This weekend is all mothers, so grab your mom, grandma, baby-mama or other motherly-type and take her out for a good time! The next few days are packed with stuff to do, with moms or otherwise. The 44th annual Appalachian Festival is already in full gear at Coney Island, with tons of live music, handmade artisan crafts, storytelling, food and an authentic pioneer village — for those who like to kick it super old-school. The fest runs until 9 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $1-$8. Get a full lineup of activities and performances here. Cincinnati Rollergirls games are pretty much a guaranteed good time. Fun, fierce, badass chicks battle on the rink; $1 happy hour beers; hilarious roller derby nicknames; meet-and-greet with the girls after the game — need we go on? Roll out to the Cincinnati Gardens Saturday as the CRG face Toronto Roller Derby and The Dire Skates of Richmond, Ind., in a double-header. Saturday is Scout and Kids Night, so bring the chillun for a family-friendly event. Get tickets here and read our interview with Rollergirl Sydney “Big Ugly” Greathouse. Whether you’re looking to welcome a furry friend to your family or you want to treat your pup to a day on the town, head downtown to the Duke Energy Convention Center for Petopolis Saturday-Sunday. This pet expo features animal adoption opportunities, pet fashion shows (hopefully straight out of Anchorman), trick competitions, demos, informational seminars, activities for the kids and tons of vendors. Plus, moms will get complimentary pet photos for Mother’s Day. Go here for more information. Oktoberfest is months away, but local German enthusiasts can get their fill of beer, sausage and Gemütlichkeit at the Cincinnati Donauschwaben Society’s Schwabenfest Friday-Saturday. Have your fill of homemade sausages, German brews, pretzels and cream puffs, compete in the stein-holding competition and, if you’re coming from Petopolis, dogs are welcome in the biergarten. Maybe you prefer more American-style fare. In that case, swing by Sawyer Point from 2-10 p.m. Saturday for the Cincinnati Wing Fest. This free food festival features chicken wings and side dishes ($2+) from Knocback Nat’s, Rooster’s, Montgomery Inn, Buffalo Wings and Rings and several other area restaurants. Northside Second Saturdays is a great opportunity to buy some artwork, jewelry, baked goods, clothing or home goods for mom (or yourself — no judgment). Stop by local businesses along Hamilton, Chase and Spring Grove avenues from 6-10 p.m. Saturday for sales, extended hours, drinks and food specials. Check out a full list of participating shops, restaurants and bars here. For more stuff to do this weekend, check out our To Do picks, full calendar and Rick Pender’s Stage Door for weekend theater offerings.

More and more restaurants and food trucks are offering late-night yums to meet the demands of the area college students, bar crowds and general night owls. Usually “fourth meal” conjures up the thought of tacos or pizza, but what about donuts? Busken has set up a pop-up donut shop at 1218 Vine St. (between A Tavola and Sloane Boutique), open 7 p.m.-midnight Thursdays and 7 p.m.-1 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays through March 16. Here, guests can swing by after dinner or drinks for a free Lite-Hearted donut, Busken’s new heart-shaped glazed treat. After tasting one of these bad boys, you’ll be shocked to find they’re only 140 calories a pop. You won’t have to feel too bad about indulging in a mindnight snack, but you may be left wondering whose soul Busken had to sell to get these delicious donuts to clock in at 2.5 grams of fat. Bockfest might not officially begin until next weekend, but events leading up to the big parade and festival are already in full effect. Friday is the annual Precipitation Retaliation Happy Hour at Milton’s Tavern. Why the retaliation? In 2008, a huge snowstorm nearly shut down Bockfest, so the next year a paper snowman was set ablaze as a sacrifice to the precipitation gods. The burning snowman tradition stuck, and it continues tonight at 8 p.m. Grab a drink and watch the sucker burn! In the market for some unique furniture, home décor or apparel? 20th Century Cincinnati is a must this weekend. The 19th annual show brings vintage and mid-century modern trends to a one-stop shop at Sharonville Convention Center. Sixty dealers bring furnishings, paintings, textiles and much more, filling 20,000 square feet. And fashionistas: There will be lots of vintage clothing, costume jewelry, accessories and more dating from the ‘20s to the ‘80s. The showroom is open 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; $7 admission is good for the full weekend. Find more info here. The Northern suburbs of Cincinnati sometimes get left out of the city’s biggest celebrations, so they made one their own! The Taste of Northern Cincinnati, also in the Sharonville CC, features food from some of the top eateries in the ‘burbs. From noon-4 p.m. Sunday, attendees will enjoy grub from LaRosa’s, Red Squirrel, Velvet Smoke BBQ, Blue Goose and more. These restaurants will also be competing for awards for best appetizer, salad, entrée, dessert and a people’s choice prize. Admission is $18; $5 for kids. The Academy Awards are Sunday and if your invitation also got lost in the mail (every damn year!), there’s a local way to celebrate. People Working Cooperatively presents its annual Oscar party at the Hilton Netherland Plaza, complete with a red carpet, cocktails, dinner, and a live screening of the show. Ticket sales benefit PWC’s Modifications for Mobility Program, which helps low-income, elderly and disabled homeowners make important alterations to their houses so they can remain safe and comfortable in their own homes. Buy tickets and find details here.Check out our To Do list and full calendar for more events, art exhibits, theater shows and concerts.

Northside and OTR get a lot of neighborhood love, but Walnut Hills is quickly becoming yet another hot spot for local businesses, art galleries, shopping and more. Support the Hills Friday and check out the Walk on Woodburn from 6-9 p.m. Neusole Glassworks will have a mobile glass-blowing truck, there will be plenty of live music performances and caroling, Queen City Cookies will be hawking delicious edible art and pop-up shops will be joining area businesses for all your holiday shopping needs. Read Her Magazine’s feature on the women of Woodburn here. This year has been an a amazing time to live and work in Over-the-Rhine. Businesses, restaurants and bars are opening every week, Washington Park’s revitalization has been a success and the area is truly becoming a destination for locals and visitors alike. On Friday, OTR will shine — and not just figuratively —with luminaries for the third annual Light Up OTR event. Volunteers will illuminate the streets beginning at 6 p.m., followed by the lighting of the OTR tree at Kaze (new sushi spot opening next week at 1400 Vine St.) at 10 p.m. Make Covington Pop and Renaissance Covington keep the local love flowing as they present the first annual 7th Street Makers Market Friday and Saturday. This festival features area artists, bakers, farmers and business owners as they show off their handmade and homegrown goods. Purchase gifts or goodies for yourself and enjoy free gift wrapping at Artisan’s Enterprise Center (AEC). Come hungry on Friday — there will be a food truck happy hour outside AEC. The fun runs 5-8 p.m. Friday, noon-5 p.m. Saturday. Street style is rapidly gaining attention in the fashion world. No longer is fashion defined as couture on a runway model — everyday folks are showing off their personal style and flair all around cities, especially Cincinnati. Rise of the Cool Kids (#ROCK) is a celebration of individual style, art and music and it all goes down Saturday at the Bertke Electric Warehouse in Northside. Guests will get to be a part of Cincy’s first projected fashion show, filmed in advanced, featuring local designers and fashionistas. It all kicks off at 7 p.m. and is followed by an after-party at FB’s downtown (there will also be a free shuttle going to and from each location.) Get tickets here. On Saturday, Third Party Gallery presents a third installment of its monthly experimental film program, Staring Eyes. “Yule Logs and Certain Types of Nog” will feature eclectic holiday-themed screenings — no Miracle on 34th Street here. The event begins at 8 p.m. Cincinnati Ballet’s The Nutcracker opens Friday; OTRimprov’s The Naughty List continues at Arnold’s Sunday-Tuesday; Find more weekend theater info here. Check out our calendar for more events, art shows, theater productions and more to do this weekend and beyond.

Everyone loves a good surprise party. What’s better than an unexpected night of fun with friends? How about supporting an importance local arts organization in the process? Friday’s Secret ArtWorks event offers an exciting twist on fundraisers as each attendee will walk away with a piece of original artwork. The catch: guests will not know who created their work until it's been purchased. More than 800 small-scale pieces have been donated by more than 300 locally-, nationally- and internationally-renown artists. Guests were invited to preview the offerings online, but the secret artists will not be revealed until tonight. Ticket sales are now over, but tonight’s attendees will enjoy cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and a mysterious night of art at The Center downtown, all to benefit ArtWorks. The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra concludes its community concert series “One City, One Symphony” this weekend with the well-loved classic, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. Music Director Designate Louis Langrée conducts the performance; these will be his final shows with the CSO before starting his role as music director for the 2013-2014 season. Joining the CSO, Langrée and the May Festival Chorus for the concerts Saturday and Sunday at Music Hall. Go here for tickets. If you thought this cold weather meant you had to retire your gold lamé hot pants, dry your tears and pull those bad boys out, because OTR Skate is back! Channel your inner roller disco king/queen and roll over to the OTR Rec Center Friday from 8-11 p.m. Five bucks gets you admission and skate rental, complimentary pizza from Cincy By The Slice, free gaming from Wii to air hockey, raffle prizes and music from DJ Positronic, The Yugos and Indigo Wild. Saturday is all about the little guy as local businesses around the Tri-state take part in Cincinnati Unchained. Get a head start on your holiday shopping (or, if you’re like me, take advantage of sales for your own damn self) and visit independent businesses  in an effort to keep your money in the local economy — where it goes much further than when you drop your cash at a big box chain store. Participating Cincinnati Unchained shops offer discounts and free goodies to thank shoppers for supporting local businesses — find a full list here. Another way to get in on the conscientious gifting trend is giving handmade presents this holiday. Did the Holly Hobbie gene skip over you? No worries. The Crafty Supermarket Holiday Show takes over the Clifton Cultural Arts Center Saturday. This isn’t your grandma’s church basement craft show — expect handmade books, cool local artwork, quirky jewelry, textiles, posters, clothing and many more hand-crafted gifts everyone can appreciate. Plenty of vendors will be on-hand to fuel your shopping in addition to a DJ, craft demos and — as usual — awesome swag bags for the first 100 shoppers. The party runs 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday. Comedian Erik Griffin performs at Funny Bone on the Levee Friday-Sunday. Workaholics fans know him best as TelAmeriCorp's Montez Walker, a competitive salesman who has a very healthy sexual relationship with his wife. Here’s a sample of one of Griffin’s finest Montez moments: Check out our calendar for more art openings, theater shows, concerts and other events happening this weekend and beyond.

The thought of an “underground” party might conjure up images of a chic 1920s speakeasy or perhaps a creepy warehouse rave. Neither is true of Saturday’s Scion Exposed tunnel party, which is literally underground, at 220 Central Ave. beneath the Second Street overpass. Part car show, part concert, Scion Exposed features a pop-up skate park, food trucks, drinks and more, all free from 2 p.m.-midnight. RJD2 headlines the music stage with support from Chairlift, DAAP Girls and more performing throughout the day. RSVP here for free admission; Scion owners get advanced entrance at noon. Celebrate Halfway to St. Patrick’s Day during the Cincinnati Celtic Festival Saturday and Sunday. The free fest moves from Fountain Square to Washington Park this year, but continues to celebrate all things Celtic with plenty of music, food and entertainment. Knock back some Guinness, cheer on Irish dancers and get jig-y to the sounds of bagpipes between noon and 10:30 p.m. both days. With local Celts taking over the park, this month’s City Flea moves up the street to the lot at Twelfth and Vine. Vendors will be hawking everything from clothing and accessories to home goods and fine art from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The City Flea is a fun one-stop spot to support local artisans and sellers all under one roof. Sans roof. Downtown isn’t hogging all the fun this weekend — Milford’s Longstone Street Festival brings more than 15 area bands to the ‘burbs Saturday. Area musicians will perform on two stages along Main Street where kid-friendly activities await (we’re talking a Velcro wall, bungee joust, rock climbing and more). Saunter through historic downtown Milford, stop in a few shops and restaurants and enjoy the music from 11 a.m.-11 p.m. The fun continues west at the Westwood Art Show, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. More than 70 artists, crafters and DIY-ers will be selling goods including photography, re-purposed jewelry and accessories, woodwork, sculptures, pottery, edibles and more. This weekend’s theater offerings include Ensemble Theatre’s Good People, The Three Musketeers at Playhouse in the Park, To Kill a Mockingbird at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company and Covedale’s Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Peep the links for our reviews of each.Browse our calendar for other events, art exhibits, volunteer opportunities and more to do this weekend.

If the Little Mermaid song “Unda Da Sea” makes your mouth water, you probably have some odd repressed childhood issues, but you won’t need to worry about that this weekend during the Great Inland Seafood Festival! Enjoy your fill of shrimp, lobster, crawfish, oysters, salmon, crab and more of Ariel’s aquatic friends at Newport on the Levee from 5-11 p.m. tonight. Admission is free and the seafood smorgasbord continues through Sunday. Each night features live music and a special on Whole Main Lobsters: just $10.95 a pop! Sorry, Sebastian. Comedian Mark Eddie kicks off his four-night run at Funny Bone on the Levee tonight. A professional musician for more than a decade, Eddie performed storytelling songs which led him to try musical comedy. In addition to playing guitar, Eddie has a knack for impersonations, imitating everything from celebrities and singers to children’s characters and random noises. Tonight’s show begins at 8 p.m. Welsh musician Gruff Rhys, of Super Furry Animals fame, makes a stop at the Contemporary Arts Center tonight for a unique and super rare performance. As part of his “investigative tour of the Americas,” Rhys will perform at 8 p.m. before bringing Cincinnati native and Hip Hop producer Boom Bip onstage. Boom Bip will play a DJ set as the CAC transforms into a dance party. Anticipate lots of fun surprises from these two! Well, there’s really no other way to say it: Whisky Bar hosts the “baddest little show on Earth” tonight with Extreme Midget Wrestling. Tickets to the 9 p.m. show are $20 at the door, $25 “ringside.” Don’t worry, the event poster assures “We support anti-bullying campaigns.” Ongoing events: Hamilton County Fair, It's Commonly Jazz at Eden Park, College Hill Block Party, Salsa on the Square with Kandela, Jazz in the Park with Steve Schmidt.

Tonight kicks off the Drink in Ludlow Wine Walk, the first in a bi-monthly series to promote the historic Gaslight District in Clifton. Sip samples of wine while sauntering along the picturesque Ludlow Avenue, and pop in participating businesses like Esquire Theatre, Habanero, Skyline, Sitwells, Mustard Seed Boutique and about a dozen more, from 6-8 p.m. The walk and wine are all complimentary (yay!); vendor proceeds benefit the Cincinnati Public Library’s Clifton Branch (double yay!). After the walk, enjoy live music at Arlin's and Ludlow Garage 'til 10. The Hamilton County Fair also begins its five-day run today, 4-11 p.m. Today’s special events include an urban garden vegetable exhibit, live lion and tiger show, cow milking demo, “celebrity” demolition derby, classic car show and much more in addition to rides, games and grub. Go here for directions and a full schedule. Tone House Music presents open mic from 7-10 p.m. tonight. Liz Burkhart hosts the showcase each second Wednesday. Bring instruments, friends, beers and come early to sign up. Each artist should have about 15 minutes to perform. Providing there’s extra time, the night will end with an open jam session. The College Hill Block Party continues tonight at College Hill Presbyterian Church. Enjoy free food, music by Most Wanted, booths from local businesses and organizations and more fun, 6-9 p.m. The night begins with a unity walk at 5:45. Ongoing events: Reggae Wednesday on Fountain Square featuring Don Chani; Hofbrauhaus Beer Stein Holding Competition; Sexy Time Live Band Karaoke at Northside Tavern; Kickball + Bandstand Bluegrass at Washington Park featuring Ma Crow and the Lady Slippers

With Cincinnati Pride Week just around the corner, Oakley’s 20th Century Theater hosts Cincy Pride Week Cruise-In with Chicago cabaret act, Amy & Freddy. The funny and fabulous duo is a smash on the GLBT cruise circuit, and they’ll perform along with Cincinnati Men’s Chorus and The Queen City D-Dolls. Dress in your hottest resort wear and get ready for a night of music, dancing, comedy and plenty of cruise cocktails. The ship sets sail at 8 p.m. and tickets are $25 at the door. Seating is limited nightclub-format, so arrive early and keep the party goin’ til 11 p.m. Find details here. While we’re on the topic of cabarets, on the other side of the river is Musical Theatre Night at the Thompson House. This inaugural weekly event is like karaoke, but with a live pianist and tunes from your favorite movies and musicals. Bring your own sheet music or pick a hit from their provided selections. Come around 7:30 p.m. to sign up. The night runs through 11 p.m. Flex those jazz hands and go here for more info. The JCC Summer Film Series kicks off tonight at Montgomery’s Mayerson JCC. Based on the popularity of the organization’s Jewish and Israeli Film Festival last winter, the center will again screen excellent movies rarely shown in Cincinnati, through Thursday. Tonight’s film is Melting Away (Namess Ba'geshem), the first Israeli feature film that deals with the topic of parents and their relationships with transgendered children. The movie begins at 7 p.m. Check out the full lineup here.

Whether you’re celebrating your dad, the end of slavery, a local pork product or just a welcome break from work, there are tons of events in store this weekend. Buckle up! As always, the Midpoint Indie Summer Series is a superb way to kick things off. Tonight The Seedy Seeds, Wymond Miles and Belle Histoire take over Fountain Square starting at 7 p.m. Grab a beer, something to eat and if you haven’t already secured your MPMF wristbands, be sure to purchase those tonight as well. Early bird tickets save you $10 — and they’re almost sold out! You can also buy tickets and check out the full Indie Summer schedule and initial MPMF band announcements here. Barbeque may be the widely-recognized seasonal meat dish of choice, but locals know better — Cincy celebrates goetta with multiple festivals each summer. The first of which, MainStrasse Village “Original” Goettafest, begins tonight in Covington. Enjoy live music, vendors, booze and all the goetta dogs, burgers, reubens, chili and pizza your heart desires (or fears) though Sunday night. If sampling pork dishes isn’t your thing, why not sample the best of local and regional dancers? Contemporary Dance Theater presents its annual Area Choreographers Festival Friday and Saturday at the Aronoff Center. The program features six performances from established companies and up-and-coming choreographers. Find ticket information and a full lineup here. Many associate the end of slavery in the United States with Emancipation Proclamation, issued by Abraham Lincoln on Sept. 22, 1862 (and went into effect Jan. 1, 1863), but just a small fraction of  slaves actually benefited from this order. On June 19, 1865, Union General Gordon Granger and federal troops arrived at Galveston, Tex., it is said, to enforce the abolition of slaves there. This date represents a true end of slavery, called Juneteenth, and is recognized by 41 states. Celebrate this weekend at Eden Park with cultural music and dancing, performances, traditional storytelling, ethnic food and vendors Saturday and Sunday. This year marks the 25th annual Juneteenth Festival in Cincinnati, predicted to be one of the largest local celebrations yet. From a historical holiday to a fictional one, Bloomsday is also celebrated this weekend. In James Joyce’s classic epic Ulysses, Leopold Bloom embarked on his Dublin journey on June 16, 1904. Though purely a literary creation, June 16 has become a day to honor Irish heritage and culture (you don’t have to wait until March!). The Irish Heritage Center presents an evening full of traditional Irish songs, readings, performances and more Saturday beginning at 7 p.m. Admission is $10. The Cincinnati Opera opened its 2012 season this week, and celebrates with Pride Night Saturday. Experience the tragic passion of Pagliacci and the humorous charm of Gianni Schicchi in a classical doubleheader, followed by a circus-themed bash at Music Hall. Enjoy a talent-packed performance, support the LGBT community and party it up in one night? Yeah, it’s a can’t-miss.