SEPTEMBER
Ohio Renaissance Festival — Prepare thyself for adventure. The Ohio Renaissance Festival’s recreated 30-acre, 16th-century village crams 400 years of fun into a day, with human-powered rides, hearty food and drink (turkey legs, beef stew in a bread bowl, mead), games of skill and unique arts and crafts. 10:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Through Oct. 25. $21.95; $9.95 child. 10542 E. State Route 73, Waynesville, renfestival.com.
Old West Festival — Step back in time and mosey into an authentic Wild West town dating back to 1878. Come in your best period attire (there’s a costume contest each day) for cold sarsaparilla, a covered wagon ride, can-can dancers and (fake) gun fights. Steampunk Weekend Oct. 3 and 4. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Through Oct. 18. $12; $6 children younger than 5. 1449 Greenbush Cobb Road, Williamsburg, Ohio, oldwestfestival.com.
The Kaplan New Works Series — The Cincinnati Ballet kicks off its new season with the annual Kaplan New Works Series, featuring world premieres of innovative choreography. 8 p.m. Sept.
16-18; 2 and 8 p.m. Sept. 19. Tickets start at $55. Aronoff Center’s Jarson-Kaplan Theater, 650 Walnut St., Downtown, cballet.org.
Cincinnati Geek Club — A monthly, third-Wednesday mini sci-fi and fantasy convention. Afterward, stay for Talk Nerdy to Me, an opportunity to meet other single nerds. 6-10 p.m. Sept. 16. Free. Molly Malone’s, Third Floor, 112 E. Fourth St., Covington, Ky., thepandorasociety.com/geek.
Cincinnati Comic Expo — A comic expo featuring famous sci-fi and fantasy film and TV stars, comic-book artists, panels, costume contests, zombie walks and more. Sept 18-20. Tickets start at $20. Duke Energy Convention Center, 525 Elm St., Downtown, cincinnaticomicexpo.com.
Oktoberfest Zinzinnati — Cincinnati’s giant weekend-long German street party with Bavarian food, weiner-dog and beer-stein races, the world’s largest chicken dance, a brat-eating competition, a “larger than life” Glockenspiel, German dancing and more. 5 p.m.-midnight Sept. 18; 11 a.m.-midnight Sept. 19; 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sept. 20. Free admission. Fifth Street, between Vine and Sentinel, Downtown, oktoberfestzinzinnati.com.
Überdrome Oktoberfest — An authentic Munich experience at the Moerlein Lager House’s Überdrome tent, filled with German-style food, live entertainment and liter boot-mugs filled with Oktoberfest beer. Sept. 18-20. Free. Moerlein Lager House Lawn, 115 Joe Nuxhall Way, The Banks, Downtown, facebook.com/moerleinlagerhouse.
Paula Poundstone — Humorist, comedian and favorite panelist on Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me! comes to the Taft for one-night only. 8 p.m. Sept. 18. $37.50. Taft Theatre, 317 E. Fifth St., Downtown, tafttheatre.org.
Queen City is Haunted Tour — On this guided walking tour of downtown and OTR, discover stories of grisly murders, ghastly deaths and other disturbing tales buried deep within Cincinnati’s storied past. Through Nov. 7. $20. Tours begin at 1332 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine, americanlegacytours.com.
Back to the Future: Live in Concert with the Pops — 2015 marks the 30th anniversary of the classic time-travel sci-fi adventure Back to the Future. The Cincinnati Pops Orchestra celebrates by performing Alan Silvestri’s iconic score live while a high-definition screening of the film plays over the stage. 8 p.m. Sept. 19. $10-$75. Music Hall, 1241 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine, cincinnatisymphony.org.
Fifty Fest — Fifty West hosts three stages, 10 bands and more than 20 breweries. Noon-midnight Sept. 19. $10. Fifty West Brewing Company, 7668 Wooster Pike, Mariemont, fiftywestbrew.com.
Fall Harvest Festival — An old-fashioned festival in the 19th-century Heritage Village featuring wagon rides, donut-eating contests, vintage games, cider-pressing demonstrations and tours. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sept. 19; noon-5 p.m. Sept. 20. $8; $5 children. 11450 Lebanon Road, Sharonville, heritagevillagecincinnati.org.
Mark Mothersbaugh: Myopia — A retrospective exhibition of the artwork of prolific artist and DEVO founder Mark Mothersbaugh. Sept. 25-Jan. 9. $7.50; $5.50 educators/students/seniors. Contemporary Arts Center, 44 E. Sixth St., Downtown, contemporaryartscenter.org.
Weeki Wachee Springs Mermaids — The Weeki Wachee Springs Mermaids return to Newport Aquarium, clad in their colorful fish-tail costumes and submerged in the 60,000-gallon Coral Reef tank. The Mermaid & Pirate Family Ball (7-10 p.m. Sept. 25) encourages themed costumes for refreshments, a treasure hunt and mermaid meet-and-greet. Sept. 25-Oct. 12. $23; $15 ages 2-12. 1 Aquarium Way, Newport on the Levee, Newport, Ky., newportaquarium.com.
Newport Oktoberfest — A Munich-style Oktoberfest featuring authentic German food and drink, live continuous German entertainment and a giant festival tent. Sept. 25-27. Free admission. Riverboat Row, Newport on the Levee, Newport, Ky., oktoberfestnewport.com.
Rocky Horror Picture Show — The Denton Affair hosts an every-other-Saturday interactive screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, with a live cast. Viewers are encouraged to come in costume and bring flashlights, noisemakers and bells. 11:55 p.m. Sept. 26 and every other Saturday. $9.75 general admission. Esquire Theatre, 320 Ludlow Ave., Clifton, esquiretheatre.com.
Newport is Haunted Tour — Led by a cloaked guide, tour the streets of Newport by night to learn about tales of murder, suicide and even a decapitation or two. Sept. 26-Oct. 24. $20. Tour begins at 18 E. Fifth St., Newport, Ky., americanlegacytours.com.
Covington is Haunted Tour — A bit of history and horror in a 90-minute walking tour. Learn about neighborhood feuds and haunted mansions. Sept. 26-Oct. 24. $20. Tour starts at Molly Malone’s, 112 E. Fourth St., Covington, Ky., americanlegacytours.com.
Fire Up the Night — Watch England, Brazil and Australia take on America in a global fireworks competition over Lake Como. The winner will be determined by a judging panel and audience text vote. Gates open at 4 p.m.; fireworks at 8 p.m. Sept. 26. $30 per carload. Coney Island, 6201 Kellogg Ave., California, coneyislandpark.com.
DevouGrass Festival — Features live Bluegrass music, artisan vendors, hands-on creative stations for kids and food trucks. Benefits the Children’s Home of Northern Kentucky. Sept. 26. Free. Devou Park Bandshell, 1700 Montague Road, Covington, Ky., devougrass.com.
Cincinnati Street Food Festival — The fourth-annual street food festival in Walnut Hills features local food trucks, live music, craft beer and fun. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sept. 26. Free admission. Walnut Hills, facebook.com/walnuthillsrf.
Cincy Summer Streets — A portion of Pleasant Street in Over-the-Rhine will close to traffic so everyone can play in the street. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sept. 26. Free. Pleasant Street between West 14th Street and West Elder, Over-the-Rhine, cincysummerstreets.org.
OFFF Cincinnati — Engage with artists and designers from around the world through inspirational talks and workshops. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Sept. 30. $30-$50. Aronoff Center, 650 Walnut St., Downtown, cincinnatiarts.org, contemporaryartscenter.org.
OCTOBER
The Supernaturalists — Presented by Criss Angel (really), The Supernaturalists is a group of nine “mind-blowing” magicians that “destroy reality and revolutionize the live magic ensemble appearance.” Angel appears in the show via live-feed from Las Vegas. 8 p.m. Oct. 2; 2 and 8 p.m. Oct. 3. $39.50-$85. Taft Theatre, 317 E. Fifth St., Downtown, tafttheatre.org.
Kentucky Wool Festival — A festival that promotes sheep and wool products, with homemade craft vendors, live Bluegrass and Americana music, cloggers, county festival food, sheep-shearing and border collie herding demonstrations and a tent full of wool. 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Oct. 2 and 3; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Oct. 4. $5. 48 Concord Caddo Road, Falmouth, Ky., kywoolfest.org.
Donauschwaben Oktoberfest — Offers more than 25 imported and domestic beers on draft, pit-roasted Bavarian pig and chicken and much more. Oct. 2-4. $3. Donauschwaben Park, 4290 Dry Ridge Road, Colerain, facebook.com/cincydonau.
Sunflower Festival — Stroll through fields of tall, golden sunflowers, pick some for yourself, take a hayride, enjoy food from food trucks and music, crafts and local artisans. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 3 and 4. Gorman Heritage Farm, 10052 Reading Road, Evendale, gormanfarm.org.
Cincinnati Steampunk Salon —Join the finest-dressed ladies and gents for food, drink, conversation, silent films and larks. Costumes encouraged but not required. 8 p.m.-1:30 a.m. Oct. 3. Free. Molly Malone’s, 112 E. Fourth St., Covington, Ky., thepandorasociety.com/salon.
Weekend of Fire — More than 55 hot sauce vendors (many in wild costumes) converge on Jungle Jim’s with 300 samples ranging from mild to wild to some of the hottest you’ve ever tasted. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Oct. 3; 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 4. $10 two-day pass; $6. Jungle Jim’s, 5440 Dixie Highway, Fairfield, junglejims.com.
Suicide Girls Blackheart Burlesque — Tongue-in-cheek humor and burlesque choreography. Oct. 4. $25-$85. 20th Century Theater, 3021 Madison Road, Oakley, suicidegirls.com.
MainStrasse Bourbon Fest — A celebration of bourbon with tastings, dinners, education and more. Oct. 9-11. Sixth and Main streets, Covington, Ky., facebook.com/oaktoastandtwoagingbarrels.
Neil deGrasse Tyson — Head of the world-renowned Hayden Planetarium and everyone’s favorite astrophysicist, Neil deGrasse Tyson, host of Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey, heads to the Taft for an evening of engaging conversation on science, exploration and the world. 7:30 p.m. Oct. 6. $49.50-$74.50. Taft Theatre, 317 E. Fifth St., Downtown, tafttheatre.org.
Cincinnati Craft Brewers Oktoberfest — Listermann Brewing Company has teamed up with the Cincideutsch to host the event. Kids and dogs welcome. 5 p.m.-midnight Oct. 9; noon-11 p.m. Oct. 10. Free admission. Listermann Brewing Company, 1621 Dana Ave., Evanston, listermannbrewing.com.
Ohio Sauerkraut Festival — Since 1970, the Ohio Sauerkraut Festival has celebrated sauerkraut with a full festival featuring everything from sauerkraut pizza, fudge, donuts, cookies and pies. 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Oct. 10; 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Oct. 11. Free admission. 10 N. Main St., Waynesville, Ohio, sauerkrautfestival.com.
Zombie Ball: Dance of the UnDead on Pyramid Hill — Attendees are encouraged to dress as their favorite UnDead characters including zombies, vampires and mummies or creatively interpret the theme. 7-11 p.m. Oct. 10. $50 couple: $30 single. Pyramid Hill, 1763 Hamilton-Cleves Road, Hamilton, pyramidhill.org.
Cincinnati Chocolate Festival — A festival for chocolate-lovers of all ages, featuring samples from local sweeteries, celebrity chef demos, contests and more to indulge your chocolate cravings. Admission includes five tasting tickets. Noon-5 p.m. Oct. 11. $10. Xavier University’s Cintas Center, 1624 Herald Ave., Evanston, cincinnatichocolatefestival.com.
Customer Appreciation Day at Stricker’s Grove — Stricker’s Grove is a family-owned and -operated private amusement park (only open to the public four times a year), featuring classic amusement park rides. Noon-8 p.m. Oct. 11. $12. Stricker’s Grove, 11490 Hamilton-Cleves Road, Hamilton, strickersgrove.com.
Ubahn Fest — A literal underground music festival — located in a Metro Transit center underneath Second Street — featuring an eclectic lineup of EDM and Hip Hop performances across two stages. 7 p.m.-2 a.m. Oct. 16 and 17. $20-$100. 220 Central Avenue between Pete Rose Way and Third Street, Downtown, ubahnfest.com.
Books by the Banks — Features a slew of local, regional and national authors in every genre from children’s books to fiction to teen and more. Also includes author panels and writing workshops. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 17. Free. Duke Energy Convention Center, 525 Elm St., Downtown, booksbythebanks.org.
The Art of the Brick at the Museum Center — Sculptures include the “Mona Lisa,” “Starry Night,” “American Gothic” and more, all made out of LEGOs. Theme days include Superheroes, Trains, Star Wars, Space and Dinosaurs. Opens Oct. 23. $19.50 adult; $17.50 seniors; $12.50 child. Cincinnati Museum Center, 1301 Western Ave., Queensgate, cincymuseum.org.
Guided Ghost Tours of Music Hall — The Cincinnati Research & Paranormal Studies team leads guided paranormal tours to explore, investigate and document the otherworldly. Bring your own equipment. 7 p.m. Oct. 23. $25. Music Hall, 1241 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine, cincinnatiarts.org.
Lady of Camellias — The music of Chopin performed by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra sets the stage for a tale of the beauty and anguish of impassioned love. 8 p.m. Oct. 23; 2 and 8 p.m. Oct. 24. $32-$100. Aronoff Center’s Procter & Gamble Hall, 650 Walnut St., Downtown, cballet.org.
Niehoff Lecture — Features David Brooks, an op-ed columnist for the New York Times and frequent NPR and PBS commentator. 7 p.m. Oct. 24. $175 Mercantile members; $200 general admission. The Westin Hotel, 21 E. Fifth St., Downtown, new.mercantilelibrary.com.
The Roast of Harry Potter — Everyone’s favorite boy wizard gets roasted. Oct. 26. Funny Bone, Newport on the Levee, Newport, Ky., thelouisvilleroasts.com.
Andy’s House of Blank at Know Theatre — This new musical is about Andy, who runs an ever-changing store full of oddities and unmailed love letters in a small town. When his high school crush shows up with a mysterious machine, time travel and singing ensues. Oct. 30-Nov. 14. $20. Know Theatre, 1120 Jackson St., Over-the-Rhine, knowtheatre.com.
Theresa Caputo Live! — Everyone’s favorite big-haired Long Island psychic medium comes to the Aronoff Center. 7:30 p.m. Oct. 30. $43-$103. Aronoff Center, 650 Walnut St., Downtown, cincinnatiarts.org.
NOVEMBER
Cheese Festival — A one-night event showcasing more than 75 of the most celebrated cheese and artisan food producers from around the world. Start working on your night cheese. 6-11 p.m. Nov. 6. $40-$55. Christian Moerlein Malt House Taproom, 1621 Moore St., Over-the-Rhine, cincinnaticheesefestival.com.
Time Travelers’ Ball — Wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey stuff: The Pandora Society hosts the fifth-annual Time Traveler’s Ball, the best costume party in town. 8 p.m. Nov. 14. $15; $10 pre-purchase. Bogart’s, 2621 Vine St., Corryville, thepandorasociety.com/time/ttb2015.
All Childish Things at Know Theatre — Star Wars fanboys Dave, Carter and Max come up with a plan to raid a warehouse full of collectible toys and sell them to a mysterious buyer. What could go wrong? Nov. 20-Dec. 19. $20. Know Theatre, 1120 Jackson St., Over-the-Rhine, knowtheatre.com.
Crafty Supermarket — This handmade holiday market features more than 100 craft vendors and makers. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Nov. 28. Music Hall, 1241 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine, craftysupermarket.com.
DECEMBER
Cyclones Star Wars Night — The force is with the Cyclones as they battle the Evansville Icemen. Kids will be given a lightsaber. 6:30 p.m. Dec. 12. Tickets start at $13. U.S. Bank Arena, 100 Broadway, Downtown, cycloneshockey.com.
Marvel Universe Live — Marvel superheroes Iron Man, Hulk and more attack villains in an action-packed arena extravaganza. Dec. 17-20. $20-$120. U.S. Bank Arena, 100 Broadway St., Downtown, usbankarena.com.
