Mar 13-20, 2019
Skate the City: Concrete Structures and Urban Spaces Transform into Accessible — and Iconic — Local Skate Spots
Cincinnati Transportation Officials Unveil Long-Awaited Traffic Study
Two-and-a-half years after asking for a study of downtown's traffic patterns, Cincinnati City Council is finally getting some answers — and finding a few more questions. The city's Department of Transportation and Engineering today presented to council's Major Projects and Smart Government Committee the results of three separate studies that consider traffic flow and how…
Washington Platform’s Annual Oyster Festival Returns for the 33rd Year
The Washington Platform Saloon & Restaurant is transforming into a Midwestern oceanside retreat from March 29 through May 11 during its 33rd annual Oyster Festival. More than 40 fresh and fancy (and kind of odd) oyster varieties prepared by chef/owner Jon Diebold and staff will grace the menu, including dishes like: Oyster Peckers: Fried oysters…
The Best Of Cincinnati Celebration Takes Over All Three Floors of The Phoenix with Food, Fun and Booze
Best Of Cincinnati gets bigger every year and 2019 is no exception. Our annual bash to fete our favorite people, places and things is taking over all three floors of The Phoenix with a plethora of local food and drink samples. Try bites from the likes of The BonBonerie, Eli’s BBQ, Camp Washington, Dewey’s, Holtman’s…
The University of Cincinnati Hosts a Conversation with Karamo Brown from ‘Queer Eye’
Karamo Brown, from Netflix’s hit series Queer Eye, heads to the University of Cincinnati campus for a conversation and free question and answer session. Brown will discuss his life and career — and his new book, Karamo: My Story of Embracing Purpose, Healing and Hope — and then the audience will have a chance to…
Market Bleu Takes Over the Contemporary Arts Center with an Evening Pop-Up Full of Vendors
Head to the Contemporary Arts Center to peruse fine arts and crafts at this quarterly night market. Market Bleu features a hand-selected collection of local and regional artisans from cities including Cincinnati, Louisville, Lexington, Philadelphia and Virginia. Grab a drink from the CAC bar while you shop. 6-10 p.m. Saturday (March 23). Free admission. Contemporary…
Mutt Madness at Washington Park Welcomes Spring with a Dog Party and Pet Adoption Event
So now that spring has melted away your frozen winter heart, it’s time to think about how much better your life would be with a (or another) dog. Sure, they come with a lot of responsibility, but that’s exactly what you need to thrive in this crazy human world: our own problems seem insignificant while…
Macaron Day Cincinnati Offers Free Macarons from Local Bakeries and a Chance to Give Back
Every day is a good day to eat macarons, but the French confection is so beloved that 13 local bakeries have coordinated to celebrate macarons across the city on Saturday. Macaron Day Cincinnati is not only about devouring an assortment of the delicious meringue cookie sandwiches (even though that’s what we’re really most excited about),…
Lewis Black Brings His The Joke’s On Us Tour to the Taft Theatre
“It’s just great; everything is just great,” Lewis Black grumbles into his cellphone. “It’s the same thing all over again but badly done. No facts, no reporting, no sense of what the truth is, no one stepping up. The level of madness has not changed.” For his The Joke’s on Us tour, Black is taking…
Cincinnati Rollergirls Take Over Xavier’s Schmidt Memorial Fieldhouse for Their Home Opener
The Cincinnati Rollergirls have an upcoming double-header for their season home opener. The Cincinnati Black Sheep play Brandywine Roller Derby at 6 p.m. followed by an 8 p.m. match between the Cincinnati Violent Lambs and the Brandywine B team. Doors open at 5 p.m. and make sure to go early as the first 50 fans…
The Cincinnati Ballet Presents Stravinsky’s ‘Firebird’ and ‘The Rite of Spring’ at Music Hall
Iconic instrumentation and haunting choreography intersect with the Cincinnati Ballet’s ephemeral double feature of The Firebird and The Rite of Spring. Both performances are choreographed by the ballet’s acclaimed resident choreographer, Adam Hougland, and scored by preeminent 20th-century Russian composer Igor Stravinsky. Rite of Spring’s unorthodox arrangements infamously debuted in Paris in 1913 and elicited…
Dojo Geleato Northside Opens for the Season with a Party Featuring Tweens, Raging Nathans, Urban Artifact and More
Scorching summer days are steadily approaching, and one surefire sign of seasonal change is the return of Dojo Gelato’s Northside creamy whip. To celebrate its opening day, local Trash Pop and Punk bands Tweens and the Raging Nathans, respectively, will be performing and Dojo’s Northside neighbor, Urban Artifact, will be donating beer as flavorful as…
The Mercantile Library Hosts a Signing for ‘Cincinnati’s 150-Year Opening Day History: The Hoopla Started with a Parade’
It’s almost time for Cincinnati to celebrate perhaps its most personal holiday: Opening Day. This year marks 150 years of the Cincinnati Reds playing baseball in the major league. The Mercantile Library is celebrating a century and a half of Queen City baseball with a book signing and discussion of Cincinnati’s 150-Year Opening Day History:…
The Contemporary Arts Center Hosts a Macrame Learning Class
Head to the Contemporary Arts Center to learn the art of macrame — a textile tradition that involves tying a series of ornamental knots in rope or other fibers to create everything from wall hangings to plant holders. In this class, you’ll learn basics to create macrame works at home. Class includes tools, a teacher…
Watch the Full Moon Rise Over the Cincinnati Observatory During the Spring Equinox
The Cincinnati Observatory invites people of all ages to watch the full moon rise over Cincinnati on March 20 — the day of the 2019 Spring Equinox, aka the first day of spring. Tours of the observatory buildings and telescope viewings of the evening and night sky will be included. Guests are asked to bring…
Julia Petiprin and Catherine Manabat Announce Opening Date for Their New Retro-Inspired OTR Homemaker’s Bar
Cincinnati hospitality mavens Julia Petiprin and Catherine Manabat have officially announced an opening date and name for their new Over-the-Rhine bar and gathering place: Homemaker's Bar will open at the corner of 13th and Walnut streets in June. Former Los Angelenos turned passionate Cincinnatians, Petiprin, director of operations and design for Circle Hospitality Group and its first…
Veteran SoCal Punk Band Swingin’ Utters Play Cincinnati in Support of Its Most Overtly Political Album to Date, ‘Peace and Love’
Even with a seven-year gap in their existence, it’s extraordinary that Swingin’ Utters are still throwing down some of the best SoCal Punk an incredible 32 years after their formation in Santa Cruz, California. They were originally known as Johnny Peebucks and the Swingin’ Utters, fronted by the inimitable Johnny Bonnel; the name survived a…
Attention Greater Cincinnati Musicians: 2019 Tiny Desk Contest Entries Are Now Being Accepted
At the recent South By Southwest music showcase/conference in Austin, Texas, NPR Music announced that entries are now being accepted for 2019's Tiny Desk Contest, in which musical acts from across the country submit videos to get in the running for their very own Tiny Desk Concert… and a considerable career boost. The winners of…
In its Historic 150th Season, the Cincinnati Reds Dive Head-First into 2019 with Higher-Than-Usual Hopes
Baseball’s first professional team, our very own Cincinnati Reds, are gearing up to celebrate their 150th season this summer. That alone is a reason to rally, for sure. But beyond that commemoration, there is a lot more that has local baseball fans buzzing. First and foremost, the team has made a serious effort to attract…
Money Chicken Finds a Sweet (and Spicy) Spot in the Local Chicken-Shack Scene
Money Chicken is the most recent addition to the proliferation of fast-casual chicken-centric restaurants in Cincinnati. We may, in fact, be edging toward critical mass. But luckily, the brainchild from the team behind Pleasantry OTR occupies its own space in the local Venn diagram of chicken, fast-casual and heat factor. “It’s confirmation of demand, if…
The Baker’s Table Brings Seasonal Farm-to-Table Breakfast, Brunch and Lunch to Newport
A cozy new brunch spot has cropped up on Monmouth Street in Newport, nestled behind the bright windows of a garage-door-style front: The Baker’s Table has been serving local, seasonal cuisine to the masses since December 2018. “I wanted to make everything from scratch — and make the bread to serve it on,” says chef…
Presidential Candidate Beto O’Rourke Makes Early Campaign Stop in Northern Ohio
The joke at Gino's Cento Anno, a blue-collar dive on the south and windward side of Cleveland's industrial valley where Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke made a pit stop Monday, was that two hours before his scheduled arrival, the TVs were all playing Fox News. By 3:30 p.m., the planned start time for O'Rourke's remarks,…
Sundry and Vice Team to Open Comfort Station Cocktail Bar in a Century-Old Walnut Hill’s Rest Area
The team behind creative OTR apothecary cocktail destination Sundry and Vice is opening up a second space: Comfort Station in Walnut Hills. Officially opening June 28*, Comfort Station is another fun concept bar located in a former "Public Comfort Station," a century-old building once used as a rest area and bathing house along the Walnut…
Dogs Ride Free at Skystar Wheel’s ‘Bark at the Wheel’ Adoption Event
Ride the Skystar observation wheel at The Banks with your favorite furry friend during Bark at the Wheel. Skystar and a collection of local vendors and businesses are hosting a dog-centric adoption event from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on April 7 with food, entertainment, learning opportunities and much more. Dog owners are invited to take…
Heavy Cincinnati Rockers Valley of the Sun Gear Up for the Release of Their Third Album, ‘Old Gods’
Superb and sublimely heavy Cincinnati Rock group Valley of the Sun will release its third full-length album, Old Gods, on May 24 via Swedish label Fuzzorama Records. You can pre-order the album on vinyl here and on CD here. Check out the various Old Gods packages and new merch from the band here. The album…
Lloyd Library Sets its Sights on Medical Cannabis in Upcoming Exhibition
The legalization of medical marijuana is a hot topic blazing its way across the United States — so it makes sense that it's the subject of an upcoming exhibition at downtown's Lloyd Library and Museum. After all, the two go way back: Prior to prohibition, the Lloyd Brothers Pharmacists manufactured the botanical drug, among others, in the Queen…
Iron & Wine’s Sam Beam Talks Recreating and Reinventing His ‘Our Endless Numbered Days’ with David Campbell and Members of the CSO
Sam Beam may well be the closest anyone has come to being America’s Nick Drake, a comparison he accepts as a great compliment. Luckily, the comparison doesn’t extend to Drake’s frustration and depression due to his complete obscurity at the time of his three brilliant releases. Beam, in his performing guise as Iron & Wine,…
Minimum Gauge: Lamb of God’s Randy Blythe Organizes Colorful Kazoo Army to Drown Out Westboro Baptist Church Hate
HOT: Kazoos Against Hate While people seem to be more emboldened in their bigotry and hatred in the late 2010s, the members of the Westboro Baptist Church — known for protesting funerals and holding signs with slogans like “God hates fags” — have been publicly showcasing their ignorance and hate for years now. A couple…
A Stravinsky Double-Header Soars into Cincinnati Ballet
In Cincinnati Ballet’s upcoming Director’s Cut — which features Stravinsky’s famed The Firebird and The Rite of Spring — something, in particular, stands out. And it’s not just the fact that it’s the first time these two works have been performed on the same bill by the company or that Adam Hougland has choreographed both.…
Avant Garde Jazz Artist Amirtha Kidambi Plays First In-Store Show at Torn Light Records’ New Location
Vocalist Amirtha Kidambi is a captivating New York-based artist who uses her instrument in incredibly imaginative and unexpected ways. Her music is “Jazz” in spirit and tone — with a heavy streak of Indian music running throughout — but there is little conventional in the way she brings sounds together in her various projects, bending…
The Rhythm is Gonna Get You in Latin-Infused ‘On Your Feet!’
A generation or so ago when I listened to Pop music on the radio (don’t judge me, that was the norm), my attention was caught by a new, infectious presence: the Miami Sound Machine, featuring Gloria Estefan as its lead singer. The band’s 1985 hit, “Conga,” turned a lot of heads with its unapologetic throbbing…
Walnut Hills Redevelopment Foundation Searches for Grocery Store Operator
Two years after the closure of its Kroger left Walnut Hills without a grocery store, the Walnut Hills Redevelopment Foundation is looking for someone to step into that void. The potential grocery won't occupy the 33,000-square-foot former Kroger building, WHRF says — but the foundation will announce a possible use for that building soon. Instead,…
A ‘Brick Bar’ Built with One Million LEGOs is Coming to Cincinnati
It’s safe to assume that one of the worst memories from anyone’s childhood is the unforgettable pain felt when a bare foot harshly collided with a stray LEGO brick. But the creative joy these colorful interlocking blocks have inspired since first being sold over six decades ago has been so great, we’ve willingly overlooked the…
Millennial Nostalgia Abounds in Hulu’s ‘PEN15’
Were you ever a member of the PEN15 club? Did you prefer Gelly Roll or Milky pens? Are you tired of people assuming you love avocado toast and hate homeownership? At the risk of evoking Jeff Foxworthy, you might be a millennial. And you might love PEN15 (Hulu). Co-creators (along with Sam Zvibleman) Maya Erskine…
Chabot Announces Town Halls for Cincinnati-Area Constituents Tonight and Tomorrow
U.S. Rep. Steve Chabot will hold four town halls for constituents, The Cincinnati Enquirer reports. But you should clear your calendar quickly if you want to chime in — those events are today and tomorrow. Last month, Chabot launched the first in-person town halls he's held since 2014, visiting Lincoln Heights, Sayler Park and Crosby…
‘Radical Visibility’ Brings Garments for the Full Spectrum of Gender, Ability and Size to The Carnegie
As a clothing designer, Sky Cubacub has style on the mind but conversely has no interest in being fashionable. In fact, that word suggests the opposite of Cubacub’s vision, which is to develop gender non-conforming clothes and accessories for people on the full spectrum of identity, size and ability. “Fashionable is all about being able…
Memorial Hall Hosts First Good Discovery(s) Festival — Which Champions Civic Art and Design
Good Discovery(s) was founded on a simple premise: to connect attendees with creatives making a positive impact in their respective communities, be it through civic art, design or tech. At the helm is Steven Ramos — founder of SR Media — who also championed Cincinnati’s First Podcast Festival last November. Good Discovery(s) uses a similar…
Alternative Music Icon Adam Ant to Play ‘Friend or Foe’ Album In Its Entirety In Cincinnati This September
Alternative music legend Adam Ant is doing a month-long tour of the U.S. this September that includes a Sept. 11 date at Cincinnati's Taft Theatre. Ant will perform in full for the first time his 1982 debut solo album Friend or Foe. The album came out following the massive success (and then breakup) of iconic…
On-The-Rise Indie Pop Singer/Songwriter Jerry Paper Comes to Cincinnati in Support of Latest Album, ‘Like A Baby’
Last we heard from Jerry Paper, the L.A.-based singer/songwriter had logged an appearance on Tyler, the Creator’s Grinch-inspired Christmas EP, crooning about hot chocolate and jigsaw puzzles over orchestral production. Novelty tracks like this would usually be an outlier in an artist’s discography, but not in Paper’s case. His latest LP, Like a Baby, is…
Study: Homes In Greater Cincinnati’s Black Communities Devalued
Homes in the Cincinnati Metropolitan Area's predominantly black neighborhoods appraise for roughly $10,000 less than comparable homes in majority white neighborhoods, according to new research from national think tank the Brookings Institution. Brookings' study looked at home values in 113 metropolitan areas across the country, comparing the values in neighborhoods that are 50 percent or…
The World’s Greatest Facepainted Rap Duo, Insane Clown Posse, Returns to Cincinnati This May
On the heels of the release of their latest album, Fearless Fred Fury (which is, obviously, the "fourth Joker Card in the second Deck of the Dark Carnival"), Insane Clown Posse will be pulling through Cincinnati on May 10 for a show at Riverfront Live (the former Annie's on Kellogg Ave.). The infamous Rap duo…
Cincinnati Native Bryce Dessner of The National Shares New Track “Haven” From His Forthcoming Classical Album, ‘El Chan’
Bryce Dessner — a Cincinnati native and guitarist for internationally renowned Indie Rock band The National — has unveiled a new Classical work from his forthcoming solo album, El Chan, which will be released April 5 on Deutsche Grammophon. The twirling, serpentine "Haven" — a new work written for two pianos and two guitars —…
‘Lion King,’ ‘Mean Girls’ and ‘Book of Mormon’ Head to the Aronoff for Broadway in Cincinnati’s 2019-2020 Season
Cincinnati is just getting over the madness of Hamilton, but it’s already time to look ahead to the 2019-2020 season of touring Broadway musicals. Broadway in Cincinnati has a line-up of several new shows — three are still onstage in New York City — alongside some tried and true hits. Here’s the rundown, in chronological…
Ohio Senate Passes ‘Heartbeat’ Bill
The Ohio Senate yesterday voted 19-13 to pass a bill that would ban abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected — as soon as six weeks after conception. It's not the first time the restrictions — which, if passed, would be among the strictest in the country — have come before the Ohio General Assembly.…
Where to Find Kegs and Eggs and Other Saint Patrick’s Day Parties in Cincinnati
FRIDAY 15 Nicholson’s Saint Patrick’s Day Weekend — Celebrating their fellow United Kingdom friend, this Scottish bar is getting in the Irish mood by throwing a three-day St. Patty’s Day celebration with live music from Ashley Lilly, Crown Watts and Mike Oberst. There will also be drink specials all weekend with $5 Irish Sinkers, $5 Jameson…
Holiday Spirits Bar and Forty Thieves Arab/Israeli Street Food Spot Sets Opening Date in OTR
Holiday Spirits and its in-house street food eatery Forty Thieves is slated to open Tuesday, March 19 — just in time for the first day of spring and the Opening Day Parade (the building sits right on the parade route). Helmed by Dan Wright and his wife Lana (of Senate, Abigail Street and Pontiac Bourbon…
Cincinnati to Host USBG Lux Row Distillers Bourbon Battle Cocktail Competition
Bourbon is a singularly American iteration of whiskey with an especially storied history in Kentucky, where they’ve been commercially distilling the potent brown liquor since 1783. To legally distinguish itself from other varieties of whiskey, bourbon must be made in the USA, have a mix of grains containing at least 51 percent corn, and be…
The Esquire Hosts Two Screenings of ‘The Room’ on March 22 — Bring Your Spoons
Get ready to unleash all the stupid comments from your pocket at the Esquire’s two screenings of 2003’s immortal cult classic, The Room. Enter Tommy Wiseau’s, um, off-kilter vision of San Francisco by boning up on your pigskin tossing skills, slipping into your best ill-fitting tux and pregaming with a stiff scotchka (not actually recommended).…
East Walnut Hills’ O Pie O Offers Free Slices of Pie for Math Teachers and Other Specials for Pi Day
East Walnut Hills' O Pie O has been in the business of whipping up incredibly delicious pies for the past half-decade or so, first taking on the streets of Findlay Market with a pop-up shop, then opening a brick-and-mortar near the burgeoning Woodburn Avenue in 2015. While originally famous for their sweet pies, O Pie…
Nelly Comes to Northern Kentucky’s BB&T Arena for Make-Up Date, with Aaron Carter Replacing Juvenile as Opener
A member of the St. Louis Hip Hop collective St. Lunatics, Nelly found huge success with his first solo album, Country Grammar, which went to No. 1, fueled by the success of the title track. His 2002 follow-up, Nellyville, produced the huge hits “Hot in Herre” and the Kelly Rowland-featuring “Dilemma.” Both singles spent several…
Metal Pioneers Anvil Rumble Into Greater Cincinnati This Friday
Anvil’s profile in the Metal community has risen immeasurably over the past 10 years thanks to a film documentary and subsequent book about their history. But the Canadian band was actually forged (Get it? Anvil? Forged?) when vocalist/guitarist Steve Kudlow and drummer Robb Reiner met in their Toronto high school in 1973 and decided to…
Cincinnati Metal Band Blessed Black Gears Up for Its Imminent ‘Beyond the Crimson Throne’ Album Release
Bringing a new band into a local music scene and being successful can rely on many “lightning in a bottle” moments. A surprise radio hit or a lucky write-up in a favorite local altweekly newspaper. Perhaps a few small gigs gain the group some traction through homegrown word of mouth? Maybe there’s a friendly callout from…
Know Theatre’s Andrew J. Hungerford Goes Nuclear with Cutting-Edge Play ‘Sand’
"It's now the sixth of August 1945. She is alone. god, my head. At 8:15 in the morning, everything is quiet. The house is still. Thirty-one thousand feet above her, there is a single aircraft. In forty-three seconds, the bomb it has released will have fallen twenty-nine thousand feet and will detonate above the city.…
