Weekend Rundown: November 15–17

in partnership with

and heard every Friday on the Weekend Rundown with JonJon and Friends on

Tour de Cincinnati does the research for fun things to do around the city so you don’t have to! Check out the list below for goings on ranging from markets and live music, to brewery fun and food events. Events are subject to change or cancellation. Be sure to click on their respective links for more information.

Categories listed below include:

Weekend Rundown
Sporting Events
New To Do
Tickets and Registration
Local news Roundup

You can also listen to the Weekend Rundown with JonJon on Kiss107 every Friday. If you are unable to tune in on the radio, you can listen to Kiss on the iHeartRadio app or you can listen live here.

[If a link is broken, feel free to reach out for information.]

November–January

Cheers to Saving Lives
A Hoxworth Blood Center initiative featuring blood drives at 20 area breweries and bars throughout the holiday season. Donors can save lives while earning a t-shirt, brewery discounts, and gift cards for their next visit. The first blood drive will be on November 2 with more dates running through November, December, and January.
Click here for the complete schedule and for more about the gift from each.

Plan ahead: check out these can’t-miss events in Cincinnati this November

November 11–17

Cincinnati Pizza Week
$10 pizzas from area restaurants.

Thursday–Saturday

Cincinnati Storytelling Festival
WestSide Brewing and Westwood Town Hall
Three-day immersive storytelling experience for all ages—from funny tales to spooky stories.

Friday

Opening Day: Very Merry Middletown
Historic Downtown Middletown
Ice rink, interactive light displays, downtown holiday events, Santa parade, carriage rides. Through January 20.

Opening Night: Pyramid Hill Lights at Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park
One million lights, scenic displays, and installations by local artists—all experienced from the comfort of your car. Through January 5.
Admission is $25 per carload ($15 per carload for members); Tuesdays are free for City of Hamilton residents (proof of residency is required and participating zip codes are 45011, 45013, and 45015)

Friday–Sunday

North Pole Express by LM&M Railroad
Experience the wonder of the holiday season by journeying down the train tracks of Warren County, Ohio. Passengers spend time with Santa and his elves on the one hour and 15 minute festive train ride. Additional dates: November 23–24, November 29–December 1, December 6–8, 11–23.
Coach Class seats starting at $30

Saturday

FREE Bike Tire + Tube Recycling
Cincinnati Recycling & Reuse Hub, 10a–2p
Amnesty day on bike tires and tubes at the Hub and MoBo Bicycle Co-op.

Junior League of Cincinnati’s 14th Annual Tour of Kitchens
Columbia Tusculum and Hyde Park (Columbia Center), 10a–3p
Self-guided tour showcasing homes in Columbia Tusculum, Hyde Park, and other surrounding neighborhoods. Each home will feature food, drinks and/or demonstrations from local chefs, purveyors, and other home-related businesses. Homes open at 11a.

SCND ACT Apparel Vintage Pop-up
Fable Cafe, 10a–3p

Books by the Banks
CHPL – Main Library, 10a–4p
Regional book festival featuring 100+ national, regional, and local authors; author panel discussions on reading, writing, and publishing; Kids’ Corner with arts & crafts, story times, and more; Teen Scene; and 2024 Writing Contest in Prose and Poetry in adult and teen categories.
Free admission

Opening Day: Holly Jolly Days
Behringer-Crawford Museum 10a–5p
Includes the 33rd Annual Holiday Toy Trains, Window Through Time, and Winter Wonderland exhibits.
10a–5p Tuesday–Saturday; 1–5p Sunday; closed Mondays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Through January 12.
Admission included with museum admission (free for members, $9 for adults, $8 for seniors 60+ and $5 for children ages 3–17)

Opening Day: Christmas at the Junction
EnterTrainment Junction, 10a–6p
EnterTRAINment Junction will be closing in January, so this is your last chance to see Christmas and holiday train sisplays, as well as visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus. Through January 5.
Admission included with Do-It-All ticket

Grand Opening: Generations Vintage
4019 Hamilton Avenue, 12–6p
Light refreshments and giveaways

Meet a Meteorite
Cincinnati Observatory, 7–10p (7p and 8:30p time slots)
An evening exploring asteroids, impacts, and “shooting stars”. The event will include kids crafts, impact experiments, and telescope views of the night sky (weather permitting).
$12 for adults, $7 for children, FREE for members

Bombs Away! Comedy at the Comet: Dwight Simmons
The Comet (Northside), 7–11p
Intimate comedy club experience.
Tickets starting at $7.50

Tuxedos & Tiaras Masquerade
The Palomar Cincinnati, 7–11p
A night of elegance supporting the LGBTQ+ community; honoring Reggie Harris, 2024 Monarch Award Recipient. Hosted by the board of Queen City Charities. All tickets include plated dinner, open bar, live music, valet parking, and more.
Black tie and masks encouraged

Saturday and Sunday

Annual Holiday Open House
Rookwood Pottery
Holiday workshops, behind-the-scenes factory tours, artist demonstrations, complimentary refreshments, unique gifts, and more to kick off the holiday season.
Free admission

Holiday Market
Cincinnati Art Museum, 11a–5p
Seasonal gift market in the museum’s main lobby featuring local artists and artisans.
Free admission

Sunday

obLITTERators
Rapid Run Park, 12–2p
All tools and supplies will be provided, including litter pickers, trash bags, gloves, and plastic 5-gallon buckets. Bring a reusable water bottle and your own sunscreen.
Register here

Art on Vine: Holiday Kickoff
Rhinegeist, 12–6p
Shop local fine arts and handcrafted goods for the holidays.
Free admission

ComedySportz Match
Clifton Comedy Theatre, 2p
Improv comedy entertainment.

Opening Ceremony
ArtWorks’ Hannan ArtPark, 2p
Celebrate ArtWorks’ new gathering space.
Free admission

Ongoing

Union Terminal Rotunda Tours
Cincinnati Museum Center
Fridays at 1:30p, 2:30p, and 3:30p
Saturdays at 11:30a, 12:30p, and 1:30p
Sundays at 12:30p, 1:30p, and 2:30p
Free

through January 5

CAMaraderie: Artists of the Cincinnati Art Museum
Western & Southern Galleries, Cincinnati Art Museum
CAMaraderie will showcase a variety of artworks made by museum staff across different departments.
Free

Sports

Xavier Musketeers WBB vs. Mercyhurst
Cintas Center
Friday at 7p
Watch: FloSports

Cincinnati Bearcats MBB vs. Nichols
Fifth Third Arena
Friday at 7p
Watch: ESPN+; Listen: 700 WLW

Cincinnati Cyclones vs. Bloomington Bison
Heritage Bank Center
Friday at 7:35p
Military Appreciation Night
Cyclones Boonie Hat to first 3000 fans; $5 craft and draft seltzers, $1 popcorn, $3 burgers

Xavier Musketeers MBB vs. Wake Forest
Cintas Center
Saturday at 12p
Watch: FS1; Listen: 55KRC

Week 11
Cincinnati Bengals @ LA Chargers
Sunday at 8:20p
Watch: NBC; Listen: 700 WLW, ESPN 1530, 102.7 WEBN

Check out the Bengals Game Day Guide

Events are subject to change or cancellation. Please click on the link for more information.

New To Do

Catch-A-Fire Pizza College Hill
5920 Hamilton Avenue
Catch-A-Fire’s fourth location. Others include Blue Ash, Lebanon, and Westwood.

Carmelo’s
434 Madison Avenue (Covington)
Quintessential Italian American dishes

Biscuit Love
1602 Pleasant Street (OTR), open daily 7a–3p
Breakfast and lunch favorites with a twist centered around its biscuits

HighGrain Lunch Combo
Both locations (Silverton and Brentwood), 11a–2p, Monday through Friday
Get a sandwich or wrap, side, and non-alcoholic drink for $12.

ArtsWave App
One stop location for Cincinnati arts, entertainment, sports, and more.

Dancefix
934 E McMillan (Walnut Hills)
Join Dancefix for a weekend of FREE dance and fitness classes as well as a giant dance party to celebrate their new headquarters.

ETC Produce
954 E McMillan (Walnut Hills)
New storefront and independently owned grocery store in Walnut Hills.

Aglamesis Bros
Hamilton
The Davis Building, 304 Main Street

Tickets and Registration for Future Events

Abolitionists & African Americans in Walnut Hills
November 23, Harriet Beecher Stowe House, 1–3p
Walking tour to learn about the women and men who built and invested in Walnut Hills.
$12

Cuisine Art Cocktails
November 23, Contemporary Arts Center, 7p
The CAC’s largest annual fundraiser, featuring an artful collaboration between the community, chefs and mixologists, creatives, and business leaders. All six floors will be activated with artists, performances, poetry, and tattooing.

Totally Rad Vintage Fest
November 23–24, NKY Convention Center, 10a–5p
Two days of vendors from across the country bringing the best in 80s, 90s, and 00s vintage. There will also be a vintage arcade, photo ops, Rad Rewind Museum, and immersive photo ops.
Pre-sale tickets available here

Market on Main
December 8, Woodward Theater, 11a–4p
Vendor applications are now open.

The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati’s Mainstage 2024–25 Season
Taft Theatre
Santa Claus: The Musical (December 7–16)
Dr. Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat (February 15–24)
Disney’s Frozen Jr (April 25–May 4)

Another Five Greater Cincinnati Frisch’s Restaurants Have Been Ordered to Close [citybeat.com]

Cincinnati Comes in at Number 11 on Stacker’s Most Fun Cities in the US List [stacker.com]

Cincinnati Named Third Best City for a Staycation in the US [wallethub.com]

Cincinnatians Gobbled Up Tales of Barnyard Freaks and Vegetable Monstrosities [cincinnatimagazine.com]

Clifton Heights’ Good Plates Eatery to Hand Out Free Thanksgiving and Christmas Meals [citybeat.com]

Fountain Square’s Annual Holiday Tree to be Delivered Saturday [citybeat.com]

New Record Store to Open in OTR [citybeat.com]

Servatii Cincinnati Christkindlmarkt to Bring Holiday Cheer Back to The Banks [citybeat.com]

Skyline Chili Introduces Limited-Time Mac and Cheese Ways [citybeat.com]

Summerfair Cincinnati’s Poster Design Contest Now Open [citybeat.com]

Where To Eat, Drink And Stay In Cincinnati, Ohio [forbes.com]