Top 8 things to do this weekend: Fringe, Summerfair, Pride, tractors, beer

1. Fringe Festival

Cincinnati's summer theater party is back! The region's largest and longest-running annual arts festival returns for its 19th year, featuring hundreds of live performances, workshops and afterparties, all centrally located at the Know Theatre (1120 Jackson St.) and the Art Academy of Cincinnati (1212 Jackson St.) in Over-the-Rhine.

With 38 productions in the primary lineup (including 15 local shows, 23 from around the United States and one international show) there's something for everyone at Fringe Festival. There's something for every budget, too, as Fringe offers free programming and entertainment on its outdoor stage, plus many pay-what-you-wish, all-ages workshops and free afterparties. Fringe Festival kicks off at 2 p.m. Friday and runs through June 18. Single tickets are $16, with 6-ticket flex passes running $80 and all-access passes $275. cincyfringe.com.

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2. Summerfair

You'll find some of the best artists and craftspeople from the United States and Canada at Summerfair, an annual fine arts and crafts festival taking place this weekend at Coney Island. From photography, painting, sculpture and ceramics to leather, woodworking and jewelry, this festival has it all. It takes place from noon-7 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Coney Island is located at 6201 Kellogg Ave., Anderson Township. Admission is $10 for a single day, $15 for multi-days, and free for ages 12-under. summerfair.org.

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3. Pride Festivals

There are two different Pride festivals taking place this weekend. Hamilton Pride kicks off at 11 a.m. Saturday with a parade from Rotary Park to Marcum Park (116 Dayton St.), where a family-friendly festival takes place with vendors, food trucks, beer, games and activities for kids, live music and drag performances. A Pride concert at the park's RiversEdge Amphitheatre takes place from 6-10 p.m. with performances by the Yada Yada Yadas and We Three Queens. It's all free to attend. hamiltonohiopride.com.

On Sunday, Northern Kentucky Pride Festival takes place from noon-5 p.m. at Goebel Park (501 Philadelphia St.) in Covington. Events include a Pride parade at 1 p.m. starting at Covington Landing, and an afterparty at Hotel Covington (638 Madison Ave.). nkypridecenter.org.

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4. Missing Linck Fest

Craft beer fans will be going beer-zerk over this new festival, which celebrates a brewing yeast discovered in the abandoned lagering cellars of the storied Frank & Joseph A. Linck Brewery in Over-the-Rhine. This heritage yeast was distributed among local breweries Bircus, Brink, Carillon, Cartridge, Fibonacci, Humble Monk, OTR StillHouse, Urban Artifact, West Side Brewing and Wooden Cask, and they've all created their own unique variations with it – and at Missing Linck Fest, you get to taste the results.

The festival opens at noon Saturday and all beers will be available for purchase at Urban Artifact (1662 Blue Rock St.) and Humble Monk (1641 Blue Rock St.) breweries in Northside. In addition to getting to sample these unique beers, there's a variety of additional activities throughout the day: a beer and dessert tasting ($30), brewery tours ($25) and the Fungus and Mold Tasting, which features beer paired with five artisanal cheeses ($45). There'll also be food trucks on-site and live music. Admission is free. missinglinck.com.

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5. East Row Garden Walk

For more than 20 years, residents of Newport's East Row Historic District have been opening their gardens to the public as part of the East Row Garden Walk. Flower and plant enthusiasts from around the region converge in the neighborhood to view these private gardens, each chosen for its creativity and design in an urban setting.

This year, 11 gardens will be open for viewing on the self-guided tour, which begins on the grounds of St. John's United Church of Christ (415 Park Ave.), where you can pick up your tickets and enjoy perusing garden-related items for sale by local vendors. Box lunches will be available for purchase this year, with everything homemade. Pre-ordering is recommended, as quantities are limited.

The East Row Garden Walk takes place from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are $18, free under age 12. Box lunches are $10. Parking is available at Watertower Square parking lot at the corner of Sixth Street and Washington Avenue; eastrowgardenclub.org.

6. Frontier Days

Milford celebrates the 60th anniversary of its Frontier Days Festival by going back to its roots and exploring the memories of yesteryear. The annual parade steps off at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, traveling down Lila from the Milford Shopping Center to Main St. in downtown Milford, where a variety of activities take place. You'll find carnival rides and games, a children's craft area, food, drinks and special 60th-anniversary cupcakes. This year, there's also a laser tag bounce house and a foam garage where the whole family can play in non-toxic foam.

The festival runs from 5-10 p.m. Thursday, 5-11 p.m. Friday and noon-11 p.m. Saturday. There's a maker's market and car show on Saturday, and live music nightly. Frontier Days is free to attend. frontierdaysmilford.com.

7. Antique Tractor Show

Here's a nice, affordable day out for families with kids, and those who are kids at heart. The Licking Valley Antique Machinery Association hosts its annual Antique Tractor Show this weekend, featuring a wide range of antique tractors, stationary engines, garden tractors and other machinery on display. Highlights include tractor games, an old-time tug and pull, and at noon Saturday, a tractor parade through Falmouth.

This year, the association has added a craft fair and flea market to the festivities, and the popular silent auction returns with unique items and gift baskets. You'll also find concessions on offer around the grounds. The show takes place from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday and from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday at the Pendleton County Fairgrounds, 320 Fairgrounds Road, Falmouth. Admission is free.

8. VegFest

Last, but certainly not least, is VegFest, which celebrates compassionate, plant-based lifestyles and eco-living. You'll find delicious and diverse plant-sourced meal choices from a variety of vegan food vendors, get to chat with vegan authors, chefs and speakers, learn about cutting edge eco-living, enjoy free Reiki sessions, yoga classes, cooking demos, live music and more. VegFest takes place from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday at Burnet Woods, 280 Burnet Woods Drive, Clifton. Admission is free. cincyvegfest.com.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Top 8 things to do in Cincinnati this weekend: June 3-5