They’ve Got the Beat
Consider the Beat Faction Holiday Party at the Drinkery in Over-the-Rhine a test run for New Year’s Eve. The '80s-themed alternative dance night will let you practice your dance moves and burn off some of that eggnog you drank at Grandma’s house the day before.
9 p.m. Saturday. The Drinkery, 1150 Main St., Over-the-Rhine. http://on.fb.me/1PkR9BV
A Feast of Fish
Why go through the hassle of fixing a holiday meal at home when someone else can do it for you? Reservations are still available for Bella Luna’s “Feast of the Seven Fishes” annual southern Italian buffet on Christmas Eve. If that doesn’t strike your fancy, check out this list of other Tri-State eateries open on Christmas.
4:30-9:30 p.m. Thursday. Bella Luna, 4632 Eastern Ave., Linwood. Reservations required. $35 for adults. $17.50 for ages 10-12. Children 9 and under free. http://bellalunacincy.com/events
A Little Craft Beer After Your Szechuan?
Taft's Ale House is opening its doors on Christmas Eve to host Latkapalooza, a free event sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati’s Young Adult Division and the Mayerson JCC. RSVP is requested by texting TAFT to 313131 or visiting the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati website. I have to admit, a pint of Nellie’s Key Lime Caribbean Ale sounds great after a heaping helping of General Tso’s chicken.
8:30 p.m. Thursday. Taft’s Ale House, 1429 Race St., Over-the-Rhine. Open to ages 21-45. http://on.fb.me/1ThUenx
Speaking of Chinese Buffets . . .
How about a screening of “Fiddler on the Roof” to go along with that egg roll? The Kenwood Theatre is hosting a sing-along of the 1971 musical and a Chinese buffet on Christmas Eve. The menu also includes cheese wontons, volcano chicken (mild, not spicy), vegetable lo mein noodles, steamed jasmine and brown rice.
5:15 p.m. Thursday. Kenwood Theatre, 7815 Kenwood Road, Kenwood. $25 for movie ticket and buffet. www.kenwoodtheatre.com
Celebrate Cincinnati Filmmaking
How many Cincinnati locations can you identify in “Carol”? Play this fun post-gift-opening game starting on Christmas Eve. The Golden Globe-nominated movie starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, which was shot in Cincinnati in 2014, opens exclusively at the Esquire Theatre beginning Christmas Eve.
7 p.m. Thursday. Esquire Theatre, 320 Ludlow Ave., Clifton. $9.50 adults. $7 senior citizens. www.esquiretheatre.com
Keeping Your Family Entertained
If your family is visiting from out of town for the holidays, keeping them entertained can seem like a chore. To help lighten the load, take them to one of the many live shows taking place this weekend. The Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s production of “Every Christmas Story Ever Told (and then some)” still has tickets available for Sunday shows. There are also weekend performances of Ensemble Theatre’s “Cinderella,”the Covedale Center for the Performing Art’s “Mary Poppins,” and “The Nutcracker” at the Aronoff Center.
Check here for more information on other performances.
Last Chances
Time is winding down to enjoy traditional holiday events such as the Duke Energy Holiday Train Display at the Cincinnati Museum Center and the PNC Festival of Lights at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. Get a complete list of events, including what’s still open and what’s over after Dec. 25, with our “30 Ways to Celebrate the Holidays” guide.
Twelve Years in the Making
NoGood Heroes’ reggae-infused rhythm section returns to the stage after more than a decade's hiatus this Saturday at MOTR in Over-the-Rhine. The band, compared to early “The Clash” or “The Minutemen,” offers up politically conscious lyrics for you to digest after Christmas Day dinner. NoGood Heroes will be joined by Chicago’s “The Strike” and “The Angel Shale.”
9 p.m. Saturday. MOTR, 1345 Main St., Over-the-Rhine. www.facebook.com/events
Merry Christmas. Let's Roller Skate.
This unseasonably warm weather has not exactly moved me to ice skate. Roller skating, though, is a different story. "A Rollerskating Jam Called Xmas," scheduled at the Fun Factory Roller Skating rink in Norwood on Christmas night, sounds like a blast. MistaRareGroove, Jordan, Seb, Noah and friends will be spinning records as you zip around the oval.
10 p.m. Friday. Fun Factory Roller Skating, 1631 Sherman Ave., Norwood. $10. http://on.fb.me/1mgBwlo
