FRIDAY 15
EVENT: BAD ASS BEER FEST
The Queen City’s finest craft breweries come together for two jam-packed days of drinking, dining and dancing. Hosted by Bad Tom Smith Brewery, patrons can imbibe brews from Bad Tom or other local and regional brewers like Blank Slate, West Sixth, MadTree, Urban Artifact and more for a bad-ass price — get 5 ounces for $2 and 12 ounces for $5. Vonderhaar’s Catering will provide local bites to nibble on, and the ambience will get kicked up a notch on Friday and Saturday by Kentucky Country duo Halfway to Hazard. More local bands will perform throughout the weekend, including The Cliftones, Go Go Buffalo and Zebras in Public. A percentage of proceeds will benefit the Ohio Valley Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Friendly leashed dogs welcome. 4-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. $2 cover; special beer ticket and VIP packages available. The French House, 3012 Section Road, Amberley, badassbeerfest2016.com.
ONSTAGE: MONTY PYTHON’S SPAMALOT
Clippity-clop. Clippity-clop. That should be the sound of a horse’s hooves, unless it’s a steed in Spamalot and a servant named Patsy is making noise with coconut shells since King Arthur doesn’t really have a horse. That’s the kind of tomfoolery that typifies this funny, downright irreverent show spawned by the 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail. It’s being staged by a big crew of high school students from all over town who have come together for the annual musical production by C.A.S.T., the Commonwealth Artists Summer Theatre. They’re having a ball with dancing girls, killer rabbits and, of course, Not Dead Fred. 8 p.m. Friday-Sunday. $20. C.A.S.T, Highlands High School, 2400 Memorial Parkway, Fort Thomas, Ky., castnky.com.
SATURDAY 16
EVENT: POKÉMON GO PUB CRAWL
Since being released for iPhone and Android devices last week, Pokémon GO has become a global phenomenon, allowing users to seek out the pocket monsters in real-world locations using augmented reality. Trainers 21 and up are invited to continue their quest to catch ’em all at the city’s first-ever PokéPub Crawl, during which participants will catch pokémon, stop at PokéStops (real-world locations at which players receive in-game items like pokéballs) and enjoy poké-themed drinks at some of Over-the-Rhine’s most popular bars. After meeting at 16-Bit Bar+Arcade, participants will split up into three groups based on their in-game teams — Instinct, Mystic and Valor — and embark on different routes accordingly; bars include Taft's Alehouse, Arnold's Bar and Grill, MOTR Pub and more. Stick around for an afterparty hosted by The Rook from Midnight to 2 a.m. for $6 Pokémon cocktails, raffle prizes and food specials. 5 p.m. Saturday. Free to attend. Begins at 16-Bit Bar+Arcade, 1331 Walnut St., Over-the-Rhine, searchable on Facebook.
EVENT: NATIVE AMERICAN INTER-TRIBAL WEEKEND
Big Bone Lick State Park celebrates Northern Kentucky’s Native American cultures with a weekend of activities and authentic demonstrations. Learn about weaving, beadwork, rope-making, primitive fire-starting and cooking and get an up-close look at a genuine Native American encampment. A demo will also be dedicated to flint-knapping, the process of shaping stone to manufacture tools like arrowheads. The two-day event is interspersed with dancing, drumming and traditional storytelling. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. $2; free kids 5 and under. Big Bone Lick State Park, 3380 Beaver Road, Union, Ky., parks.ky.gov.
EVENT: BLUES, BREWS & BBQ
Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park & Museum hosts its first Blues, Brews & BBQ event with grilled delights from Walt’s, Sweets & Meats, Eli’s, Neal’s and Pit to Plate, plus dessert from Marty’s Waffles. Cavalier Distributing will provide the brews, and the Cincy Blues Society will provide the Blues. In between local Soul and Blues acts, including award-winning Johnny Fink and the Intrusion and 17-year-old piano prodigy Ben Levin, BITS (Blues In The Schools) band will play from the top of the hill. Admission includes 10 drink tickets. 1-10 p.m. Saturday. $25 in advance; $30 at gate. Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park & Museum, 1763 Hamilton Cleves Road, Hamilton, pyramidhill.org.
SPORTS: FC CINCINNATI VS. CRYSTAL PALACE
Break out your orange and blue: The Queen City is one of three stops on London-based soccer team Crystal Palace’s North American Tour, and they’re facing off against Cincinnati in an international friendly on Saturday. A Barclays English Premier League member and FA Cup finalist, Crystal Palace is a high-profile competitor that harkens to Cincinnati’s quickly growing presence in the soccer world and promises a particularly energized night at Nippert Stadium. 7 p.m. Saturday. $15-$30; single ticket contained in Season Ticket Holder 2016 packets. Nippert Stadium, University of Cincinnati Campus, 2600 Clifton Ave., Clifton, 513-977-KICK, fccincinnati.com.
SUNDAY 17
COMEDY: DAVID LIEBE HART
Though he’s been in show business for decades, David Liebe Hart is probably most widely recognized for his work on Tim and Eric’s Awesome Show, Great Job!. An actor, stand-up comedian and puppeteer, he comes across as an engaging personality, if a bit eccentric. Indeed, his bio describes him as “an outsider musician, actor and painter.” Onstage, Hart will be joined by friend and fellow musician Jonah Mociun. There will be puppets as well as songs from his comedy CDs. Supporting acts include Vampire Weekend At Bernie’s, Total Fucking Garbage, Cincinnati-based comedy troupe Future Science and several local comedians. 7 p.m. Sunday. $10 advance; $12 day of show. Woodward Theater, 1404 Main St., Over-the-Rhine, woodwardtheater.com.
MUSIC: TURNPIKE TROUBADOURS
The Troubadours craft an identifiable sound, but the heart of the band’s soundtrack comes from the emotionally invested and character-driven songs of vocalist/guitarist Evan Felker, who possesses a gift for upending the hoariest Country clichés and delivering age-old lyrical messages with a fresh 21st-century dash of now. While only Felker and bassist R.C. Edwards remain from the band’s original lineup, the current group has become a stellar studio unit and a formidable live entity, translating the songs from the Troubadours’ four albums into foot-stomping, rafter-dusting anthems of everyday life, written with a cinematic perspective and a novelistic attention to detail. 7:30 p.m. doors; 8:30 p.m. show Sunday. $20-$22. Southgate House Revival, 111 E. Sixth St., Newport, Ky., southgatehouse.com.
TV: VICE PRINCIPALS
From the creators of Eastbound & Down comes this comedy about competing veeps — vice principals, that is — eager to be named commander-in-chief of a local high school. When the principal (Bill Murray) announces his retirement, the gloves are off for stars Danny McBride and Justified’s Walton Goggins. Series Premiere, 10:30 p.m., HBO.
