Mascot Broomball Exhibition Game
If you’ve never watched our local mascots whup on each other, I must say, it’s quite enjoyable -- and it’s all in good fun. Fountain Square is hosting its annual Mascot Broomball Exhibition Match on Saturday, featuring familiar faces such as Mr. Redlegs, Gapper, Twister, Scooter the Neutered Cat and the Chick-fil-A cow. It’s free to watch, so come out and cheer for your favorite.
11 a.m. Saturday. Fountain Square, Fifth and Vine streets, Downtown. Free admission. myfountainsquare.com
Cincy Brass Honors an Icon
I love the Cincy Brass -- those boys know how to jam. And I love, love, LOVE Stevie Wonder. So a show where the band pays tribute to the depths of the legend’s songbook cannot be missed. The Cincy Brass is going to put its own spin on his songs with fresh arrangements, and it’s sure to be a great show.
10 p.m. Friday. MOTR Pub, Over-the-Rhine. Free admission. Age 21 and up. For more information, visit the event’s Facebook page.
We’re Off to See the Wizard
If you love "The Wizard of Oz,” the Carnegie is staging its own production starting this weekend. The Kentucky Symphony Orchestra will perform all those songs you know by heart, and local artist Pam Kravetz has put her colorful touch to designing the set. Bring on the Munchkins. (Bonus for WCPO Insiders: If you buy four tickets to either of the matinee shows, you will receive a $10 voucher for concessions and an exclusive backstage tour.)
7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday; and 3 p.m. Sundays. The Carnegie, 1028 Scott Blvd., Covington. $30. Through Jan. 31. www.thecarnegie.com
There’s also a lot going on in the arts this weekend. Here are several recommendations from arts writer Rick Pender ...
‘Dancing with the Stars’
ABC's Emmy-winning dance competition show makes a one-night stop in Cincinnati at the Taft for its “Live!” tour. Featuring several popular competitors, the tour re-creates memorable dances from the show and offers new routines performed by champion Melissa Rycroft, Witney Carson, Keo Motsepe, Emma Slater and others. The evening employs a playlist of contemporary hits and, of course, the costumes are glorious.
7 p.m. Sunday. Taft Theatre, 317 E. Fifth St., Downtown. $47-$75. tafttheatre.org
A Moveable Feast
The University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music trains actors, dancers, musicians and designers on their way to becoming the “stars of tomorrow.” CCM’s Moveable Feast is a showcase for all of them, using the state-of-the-art stages and facilities of CCM Village. The “feast” fundraiser offers a smorgasbord of jazz, orchestra, string quartet, musical theater, dance, drama, opera, choral music and more, plus tours and lighting demonstrations. Breaks between performances allow for grazing bites from some of Cincinnati’s best caterers.
6:15 p.m. Friday. CCM Village, West Corry Street and Jefferson Avenue. $75. ccm.uc.edu/support/friends
Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company
Contemporary Dance Theatre gives you a chance to witness the remarkable New York City dance troupe that resulted from an 11-year collaboration between Bill T. Jones and Arnie Zane. Their company, which has performed in more than 200 cities around the world, changed the face of American dance, redefining duets and foreshadowing issues of identity, form and social commentary. If you attend the Friday evening event, stay afterward for a free reception with the dancers.
8:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday. Aronoff Center for the Arts, Jarson-Kaplan Theater, 650 Walnut St., Downtown. $22-$32. cincinnatiarts.org
Pink Martini, von Trapps and Dancing
With winter weather chilling us these days, almost anything described as “hot” sounds appealing. But there’s a lot more to Sunday’s Hot Pink T-Dance, followed by a Cincinnati Pops concert featuring Pink Martini and the von Trapps. T-Dances are a variety of happy hour popular in gay communities such as Key West, Fire Island and Provincetown, often held late on Sunday afternoons — such as this gathering, sponsored by the Cincinnati Symphony’s LGBT support group CSO Spectrum, featuring drinks, food and dance music by DJ Thaddeus. Pink Martini, the Pops’ special guests, is a 12-piece “little orchestra” specializing in an international mix of cabaret, samba and jazz. Pink Martini’s concert will feature the von Trapps — four siblings in their 20s who are the singing grandchildren of one of the kids from "The Sound of Music" — and Ari Shapiro, co-host of NPR's "All Things Considered."
- 4 p.m. Sunday: Hot Pink T-Dance. The Transept, 1205 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine. $35.
- 7 p.m. Sunday: Cincinnati Pops featuring Pink Martini and the von Trapps. Music Hall, 1241 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine. Starts at $25. cincinnatisymphony.org/pops
Meet Jesse Eisenberg
He’ll always be Mark Zuckerberg to me. But did you know actor Jesse Eisenberg (“The Social Network,” “Now You See Me”) is an author, too? He’ll be signing copies of his book, "Bream Gives Me Hiccups," at Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Rookwood. Tickets are free with a copy of the book, and yes, he’ll also be taking pictures.
7 p.m. Thursday. Joseph-Beth Booksellers, 2692 Madison Road. Free admission. www.josephbeth.com
Bring On Big Piney
The Christian Moerlein Brewing Company promises to transport your tastebuds to the Pacific Northwest with its latest IPA, Big Piney. The company is celebrating the latest addition to its beer lineup with a release party Thursday. What better way to stave off winter chills than with an amber beer that promises the aroma of pine and citrus?
4-8 p.m. Thursday. The Malt House Taproom, 1621 Moore St., Over-the-Rhine. Free admission. For more details, visit the event's Facebook page.
