With St. Patrick’s Day festivities underway, it’s looking to be a jam-packed weekend of events. Gear up for the main event with some fun on the south side of the river at Luck on the Levee – and put an extra pep in your step at Cincinnati Coffee Festival’s Irish Coffee Tasting.
Don your luckiest green and watch the Cincinnati St. Patrick’s Parade, followed by the LepreCON all-day block party at The Banks. Runners can lace up their racing shoes for the Cincinnati Heart Mini-Marathon and Walk or the Emerald Miles 5K.
Find the best places to be this weekend with our list of the top 10 things to do.
Have an event you’d like us to know about? Submit it online at cincinnati.com/events, and we’ll tell the world about it. Head to that same site to peruse our full calendar of events.
1. Cincinnati St. Patrick’s Parade
See vibrant floats, marching bands, pipe and drum corps, Irish dancers, community organizations, local businesses and cultural groups honoring Irish Americans’ legacy. Former University of Cincinnati Hall of Fame quarterback and Cincinnati sports broadcaster Tony Pike will serve as grand marshal.
Details: 11:45 a.m. Saturday, along Mehring Way near Paycor Stadium, concluding at The Banks, Downtown. cincinnatisaintpatrickparade.com.
2. Emerald Miles 5K
Participate in this 5K, supporting Epilepsy Alliance Ohio. After the race, stick around for a pint, an Irish band and, of course, the big parade.
Details: 9 a.m. Saturday, Cincinnati Lager House, 115 Joe Nuxhall Way, Downtown. runsignup.com.
3. LepreCON
Attend the return of LepreCON for a St. Patrick’s Day block party following the parade. Drink green beer, Jell-O shots and Shamrock Splash cocktails at participating restaurants and bars and dance along to mixes from a rotating list of DJs. Enjoy a live performance from Ethan and Joey and Jada Band.
Details: 2-9 p.m. Saturday, Freedom Way, The Banks, Downtown. facebook.com.
4. Luck on the Levee
Kick off St. Patrick’s Day weekend with bagpipers, Irish dancers, face painting, a leprechaun stilt walker, lively tunes from That One Party Band, green beer and much more.
Details: 4-7 p.m. Friday, Newport on the Levee, 1 Levee Way, Newport. newportonthelevee.com.
5. Cincinnati Heart Mini-Marathon and Walk
Support the American Heart Association’s goal to train bystanders in life-saving CPR skills. Take your pick between a half marathon, 15K Heart Mini, 1K Steps for Stroke, 5K Heart Race, 1.5K Kids Race or the 5K Heart Walk.
Details: Events starting at 7:30 a.m. Sunday, begins at the corner of Fifth and Lawrence streets, Downtown. www2.heart.org.
6. Irish Coffee Tasting
Visit restaurants Holy Grail, Moerlein Lager House, Killer Queen, The Park and Jefferson Social and choose between a two-ounce tasting of a classic Irish coffee or a specialty Irish coffee.
Details: 5:30-8 p.m. Friday, various participating restaurants at The Banks, Downtown. $25. Register: cincinnaticoffeefestival.com.
7. Fasching
This winter carnival raises money for the Fairview-Clifton German Language School and shares German traditions. Expect inflatables, games, face paint, crafts, glitter tattoos, balloon art, raffles and German food.
Details: noon-4 p.m. Saturday, Fairview-Clifton German Language School, 3689 Clifton Ave., Clifton. gebas.org.
8. ‘The Wiz’
If you couldn’t get enough of “Wicked,” this is a must-see. This twist on “The Wizard of Oz” brings a score packed with soul, gospel, rock and ’70s funk as Dorothy finds her place in a contemporary world.
Details: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Aronoff Center, 650 Walnut St., Downtown. Runs March 3-15. cincinnatiarts.org.
9. Greater Cincinnati Home Expo
If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to improve the house, look no further. The annual Greater Cincinnati Home Expo brings together the most knowledgeable building experts in the community to give you the opportunity to ask them anything.
Details: noon-7 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, Sharonville Convention Center, 11355 Chester Road, Sharonville. $5, ages 18-under free. Cash only admission. Free parking. homeshowcenter.com.
10. Maple Syrup Festival
Hop on a hayride, learn how to extract syrup, and head back to the lodge for all-you-can-eat pancakes, music and maple-themed treats.
Details: 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, Hueston Woods, 6301 Park Office Road, College Corner. Runs March 7-8 and March 14-15. See full schedule of events: enjoyoxford.org.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Top 10 things to do St. Patrick’s Day warmup weekend
Reporting by Caroline Ritzie, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
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