Top 10 things to do in Cincinnati this weekend: March 15-17

Luann Gibbs, Cincinnati Enquirer
Updated ·5 min read

1. St. Patrick's Day

  • Parade: The parade begins outside Paycor Stadium on Mehring Way. Procession travels east along Mehring, north on Joe Nuxhall Way, west on Freedom Way, ending at the corner of Freedom Way and Rosa Parks Street.

  • Festivities at Fountain Square: Live music and specialty foods like bangers and mash, corned beef sandwiches and shepherds pie. Music schedule: Saturday: Dulahan, Bloody Tinth, Super Nash, Switchpickers. Sunday: Dulahan, Super Nash, Brave the Sea.

    • Details: noon-8 p.m. Saturday, noon-6 p.m. Sunday, Fountain Square, 520 Vine St., Downtown. Free. myfountainsquare.com.

  • St. Patrick's Weekend at the Irish Heritage Center: Enjoy live music, dancing, a children's festival, sessions with a genealogy expert, discussions of Irish history, Irish food specials like Guinness stew, corned beef sandwiches, scones, soda bread and desserts.

    • Details: 1-10 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, Irish Heritage Center of Cincinnati, 3905 Eastern Ave., East End. cincyirish.org.

  • Find the full list of St. Patrick's Day events at Cincinnati.com.

The 2024 Cincinnati Auto Expo takes place Thursday-Sunday at Duke Energy Convention Center. Pictured: Grace Johnston, 4, sits inside a 2020 Jeep Fusion at the 2020 Auto Expo.
The 2024 Cincinnati Auto Expo takes place Thursday-Sunday at Duke Energy Convention Center. Pictured: Grace Johnston, 4, sits inside a 2020 Jeep Fusion at the 2020 Auto Expo.

2. Cincinnati Auto Expo

This expo showcases the features and technology of new vehicles, including crossovers, EVs, hybrids, sedans, sports cars, SUVs, trucks and more from your favorite manufacturers. New this year is the EV Ride and Drive, featuring electric vehicles from Audi, BMW, Chevrolet, Ford, Hyundai, Kia and Mercedes-Benz. Enjoy Dream Machine Blvd., the Subaru Pet Park with adoptable animals from area shelters, test driving popular models of Chevrolet, and the Safe Travel Family Zone featuring educational and fun exhibits for kids.

Details: 5-9 p.m. Thursday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday, Duke Energy Convention Center, 525 Elm St., Downtown. $11, $9 advance. Ages 12-under free with paying adult. Cincinnatiautoexpo.com.

– Find more events at events.cincinnati.com –

The Heart Mini takes place Sunday in Downtown. It's a fundraiser for the American Heart Association.
The Heart Mini takes place Sunday in Downtown. It's a fundraiser for the American Heart Association.

3. Heart Mini

More than 17,000 runners and walkers take to the streets of Downtown for this annual race, which is Greater Cincinnati's largest single-day fundraiser and benefits the American Heart Association. Online registration is open until 5 p.m. March 15. After that, in-person registration is available at Messer Construction (643 W. Court St., Downtown) from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, or on Sunday in the First Financial Building (225 E. Fifth St, Downtown).

The half marathon and 15K start at 7:30 a.m., 5K at 9:45 a.m., 1K Steps for Stroke at 10 am., 1.5K kids race at 10:30 a.m. and 5K Heart Walk at 11 a.m. Benefits American Heart Association.

Details: 7:30 a.m. Sunday, corner Fifth and Lawrence, Downtown. Heartmini.org.

The cast of the North American tour of 'Peter Pan.'
The cast of the North American tour of 'Peter Pan.'

4. 'Peter Pan'

Join the Darling family as Peter Pan and Tinkerbell take them on a soaring adventure to Never Never Land. The hit Broadway musical, based on the play by Sir James M. Barrie, features a timeless score that includes "I'm Flying," "I've Got to Crow" and "I Won't Grow Up," and has been updated for a new generation of thrill seekers.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Aronoff Center for the Arts, 650 Walnut St., Downtown. Runs March 12-24. $35-up. Cincinnatiarts.org.

5. 'The Producers'

Mel Brooks’ classic cult-comedy Broadway musical finds a down-on-his-luck Broadway producer and his mild-mannered accountant try to produce the biggest flop in history to bilk their backers out of millions.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, Covedale Center for the Performing Arts, 4990 Glenway Ave., West Price Hill. Runs March 14-April 7. $33, $30 seniors and students. 513-241-6550; cincinnatilandmarkproductions.com.

6. 'Breaking the Code'

This exceptional biographical drama follows the life of eccentric genius Alan Turing, who broke the complex German code called Enigma, enabling allied forces to foresee German maneuvers. After the war, he was put on trial for a homosexual affair and sentenced to body-altering hormone therapy.

Details: 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, Falcon Theatre, 636 Monmouth St., Newport. Runs March 10-30. $28, $15 students. Falcontheater.net.

Featuring stars of Broadway’s smash hits "Jersey Boys" and "Motown: The Musical," the Doo Wop Project performs classic hits with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra this weekend.
Featuring stars of Broadway’s smash hits "Jersey Boys" and "Motown: The Musical," the Doo Wop Project performs classic hits with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra this weekend.

7. The Doo Wop Project

If you love the classic sounds of The Drifters, The Del Vikings and Frankie Valli, join conductor John Morris Russell and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra as they dive into Doo Wop, from the foundational tunes of groups like The Crests and Flamingos, to the influential sounds of Smokey Robinson, The Temptations and the Four Seasons. Featuring stars of Broadway's smash hits "Jersey Boys" and "Motown: The Musical," this production recreates some of the greatest music in American pop and rock history.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, Music Hall, 1241 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine. Cincinnatisymphony.org.

8. Kentucky Symphony Orchestra: Swan Songs

Enjoy the final works from two of the Romantic period’s revered composers: Richard Wagner and Anton Bruckner. The KSO opens its program with the U.S. premiere of an orchestral suite from "Parsifal," constructed by Andrew Gourlay, with music from all three acts. After an intermission, experience Bruckner's 3-movement, unfinished symphony Symphony No. 9 in D minor.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Greaves Concert Hall, Northern Kentucky University, Nunn Drive, Highland Heights. $19-$35. 859-431-6216; kyso.org.

9. Quilters’ Day Out

View quilt and fabric displays, demonstrations of newest techniques in paper piecing, 3D quilting, machine thread painting, landscape quilting, free motion machine quilting and hand quilting at this event hosted by the Stringtown Quilters Guild. Numerous local quilt shops bring wares for sale, there's a silent auction and more.

Details: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, First Church of Christ, 6080 Camp Ernst Road, Burlington. Free. Stringtownquiltersguild.com.

Art on Vine, a monthly local art show featuring fine art and handmade goods from artists and makers from the Ohio region, takes place Sunday at Rhinegeist Brewery.
Art on Vine, a monthly local art show featuring fine art and handmade goods from artists and makers from the Ohio region, takes place Sunday at Rhinegeist Brewery.

10. Art on Vine: Local Madness

This monthly local art show features fine art and handmade goods from more than 80 artists.

Details: noon-6 p.m. Sunday, Rhinegeist Brewery, 1910 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine. Free. artonvinecincy.com.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Top 10 things to do in Cincinnati this weekend: March 15-17