Photograph courtesy World Oddities Expo
It’s the second weekend of a new year! Get out there and check out all the cool events the city has to offer. Here are just a few to consider.
Smoke & Queers: Amore After Dark
The Smoke & Queers Burlesque troupe will be performing their first show of 2026 at Second Story in Covington. This 21+ event will feature performances by Andi Muse, Daisy Blazey, Sequoia Jade, and Siren Rose with hosts Andro Hathaway and Salem le Fay. There will be no cover, but cash for tips is recommended. Fri, Jan 9, 8 p.m, Second Story, 100 W. Sixth St., Covington
The travelling oddities expo is starting its 2026 national tour in Cincinnati with vendors, tattoo artists, speakers, performers, and more. Plus, attendees will get the chance to take part in hands-on workshops with WOE Labs including diorama terrarium crafting, owl pellet dissection, butterfly pinning, and rat and Bunnicorn taxidermy. General admission is $20 with optional add-ons for workshops. Sat, Jan 10-Sun, Jan 11, 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Sharonville Convention Center, 11355 Chester Rd., Sharonville
Flash Canvases: Tattoos at CAM
Some of the city’s best tattoo artists will be doing flash work inspired by pieces in the Cincinnati Art Museum at this first-come first-serve ink event. Participating studios include Lonesome Town, Black Fern, White Whale, Lumen Ink, and Freedom Tattoo. Participants can line up starting at 10:30 a.m. and flash sheets will be posted by artists online. Sat, Jan 10, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Cincinnati Art Museum, 953 Eden Park Dr., Eden Park
Cincinnati Nature Center is celebrating the beginning of maple season with the weekend-long Maple Fest. Attendees will go on a Sugarbush Hike to learn about the syruping process and the history of maple syrup, sample fresh syrup and other maple treats, try craft maple beer, sample bourbon, play games, and more. Tickets are $25 for adults or $8 for kids. Sat, Jan 10-Sun, Jan 11, noon-4 p.m., Cincinnati Nature Center, 4949 Tealtown Rd., Milford
Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live
It’s a two-day three-performance monster truck rally at Truist Arena with some of Hot Wheels’ most iconic trucks. Battling it out live in the Glow-N-Fire tour will be Skelesaurus, 5-Alarm, Gunkster, Mega Wrex, Bone Shaker, Tiger Shark, Bigfoot, and the new 2026 Rhinomite. Tickets start at $35 with optional add-ons for pre-show parties and VIP experiences. Sat, Jan 10, 12:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Sun, Jan 11, 2:30 p.m.; Truist Arena, 500 Louie B Nunn Dr., Highland Heights
Join Cincinnati Salsa dance society Salsannati for a weekend of workshops and social dances. Classes will be offered on Saturday and Sunday at the Clifton Cultural Arts Center with special guest instructors Marisol Blanco from Miami and Johan & Alyssa Ibanez from Dallas. There will be a social dance on Saturday night at Tango del Barrio with a theme of “gold, silver, and all that glitters.” Check the event site for workshop pass prices and the official schedule. Sat, Jan 10-Sun, Jan 11; Clifton Cultural Arts Center, 3412 Clifton Ave., Clifton; Tango del Barrio, 6110 Hamilton Ave., Northside
Get ready for two days of spicy and meaty goodness at Findlay Market. The festivities start on Saturday from 3-5 p.m. with the Findlay Market Chili Cook-Off where amateur chefs from around the city will get to battle it out for the $100 market gift card grand prize. All are free to sample and judge and registration to compete is $10. Sunday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. will be the Chili Fest tasting event featuring a hot sauce contest and kids scavenger hunt. With sample tickets—8 for $20 or 18 for $40—you can try special dishes from participating market vendors like Brisket Chili from Eli’s BBQ, Vegan Lentil 3-Ways from Juniper Seed, Fahrenheit 513 Hot Chocolate from Maverick Chocolate Co., Cantonese-Style Chili from Yee Mama, Cincinnati Chili Spiced Chai from Wendigo Tea, and much more. Sat, Jan 10-Sun, Jan 11, Findlay Market, 1801 Race St., Over-the-Rhine
Extreme Bingo is back in Cincinnati, this time with a new Name That Song theme. Gameplay will center around songs from the ’80s, ’90s, and 2000s, with crazy prizes ranging from giant teddy bears to vacation packages. There will also be dancing, lip-sync battles, comedy, and mountains of confetti. Tickets are $47.69 and you must be at lest 21 with ID to enter. Sat, Jan 10, 7 p.m., MegaCorp Pavilion, 101 W. Fourth St., Newport
Russian piano virtuoso Daniil Trifonov will be performing Beethoven’s Second Piano Concerto at this classical showcase conducted by Cristian Mӑcelaru. Following the Concerto, CSO will perform the final installment of the I Want to Be Alive trilogy—an original co-commission by Icelandic composer Daníel Bjarnason. Tickets start at $15. Sat, Jan 10, 7:30 p.m.; Sun, Jan 11, 2 p.m.; Music Hall, 1241 Elm Street, Over-the-Rhine
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