Hello, FIXees! For this week’s arts and culture rundown, we have – among other highlights – concerts blending classical and jazz, a paddling world-record attempt and a gala of goetta gustation. Not to mention “SenseandSensibilityPrideandPrejudiceMansfieldParkEmmaNorthangerAbbeyPersuasion.” Read on …
Wednesday, July 29
Southern Sessions, Mavis Guitar and William Matheny | 6-9 p.m. Fountain Square, downtown. 513-621-4400. DETAILS: This week, Fountain Square’s Wednesday-evening folk-roots-Americana series features two touring musical acts: Mavis Guitar, a pedal steel guitar-focused trio led by Covington-based Travis Talbert; and singer-songwriter and instrumentalist William Matheny from Morgantown, West Virginia, whose rock-tinged song-writing style has been compared to Elvis Costello.
Wednesdays in the Woods, Mojo Blues Cats | 7 p.m. Burnet Woods Bandstand, Clifton. 513-497-2860. DETAILS: Clifton Cultural Arts Center’s 17th season of Wednesday outdoor concerts features food trucks, local beers, lawn games and art activities for kids, as well as musical performances. This week’s band, the local Mojo Blues Cats, is noted for blending blues old and new with jazz and pop.
Thursday, July 30
Cincinnati World Cinema, “Sorry to Bother You” | 7 p.m. Garfield Theatre, 719 Race St., downtown. 859-957-3456. DETAILS: For National Art House Theatre Day, CWC is screening an ingenious, offbeat social satire by director Boots Riley about black telemarketer Cassius Green (Lakeith Stanfield) who becomes a sales whiz after he starts talking like a white man.
Glier’s Goettafest | 5-11 p.m. Newport Festival Park, Newport riverfront. 859-291-1800. DETAILS: So what does a festival celebrating Greater Cincinnati’s unique spiced beef-pork-oats breakfast food have to do with arts and culture? Well, the Glier family, masters of goetta production and promotion, have claimed the noted Russian composer Reinhold Glière (born Glier until he got all fancy-French) as a relative. Glière, who lived from 1875 until 1956, was honestly one of the most accomplished late-romantic Russian symphonists and teachers – among his students were Sergei Prokofiev, Aram Khachaturian and the pop songwriter Vernon Duke (“April in Paris”). Glière’s fame continued during the Soviet era. His culinary predilections are unknown. However, his cousins’ highly popular Goettafest, in the second week of its two-weekend run, offers goetta-based concoctions for nearly every conceivable taste: BBQ, Philly sandwiches, Cuban sandwiches, loaded potatoes, tacos, quesadillas, brownies, pizza, cheeseburgers, grilled goetta donut sandwiches (with bacon and egg if you want) and the world’s only goetta vending machine. Reinhold might be pleased to know that music’s a focus, too: The festival has a lineup of more than 40 bands on two stages, though they’ll be playing rock, country and pop music, nothing remotely close to Glière’s pops-staple “Russian Sailors’ Dance” or his spectacular “Ilya Muromets” Symphony. More’s the pity. Festival continues 5-11 p.m. Friday, noon-11 p.m. Saturday and noon-9 p.m. Sunday.
Friday, July 31
Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, “The Complete Works of Jane Austen (Abridged)” | 7:30 p.m. Otto Budig Theater, Over-the-Rhine. 513-381-2273. DETAILS: Well, it worked for William Shakespeare, why not Jane Austen? This clever 2019 play by Jessica Bedford, Kathryn MacMillan, Charlotte Northeast and Meghan Winch centers on two devoted theatrical “Janeites” who have to train an understudy after they lose one actor mid-performance. Their rush through the Austen canon becomes a mash-up of the characters, plots, references, inside jokes and situations in Austen’s novels. As with the Shakespeare abridgement, it’s also a play-within-a-play with the audience becoming a part of the action. Through Aug. 23.
Art After Dark, Fashion Forward | 5-9 p.m. Cincinnati Art Museum, Eden Park. 513-721-2787. DETAILS: This month’s Art Before Dark (it is summer, after all) at CAM is a celebration of fashion, centered on the “Elizabeth Hawes: Radical American Fashion” exhibition. Those attending this free party can enjoy music from DJ Arie, free access to the exhibition, a special photo booth, a hands-on “fashion experience,” a cash bar and food for purchase.
Dive-In Movies, “Pirates of the Caribbean” | 7 p.m. Ziegler Park, Over-the-Rhine. DETAILS: No, that’s not a typo: After Ziegler Pool is officially closed for the day, you can buy a ticket, “dive in” and watch a feature movie while floating in the water. This week’s feature is the 2003 Johnny Depp buckswashler “Pirates of the Caribbean.” Doors open at 7 p.m., the movie starts at sunset, and you can even bring your own floaties.
Saturday, Aug. 1
Ohio River Paddlefest | 6 a.m.-2 p.m. Ohio River from Schmidt Recreation Complex to downtown. DETAILS: Speaking of bringing your own floaties, here’s the chance to paddle your own canoe, kayak or “other human-powered craft” (whatever floats your boat) down the Ohio River with a couple thousand friends and neighbors. The 25th anniversary Paddlefest, a participatory celebration of the Ohio River and the environment founded by Brewster Rhoads and organized by Adventure Crew, is one of our region’s worthiest and unique outdoor events. Paddlers this year will be part of an attempt to break the Guinness World Records title for “Largest Paddle Craft Party.” (I’m suspecting that Guinness has broken the world record for the number of world records it records.) The paddle event is preceded by an Outdoors for All Expo 4-9:30 p.m. Friday, July 31 at Schmidt. Read our own Polly Campbell’s first-hand perspective from the July issue of M&M.
Kentucky Symphony Orchestra, “Swingin’ the Classics” | 7:30 p.m. Devou Park Amphitheater, Covington. 859-431-6216. DETAILS: If you reminisce about the Swingle Singers, the Jacques Loussier Trio and the like, you’ll enjoy this KSO summer-fare program, which brings in an all-star area big band for a program of classical masterpieces reimagined in clever jazz arrangements – Gustav Holst’s “Mars,” Giuseppe Verdi’s “Anvil Chorus,” Johannes Brahms’ Hungarian Dance No. 5, Antonín Dvořák’s “Humoresque,” George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” (not much of a stretch there!) and more. Also 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Tower Park Amphitheater, Ft. Thomas, with a livestream on the KSO website.
Sunday, Aug. 2
Monday, Aug. 3
Strings on the Square, The Music of Michael Jackson | 6 p.m. Fountain Square, downtown. 513-621-4400. DETAILS: For this free Monday evening music series, Fountain Square hosts a quartet of players from Cincinnati’s StringSource organization playing arrangements of songs by many of our time’s top pop performers from Bruno Mars to Elton John. This one should be a “thriller,” with music by Michael Jackson on the program. Beverages are available from the Fountain Bar, and there’s plenty of seating on the Square.
Tuesday, Aug. 4
Summermusik, Road Trip Playlist | 7:30 p.m. HighGrain Brentwood Brewpub, Brentwood. 513-723-1182. DETAILS: The Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra’s Summermusik Festival kicks off with a program to help you “Get your kicks on . . . Winton Road,” celebrating the 100th anniversary of America’s famed Route 66, along with other famous American highways. Great idea. CCO violinist Manami White is curator of this musical journey, with a string quartet playing arrangements of songs such as “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” “St. Louis Blues,” “Good Vibrations” and, naturally, “Route 66.” It’s billed as a family-friendly event, but methinks there might be some beer involved. One drink is included per ticket, and additonal beverages and food are available for purchase.
Summer Cinema, “The Naked Gun” | 9 p.m. Washington Park, Over-the-Rhine. DETAILS: Nielsen, meet Neeson. Neeson, Neilsen. Liam Neeson, Hollywood’s quintessential cinematic Angry Man, changes his stripes, spots, style and whatnot for this 2025 re-sequel-make of the wacky 1988 Leslie Nielsen classic “The Naked Gun,” this week’s feature for Washington Park’s movie-on-the-lawn series. Neeson plays the son of legendary police Lt. Frank Drebin, tripping over his father’s footsteps trying to recover a stolen “P.L.O.T. device” (get it?) in this slapstick crime-fighting spoof.
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