Guide to Free Holiday Events in Cincinnati, Ohio

If holiday shopping has left you with an empty bank account, don't worry - there are plenty of festive and, more importantly, FREE ways to celebrate the holidays in Cincinnati, Ohio. From pageants to parades, Cincinnati, Ohio offers a variety of free holiday events throughout the season that are sure to help you make merry.

Musical Events

Blue Ash/Montgomery Symphony Orchestra Holiday Concert, Montgomery Assembly of God, 7950 Pfeiffer Rd., Montgomery. Sunday, December 3, 7:30-9:30 p.m.

This concert, held in one of Cincinnati's northern suburbs, has become an annual tradition. The concert will feature the Festival Sounds of Hanukkah plus the Cincinnati Children's Choir singing holiday favorites. The venue is wheelchair accessible. More information: www.bamso.org.

The Boar's Head and Yule Log Festival, Christ Church Cathedral, downtown Cincinnati, 318 East Fourth St. Performances are 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Saturday, December 30 (the 2 p.m. performance is a dress rehearsal), and 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. Sunday, December 31.

The Boar's Head and Yule Log Festival is the oldest continuing festival of the Christmas season, with roots dating to the thirteenth century. This musical pageant with a cast of 200 is presented free every year as a gift to the people of Cincinnati during the holiday season.

Tickets are free, but they ARE required for all attendees, including children old enough to walk. This year, tickets will be distributed on Saturday, December 9, at 8:30 a.m. at Christ Church Cathedral. Availability of tickets during the public distribution is on a first-come, first-served basis.

For additional information, the ticketing hotline can be reached at 513-621-BOAR (513-621-2627).

Christmas Pageant, God's Bible School and College, 1810 Young St., Cincinnati. December 8-10, 7 p.m. each night.

This performance of the biblical Christmas story features a 100-voice choir, orchestra, and drama team of the College's Musical Division.

Admission is free, but reservations are required, limit 5 per family. Reservations: www.gbs.edu.

Festivals and Fun

Historic Lebanon Horse-Drawn Carriage Parade and Christmas Festival, Lebanon, Ohio. Saturday December 2, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. (parade times: 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.)

Lebanon, Ohio, is located approximately 30 miles north of Cincinnati, but this popular holiday event is worth the trip! Historic buildings provide the perfect backdrop for this growing festival that was featured on Martha Stewart in 2005. More than 145 horse-drawn antique carriages parade through the streets, pulled by miniature horses, Clydesdales, and all kinds of horses in between. The evening parade is a glittering sight to behold, lit by candlelight and gaslights. Families will also enjoy storytelling, musical entertainment, and free photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus.

Lebanon is easily accessible from both I-71 and I-75. More information: www.ci.lebanon.oh.us/calendar/calendar_detail.aspx?rowid=77.

Holiday Xtravaganza, Cincinnati Art Museum, 953 Eden Park Dr., Cincinnati. December 2 and 3, 1-4 p.m. both days.

This 4th annual Holiday Xtravaganza at the Cincinnati Art Museum will celebrate the art of paper! You can meet local artists who use paper in beautiful and unusual ways, make your own paper art, enjoy paper-themed and seasonal performances, be amazed by paper displays in the Great Hall, and more! More information: www.cincinnatiartmuseum.org.

Seasonal Displays

Duke Energy's 61st Annual Holiday Train Display, Main Lobby of the Duke Energy Building, 139 East 4th St., downtown Cincinnati. Opens the Friday after Thanksgiving and runs through December 31. Mondays-Saturdays: 8 a.m.-6 p.m., Sundays: Noon-5 p.m., closed Christmas Day.

This train display, an annual Cincinnati holiday tradition, has entertained more than 9 million visitors since it began in 1946. The Duke Energy/CSX display, one of the largest portable models in the world, includes approximately 300 train cars, 50 locomotives, and 45 color-position light signals on 1,000 feet of track. The display measures 36.5 feet by 47.5 feet long and is authentic "O" gauge in which a quarter-inch on the model is equivalent to one foot on a real train. Rail cars, tracks, and buildings are 1/48th actual size. During the holiday season, the trains will run over 100,000 scale miles. Almost every variety of railroad car that has ever traveled America's railways, from dining cars with tiny tables and chairs to piggyback cars for hauling trucks, can be seen in this holiday display.

Parking is available in nearby garages. For more information, call: 513-287-1500.

Holiday Floral Show: A Holiday Collage, Krohn Conservatory, 2100 Eden Park Dr., Cincinnati. November 18-January 1, 2007. Daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Special Hours: December 8-30, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Christmas Day, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

This holiday show celebrates the season with decorated live trees, highlighting the use of pink, purple, white, and red as traditional holiday colors. Krohn Conservatory also features garden railway trains and replicas of well-known Cincinnati buildings. Visitors will also enjoy the year-round displays of more than 1,000 plant species from around the world, featuring a desert room, palm room, orchid room, and Bonsai display. Free parking. For more information, call: 513-421-5707.