Ann Wilson
Ann Wilson is one-half of the sisterly duo that is the face of Heart, the legendary rock band. Ann started a solo career in the early aughts and has released one full-length album and two EPs. She will be performing all the Heart hits, her solo work, as well as tracks from Heart’s latest album, “Beautiful Broken,” with some of Heart’s original band members. See her at UC Health Stadium, 7950 Freedom Way, Florence, Kentucky, on May 26 at 6 p.m. Tickets are $29-$74. For more information, call 859-594-4487 or visit www.florencefreedom.com.
Wild Carrot & Their Roots Band
These Cincinnati natives play a mix of swing and blues music, both original and traditional songs. They were once selected by the U.S. State Department to serve as cultural ambassadors to the nation of Chile. See them at the Oxford Community Arts Center, 10 S. College St., Oxford, on May 26 from 8-10 p.m. Tickets are $15. For more information, call 513-529-3200 or visit www.oxarts.com.
Stargazing
Not just an idle glance at the distant sky, the Cincinnati Astronomical Society will be lending you their telescopes and expertise so you can get a good look at the moon, stars, and planets that occupy our night sky. Check it out at Huffman Park, 2100 John Gray Road, Fairfield, on May 26 at 9 p.m. The event is free but registration is recommended. For more information, visit www.fairfield-city.org.
“West Side Story”
The Children’s Theatre of Mason, with features junior actors aged 7-18, will stage “West Side Story,” the Broadway classic that transports the story of “Romeo and Juliet” to the urban gang environment of 20th-century New York. See it at the Mason High School Auditorium, 6100 Mason-Montgomery Road, Mason, on May 26-28. Performance times are 7 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $12. For more information, call 513-398-0116 or visit www.childrenstheatreofmason.com.
“Leading Ladies of Lebanon”
In 2002, the Lebanon Theatre Company staged “Leading Ladies of Lebanon,” a play about important female contributions to the history of Lebanon, as part of the city’s bicentennial. Now, the play is being revived and slightly revamped for its 15th anniversary. See it at the Lebanon Theatre Company, 10 S. Mechanic St., Lebanon, on May 26-28 and June 2-4. Performance times are 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $10. For more information, call 513-228-0932 or visit www.ltcplays.com.
Nowhere Else Festival
The critically acclaimed, Cincinnati-based folk-rock duo Over the Rhine curated the inaugural Nowhere Else music festival on their remote, rural property last year. The lineup for this sophomore festival will include Birds of Chicago, Carrie Rodriguez, Red Dirty Boys, and more. Over the Rhine will headline all three nights, and there will also be various artistic workshops, including a Q&A with Scott Derrickson, director of “Dr. Strange.” Check it out at the Nowhere Else Farm, 190 Townsend Road, Martinsville, on May 26-28. The festival kicks off at 4 p.m. Friday (for VIP ticketholders only), and at 9 a.m. Saturday-Sunday. Tickets are $60-$500. For more information, visit www.nowhereelsefestival.com.
Memorial Day Weekend Campout
This activity-filled, weekend-long Memorial Day campout will allow families to participate in archery, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, guided nature tours, and more. Check it out at Caesar Creek State Park, 4006 Pioneer Village Road, Waynesville, on May 26-29. There is no admission cost. For more information, call 513-897-2437 or visit www.caesarcreekstatepark.com.
“Jew Store (The Musical)”
Based on the best-selling memoir, a Jewish family moves from New York City to a small Tennessee town in 1920, where they encounter people who never needed to actually meet a Jewish person in order to develop prejudices against them. See it at the Aronoff Center for the Arts, 650 Walnut St., Cincinnati, on May 27-28. Performance times are 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $39.75-$69.75. For more information, call 513-621-2787 or visit www.cincinnatiarts.org.
Taste of Cincinnati
Fifty thousand people will converge downtown to sample over 100 dishes, of a variety of styles and ethnicities, from over 40 area restaurants. Highlights, per usual, will include the Veggie Races, four stages of live entertainment, and a food truck alley. Check it out along five blocks of Fifth Street between Vine and Sentinel streets in downtown Cincinnati on May 27-29. Festival hours are 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday-Sunday and 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday (Memorial Day). There is no admission cost. For more information, visit www.tasteofcincinnati.com.
Contact this contributing writer at aaronepple@gmail.com.
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