Top 9 weekend things to do in the Tri-State

Weekend of Oct. 14

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Posted: 10/14/2011

By: Sarah Beth Hensley, WCPO Digital

Looking for something to do this weekend? WCPO and CityBeat have teamed up to bring you the top 9 weekend things to do in the Tri-State.

1. Drink it Down
You don’t need to go to Italy or France to sample some sensational wines — the Northern Kentucky Wine Festival on Saturday offers some of the great vinos available in the area. MainStrasse Village is hosting the sixth annual event, which will feature more than 15 wineries from around Kentucky. Even if you’re not a wine drinker, the event will have booths from local vendors, eateries and crafters. Savor the rest of the details here .

2. Find Family Frights
Halloween is coming up and while you may be anxious to visit terrifying haunts in the Tri-State, fun for kids should be part of the equation, too. Family-friendly Halloween events abound in the area, with many going on this weekend. King’s Island’s Howl-O-Fest, the Cincinnati Zoo’s HallZOOween and Sunrock Farm’s Pumpkin Patch Tour are fabulous fall fun that's sure to get you in the Halloween mood. Get details about these events and other local options here . For more information about adult-friendly haunted houses in the Tri-State, go here .

3. Celebrate with the Arts
The Tri-State is home to an array of talented artists — many of whom will showcase their work at the Constella Festival of Music and Fine Arts. The festival — which is in its first year — takes place at various downtown venues until the beginning of November. Musical and artistic life will be on display with acts including violinist Hilary Hahn , oboist Liang Wang and members of the Cincinnati Ballet. For the rest of the details about the event, go here .

4. Let Halloween Go to the Dogs
Sure, humans enjoy Halloween, but why not let man’s best friend get in on the excitement, too? Dogs can get dressed up in their Halloween costumes and participate in a walk through the Northside at Happen Inc.’s Howlfest on Saturday. A costume contest for you and your pooch will get all the tails wagging. Also, the event will have music, free cookies and barbecue, pet caricatures, photo opportunities and more. You don’t have to bark — more details are available here .

5. See a Romantic Comedy in Real Life
Tales of love and affection may seem like constants at the box offices with abundant romantic comedies pulling the heart stings of viewers. But the Shakespeare play, “As You Like It” is bringing a new flavor to romantic comedies. Showing at the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, this play tells the story of a confused love, mistaken identities and tangled affections. See the show through Nov. 6. Get more details about the play here .

Next page: Watch commercials and taste the pie of fall

6. Laugh with a Musician Turned Comedian
Todd Yohn first did a comedy open mic on a dare. The blues musician was a hit and hasn’t looked back since. He now incorporates music into his set and makes people laugh with his routine and funny songs. Yohn will be performing at Go Bananas in Montgomery through Sunday. Go here for more information.

7. Get a Look Through the Lens
It may be a year away, but an area photo show will let the Tri-State get a sneak peek at some of the images to come. FotoFocus — the citywide celebration of photographic and lens-based art coming to Cincinnati's arts institutions in October 2012 — will have a preview in Fountain Square Friday. The event will have some of the photos that will be part of the final product as well as some of the renowned photographers responsible for the images. Get the bigger picture with more information here .

8. Watch the Commercials
It may seem contrary to how we all watch television, but commercials will take centerstage this weekend. The Cincinnati World Cinema presents a fast-paced session of funny, clever, creative commercials and powerful, touching PSAs made in the UK at the British Television Advertising Awards. The event will be in Covington on Sunday and will also have drinks and snacks between screenings. View the rest of the details here .

9. Dig into Pumpkin Pie
What’s fall without pumpkin pie? And what’s pumpkin pie without Frisch’s? The restaurant has scored a perfect 10 when it comes to the eight-inch-round pie that retails for less than $9. Frisch’s sells 85,000 whole pumpkin pies in the 16 weeks that it’s in season — nearly half that in the two weeks leading up to Thanksgiving. That’s in addition to the 840,000 slices they sell individually to diners in the restaurants or at the carry-out windows. Why not add to their ever-increasing tally and sample this simple fall flavor this weekend? Eat up the rest of the information and a review of the pie here .