Cincinnati's Great Summer Festivals

Cincinnati is a booming city on the Ohio River. It has a beautiful riverfront development and many outlying suburbs that make it a sprawling place, area-wise. Every spring the city begins to put on events that attract people outdoors after the long, cold winter. And then the summer activities of Memorial Day and July 4th draw large crowds. But there are lots of music productions and outdoor street carnivals scattered over the season and some of these have a special, local touch.

I start off including the famous Cincinnati Summerfair because it's in the top 100 best arts and crafts listing in the country and draws people from all over this region who want to view and purchase quality original art. From metal works to pottery, painting, furniture and sculpture, just about anything you could want to see is here. There will always be tremendous crowds and people look forward to this all year long. This year's fair is on Saturday, May 5th. Look for just about anything here and you'll most likely find it. The organization is so good it's won awards by major civic groups and national arts associations. Take a look at the web site for more information about this huge event.

This year the Meijer's Kids Fest kicks off summer with totally free events for area children and their families on Saturday, June 2, from 11-5 at Sawyer Point. Kids can watch skateboarders flip and twirl and in-line skaters do their thing. This Fair takes place at various cities across the country and Cincinnati is fortunately one ot them. Kids can play frisbie with their dogs, get in on volleyball games, and even romp on the huge outdoor playground set up on the river just for this once-a-year event. For more information on the details of the Festival please contact teresa.theetge@cincinnati-oh.gov at the Police Department's Special Events Unit.

The Macy's Music Festival will take place this year July 27-28. The two-day long event is an outdoor medley of the best R&B, hip-hop and jazz in the music industry today. Headliners like Patti LaBelle, Luther Vandross, Nancy Willson and David Sanborn have performed on the stages here to huge crowds. This Festival has been running every summer for over 40 years and is stronger than ever. They don't allow stroller, alcoholic beverages, coolers, noisemakers or items that could be construed as weapons. QLZ Productions is selling tickets online for this event, so purchase there or email for further instructions: info@qlzprod.com. Depending on seating, these tickets can go for $45 to well over $100. Be prepared to pay premium prices for the best seating.

If Mardi Gras is the last riotous celebration before the long days of Lent begin, Cincinnati's Riverfest, held every year on Labor Day weekend, is the last goodbye to the warm, sunny days of summer fun. It's the city's largest celebration, with vendors selling some wonderful German sausages and other local fare. There are two or more music stages with headliner musical entertainers, and of course the milling crowds, approaching half a million total attendees when all is said and done. Although this is a great family entertainment, it's advisable to keep little children well in tow. The Rail service has a shuttle that takes people from outlying areas because parking can be a real nightmare. The grand finale of everything takes place with the magnificent fireworks display on Sunday evening. Just make sure to plan in advance where you're going to sit and that you don't get separated from one another.