Cincinnati Opera
The Cincinnati Opera opens its 96th season Thursday with “Die Fledermaus.” Here’s more about it from WCPO arts writer Rick Pender: With gorgeous melodies by the “Waltz King,” Johann Strauss Jr., "Die Fledermaus" (The Bat) is a comic operetta about a joke resulting from a night of carousing, culminating in an extravagant masquerade ball. Opera star Nicole Cabell plays the regal Rosalinde, and Robin Guarino, head of the opera program at University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music, directs the production with designs inspired by "The Grand Budapest Hotel."
This season also features a world premiere of a new work commissioned and developed by Cincinnati Opera. Composer Gregory Spears and librettist Greg Pierce, two rising stars in the opera world, created "Fellow Travelers." Based on Thomas Mallon’s historical novel, the story is set in Washington, D.C., in the 1950s at the height of the McCarthy era. A chance encounter with a State Department official leads a recent college grad to a job — and a love affair.
- “Die Fledermaus”: 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Saturday. Aronoff Center for the Arts, Procter & Gamble Hall, 650 Walnut St., Downtown. $39-$169. www.cincinnatiopera.com
- “Fellow Travelers”: 7:30 p.m. Friday. Aronoff Center for the Arts, Jarson-Kaplan Theater, 650 Walnut St., Downtown. $49-$119. www.cincinnatiopera.com
MainStrasse Goettafest
They don’t call this city Porkopolis for nothing: This weekend MainStrasse Goettafest will serve up all kinds of goetta-inspired dishes, such as goetta reubens, goetta balls, goetta brownies, goetta chili and goetta pizza. It also will offer arts and crafts and plenty of live music.
5-11:30 p.m. Friday, noon-11:30 p.m. Saturday, noon-9 p.m. Sunday. MainStrasse Village, Covington. www.mainstrasse.org
Bring On The Beer
Jungle Jim’s is bringing in more than 100 breweries for its 11th annual International Beer Festival. Brace yourselves, beer fans: There will be more than 400 beers to sample from local brewers, national brands and international brewers.
7-10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Jungle Jim’s, Oscar Event Center, 5440 Dixie Highway, Fairfield. $50; $60 early admission, $20 non-drinker. www.junglejims.com/beerfest
Braxton’s Summer Block Party
Here’s a recommendation from WCPO beer writer Andy Foltz: Braxton will host Big Green Eggfest, its summer block party, on Saturday. It's a combination of beer and food, hosted in partnership with Big Green Egg, a producer of grills and smokers. Sample sliders from Flipdaddy’s Burgers, wings from Oak Tavern and wings and sausages from Wunderbar. Beers from around the area will be available for purchase, as well as releases from Braxton. There will be live music and guest beer tappings, too.
Noon-11 p.m. Saturday. Braxton Brewing Co., 27 W. Seventh St., Covington. Free admission. For details, visit the event's Facebook page.
Juneteenth Festival
Cincinnati will celebrate its 29th annual Juneteenth Festival in Eden Park this weekend. The festival commemorates the ending of slavery in Galveston, Texas in June 1865 -- that’s when slaves there finally received the news that the Civil War had ended in the spring and they were now free. On Saturday, festivities kick off with a parade of flags, then continue with live music throughout the day, including a tribute to Prince, arts and crafts, games, dance demonstrations, food and contests. Expect more music on Sunday, when a Father’s Day Concert will take place from 2:30-6 p.m.
Noon-9 p.m. Saturday; 2:30-6 p.m. Sunday. Eden Park, 950 Eden Park Drive. Free admission. www.juneteenthcincinnati.org
Slide the City
The popular Slide the City is returning to Cincinnati on Saturday. Organizers once again will erect a 1,000-foot slip-and-slide (the length of three football fields) along Jefferson Avenue in Clifton, and the event also will include live music, food and drinks. Riders are required to bring an inflatable tube or purchase one on site to ride the slide. (Bonus: Splash on Short Vine will feature water-themed carnival games, food and music from noon-4 p.m. Saturday nearby. For details, visit its event page on Facebook.)
Starts at 10 a.m. Saturday. 2631 Jefferson Ave., Clifton. $40-$45. www.slidethecity.com
RoeblingFest
RoeblingFest 2016, a celebration of the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge on Saturday, will focus on the historical importance of the art, architecture and engineering of the Roebling Bridge while looking forward to its 150th anniversary in 2017. The festival will feature bridge tours, walks through Covington, displays of historic photographs, historical presentations and live bluegrass music all day.
9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday. Third and Greenup streets, Covington. Free admission. For more details, visit the event’s Facebook page.
Here are a few ideas for where to take dear ol’ Dad on Father’s Day ...
Cincidaddy
Revel in the beauty of more porky goodness on Sunday at Coney Island’s Cincidaddy celebration, which will feature bacon-themed dishes, burgers and beer. The day kicks off with the Rusty Races, including a fun run for kids and timed and untimed 5Ks. Then the Rusty Griswolds, Naked Karate Girls and more bands will perform. There also will be more than a dozen food trucks and a Bloody Mary bar to keep Dad happy on his big day.
Starts at 11 a.m. Sunday. Coney Island Amusement Park, 6201 Kellogg Ave. Free admission. coneyislandpark.com
Cincinnati Beer Week
In years past, one beer has been chosen to rule them all, or at least represent the city during Cincinnati Beer Week. However, for this year's edition of Beer Week, which starts Sunday, there will be five distinct collaborations due to the sheer quantity of existing breweries. Here’s a look at them so you can figure out which to drink first, as well as a list of Sunday’s Beer Week events.
One last reminder: The Vectren Dayton Air Show is this weekend, too -- y'know, it's just an hour up the road.
