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.

While we’re sure many of you crammed enough fun into Opening Day to last the rest of April, there’s still plenty going on this weekend to keep the party going. The Heights Music Festival (formerly Clifton Heights Music Festival, launched in 2009) kicks off tonight with more than 70 bands (and some comedy sets) at five venues within walking distance around Clifton Heights. Rohs Street Café, Baba Budan’s, Mac’s, Christy’s and Roxx Electrocafe all host performances beginning at 7 p.m. tonight and starting at 3 p.m. tomorrow afternoon through the night. Tickets are $8 for just tonight, $5 for tomorrow’s daytime shows or $12 for the whole weekend. Go here for lineup details and more information. Though iconic Cincinnati-based artist Charley Harper passed away almost five years ago, his artwork is as recognizable now than ever. His modernist depictions of nature and wildlife still cover the walls of fans young and old. Mary Ran Gallery is currently holding an exhibit and sale of Harper’s vintage signed and numbered prints. Stop by the Hyde Park gallery, peep some of his colorful works and walk away with one of your own. Find details here. TEDxCincinnatiChange is the first of many TED events to hit the Tri-state this spring. Saturday’s theme is "Big Picture, Small Details," set to examine issues with global and local impact and zeroing in on small details to make big ideas work. This a satellite event of a national TEDxChange, which marks a partnership between TED (Technology, Entertainments and Design) and the Melinda Gates Foundation. The Cincinnati event will kick off with a live streaming of a TEDxChange talk from Berlin. Speakers and performers include filmmakers Andrea Sisson and Peter Ohs, True Body Project founder Stacy Sims, taste of Beligum's Jean-Francois Flechet and many more. The event is currently sold out, but go here to find other upcoming TED events. Rumspringa is a rite of passage when Amish adolescents can leave their community and enjoy a relaxed atmosphere prior to deciding to be baptized or to leave the Amish church. In popular culture, those participating in Rumspringa are often portrayed as hardcore partiers, swapping their values and traditional garb for booze and sex (but in actuality, it’s not so drastic – most choose to continue being Amish). Saturday, Mayday presents its annual Rumspringa Beer and Sausage Fest. Rock out like it’s your only chance to do so and enjoy Amish-inspired delights like beerwurst, bangers, homemade mustards and more beer than you can shake a buckled shoe at. Remember to call a designated carriage driver! The fun starts at 4 p.m. OTR A.D.O.P.T. is an organization that helps match prospective home/business owners renovate deteriorating historic buildings in Over-the-Rhine. Saturday, Neon’s Unplugged hosts a benefit for the organization, inviting you to Partly Like it’s 1869! Learn about the organization and how to get involved while celebrating the eclectic neighborhood. Costumes are encourage, so sport your favorite hoop skirt or suspenders and capture your look in a photo booth. A $5 donation gets you in; enjoy old timey drink specials from 8 p.m.-1 a.m.Check our full To Do page for more arts and events, follow our music blog for this weekend's shows and find theater recommendations here. And Happy Zombie Jesus Day!

If you don't have tickets to tonight's MythBusters: Behind the Myths event, you better call up your best nerdy scalper, because the live show sold out! Yup, Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage bring their Discovery Channel show to life with a touring production that kicked off this January in California. The ginger-esque duo take a fun, scientific approach to debunking commonly believed wives' tails and oddball myths. In addition to behind-the-scene stories and film footage, Adam and Jamie will perform experiments on stage with plenty of audience participation. The show is at 7:30 p.m. tonight at the Aronoff Center.Park+Vine's Vegan Slowcooker Throwdown, scheduled for tonight, has been postponed. Check their calendar or follow P+V on Facebook for updates. You can still celebrate meatless Monday by grabbing lunch or items to make dinner at the green general store."Riot-Folk" musician Ryan Harvey performs at the Occupy Cincinnati Community Warehouse (2023 Dunlap St., Over-the-Rhine) tonight. Harvey and his collective are touring around the country to inspire Occupy movements to keep fighting the good fight. Local Greg Zoller opens. The event runs 8-11 p.m. Get details here.If you're still experiencing some residual St. Patrick's Day drinking enthusiasm, Northside's Mayday presents Monday Mayhem each week – stop by between 4 p.m.-midnight and grab a dog and a draft for under eight bucks. Mayday's gourmet hot dogs are served on homemade pretzel buns with delicious, unique toppings. And their beer selection is killer. Or stop by Milton's on Prospect Hill for Vinyl Club. Bring your records to share or have a DJ spin 'em for you while you enjoy a drink. The night starts at 10 p.m.Later tonight, Cincinnati native Geoff Tate will appear on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. The comedian offers a storytelling style and has been compared to the late, great Mitch Hedberg. Tune into CBS at 12:35 a.m.Follow our music blog and To Do page for more nightly events.

Head to Northside's Mayday tonight to check out the first installment of a new monthly music series showcasing brand new bands from the Greater Cincinnati area. The "Unsung" night will go down the first Wednesday of each month. For tonight's first Unsung, the featured act is Formerly Ghosts. The trio —  Sebastien Hue, Pyn Wayne and Jimmy Shivers — says, "Sonic Youth, Gary Busey and John Wayne-Gacy did not have a three-headed love child, but if they did, it would be Formerly Ghosts," which should be more than enough to get you to Mayday around 9 p.m. for the band's free performance. If that's NOT enough, check out (and download for free) some demo tracks from band here. And become Formerly Ghosts' friends on Facebook (and read more info on the threesome) here.

If your Monday could use a little less desk jockeying and a few more laughs, you're in luck. PROJECTMILL returns to Mayday Northside tonight with Bombs Away! Comedy Open Mic. Whether you're a stand-up pro-in-the-making or just a fan of comedy, the free event is for everyone. Host Mack Harden will guide guests through the night (8-11:30 p.m.) and local comic Alex Stone will present a special set. If you have a few beers and start feeling witty, you can try your hand, too! Sign-ups for 5-minute sets (it's longer than you think) open at 8 p.m. Have a few laughs, a couple drinks and a signature Mayday dog. Not bad for a Monday! Get details here.The Contemporary Arts Center is one of those few arts organizations open on Mondays (instead, Tuesday is their day off) Admission is always free after 5 on Mondays, but until Saturday, all admission is pay-what-you-can while the upcoming exhibits are installed. This is an interesting opportunity to watch as new works are brought in, play like a kid in the UnMuseum and shop in the always-fabulous gift shop. Saturday's opening party for the new exhibits will be quite a Spectacle, so look for details in this week's upcoming issue. Find ours and directions to the CAC here. Week nights are a great opportunity to check out dining hot spots without a 2-hour wait for a seat in a packed restaurant. Joining the ranks of downtown's best new eateries is JimmyG's. Open from 5-9p.m. tonight, JimmyG's offers a sexy ambiance to accompany executive chef Jimmy Gibson's (formerly of FB's) steakhouse staples with a New American flair. Check out our full review here.Check out Mike Breen's daily blog for tonight's live music lineup. And mark your calendars: Thursday is our annual Swizzle Soiree. Join us at PLAY for a celebration in conjunction with the release of our bar guide (on stands Wednesday). Cheers!