Best Bets: Elvis enters the building, Nancy Kerrigan and Gracie Gold skate into town

Roll out the red carpet — the stars are coming out this weekend. Whether real or fictional, dead or alive, there's no denying these names are pretty famous.

For starters, Olympic skaters Gracie Gold and Nancy Kerrigan will make back-to-back visits on Friday and Saturday to the Columbus Metropolitan Library to discuss the books they've recently authored. Also on Friday and Saturday, the Columbus Symphony will accompany screenings of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1" at the Ohio Theatre.

Rounding out the weekend and heading into next week, a popular Elvis tribute show hits Hilliard on Saturday, and champs from "Dancing with the Stars" go live in Mershon Auditorium on Tuesday.

These celebrity-studded events are just a few of the 10 interesting things you can do over the next few days.

Read on for more details and other happenings. To receive these ideas in your inbox each week, sign up for the Life in the 614 newsletter.

'Worries of Wesley' set for two-weekend run

We all have worries, but for someone with anxiety, the world can feel overwhelming. Join the bright, curious Wesley as he learns to understand his emotions in "The Worries of Wesley (Or: How I Learned to Stop Having Anxiety, or Not Really, But I am Trying)." Recommended for children 8 to 14, the play will be performed by the Contemporary Theatre of Ohio in Studio Two of the Riffe Center, 77 S. High St. Showtimes are 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday, Saturday; Feb. 2-3 and Feb. 9-10; and 2 p.m. Sunday; Feb. 3-4 and Feb. 10-11. Each show will be followed by a conversation with the cast and resource materials from On Our Sleeves, a national movement for children's mental health. Tickets cost $25 for adults and $15 for ages 15 and younger. (thecontemporaryohio.org)

Kerrigan, Gold to discuss books

Columbus Metropolitan Library, 96 S. Grant Ave., in partnership with the Greater Columbus Sports Commission, will host author events with two world-renowned ice skaters this weekend. At 1 p.m. Friday, 2014 Olympian Gracie Gold will discuss her new memoir, "Outofshapeworthlessloser." Seating begins at 12:30 p.m. On Saturday, Olympic silver medalist Nancy Kerrigan will read from her new children's book, "Stronger Than She Thinks" at 11:30 a.m. Seating begins at 11 a.m. Both events will be held in the library's Reading Room and are free, but tickets must be reserved online to ensure a spot. Free parking is available in the library's attached garage. (eventbrite.com)

Symphony to accompany 'Deathly Hallows' film

It's the final year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for The Boy Who Lived and his friends Ron and Hermione as they set off on a quest to find and destroy Lord Voldemort's secret to immortality — the Horcruxes. At this CAPA event, you'll experience the loss and love of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1" with the full film set to a live performance of Alexandre Desplat's score by the Columbus Symphony. Performances are at 8 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday at the Ohio Theatre, 39 E. State St. Ticket prices start at $50.50. (capa.com)

Winterfest to bring party to Buckeye Lake

Move over Punxsutawney Phil and make way for Benny the Bass! Will he take the bait and predict an early spring? Find out at Winterfest, one of Buckeye Lake's biggest parties of the year. Activities will begin at 6:30 a.m. Saturday with Benny's prognostication at the North Shore Ramp. Even if he calls for six more weeks of winter, there will still be plenty of celebrating with fireworks, activities around the lake, live music, art shows, food and drink specials, food trucks and more from over 40 businesses in the region. (escapetobuckeyelake.com/winterfest-2024)

'Wild Ohio' salutes state's flora and fauna

Celebrate the state’s natural history through dozens of activities, displays, talks and tours at Wild Ohio Day from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Ohio History Center, 800 E. 17th Ave. Programs will cover mammals, climates, composting, animal interactions, bird conservation, ancient animals, beekeeping and other subjects related to the plants and animals that live in Ohio. Wild Ohio is included with regular museum admission, which ranges from $10 to $16. (ohiohistory.org/events/wild-ohio-day)

Elvis show to get crowd 'all shook up'

Since winning his first Elvis competition at age 16, Tyler Christopher has channeled "The King" at venues including Graceland, amassed countless awards and was sanctioned by Elvis Presley Enterprises to perform three years in a row for Elvis night for the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ballpark. His "Ultimate Elvis Show" will come to the Hilliard Civic & Cultural Arts Center, 5425 Center St., at 7 p.m. Saturday. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. Backed by The Roustabout Show Band, Christopher's performance spans Presley's career from '50s rock 'n' roller to '70s Vegas showman. Tickets are $30. (eventbrite.com)

Violin prodigy to play ProMusica program

Showcasing her talents on works by Saint-Saëns and Ravel, 16-year-old violin virtuoso Fiona Khuong-Huu will appear with ProMusica Chamber Orchestra at 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Southern Theatre, 21 E. Main St. Khuong-Huu began studying violin at age 3 and has attended the Juilliard Pre-College Division since age 10, studying with Lin Li and Itzhak Perlman. Her performance will be bookended by the orchestra's rendering of pieces by Prokofiev and Haydn. Ticket prices range from $18 to $64; student/child tickets cost $12. (promusicacolumbus.org)

Bobby Floyd Trio returns to Natalie's

Natalie’s Grandview, 945 King Ave., will present Bobby Floyd on the classic Hammond B3 organ with his trio on Charlie's Stage at 5:15 p.m. Sunday. Doors open at 5 p.m. The Grammy nominee will perform with Derek DiCenzo on guitar and bass, and Reggie Jackson on drums. Floyd, who begin playing at the age of 2, has performed worldwide with artists including Ray Charles, Branford Marsalis, Chuck Mangione, Mavis Staples, and the Count Basie Orchestra, and locally with Byron Stripling. There is no admission charge for this Happy Hour show, but tips are appreciated and reservations are strongly encouraged. (nataliesgrandview.com)

Holocaust Remembrance event to feature authors

Gramercy Books of Bexley will present a special International Holocaust Remembrance Day program with award-winning educators and Holocaust experts Elizabeth B. White and Joanna Sliwa, co-authors of “The Counterfeit Countess.” The book tells the astonishing story of Jewish mathematician Josephine Janina Mehlberg, who rescued more than 10,000 Poles imprisoned by Nazi occupiers during World War II. They will be in conversation with Ohio State University historian and Holocaust expert Robin Judd at 7 p.m. Monday at Temple Israel, 3100 E. Broad St. Registration is $12. The purchase of the book waives the registration fee. (eventbrite.com)

Dancing stars to put best feet forward

Back on the road after a sold-out 2023 tour, “Dancing with the Stars: Live” will give fans of fancy footwork the chance to experience up close the excitement, athleticism and artistry of the TV show at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in Mershon Auditorium, 1871 N. High St. The live production promises an unforgettable night of electrifying performances from world-famous dancers who topped the leaderboard including Brandon Armstrong, Rylee Arnold, Alan Bersten, Daniella Karagach, Pasha Pashkov, Gleb Savchenko, Emma Slater and Britt Stewart. Limited tickets remain, starting at $154. (ticketmaster.com)

bpaschal@dispatch.com

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: 10 things to do in Columbus this weekend