Soapicks February 24-March 2

Calling all Cincinnati Cinematographers

The Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber is looking for your unique take on Cincinnati USA with its HypeUpCincinnati video contest. Create a fun short film on what you love about Cincinnati and there could be a brand new 42" Plasma TV in it for you. Simply post your work of art to YouTube and fill out an entry form at www.hypeupcincinnati.com by March 6, 2009.

Soapbox will run the winners here on our site.
Prizes include:

• First 50 entrants receive $10 iTunes gift card ($500)
• Grand Prize for First Place – 42-inch Plasma TV (valued at $1000 or more)
• Second Prize for Second Place – Apple iPod Touch (valued at $250 or more)
• Judge's Pick – Flip Video Mino HD Camera (valued at $200 or more)
• YouTube highest-rated - $50 gift certificate
• YouTube most-viewed - $50 gift certificate

Party for a Cause
February 24
Going beyond colorful beads and big heads, The 18th Annual Mardi Gras for Homeless Children is all about giving back. Join the Northern Kentucky Restaurant Association (NKRA) in cooperation with the Greater Cincinnati Restaurant Association (GCRA) at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center for an evening of great food to benefit four local shelters: Bethany House Services, Cincinnati; Brighton Center’s Homeward Bound, Covington; Mercy Franciscan at St. John, Cincinnati; and Welcome House of Northern Kentucky, Inc., Covington. The Mardi Gras celebration includes great food as well as live entertainment with the Pete Wagner Band, an Elvis impersonator and a Mardi Gras parade featuring grand marshal, Anthony Munoz. Get your groove on and help reach this year's goal of $100,000 for the area's homeless children.

Face-off of the Century
February 24
Before it was a big screen hit in Hollywood, the high-pressured film Frost/Nixon was an award-winning Broadway play. Author Peter Morgan and his cast are bringing the scandal back to the stage. Catch Frost/Nixon at the Aronoff Center for the Arts running  for two weeks beginning this Tuesday. Click here for tickets.

Rhythm and Blues
February 27
Feeling blue? We know where you can.  A world-class line-up of blues entertainers is bringing down the house this Friday night at Music Hall as The Cincinnati Blues Festival  presents the music of Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Bobby "Blue" Bland, Alabama blue boy Clarence Carter, Tennessean Latimore, Floyd Taylor, Bobby Rush, and Shirley Brown. This is a one night, once in a lifetime chance to see these Blues legends on stage together. Show starts at 8:30 p.m. Click here for tickets.

Double Feature of Art
February 28
What's better than one awesome art exhibit? Two awesome art exhibits. Country Club- a project-based commercial gallery-is holding receptions this Saturday, starting at 4 p.m., for two brand-new exhibits that are to occupy the gallery's 4,000 square feet until May 16. First is Cheryl Dunn's Spit & Peanut Shells – American Pictures. This exhibit showcases street photography, video and objects documented during Dunn's travels within the U.S. Then there's exhibit #2, Art Thing & the Orgllycreeks & Common Surprise by Antonio Adams. His exhibit features the artist's superheroes, celebrities, newsmakers and portraiture. Be sure to pop into both exhibits while you're there.