Most highly anticipated holidays have their “eves” — think New Year’s and Christmas — and Reds Opening Day in Cincinnati is no different.
This year’s “unofficial” city holiday kicks off with three major events building up to the big day. (Click here for our Opening Day party guide.)
Opening Day ‘Eve’ Party
Festivities begin Friday with an evening of live music, Reds mascots, a Framester photobooth, silent auction and raffle, and ballpark fare prepared by chefs at Downtown’s Phoenix restaurant. The event, which benefits the Reds Community Fund, is $50 per person and the price includes two drink tickets, one ticket to a Reds game and a Pete Rose bobblehead for the first 250 registrants.
7-11 p.m. Friday. The Phoenix, 812 Race St., Downtown. $50. For details, visit the event’s Facebook page.
Countdown to Opening Day Art Show
The Christian Moerlein Brewing Co. Malt House Taproom in Over-the-Rhine will host art and live music for its Countdown to Opening Day Art Show on Saturday. Sports artist Chris Felix will have prints and signed hardcover copies of the “Cincinnati Reds Legends” books for sale. The Oh Brother band will provide the music. And $1 of each pint sold at the taproom that night will benefit the Reid Rizzo Foundation, an organization established in memory of Rizzo, an aspiring professional baseball player who died in 2012 from cardiomyopathy.
5 p.m. to midnight Saturday. Christian Moerlein, 1621 Moore St., Over-the-Rhine. Free admission. For details, visit the event’s Facebook page.
199c: House of Cards Edition
Celebrate Reds art in advance of Opening Day with BLDG, Renaissance Covington and Folk School Coffee Parlor during an evening block party on Saturday. 199c: House of Cards Edition, which draws its name from the pantone color for the Reds, will include an exhibit inside the BLDG studio, music from Honey & Houston and Willie Tea Taylor, a celebrity podcast taping by Jerry Springer and the Curve Ball Classic Home Run Derby. Braxton Brewing will have beer for sale, and food trucks will line the street.
7-11 p.m. Saturday. 30 W. Pike St., Covington. Free admission. Get more details here.
Happy Birthday, Pearl
Pearl’s restaurant and bar in Columbia Tusculum is celebrating its first year of business with an anniversary party on Saturday. Enjoy $4 Rhinegeist Truths, $6 Moscow Mules, complimentary Eli’s BBQ and swag giveaways. MadTree also will serve its limited-release Dreamsicle brew, and the second-floor party room will be open to the public.
Noon to 2 a.m. Saturday. Pearl’s, 3520 Eastern Ave., Columbia Tusculum. For more details, visit the event’s Facebook page.
Tweet
Ah, Tweet’s music takes me back -- remember her hits “Oops (Oh My)” and “Turn Da Lights Off”? The ‘Southern hummingbird” has a new album, “Charlene” and she is coming to Cincinnati this Saturday at OTR Live for the next edition of the "Living Room Music LIVE" concert series.
9:30 p.m. Saturday. OTR LIve, Over-the-Rhine. $20 presale tickets. For more details, visit the event’s Facebook page.
Cincinnati Gorilla Run
If you see hundreds of gorillas running around downtown on Sunday, don’t be alarmed or call the Cincinnati Zoo. It’s simply the Cincinnati Gorilla Run, a 5K run/walk, sponsored by Gorilla Glue. The race, which benefits the Mountain Gorilla Conservation Fund, will start and end at the Montgomery Inn Boathouse. An afterparty will feature food, live music and a costume contest. If you want to participate but don’t have a costume, you’re in luck: A complementary gorilla suit is included with each registration. (You also are welcome to cheer from the sidelines; you will certainly get an eyeful.)
11 a.m. Sunday. (Registration begins at 9 a.m.) Montgomery Inn Boathouse, 925 Riverside Drive, Downtown. For registration price options, visit cincinnatigorillarun.com.
'Book of Mormon'
I could tell the Broadway hit “Book of Mormon” had opened at the Aronoff by the rave reviews all over my Facebook feed. This musical comedy follows the misadventures of a pair of missionaries sent halfway across the world to spread the Gospel. Tickets are limited, so if you’re able to snatch some up, I recommend doing so ASAP.
7:30 p.m. Thursday; 8 p.m. Friday; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday; 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday. Aronoff Center for the Arts, 650 Walnut St., Downtown. $44-$154. www.cincinnatiarts.org
Northside Record Fair
I still love music on vinyl so I’m looking forward to the Northside Record Fair. Join hundreds of fellow music fans in digging through thousands of records to score all kinds of music, including rare finds. Expect to see everything from 45s to cassettes to CDs, plus music memorabilia for sale.
11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. Northside Presbyterian Church, 4222 Hamilton Ave., Northside. $5; $10 early bird entry (10 a.m.). www.northsiderecordfair.com
Bring On Brunch
I’m all about Sunday brunch, so please believe I will be at Neons on Sunday for the return of Brunch Unplugged on the patio. Melt Eclectic Cafe will be cooking yummy food on the grill, and there will be options for vegan, vegetarian and meat eaters. Neons will be serving its delicious Bloody Marys, mimosas and coffee cocktails to shake off those Saturday night-turned-Sunday morning cobwebs. Here’s hoping the weather is beautiful!
Noon-4 p.m. Sunday. The Famous Neons Unplugged, 208 E. 12th St., Over-the-Rhine. Free admission. For details, visit the event’s Facebook page.
