati provides a welcoming environment for these individuals at their annual GLSEN Prom Saturday. Come to the Freedom Center for two events in one: those under 21 are invited to "dress as you want, bring who you want, and love as you want.” In a separate area of the center the over 21 crowd, who maybe didn’t get to experience a prom of their own, can enjoy dinner, drinks and dancing for $65. Those wanting to attend post-dinner can come after 9 p.m. for a discounted price. As always, kids are welcome free of charge with early registration. All proceeds support the local GLSEN chapter.

Check out Stage Door for this weekend's theater offerings, our music blog for a live show lineup and our To Do page for more events, art shows, performances and more this weekend.

And don’t forget to check out the "supermoon" Saturday — the biggest full moon of the year will peak around 11:30 p.m. tomorrow.

Women Helping Women is a 24-hour crisis service helping victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking. The non-shelter program offers intervention and support services for women — and men — in Southwestern Ohio. Tonight, Sharonville transforms into Oz for Light Up the Night: Emerald City Ball, a benefit for Women Helping Women. Don your best ruby slippers as you enjoy dinner-by-the-bite, Wizard of Oz-themed cocktails, auctions and music — all for a wonderful cause. Tickets should have been reserved in advance. Go here to get involved with the organization by adopting a family, donating or volunteering.

Ensemble Theater Cincinnati takes audiences on a “trip down musical memory lane” with its production of Life Could be a Dream, onstage tonight. Fans of ETC’s Wonderettes productions will feel at home with this sock hop-era musical that follows the Crooning Crabcakes as they try to make the big time and win a local radio contest. Sing along to classic hits like “Runaround Sue,” “Earth Angel,” “Unchained Melody” and more tunes from the time. Tickets to tonight’s 7:30 show are $36.

Check out our music blog for tonight's live show lineup and our To Do page for more events, art shows and performances.

If you’re downtown for the game or just hanging out, stop by the Moerlein Lager House at The Banks for their first seasonal Keg tapping. Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld will tap the Christian Moerlein Dubél Double IPA, available only at the Lager House, at 6 p.m.

Even if you’re far from a modern dance buff, you’re probably familiar with contemporary dance company Pilobolus. Besides touring across more than 64 countries, Pilobus performed a tribute to the nominated movies at the 2007 Oscars, collaborated with OK GO for the group’s “All Is Not Lost” music video and were featured on Late Night with Conan O’Brien in 2008.

Pretty cool, right? Pilobolus is in town tonight and Thursday, performing at the Aronoff Center as part of Contemporary Dance Theater’s Guest Artist Series. Go here for tickets.

Joseph-Beth hosts staff favorite author Veronica Roth and their Rookwood location tonight. The New York Times bestselling author will discuss and sign the second book in her popular Divergent series tonight from 7-8:30 p.m. Insurgent is “another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.”

May is Bike Month so be sure to check our our new issue, out today, for tips on traversing city streets, options for trail lovers and a lots of pedal-rific events all month long.

Check out our To Do page for more arts and theater happenings and follow our music blog for nightly club shows and concerts.

The Reds take on the Cubs at 7 p.m. tonight in the first of three games against the Chicago crew. Bronson Arroyo looks to continue his strong performance against the last-placed Cubs. Find last-minute tickets here.

Antonelli College hosts a free seminar tonight featuring tips on getting the most out of social media. Learn secrets from the pros as a panel discusses simple ideas and insider tricks on benefiting from Facebook, Twitter and other social media services. The discussion runs 6-7:30 p.m. at the West Chester campus.

The Cincinnati Metropolitan Orchestra teams up with the College of Mount St. Joseph tonight for a special concert, Simple Gifts. Students will perform a variety of work, including "Porgi Amor," "O Mio Babbino Caro," "Fanfare for the Common Man" and "Variations on a Shaker Melody." The free concert begins at 7:30 p.m. at Mount St. Joe.

The infamous Second City comedy troupe returns to Cincinnati this week with more locally-inspired sketches. Catch a preview show of Less Pride...More Pork tonight at Playhouse in the Park and be sure to bring your sense of humor — remember, they're laughing with us. Also at the playhouse tonight, one of our Critic's Picks, Thunder Knocking on the Door.

And since it is May Day, stop by the Northside bar of the same name for trivia night. Round one begins at 9 p.m.; the second starts at 11 p.m.

Here are some words by CityBeat Music Editor Mike Breen about Willie’s life and legendary status, which he says transcends music. (“Nelson isn't a Country music icon — he's an American music icon.”)

So it’s kind of weird sometimes to think about Willie Nelson being tight with people like Toby Keith — a decidedly uncool guy who writes songs about the U.S. military putting a boot in anyone’s ass who messes with America and opens cheesy Country music-themed restaurants around the country.

But for every terrorist that Keith convinced via threat of violence not to attack America, there are many people who have enjoyed a song that Keith co-wrote about participating in Willie Nelson’s favorite pastime: smoking the weedus.

It turns out that Toby Keith can be self-depreciating and kind of likable (if you can somehow keep the image of this goatee out of your mind while you listen to the song). So here it is, in honor of Willie’s 79th, “I’ll Never Smoke Weed With Willie Again” by Toby Keith and Scott Emerick.