Halloween parties
Make no bones about it, there are a lot of Halloween-themed events this weekend (so many that listing them all here would make this Top 47 instead of 9). With that in mind, here's a guide to Halloween parties throughout the weekend.
Night in the Jungle
Heads-up Cincinnati Bengals fans: You can spend Thursday evening with quarterback Andy Dalton and his wife, Jordan, at Night in the Jungle, a fundraiser for the Andy & Jordan Dalton Foundation. For the price of admission meet the Daltons, play games and enjoy a few drinks.
6-9 p.m. Thursday. Paul Brown Stadium, 1 Paul Brown Way, Downtown. $50 adult; $25 child. For more information visit the event Facebook page.
Cincinnati Ballet opening weekend
The Cincinnati Ballet starts its 2017-2018 season this weekend with "Romeo & Juliet," the classic tale of two star-crossed lovers. The Cincinnati Ballet will infuse this more-than-420-year-old tale with drama and dance inside Springer Auditorium at Cincinnati Music Hall.
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. $32-$130. www.cballet.org
Art After Dark
This month's Art After Dark event at the Cincinnati Art Museum is themed "Flower Power." The evening will blend fresh flowers, the museum's permanent collection and Halloween costumes inspired by the 1960s and 1970s. Yes, everyone is encouraged dress in costumes. Dance to music by DJ ETrayn while sipping cocktails and eating Dewey's Pizza.
5-9 p.m. Friday. Cincinnati Art Museum, 953 Eden Park Drive, Mount Adams. Free admission. For more information visit the event Facebook page.
Yuletide Nightmare at the Video Archive
The Video Archive will transform into a twisted holiday pop-up bar that blends Christmas and Halloween. The pop-up, inspired by the movie "A Nightmare Before Christmas," kicks off Saturday with a special event and continues throughout the holiday season.
Starts at 5 p.m. Saturday. The Video Archive, 965 E. McMillan St., Walnut Hills. Free. For more information visit the event Facebook page.
Run Like Hell
This Halloween-themed 5K run and walk is one of the most fearsome races in Cincinnati. The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation invites everyone to "Run Like Hell" through a cemetery while dressed in costume. Survivors get to enjoy a party afterward. This is the 26th year for the event, which raises money to fund the foundation's mission of helping to find a cure for cystic fibrosis.
Race starts at 7 p.m. Friday. Xavier University Campus, corner of Dana and Woodburn avenues, Evanston. $40 until Oct. 26; $45 day-of. $15 party-only tickets. fightcf.cff.org
Fountain Square Ice Rink opening weekend
It looks like the weather is going to play nice for the opening weekend of the O’Keeffe’s Ice Rink presented by Fifth Third Bank on Fountain Square. Skate rentals are free all weekend, with a Halloween skating party on Saturday and Bengals-themed tailgating skate event on Sunday. The rink will be open through the new year. Visit myfountainsquare.com for a complete list of rink hours and events.
Opening weekend: Noon-11 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday; 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday. Fountain Square, 520 Vine St., Downtown. $6 admission. myfountainsquare.com
Books by the Banks
Meet your favorite author or find a new book to read during the 11th annual Books by the Banks festival this Saturday. The event will feature national, regional and local authors and illustrators. There also will be book signings, panel discussions and activities for the entire family.
10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. Duke Energy Convention Center, 525 Elm St., Downtown. Free admission. booksbythebanks.org
Queen City Exchange anniversary party
The Queen City Exchange is celebrating its first year of business with a run, followed by hourly market crashes. The bar, which prices beers based on customer demand, will start celebrating at 11 a.m. Saturday with a "Queen City Beer Mile." The race tasks participants with drinking four beers at four bars along a one-mile race route. Proceeds from the race will benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Cincinnati. After the race, everyone is invited back to the bar for discounted drink specials from 5-9 p.m., a Halloween costume contest and music.
Starts at 10 a.m. Saturday. Queen City Exchange, 32 W. Court St., Downtown. $27.37 race registration. Free bar admission. For more information visit the event Facebook page.