The annual Macy's Light Up the Square is a tradition that no Cincinnatian should miss. Porkopolis will usher in the holiday season Friday at 7 p.m. on Fountain Square Downtown with a 60-foot sparkling spruce. The tree will glow with 20,000 white lights and an illuminated five-foot-tall red star. Enjoy live music, food and a skate around the U.S Bank Ice Rink. Fireworks end the evening with a bang.   

Clear the dates and mark your calendar for one of the area's most sought-after shopping extravaganza. The annual Greater Cincinnati Holiday Market is back this weekend at the Duke Energy Center. The doors are open from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Sunday. The Market is packed with more than 100 displays from one-of-a-kind boutiques and specialty retailers. There will be aisle upon aisle of gourmet food, home décor and specialty clothing for every name on your holiday shopping list.  

Come out to the Park and Vine grand reopening celebration during Final Friday at their new location on 1202 Main St. in Over-the-Rhine. What is Park and Vine, you ask? It's the general store of the future, with a wide variety of eco-friendly merchandise that minimizes the use of natural resources and animal byproducts. Products include everything from reusable bottles to non-toxic cleaning supplies.  

His holiness the Dalai Lama will travel to Cincinnati to accept the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center's International Freedom Conductor Award. This award honors those whose actions public and private reflect the spirit and courageous actions of the Underground Railroad conductors. The recipients of the IFCA are contemporary individuals who have made significant contributions to freedom and human rights around the world.  

To bring out your inner wino Saturday, all you'll need is $10 and a designated driver. Northern Kentucky is hosting its fifth annual Wine Festival from 3-10 p.m. Not only will you be able to sample Kentucky's finest, but with admission comes a souvenir wine glass and four sample tickets. And if you just can't get enough, additional sample tickets are available for $1 each or six for $5.  

America's preeminent humorist is back by popular demand Sunday at 7 p.m. at the Aronoff Center. His sardonic wit and incisive social critique are what pack the house. Sit back and laugh as he slices through cultural euphemisms and political correctness like the master of satire he is.  

Go green with the Cincinnati Celtic Festival and celebrate the Saint Patty's Day halfway mark with authentic Celtic music, dancing and dining. The festival runs noon-11 p.m. Saturday and noon-9 p.m. Sunday at Fountain Square Downtown.   

Go green with Cincinnati's Celtic Festival and celebrate the St. Patty's Day halfway mark with authentic Celtic music, dancing and dining. The festival runs Saturday and Sunday on Fountain Square. Live musical performances will highlight different Celtic sounds and instruments. Dancing and crafts will be on display throughout the weekend.  

Lace up your walking shoes and head to Sawyer Point for the 21st annual Walk to Stop AIDS. The event starts Sunday at 9 a.m. with breakfast (pastries and coffee) and entertainment provided by DJ Andy G. Productions. At 10 a.m. you’ll start steppin' with a four-mile riverfront walk. The route will wind past Great American Ballpark and the Freedom Center, then into Covington over the Suspension Bridge and into Newport before coming back into the city.  

Gearing up for a girl's night out? Tired of take out? Love a good deal? Restaurant Week is what you need. This seven day extravaganza includes being wined and dined by the city's finest food joints. The event features three-course meals for a fraction of the price. The swankier eateries will offer pre-fixed menus for $26.10 while the lower priced places charge $14.10. Through Sept. 19.