From excellent cuisine to top-notch local musicians, there is so much to love about Cincinnati. And during the summertime, there are tons of great opportunities to celebrate our local culture! Each month brings a new lineup of fun festivals, inviting locals to taste, dance and parade their way through town. We rounded up the summer events we are most looking forward to in town this summer, including a few music festivals, some craft beer gatherings and even two occasions celebrating goetta. Get ready to make this a summer to remember!
As one of Cincinnati's most highly anticipated events, the Appalachian Festival draws approximately 10,000 people over Mother's Day weekend each year. The event takes place at Coney Island and celebrates Appalachian culture with dancing, storytelling, crafts and demonstrations.
Lovers of spicy wings, ramen, dim sum, sushi and other flavorful Asian dishes will love this local festival. The event takes place in Washington Park in Cincinnati's Over-the-Rhine neighborhood, and will feature way more food than you can eat — all cooked by local chefs and aspiring restaurateurs! Between bites, you can also enjoy live music and demonstrations.
Taste of Cincinnati is by far the largest foodie festival in Cincinnati year-round, showcasing more than 50 local restaurants and food trucks serving up their best bites. Meander through the streets of downtown Cincinnati, eating your treat of choice and dancing along to live performances at six stages along Fifth Street.
Artists and production companies from all over the world will flock to Cincinnati this May for the Cincy Fringe Festival, which features more than 200 live shows at multiple Over-the-Rhine venues. The festival will span a two week period, and performances will be anything but boring. Instead, performers will embrace all that is quirky and peculiar — otherwise known as the fringe of artistic expression.
Come hungry to the CFTA Food Festival, which will feature an impressive lineup of Cincinnati food trucks serving a variety of delicious cuisine. You can also enjoy live music from several local bands throughout the day!
The USA Today Network will bring the Wine and Food experience to Cincinnati on June 16th as one of several events being hosted around the country. Featuring respected local chefs (and their signature dishes), food purveyors, and wine and craft beer, it is bound to be a classy and fun tasting experience. Also, look forward to a visit from acclaimed chef, author and TV personality Graham Elliot, a co-host and judge of Bravo TV's "Top Chef." You can find the growing list of participating local restaurants on the website.
Featuring names like The Chainsmokers, Blink-182, Jack White, Griz, Foster the People and Incubus, the Bunbury Music Festival is sure to be a huge hit among music aficionados. Set along the banks of the Ohio River, the event will span multiple stages and include local vendors and a craft beer garden.
Coney Island is a quintessential summertime activity for Cincinnati residents, and Summerfair is a perfect way to visit the park and give a warm welcome to summer all at once! The festival will feature more than 300 local artists, live music, dancing, a kids' area and plenty of food from local vendors.
Founded in 1978, this nationally recognized car show highlights an impressive lineup of spectacular (and often historic) cars and motorcycles. Here, you'll find automobiles that span decades of Camaro, Firebird, Ford and so much more. They're all displayed in the scenic Ault Park, and while you're looking around, you can enjoy a cold brew or a bite from local breweries and vendors.
Goetta (a delightful breakfast sausage made with meat and steel-cut oats) was brought to the area by early German immigrants, and has since been a breakfast staple in the Greater Cincinnati region. If you've never tried this delicacy, Goettafest is the perfect opportunity to see what all of the fuss is about. Hosted in the charming MainStrasse Village in Covington, Kentucky, the event invites you to enjoy burgers, donuts, brownies, hot dogs, omelets, chili, tacos and more — all made with goetta!
Wear your most colorful outfit and come celebrate love in all of its forms at the Cincinnati Pride parade and festival! It all kicks off on Friday, June 8th with Pride Night at the Great American Ball Park, which will conclude with a spectacular fireworks show. Then on June 23rd, come enjoy the parade downtown!
This one-of-a-kind festival will take place at Sawyer Point, one of Northern Kentucky's premier outdoor venues, and will feature fun musical acts from all over the country! While you're listening, enjoy beverages and bites from local vendors. And we haven't even gotten to the best part yet — admission is completely free!
This popular event puts a healthier twist on a beer festival, showcasing locally sourced and creatively prepared cuisine from your favorite restaurants alongside an abundance of craft beer. While you're sampling, tap along to live music from two incredible home-grown acts, Doc Robinson and Buffalo Wabs & The Price Hill Hustle.
The Cincinnati Music Festival (presented by P&G) is the largest R&B festival in the region, and one of the largest in the country! It all kicks off with a '90s-themed party on Thursday night with live music and a fashion show, and the following concerts on Friday and Saturday nights will feature names like Boyz II Men, Charlie Wilson, Jill Scott and The Roots.
Goetta, a meat and grain mix pronounced "get-uh," is a local delicacy meant to be celebrated. And that's just what this festival was created for! Glier's Goettafest is the largest goetta festival in the world and allows you to sample a large variety of foods made with the beloved mixture. In fact, all food vendors are required to mix it into their offerings! Between bites, enjoy carnival games, craft beer, life music and a fireworks show. Bonus: Admission to the festival is completely free!
The Ohio River Paddlefest invites nearly 2,000 paddlers to travel down the Ohio River. Along the course, paddlers can explore local wonders (like the historic Mill Creek), paddle under the city's iconic bridges, marvel at the skyline and soak in the late-summer sunshine. Halfway through the course, there will be a "Halfway Celebration" on the Covington shoreline, featuring live music and refreshments. And everyone is invited to the Finish Line Festival at Gilday Riverside Park, complete with craft beer, food trucks and local vendors.
Beer meets comedy at this local festival, which will return to Sawyer Point Park for its 12th year in August! The event will feature more than 110 beers, ciders and wines, as well as more than 80 comedians on four stages. Bring your friends, grab a drink and get some belly laughs in!
Have fun this summer!
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