Ringling Brother and Barnum &Bailey Circus Xtreme
March 3-6
U.S. Bank Arena
Tickets start at $16
Prepare to be astonished and amazed with traditional elements of the circus combined with never-before-seen spectacles, original performances, and totally hilarious moments. Let your imagination run wild with an adventure full of thrills, exotic animals, high-wire wizards, trampoline daredevils, and more. Be sure to arrive early — the part starts an hour before the show in the All Access Pre-Show, where families can meet the cast and get an up-close look at the menagerie of animals.
Fitton Family Friday
March 4
Fitton Center for Creative Arts
6:30pm
$10 adult members; $12 adult non-members; Free children 16 and younger with purchase of adult ticket and must live in same household, otherwise $5 child members; $6 child nonmembers.
Illusion, music, juggling and deadpan comedy collide in this vaudevillesque spectacle. “The Great” David Kaplan welcomes spectators young and old into a wonderfully strange world they will not soon forget. His most spectacular accomplishment is emerging from the performance in one piece. As his world seemingly crumbles, he manages to tame a rogue bowling ball, juggle furniture, and play melodies on “concert balloon,” turkey baster and his great grandfather’s ukulele — all to the delight of a charmed audience.
Family Fun Fridays
Fridays, March 4-25
The Place Retro Arcade
6-11pm
$20
Bring your family for a fun night at the arcade — players can check out retro games like Donkey Kong, Asteroids and more, as well as console games.
Hatching Spring Blooms
Through March 13
Krohn Conservatory
10am-5pm (Closed Mondays)
$4 for adults; $2 for children; Ages 4 and under are free.
Featuring pastel spring blooms of bulbs, trees, and annual flowers, accentuated by fresh green grass.
Family First Saturdays: Ooh La La
March 5
Cincinnati Art Museum, Great Hall
12pm
FREE
What’s going on? A lot, and then some more! Performances, artist demonstrations, storytelling, scavenger hunts, tours, and hands-on art making activities are just the start of the fun for the whole family!
CANstruction
March 8-27
Weston Art Gallery
650 Walnut Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202
FREE, canned food donation encouraged
International design/build competition of architecture and engineering industry where local teams race to build whimsical sculptures created entirely from canned and packaged food later donated to Freestore Foodbank.
Penguin Days
Through March 11
Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens
10am-5pm
March to the Cincinnati Zoo and save a waddle of cash! Experience cooler prices and even cooler animals during Penguin Days, with half-price Zoo admission every day and special animal encounters every Saturday & Sunday, January 3 through February 29. Plus, enjoy heated indoor animal exhibits throughout the park. Every weekend, guests can watch penguins, polar bears, snow monkeys and even elephants enjoy the winter weather in their own way during a variety of animal enrichment activities.
Second Sunday Family Showtime
March 13
Clifton Cultural Arts Center
2pm
FREE for kids; $5 for adults
Peter and the Wolf performed to Sergei Prokofiev’s beautiful musical story leads off, followed by The Frog Prince set to the lively music of Dimitri Kabalevsky. An unusual puppet show in which “large as life” marionettes share the stage with the puppeteers! Magnificent handcrafted puppets will captivate young and old alike as they recreate these two classic tales.
Mercy Health Partners Heart Mini Marathon & Walk
March 13
Fountain Square, Downtown Cincinnati
7:30am-12pm
$35-$60; Registration required
Start and finish line at Fifth and Main Streets; 15K Heart Mini Marathon and Heart 1/2 Marathon; 10:30 a.m., 5K HeartRun; 11:30 a.m., 2K Kid’s Race; 12noon 3-mile & 5-mile; 9:15 a.m. 1K Steps for Stroke Walk.
Ballet Toybox
March 20
Aronoff Center
2pm
All Tickets $20
Ballet Toybox offers an exciting opportunity to introduce children from ages 3 to 12 to the joy of dance. An interactive performance featuring the Cincinnati Ballet Second Company in a mix of ballet and storybook classics, Ballet Toybox offers a fun way to experience dance and even learn a few moves of your own! At under an hour, it is the perfect afternoon where the whole family can learn about the essential elements that make up the beauty, humor and inspiring discipline of dance.
3rd Sunday Fundays: Vive La France
March 20
Taft Museum of Art
1-4pm
FREE
Grab your beret and head to the Taft for a day of French culture! Learn some French words at the Art Cart, play traditional games with the Alliance Française de Cincinnati, and channel your inner Monet by creating an impressionist artwork. A wandering mime from the Cincinnati Circus Company will delight kids of all ages.
Easter Celebration
March 26
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
10am-2pm
It’s an egg-citing event for children that includes treat stations throughout the Zoo, children’s activities, popular animal egg hunts, and visits with the Easter Bunny. Kids can also search for four “golden eggs” throughout the Zoo — if you find one, turn it in at the Welcome Center for one of four great prizes!
Family Festival: UnMuseum Block Party
March 26
Contemporary Arts Center
12-3pm
FREE
Stop by the CAC for a giant block party in honor of the artwork from the UnMuseum. Design your own maze, try out a one-of-a-kind putt putt golf course, and take part in some Metrobot cornhole. Everything you create will be inspired by a piece from the sixth floor, even the food!
International Butterfly Show: Butterflies of the Caribbean
March 26-June 19
Krohn Conservatory
10am-5pm, daily
$7 adults, $4 ages 5-12, free ages 4 and younger
Dozens of countries and scores of cultures, all with one thing in common — a beautiful blue sea. Dive into the Krohn’s annual Butterfly Show, presented by Macy’s and featuring butterflies of the Caribbean, along with whimsical oceanic displays, hundreds of flowers, and plenty of exciting events throughout the duration of the exhibit.
Peppa Pig Live: Peppa Pig’s Big Splash
March 29
Taft Theatre
6:30pm
An interactive experience full of singing, dancing, games, and muddy puddles.
The Art of the Brick
Through May 1
Cincinnati Museum Center
Members: $12.50, Child $8.50; Non-members $19.50, Child $12.50
The Art of the Brick presents LEGO® bricks in a whole new light, demonstrating the potential of creativity and the power of imagination. The Art of the Brick features over 100 works of art by contemporary artist Nathan Sawaya. But rather than paint and canvas, these masterpieces are made entirely of LEGO bricks. Millions and millions of little LEGO bricks.
A Day in the Life…: Mid 19th Century Daily Life for the Betts Family
Through May 14
The Betts House
$2 per person
The Betts House is pleased to present its upcoming exhibit, A Day in the Life…: Mid 19th Century Daily Life for the Betts Family, showcasing the tools, contraptions, and tales of daily life for a Cincinnati family in the mid-1800s.
The exhibit will be on display at 416 Clark Street, Cincinnati OH 45203, from January 16, 2016 through May 14, 2016 during regular museum hours, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. and the second and fourth Saturday of each month from 12:30 – 5:00 p.m.
