It’s Mother’s Day weekend, and there are plenty of events that cater to mom and kids! You can kick up your heels at a mother/son dance or run your toes off at a 5K. If neither of those is your cup of tea, well, then, how about a cup of tea?
MOTHER’S DAY
Mother/Son Dance
Hey, moms! Kick off Mother’s Day weekend with a handsome date for a mom/son dance at Grand Vue Park. Snacks, drinks, desserts, pictures, prizes, and of course, dancing await. The event is set for 6-8 p.m. Friday, May 11. DJs Donnie Gilbert and Dugger are on board for the evening. Tickets are $25 per couple and $5 per additional guest. Funds raised will go to the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley, which serves the Marshall County community. For tickets or more information, call 304-232-4625 or email jrine@unitedwayuov.org.
Tea Time Times Two
A Mother’s Day Tea is set for noon, Saturday, May 12, at the Eckhart House, 810 Main St., Wheeling. Tea fare is offered, including assorted tea sandwiches/savories, scones with sweet cream and jam, fresh fruit, sweets and gourmet tea. www.eckharthouse.com
And just a few blocks north of the Eckhart House is the Empress Emporium — Tea and Parfumerie House, 700 Main St., Wheeling, where there’s a magical party for girls and boys and their moms, 2-4 p.m. Saturday, May 12. The Mommy and Me Fairy Tea Party celebrates mothers everywhere with elegant settings, tiers of special desserts and tiny finger sandwiches. $30/person. $50/pair. To reserve your space, message them on Facebook or call 304-905-4909.
A Picture-Perfect Day
Try another Mommy & Me event from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 12, at the Children’s Museum of the Ohio Valley 1100 Main St. — Mother’s Day craft and Mommy & Me Pictures with Erin Yaeger Photography. 304.214.5437; www.cmovkids.org
Walk or Run to Nearest Zoo
Check out the Mother’s Day 5K Run/Walk at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 12, at Oglebay. Race day registration is at 9 a.m. at the main entrance of Oglebay good Zoo. $20. Online registration, which closes at 11:59 p.m. Thursday, May 10, can be made here. The first 50 registered participants will receive a T-shirt. The race will begin and end in the upper parking lot of the Good Zoo. The race course will consist of the Susan Wheeler and Arboretum Trails that weave throughout the park. This hard-surface course is stroller friendly. Dogs are encouraged to participate, but must remain on a leash at all times. oglebay.com
Murder-Mystery & Mom
Take the mom in your life out for an evening of laughs, music, interactive fun and dining — all for $19.95 per person. Mystery Theatre Unlimited’s musical-comedy, murder-mystery show is just three days after Mother’s Day — at 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 16, at River City Restaurant in downtown Wheeling. In the show, dueling lounge lizards, a love-conflicted exotic dancer, a down-and-out club owner and a strange Austrian body-builder populate “Murder at the Kit Kat Klub.” Written by Bert Furioli and Butch Maxwell, the comedy features nine hilarious song parodies, audience participation and a murder mystery to solve. The Kit Kat Klub used to be the top cat of the Poconos lounges, but in 1963, owner Sid Geaser (played by Evan Oslund) is in serious financial trouble. His permanent headliner, crooner Newt Diamond (played by Michael Moran) is past his prime, if he ever had one, and he isn’t drawing in the crowds the way he once did. Desperate to get help, Sid tries to borrow money from a successful Las Vegas singer Johnny Rival (played by Maxwell), who once performed at his club. Before the night is over, the crooners square off — and somebody will be knocking them dead! 304-233-4555; www.MysteryTheatreUnlimited.com
Mother’s Day Jamboree
The Victoria Jamboree will have its 23rd annual Mother’s Day show at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 12, featuring Honkey Tonk Sweethearts, Bill Sinclair, Micah Underwood, Chelsea Householder, Earl Brown and more. The first 100 ladies will receive a complimentary flower. Victoria Jamboree is located at 1228 Market St., Wheeling. victoria-theater.com
SIP & SING
Join the fun at the historic Strand Theatre when Cornerstone Entertainment presents Rock Nite featuring the Sarah Hays Band, Movie Screen Karaoke with Lucky Star Entertainment and the film, “10 Things I Hate About You,” at 9 p.m. Friday, May 11. The concession stand will be open along with a wine bar. Donations accepted at the door with proceeds to benefit the Wheeling YWCA. Doors open at 8 p.m.
RHONE ZONE
Good Mansion Wines offers up a gorgeous lineup of some of France’s most beloved reds and whites — bold, spicy and fruity reds and bright whites from the Rhone Valley of France. Red Gigondas, Vacqueras, Lirac and Cotes du Rhones, and white Chateauneuf du Pape and Luberon. Served with French cheeses and baguettes. $15 at the door. goodmansionwines.com
SPRING SPIRITS
Celebrate the arrival of spring with a festive cocktail party. The annual Spring Spirits lawn party takes place 5:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 15, on the lawn of the historic 1846 Mansion Museum in Oglebay Park. Enjoy the ultimate in after-work fun. Savor craftily prepared, spring-inspired hors d’oeuvres and a variety of artisan cocktails or non-alcoholic beverages, if you prefer. This annual event is held in the tradition of lavish, early 20th century lawn parties that took place at elite country estates. Ladies can don their fanciest hats and gloves, and gents can wear their swankiest suits. However, none of the above is required. Whether you sport vintage, modern or business attire, you’ll enjoy sipping a cocktail on the picturesque lawn and socializing with old and new friends and colleagues. Raffles, games and prizes for best hats are also part of the fun. The Committee of the Museums of Oglebay Institute hosts Spring Spirits to raise funds for the Mansion and Glass Museums. Tickets are $25. Purchase online or call 304-242-7272. www.oionline.com
LUNCH WITH BOOKS
Author Eliot Parker, president of the W.Va. Writer’s Association, will discuss Appalachian themes in fictional writing using examples from his books at noon Tuesday, May 15, at Lunch With Books at the Ohio County Public Library. His books include: “Fragile Brilliance,” a police thriller that sheds light on the methods that crime organizations use to market highly addictive drugs in unsuspecting cities; “Breakdown at Clear River,” a tale of suspicious deaths, drugs and compromised investigations at a West Virginia college; and “The Prospect,” a minor league baseball drama full of small-town secrets set in the imaginary (but not improbable) community in West Virginia. Parker, an assistant professor of English, just released his first book of a new series titled “Code for Murder.” He is also working on a sequel to “Fragile Brilliance,” titled “A Knife’s Edge.” Lunch With Books programs are free and open to the public. Attendees are welcome to bring a bag lunch, and complimentary beverages are provided. 304-232-0244, www.ohiocountylibrary.org
TAKE OFF YOUR SHOES
Skyflight Productions presents an evening with the Barefoot Movement on Thursday, May 10, at the Albert S. George Youth Center at Barnesville Memorial Park in Barnesville. The music of the Nashville-based acoustic band takes listeners back to a simpler place and time. Whether you’re seeking emotional ballads or rip-roaring barn-burners, you can expect a collection of music that offers something for everyone. With two full-length albums, an EP of traditional music, several cross-country tours and appearances at some of the top bluegrass festivals in the U.S. already under their belt, the possibilities for this act are endless.The group has enjoyed almost non-stop touring including a trip to Burkina Faso, Africa, where they were guests of the American Embassy, and in September of 2014, they received a Momentum Award, naming them “Band of the Year” by the International Bluegrass Music Association. Doors will open at 7:30 p.m., and show will begin at 8 p.m. Tickets are $12. 423-276-2653 or Skyflight Productions on Facebook.
NOTHING FANCY
The Pennyroyal Opera House presents a bluegrass show on Friday, May 11. Nothing Fancy will perform; opening act is Common Ground. Doors open at 5 p.m.; the show starts at 7 p.m. www.pennyroyalbluegrass.com
