WEDNESDAY 20 EVENT: Transgender Day of Remembrance Local groups including the Transgender Advocacy Council, GLSEN Greater Cincinnati, Greater Cincinnati Human Rights Campaign, Heartland Trans Wellness and the Leelah Alcorn Memorial Highway, among others, are hosting a Transgender Day of Remembrance at the Woodward Theater. The goal of the event is to “come together and remember transgender people, gender-variant individuals and those perceived to be transgender who have been murdered because of hate.” 7-9 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 20. Woodward Theater, 1404 Main St., Over-the-Rhine, facebook.com/transadvocacycouncil. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
FRIDAY 22 MUSIC: Houndmouth Houndmouth goes from Americana Folk to fluttery synths and funky guitar lines at the Southgate House Revival on Friday and Saturday. Friday, Nov. 22 and Saturday, Nov. 23. $25-$27. Southgate House Revival, 111 E. Sixth St., Newport, southgatehouse.com. Photo: Claire Marie Vogel
FRIDAY 22 LIT: Sherrod Brown Desk 88 book signing Ohio senator Sherrod Brown will discuss and sign his book Desk 88: Eight Progressive Senators Who Changed America at Joseph-Beth Booksellers. 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 22. $28. Joseph-Beth Booksellers, 2692 Madison Road, Rookwood, josephbeth.com. Photo: Provided by Sherrod Brown
FRIDAY 22 COMEDY: Ali Siddiq Some comedians started as the funniest person in school, or as a cut-up on the job. Ali Siddiq was the funniest guy in the Texas state penitentiary system. While serving six years of a 15-year sentence for drug trafficking, he entertained his fellow inmates by reenacting entire sitcom episodes and commenting on life in prison. “I knew comedy was what I was going to do when I came out,” he says. “I had no desire to do anything else.” His fellow inmates knew that was his destiny as well. “The craft of being a comic is taking a story people aren’t familiar with, adding your humor and flavor, and making the audience live in the story and laugh about it the same way you do,” he says. 7:30 and 10 p.m. Friday, Nov. 22; 7 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23; 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 24. $20-$50. Funny Bone Liberty, 7518 Bales St., Liberty Township, liberty.funnybone.com. Photo: alisiddiq.com
FRIDAY 22 ART: Tom Schiff: Surrounded by Art; Confinement: Politics of Space and Bodies; and Lauren Henkin: Props at the Contemporary Arts Center A triple-header of exhibitions will open at the Contemporary Arts Center on Nov. 22. Cincinnati-based photographer Tom Schiff has traveled the country capturing exterior and interior spaces, specifically of museums, by utilizing a panoramic format to explore the architecture he has encountered over the years. As a release cites, he turns these museums into a medium through his “deliberate framing and moving of the camera.” Group exhibition Confinement: Politics of Space and Bodies also explores space, but it does so in an entirely disparate way. A response to Samuel Beckett’s 1961 play Happy Days, which features a woman named Winnie buried in the ground up to her neck, the exhibit of 19 international artists considers the concept of confinement as it relates to the physical and mental spaces people inhabit, especially in the art world. Rounding out the openings is a site-specific sculptural installation by Lauren Henkin. Dubbed Props, it will work within Zaha Hadid’s architectural design by adding playful touches throughout the CAC. The Friday reception features a public party at 8 p.m. Opening celebration 7-11 p.m. Friday, Nov. 22. On view through March 1, 2020. Free. Contemporary Arts Center, 44 E. Sixth St., Downtown, contemporaryartscenter.org. Photo: Facebook/CAC
FRIDAY 22 EVENT: Holiday Lights on the Hill at Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park & Museum Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park & Museum will light up for the 20th year this November. The Holiday Lights on the Hill drive-thru light display features two-and-a-half miles of creative, glowing scenes and an additional new projection-mapped sculptural installation overseen by Brave Berlin, part of the team behind the BLINK art and light festival. This is the park’s second year collaborating with Brave Berlin and this year’s display is a stepping-stone to the park’s Journey BOREALIS, a “top-tier art and holiday destination,” arriving in November 2020. Through Jan. 5, 2020. $20 per car load Monday-Thursday; $25 per car load Friday-Sunday. Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park & Museum, 1763 Hamilton-Cleves Road, Hamilton, pyramidhill.org. Photo: Nick Daggy
FRIDAY 22 EVENT: Germania Society Christkindlmarkt A bit of Bavaria is making its way to Colerain for the 22nd annual Germania Society Christkindlmarkt. A recreation of an authentic German Christmas market, the feier features holiday entertainment, a lantern-led parade, a petting zoo, carriage rides, German music, German food (dill pickle soup; hot, spiced glühwein; strudels; cream puffs; and a holiday cocktail bar) and imported German gifts. Find steins, nutcrackers, cuckoo clocks, Advent calendars, traditional toys and more. Just keep your eyes peeled for Krampus. The evil Christmas creature gives naughty children coal and carries off the particularly bad ones into the woods. Several Krampuses visit Christkindlmarkt each year; you’ll want to avoid being stuffed into his sack. 5-10 p.m. Friday, Nov. 22; 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23; noon-5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 24. $3; free for ages 12 and under. Germania Park, 3529 W. Kemper Road, Colerain, germaniasociety.com.  Photo: germaniasociety.com
FRIDAY 22 EVENT: Secret ArtWorks Under the Stars Secret ArtWorks is an evening of celebration, fundraising and mystery. The crux of the event centers on the fact that each attendee (limited to 1,000 guests) will receive a piece of 5-inch-by-7-inch artwork crafted by an artist whose identity won’t be revealed until that night. Each ticket includes a work of art, and proceeds go to benefit the mission of local nonprofit ArtWorks. This year’s party theme is “Under the Stars,” led by emcee and Cincinnati Observatory astronomer Dean Regas. Attendees can check out performances by Elevated Aerials; watch live painting; take part in a bourbon and wine toss; indulge in a “galaxy candy station;” and snack on bites and beverages from the likes of Court Street Lobster Bar, ESSEN, French Crust, Frida 602, Rhinegeist, Taste of Belgium, Watershed Distillery and more. 6:30-10 p.m. Friday, Nov. 22. $125; $75 young professional; $50 artist guest. Music Hall, 1241 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine, artworkscincinnati.org.   Dean Regas // Photo: Provided by ArtWorks
SATURDAY 23 EVENT: The 27th Victory of Light Psychic Festival In its 27th year, the Victory of Light Psychic Festival returns to the Sharonville Convention Center on Nov. 23 and 24. (The fest also occurs every April.) Billed as the “Midwest’s Largest Body, Mind and Spirit Event,” it will feature psychic readers, artists, animal communicators, holistic healers and numerous vendors selling all manners of metaphysical and paranormal wares such as aura photographs. 10 a.m.- 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23 and Sunday, Nov. 24. $15-$25. Sharonville Convention Center, 11355 Chester Road, Sharonville, victoryoflight.com. Photo: Scott Rodgerson
SATURDAY 23 MUSIC: Ski Mask The Slump God Florida rapper Ski Mask The Slump God brings idiosyncratic beats to Bogart’s with Pouya, DJ Scheme and Danny Tow. 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23. $38. Bogart’s, 2621 Vine St., Corryville, bogarts.com. Photo: Provided by Universal Music Group
SATURDAY 23 MUSIC: Straight No Chaser If you like your music without instruments, you’re going to love multi-person a cappella group Straight No Chaser. The YouTube sensation, which originated at Indiana University, has developed into a full-fledged phenomenon with seven Atlantic Records releases; collaborations with the likes of Paul McCartney, Elton John and Dolly Parton; covers of hits from “Go Your Own Way” to “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag;” and a top 100 ranking on Pollstar’s best touring acts in North America. During this week’s stop, expect a blend of humor, kitsch and the unadulterated human voice, plus a hearty dose of holiday classics. 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23. $39.50-$79.50. Taft Theatre, 317 E. Fifth St., Downtown, tafttheatre.org. Photo: sncmusic.com
SATURDAY 23 EVENT: The OFF Market The O.F.F. Market is going big with a two-day maker mart inside MadTree’s Barrel Warehouse. The winter shopping op will feature “artists, bakers, chefs, scavengers, mobile boutiques and everything in between,” which you can peruse and purchase while sipping on a craft beer from MadTree. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23 and Sunday, Nov. 24. Free admission. MadTree, 3301 Madison Road, Oakley, theoffmarket.org. Photo via Facebook/Oakley Fancy Flea
SATURDAY 23 COMEDY: Gallagher Prop comedy pioneer Gallagher, who earlier this year celebrated his 73rd birthday, will soon be smashing fruit in Harrison, Ohio. One of the most successful comedians of the 1980s, Gallagher’s trademark shtick was his “Sledge-O-Matic” bit, during which he would smash watermelons with a sledgehammer, showering the first several rows of fans with melon debris. In the ’80s, Gallagher had a steady stream of popular televised stand-up specials on Showtime and was a major box office draw on the road. Along with regular club dates, these days the comedian is also hosting writer workshops and you can even get Gallagher to officiate your wedding. Not resting on his artistic laurels, he’s also continued to expand the types of food he smashes onstage, crushing pies, heads of lettuce and much more. Those first rows have long been coveted seats at Gallagher shows and those attending his show at the Blue Note Harrison can get as close as they want (while tickets last). Up-close table seats are $40; to get into Row 2 it’s $35. Doors open at 5 p.m. and there is a dinner buffet (free with your ticket) until 6:30 p.m. There is a Poison tribute band playing on the Blue Note’s other stage that attendees are invited to check out. 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23. $30-$40. Blue Note Harrison, 9660 Dry Fork Road, Harrison, Ohio, bluenoteharrison.com. Photo: Provided
SATURDAY 23 EVENT: INKED at Rhinegeist As the name suggests, INKED at Rhinegeist is a celebration of “all things ink,” inviting local tattoo artists to tattoo in the taproom while the brewery releases variants of its Ink stout. INKED will feature artists from five local tattoo shops — White Whale, Black Fern, Handcraft Tattoo, Got Ink? and Get Up Tattoo Society — who will be applying live flash tattoos to customers. Rhinegeist will be providing the liquid courage at the event. Multiple variants of Ink will be available plus a flight of one-off experimental versions. Noon-10 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23. Free admission; Ink available for purchase; tattoo prices vary. Rhinegeist, 1910 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine, rhinegeist.com. Photo: White Whale Tattoo; Provided
SUNDAY 24 EVENT: Taste of Lebanon St. Anthony of Padua is hosting a fall version of its popular summertime Taste of Lebanon food and culture festival. Expect to be entertained by music and dance performances while you gorge on Middle Eastern eats including stuffed grape leaves, kibbe sandwiches (both fried and as tartare), falafel, shawarma, tons of sweets — including “Arabic ice cream,” or booza — and rich Lebanese coffee. Noon-7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 24. Free admission. St. Anthony of Padua, 2530 Victory Parkway, East Walnut Hills, thetasteoflebanon.com. Photo via Facebook / St. Anthony Padua
SUNDAY 24 EVENT: Straight Street Hill Climb The .36 miles of Straight Street in Clifton is one of the city’s steepest inclines. The Straight Street Hill Climb was started in 1976 by the Clifton Track and, according to its website, is “two minutes of self-inflicted torture.” The climb is divided into a running race, a bike race and a duathlon. Need tips? They say keep breathing and don’t pass out. There are trophies for the top three in each division and an overall King and Queen. Proceeds benefit the Cincinnati Soap Box Derby. 9 a.m. sharp Sunday, Nov. 24. $15; $20 two or three events and race-day registration. Straight Street, Clifton, straightstreethillclimb.com. Photo via Facebook / Straight Street Hill Climb
SUNDAY 24 MUSIC: Cincinnati Entertainment Awards The 22nd annual Cincinnati Entertainment Awards at Memorial Hall is a Grammy-style show for the Cincinnati music scene. 6 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 24. $20-$25. Memorial Hall, 1225 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine. cincinnatientertainmentawards.com. Photo: Chuck Loftice