Great Inland Seafood Festival
I’m originally from Baltimore, and I love seafood. So I always look forward to the Great Inland Seafood Festival. It offers all kinds of seafood for the sampling -- shrimp, crawfish, crab legs, oysters, salmon and more -- and best of all: whole Maine lobsters for $10.95. Be warned: The lobsters tend to run out before the festival ends (and that may be partially my fault), so don’t wait too long. There will be live music all weekend, too.
5-11 p.m. Thursday-Friday; noon-11 p.m. Saturday; noon-9 p.m. Sunday. 1 Riverboat Row, Newport. Free admission. For more details, visit the event’s Facebook page.
Bengals Open Preseason
True, it’s still only the preseason, but football is finally back -- glory! (Insert praise hands emoji here.) The Bengals open their preseason at home against the Minnesota Vikings on Friday at Paul Brown Stadium. Don’t expect to see much of the starters, but it’s still a great excuse to leave work early and get your tailgate on.
Bengals vs. Vikings: 7:30 p.m. Friday. Paul Brown Stadium, Downtown. $23-$168. www.bengals.com
Western & Southern Open
Yes, more sports: Professional tennis players are in Cincinnati for the Western & Southern Open, which kicks off Saturday at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason. Several of the top players are either in Rio de Janiero competing in the Olympics or out due to injury. (Novak Djokovic, we miss you already.) However, there still will be lots of action to see: Keep your eyes peeled for tennis pros such as Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal, Angelique Kerber and Sloane Stephens.
Western & Southern Open: Saturday through Aug. 21. Lindner Family Tennis Center, 5460 Courseview Drive, Mason. For times and ticket pricing options, go to www.wsopen.com.
1940s Day
Oh, how I love pin curls and red lipstick. Get a taste of what life was like in the 1940s during the Cincinnati Museum Center’s 1940s Day event at Lunken Airport. Expect to ogle vintage cars and planes, dress in the zoot suits and A-line dresses of the day, learn how to dance the Lindy and enjoy live music.
10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday. Lunken Airport, 262 Wilmer Ave. Admission is free to Museum Center members and World War II veterans. Non-members: $10 for adults and $5 for children. For details, visit the event’s Facebook page.
Cincy Blues Fest
Cincy Blues Fest is going to give you the blues in the best way possible. Nearly 40 performers will grace four stages, including Walter Trout, Chuck Brisbin & the Tuna Project, Ricky Nye, Cheryl Renee, the Leroy Ellington Band and many others.
5 p.m.-midnight Friday, 4:30 p.m.-midnight Saturday. Sawyer Point, 705 E. Pete Rose Way, Downtown. One-day pass $20, two-day pass $35. www.cincybluesfest.org
Wiedemann’s ReBirthday Party
Geo. Wiedemann Brewing Co. is celebrating the fourth anniversary of its relaunch with a beer bash at Pompilios on Friday. There will be plenty of beer -- of course -- bocce and live music from singer Amy McFarland.
Festivities start at 5 p.m. Friday. Pompilios, 600 Washington Ave., Newport. Free admission. For more details, go to the event’s page on Facebook.
Hamilton County Fair
Funnel cake. The Ferris wheel and all kinds of games. I’m a kid at heart, so the Hamilton County Fair is right up my alley. It also will feature exhibits, demolition derby, ATV drag racing, live music and more entertainment. See you at the deep-fried Oreos stand.
4-11 p.m. Thursday-Friday; 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday; noon-10 p.m. Sunday. 7700 Vine St., Carthage. $7 admission, $5 parking. www.hamiltoncountyfair.com
Luke Bryan
Country star Luke Bryan is so popular he will perform here two nights in a row. Bryan is bringing his Kill the Lights tour to Riverbend with special guests Little Big Town and Dustin Lynch. His Saturday show is sold out, but there are still tickets available to his Sunday show.
7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Riverbend Music Center, 6295 Kellogg Ave. $31 and $79.75. www.riverbend.org
Union Centre Food Truck Rally
More than 40 food trucks will be serving all kinds of food at the Union Centre Food Truck Rally on Saturday. Come hungry and ready to dig into the likes of everything from Bones Brothers Wings to Empanadas Aqui to Streetpops. There also will be beer and wine, live music and a fireworks show to cap the night.
11:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Friday. The Square at Union Centre, 9285 Centre Pointe Drive. Free admission. www.facebook.com/UnionCentreFoodTruckRally/
One last reminder ...
It’s not too late to enjoy the glory of Downtown Cincinnati Restaurant Week. It runs through Sunday, with more than 20 restaurants offering prix fixe menus including three or four courses at $35-$45 per person. Check out participating restaurants here, as well as our picks for the best of the menus being offered.
