Margarita Madness At The Purple People Bridge : May 17th

Wizards and Holiday Magic Collide at Harry Potter-Themed Bar Pennifold's Pub

Pennifold’s Pub’s Holiday Magic offers an immersive themed experience for grown-ups and kids alike.

Dec 5, 2023 at 12:05 pm

Pennifold's Pub has gotten a holiday makeover with Hogwarts-inspired Christmas decor. Photo: pennifoldspub.com

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Gorilla Cinema Presents — the team behind local experiential bars and restaurants like Overlook Lodge and Tokyo Kitty — takes the holidays very seriously and is once again transforming several of its establishments for the season, including its wizarding world-themed Pennifold's Pub.

Offering a little bit of Hogwarts in Over-the-Rhine, Pennifold's Pub turned the bar in the back of the Cosmic Gorilla comic book shop into a haven for Harry Potter fans, and it’s once again getting a Christmas makeover.

Pennifold’s Pub’s Holiday Magic offers an immersive themed experience for grown-ups and kids alike. The bar has been decked out in striped scarves for every house, with owls and fantastic beasts mixed in with garlands, ornaments and floating candles. Cocktails (and mocktails) include concoctions like “Potter in a Pear Tree,” made with pear vodka, rosemary simple syrup and grapefruit, and “Butterscotch Ale,” which is made with oat milk, brown sugar reduction, marshmallow whipped cream and the option to add Bacardi Black Rum or your favorite spirit, all served in a warm mug.

Immersive Christmas Bar 'Miracle at The Overlook Lodge' to Open for Season: Gorilla Cinemas is keeping a lot of details under wraps, but guests should expect a lot of "Silver and Gold."

Holiday Magic is open through Dec. 31, with the bar open seven days a week beginning Tuesday, Dec. 12. There is no cover, and you don’t need to make reservations. Kids are welcome until 9 p.m.

Pennifold’s Pub, 1834 Race St., behind Cosmic Gorilla, Over-the-Rhine. More info: pennifoldspub.com.

Slideshow

25 Greater Cincinnati Holiday Traditions You Won't Want to Miss

Cincinnati SantaConIt’s about to get sloppy. Hundreds of humans dressed in Santa outfits will be taking over Downtown, Over-the-Rhine, Newport and Covington in a holiday pub crawl. There will be singing and drinking; proceeds benefit The Cure Starts Now, a nonprofit focused on cancer research. SantaCon is happening Saturday, Dec. 9 from noon to midnight.

Ice Skating at Fountain Square520 Vine St., DowntownNothing says winter or the holiday season in Cincinnati quite like ice skating at Fountain Square. Lace up your skates for a spin on the ice, or you can buckle up and take a bumper car out on the ice — UC Health Ice Rink being the only rink in the Tri-State to offer this fun opportunity. The skating rink is open to everyone of all ages, but children 4 and under must be accompanied by an adult on the ice. You can also warm up at the WGU Ohio Warming Tent or at the concession stand, where you can stop by for a quick snack or warm drink. The stand also has beer, wine and select spirits for sale.Rink open daily until Feb. 19.

Holiday Junction at the Cincinnati Museum Center1301 Western Ave., West EndAll aboard! At almost 80 years old, Holiday Junction is a beloved tradition that’s been handed down from generation to generation, with Greater Cincinnati families gathering to watch the toy-sized candy-colored circus trains, sleek sleeper cars and coal-laden hopper cars (for those on the naughty list) zip around scenery of snowbanks and crowded streets. Highlights of Holiday Junction include a 1904 electric toy train from the Cincinnati-based Carlisle & Finch Company, who made the first such electric toy train in 1896, along with a pre-World War II Lionel layout and a ‘60s Lionel Super O layout that show the evolution of toy trains and prefabricated landscapes. You’ll also be able to spot Thomas the Tank Engine as he and his friends chug around the mountains of Sodor.Holiday Junction runs Thursday-Monday through Jan. 8.

Visit the Shillito’s Elves at the Foundry505 Vine St., DowntownThe famous Shillito’s Elves will be on display at the Foundry near Fountain Square again this year. The decades-old elves moved to that location for the first time in 2022, a callback to their first appearance in the storefront window of Cincinnati department store Shillito’s in the ‘50s. The mechanized figures depict various Christmas scenes, like the elves building toys in Santa’s workshop and sorting Santa’s mail. The same six elves will be on display: The Mail Sorter; Little Woodshop; Pete the Painter; Lazzie Bear and Gift Wrap; and Elves at home, including Ralph the Piano Player, Ned the Newspaper Reader and the four-stack of Bunkbed Elves dreaming of their toy deadline. You can catch the elves’ animated antics Monday through Friday 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and then from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., and from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays from Nov. 24-Jan. 2.

WinterFest at Kings Island6300 Kings Island Drive, MasonKings Island’s WinterFest is merrier and brighter than ever, with over 7 million LED lights; 11 winter wonderlands, including the North Pole Outpost, Charlie Brown’s Christmastown and Tinsel Town; 10 different live holiday shows, like the nightly tree-lighting ceremony on International Street or the Winter Wonderland Parade; festive activities such as cookie decorating with Mrs. Claus or ice skating; and the Eiffel Tower dressed up like a gigantic Christmas tree. The park also has more than 20 rides open, including its two newest, Sol Spin and Cargo Loco, and its most popular roller coasters, Mystic Timbers and Flight of Fear.Open select nights Nov. 24-Dec. 31.

The Annual Holiday Show at Krohn Conservatory1501 Eden Park Drive, Walnut HillsThe conservatory will be “filled with a warm glow as illuminated stars shine over colorful poinsettias, lush tropical foliage and holiday trees” for its annual holiday show, themed “Golden Days of Yule” this year. The centerpiece model train display features locomotives zipping through botanical recreations of local landmarks, utilizing materials like wood and moss to make mini versions of the spectacular originals. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. through Jan. 7; Check the conservatory’s calendar as the show may close early some days.

Mt. Adams Reindog Parade and OTR RailDog ParadeReindog kicks off at 946 Pavilion St., Mt. Adams; RailDog kicks off at Queen City Radio, 222 W. 12th St., Over-the-RhineFor more than two decades, pups decorated in their holiday best have taken to the streets of Mt. Adams for an annual costumed Reindog Parade. And in Over-the-Rhine, there will also be a costumed puppy parade that will take dogs and their owners from Queen City Radio to Washington Park and back for some holiday cheer. The Mt. Adams Reindog Parade is Saturday, Dec. 9 with registration from 12:30-1:45 p.m. and the parade kicking off at 2 p.m. The OTR RailDog Parade is Saturday, Dec. 16 starting at 3(ish) p.m.

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About The Authors

Katherine Barrier

Katherine Barrier is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati’s journalism program and has nearly 10 years of experience reporting local and national news as a digital journalist. At CityBeat, she oversees the digital and social media strategies, edits web and print content and writes for the dining and arts...