Thanksgiving is finally here, and Cincinnati is cooking up some great events for the weekend.
Kick off the holiday season at Light Up the Square to see Fountain Square’s ginormous tree lit up. Another great event is Downtown Dazzle, where you can await Santa’s arrival with bated breath as he rappels down a tall building. If you’re looking for good brews and foods, head down to Christkindlmarkt for a European yet Cincinnatian holiday vibe.
And the wait is finally over: Rock legend Stevie Nicks is coming to Heritage Bank Center this weekend. Make sure to grab your tickets for this concert (if there are any left!)
Here are our top 10 picks for the best places to be this weekend.
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. Light Up the Square
Enjoy an enhanced show full of performances, fireworks and, of course, the lighting of the Duke Energy holiday tree. Throughout the night at Fountain Square, you can also enjoy other activities like watching CVG’s Fountain of Lights show, sipping on festive drinks inside of Winterhaus and more.
Details: 6-10 p.m. Friday, Fountain Square, 520 Vine St., Downtown. myfountainsquare.com.
2. Stevie Nicks at Heritage Bank Center
For those who bought their tickets all the way back in August, Stevie Nicks is finally coming to the Queen City. See the first woman inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame twice perform hits such as “Edge of Seventeen,” “Rhiannon” and “Landslide.”
Details: 7 p.m. Sunday, Heritage Bank Center, 100 Broadway, Downtown. heritagebankcenter.com.
3. Cincinnati Christkindlmarkt
This magical holiday-themed Christmas festival will feature food, beverages, merchandise, holiday lights, choral, themed character visits, an Igloo boardwalk and musical entertainment, with a European, yet Cincinnati Holiday theme.
Details: 5-9 p.m. Thursday, 5-10 p.m. Friday, noon-10 p.m. Saturday, noon-7 p.m. Sunday, 115 Joe Nuxhall Way, Downtown. Hours subject to change for holidays and Bengals home game days. Runs through Dec. 28. cincinnatichristkindlmarkt.com.
4. Downtown Dazzle
At the YMCA’s Downtown Dazzle, enjoy ornament and cookie decorating with Mrs. Claus, find Santa in a scavenger hunt, get your elf certification, watch with bated breath as Santa rappels down tall buildings, and snap a picture with Santa and Buddy the Elf.
Details: 6-9 p.m. Saturday, Fountain Square, 520 Vine St., Downtown. allevents.in.
5. Scuba Santa
Watch as Santa swims with sharks, rays, schools of fish and a sea turtle. See the aquarium bedecked in holiday lights sure to get you in the holiday spirit.
Details: Opens 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, continues 10 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays, Newport Aquarium, 1 Aquarium Way, Newport. newportaquarium.com.
6. Winterfest
Admire the twinkling lights, enjoy festive live shows, and hop on select Kings Island rides and attractions. Meet Santa, taste specialty holiday food and drink, and of course, ice skate!
Details: 5-10 p.m. Friday and Sunday, 4-10 p.m. Saturday, 6300 Kings Island Drive, Mason. Runs Nov. 28-Dec. 31. sixflags.com.
7. Crafty Supermarket
If you’re ready to start looking for Christmas gifts, head to Crafty Supermarket. Browse over 100 talented creatives from across the region. This market’s got everything from handcrafted jewelry and textiles to original artwork, ceramics, home decor and more.
Details: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Music Hall Ballroom, 1241 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine. craftysupermarket.com.
8. Final Friday
Browse and buy art directly from the artists on Final Friday. There are more than 250 studios over four buildings, and shops will host artists. The artist of the month is Rickena Bowman. She is in the main warehouse, Studio 614.
Details: 5-9 p.m. Friday, Pendleton Art Center, 1310 Pendleton St., Pendleton. Valet parking is $10. Free admission. pendletonartcenter.com.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Top 8 things to do post-Thanksgiving weekend in Cincinnati
Reporting by Caroline Ritzie, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
