Carmina Burana + Serenade
Bring the beauty of ballet to your weekend with a performance of "Carmina Burana" and "Serenade" by the Cincinnati Ballet. "Serenade" is performed in accompaniment with Tchaikovsky’s "Serenade for Strings." Nicolo Fonte choreographed the ballet's performance to accompany Carl Orff's "Carmina Burana" score, which the May Festival Chorus will perform live.
7:30 p.m. Thursday; 8 p.m. Friday; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday; 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday. Cincinnati Music Hall, 1241 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine. $36-$125. cballet.org
Love is Love
Show your valentine how much you care by taking them to the Aronoff this weekend. "Love is Love," presented by the Cincinnati Arts Association and the Cincinnati Music Theatre, is a cabaret production that will showcase Broadway classics that celebrate love. Admission includes a cheese and fruit plate and one beverage.
8 p.m. Friday and Feb. 16; 5 and 8 p.m. Saturday and Feb. 17; and 8 p.m. Feb. 15. Aronoff Center for the Arts, 650 Walnut St., Downtown. $25. cincinnatiarts.org
Mardi Gras weekend at Mount Adams Pavilion
In the market for a Valentine's Day date? Maybe you'll find one during Mount Adams Pavilion's weekend-long Mardi Gras party. The bar will offer Rum Runners, Hurricane specials and DJs on the decks each night. The actual Mardi Gras falls on Feb. 13 this year.
6 p.m.-2:30 a.m. Thursday-Saturday. Mount Adams Pavilion, 949 Pavilion St., Mount Adams. mountadamspavilion.com
The Art of Food
There definitely is an art to the food we enjoy. The Carnegie will showcase that once again when it brings together top local chefs and artists during the Art of Food on Friday. More than 20 chefs from eateries such as Via Vite, Bauer Farm Kitchen and the Metropolitan Club will present edible creations. Visual and performing artists such as Lindsey Whittle, Tony Dotson, the Forealism Tribe and Pones will perform, and DJ Mowgli and DJ Surge will provide the music.
6-10 p.m. Friday. The Carnegie, 1028 Scott St., Covington. $35 members; $50 non-members; $75 VIP. thecarnegie.com
Cincinnati Cyclones Frozen 5K/10K
Believe it or not, some people think it's fun to get up early on a Saturday to run outside. I am one of those people, and the Cincinnati Cyclones Frozen 5K & 10K is a really fun race. The entry fee will get you a long-sleeved technical running shirt, post-race hot chocolate, a voucher to a Cyclones game and plenty of swag.
9-11:30 a.m. Saturday. U.S. Bank Arena, 100 Broadway St., Downtown. $35-$40. cycloneshockey.com
Mainstrasse Mardi Gras
Break out the beads because Mardi Gras will return to Mainstrasse Village on Saturday. Festivities start at 7 p.m., with a grand parade at 8 p.m. Afterward, there will be a pub crawl through the village with food and drink specials at participating bars.
7 p.m.-2:30 a.m. Saturday. Mainstrasse Village, 636 Main St., Covington. For more information visit the event Facebook page.
The O.F.F. Winter Market
Get crafty at the O.F.F. Market at MadTree Brewing on Saturday. The market will feature artists, bakers, chefs, mobile boutiques and MadTree's craft beer.
10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. MadTree Brewing, 3301 Madison Road, Oakley. Free. For more information visit the event Facebook page.
Anti-Valentine’s Day party
Done with love? Then Energy Nightclub's anti-Valentine's Day party will be your thing. The club is offering free admission to anyone who brings an item from an ex to burn in the club's fire pit before 10:30 p.m. If you still have a heart, you can put those items in a bin that the club will donate to someone less fortunate.
Doors open at 10 p.m. Saturday. Energy Nightclub, 700 W. Pete Rose Way, Downtown. For more information visit the event Facebook page.
Tea Dance 21c Museum Hotel
End your weekend with dancing and drinks at the 21c Museum Hotel. DJs Thaddeus and Pat O'Reilly will supply the music as you sip cocktails and chat with friends.
4-7 p.m. Sunday. 21c Museum Hotel, 609 Walnut St., Downtown. For more information visit the event Facebook page.
Bonus: My Furry Valentine
This event is for those looking to grow their family. The annual My Furry Valentine mass pet adoption event will take place at the Sharonville Convention Center this weekend. Hundreds of dogs, cats, puppies, kittens and other small critters will be looking for a home. There also will be adopter raffle baskets to win.
10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Sharonville Convention Center, 11355 Chester Road, Sharonville. $25 early-bird Saturday entry; $5 ages 5 and up general admission. www.myfurryvalentine.com
