The May Festival celebrated its 150th anniversary with “25 For 25,” a brilliant tribute to the Festival’s history of commissioning new works that saw 25 commissions written by young female, non-binary or gender non-conforming composers, all alumni of Luna Composition Lab. Each piece was written for a specific choral group and the conductors worked closely with their respective composers. The March concert showcased the composers’ remarkable skills in setting texts and creating challenging, exciting choral sounds. The energy was palpable and gave another reason to celebrate a city that sings. mayfestival.com.

Creative House of Art and Design (or CHAD, named after the owner) is an art store in Mainstrasse that sells a lot of gay-themed art, like stickers and Pride flags, but in the back they have a small bar and patio. During the summer, they offer very strong boozy slushies. Sip on one while shopping for penis coasters. creativehousead.com.

One of the most beloved breweries and most beloved bakeries in town working together on a special brew? Yes, please. Covington’s Braxton Brewing Co.’s Opera Cream Stout was inspired by The BonBonerie’s iconic Opera Cream Torte. The beer features chocolate and caramel malts and is finished with The BonBonerie’s opera cream coffee, roasted by Seven Hills Coffee Roasters. With flavors of milk chocolate, sweet cream and vanilla, this indulgent milk stout is almost more dessert than beverage. What a sweet way to celebrate Cincinnati. braxtonbrewing.com & bonbonerie.com.

In fantasy literature, all the best quests begin in a tavern. It’s where villagers gather ‘round tables with mead in hand, trading tales, or where a weary traveler stops for a drink and meal only to have their plans upturned by a wizened, old man with a task only they can do. These taverns are at the heart of the setting and the story, because, as the founders of Fabled Brew Works in Erlanger understand, taverns — or, in its case, a brewery — are more than just drinking establishments. A small craft brewery and meadery, Fabled Brew Works opened its doors last June. The interior features rich fantasy-setting elements, with decor that makes you feel like you’re drinking in a sylvan glade or just outside a witch’s apothecary. As for the taplist, the brewery and meadery puts its focus on fruit-forward beers and things you don’t find a whole lot of in the region: bold stouts, meads and dessert-inspired varieties, with names straight from a storybook. fabledbrewworks.beer.

As part of its summer concert series, “The Brady Block Parties,” the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra hosted a celebration of King Records in the community where the record label was founded, Evanston. Led by Cincinnati Pops conductor John Morris Russell, they played tributes to artists who recorded at King Records, including Bonnie Lou (“Seven Lonely Days”); Mary Lou Williams (Zodiac Suite); The Jewels (“Opportunity”); and “Big Maybelle” Smith (“Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On”). The block party in Evanston served as an approachable way to teach those in attendance more about King Records’ musical legacy here in the Queen City. cincinnatisymphony.org.

For those who braved the rain for the Pride Month Brady Block Party, you were lucky enough to witness one of the most special collabs Cincinnati has put together: Thorgy Thor with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. An NYC-based drag performance artist (who you may know from RuPaul’s Drag Race) and accomplished violinist, Thorgy Thor combined her love for drag and classical music with CSO’s first-ever community Pride concert. Taking place at the ICON Festival Stage at Smale Park, Thorgy Thor strutted out in a hot pink blazer and her iconic larger-than-life wig, complete with an industrial-strength fan for hair-blowing-in-the-wind realness. The program spanned classical favorites with plenty of modern renditions blended in, from Beyonce’s “Crazy In Love” to Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way,” all proclaiming the reason for the season: love is love. cincinnatisymphony.org.

The mixologists at Knowledge Bar in Covington sometimes make food-based cocktails. Last fall, mixologist Kelsey St. Clair devised one with squash puree, and Dana Hagedorn created one with a scoop of sorbet in it. Besides the meal-in-itself cocktails, their drinks are creative, and they come with a complimentary olive and crackers tray and fun conversations. hotelcovington.com/dining/knowledge-bar-social-room.

Despite the fact that Cincinnati musician Mol Sullivan has been making music for two decades, she only just released her first full-length effort, Goose, in January of 2024. The wait was worth it. Throughout its 11 songs, the album invites listeners on an intimate sonic journey inside Sullivan’s world, from getting sober to dealing with heartbreak. Her record release show at Woodward Theater truly showcased her impact on the city as the venue filled nearly to capacity with dozens of fans, collaborators and mentors all listening eagerly to the culmination of a decade of songwriting for Sullivan. “I feel like because it’s a smaller city, everybody feels very visible, so it can feel very vulnerable and intimidating to be seen trying to succeed,” Sullivan told CityBeat in an earlier interview. “But fuck it, I’m trying and I’m doing. I’m choosing to do things myself rather than waiting on maybe a label having interest.” molsullivan.com.

Just around the corner from the timelessness and charm of Hyde Park Square is Unwind Wine Bar in the center of Hyde Park. The outdoor courtyard that you enter through has the feel of a coastal city, but the inside is a dimly lit, mood-inducing bar and lounge with a central fireplace. Something about it feels like you're in a relaxed, posh bar in the ‘90s — not because it’s dated, in any way. The ‘90s house music and atmosphere lend themselves to a simpler time before cell phones, the internet and social media, a time when you stepped into places like this and that place, time and the people you were with were all that mattered, when we existed only at the place we were at. They have an extensive wine list, as you’d imagine, and do wine flights and, also, a great curated beer selection including some of the finer European beers like La Chouffe and Chimay, a great cheese board filled with variety, as well as other light foods. unwindhydepark.com.

Richard Ringer, a musician previously in local band Injecting Strangers, released his first solo album, Crown of Worms, in May 2023. While record release shows are fairly commonplace, Ringer set out to make the release show for his album entirely unique — by hypnotizing concertgoers. That’s right, when Ringer is not making music, he is a professional hypnotist, helping patients overcome a variety of obstacles and issues through hypnotherapy. “I’m going to get a group of people in a trance state, and then once there I will do embedded commands,” Ringer told CityBeat in an interview prior to the show. “I’ll give them certain triggers that will have them respond to signals. Then when the signals happen, they’ll consciously remember that and it will come out.” instagram.com/richard_ringer.

Cincinnati might be landlocked, but the open-air beach bar floating on the Four Seasons Marina along the Ohio River on the east side of town, Pirate’s Cove Tropical Bar & Grill, is equipped with a partial sand floor and palm trees that make it feel a lot more like a beach party somewhere along the coast. The live band plays under the main overhang by the sandy dance floor and dining area adjacent to the oversized tiki bar. The atmosphere is loose and good times are easy to come by. piratescovecincy.com.

There were plenty of reasons to throw on a pair of bell bottoms and boogie down in the Queen City throughout 2023. One of the more novel approaches to this boogie fever was Kentucky Symphony Orchestra’s “Boogie Nights” series. Set against the stunning backdrop of Devou Park, the orchestra played celebrated groovy tunes from disco giants like Donna Summer, ABBA, Kool & the Gang, The Bee Gees, The Village People, KC & the Sunshine Band and more. Fingers crossed that the KSO’s next summer series will be just as dance-inducing. kyso.org.

Gabriel Kahane is one of the most underrated all-around performers. A profound, witty lyricist, brilliant pianist and composer, Kahane’s year-long digital hiatus (including a phone) inspired “The Right To Be Forgotten,” co-commissioned by the CSO, the LA Philharmonic and the Oregon Symphony. It had its Cincinnati performance as part of the CSO Proof series in January. Kahane once again demonstrated his mastery of music and words in this caustic and cautionary cantata, performed with a chamber ensemble of CSO musicians. cincinnatisymphony.org.

Patti Smith and her band delivered a powerful performance in the open fall air next to the Ohio River for The National’s Homecoming Festival in September. The performance, like Smith herself, was nuanced and dynamic, at times heartbreakingly sincere and transcendent, at other times humble and hilarious. There are few that can tap into the level of power of performance like Smith. When she says, “we have the power” over corporations, government or war, she means it and the audience feels it, like a wake-up call to the truth. Backed by her band, which included her longtime collaborator Lenny Kaye — a legend in his own right — and her son Jackson Smith from her marriage with the late MC5 guitarist, Fred “Sonic” Smith, she proved just how good rock and roll can be — like anything is possible, just what great art can do. americanmary.com/homecoming.

College Hill is quickly becoming one of Cincinnati’s “it” dining and drinking destinations, with the addition of restaurants like Kiki, El Camino Baking Co. and Sleepy Bee Café nestled among neighborhood anchors like Chung Ching, Marty’s Hops & Vines and Bacalls Café. Another trip-worthy option that opened last year (well, New Year’s Eve 2022) is Big Chill, a cozy bar whose name can be taken two ways — both to describe the laid-back atmosphere or the bar’s walk-up, seasonal soft serve window. Grab a drink from a friendly bartender to enjoy on the massive back patio. While the creative cocktails lean culinary, there’s plenty of beer and a short but extremely interesting wine list. Order their big hands combo: yellow liqueur (probably Licor 43) topped with cream and served in a mini, shot-sized glass stein (it looks like a teeny foam-topped pint) with a Little Kings beer back. It’s adorable and delicious and goes well with the pickle dip and chips from the snack menu. instagram.com/bigchillcincy.

In November 2023, Inhailer Radio brought back the Inspired Music Festival at Woodward Theater, the first time since 2019. The two-day fest showcased an array of 16 local and local-ish bands from all kinds of genres, including Moonbeau and Multimagic. Bands played covers, but also their original songs. The fest fills a void in the local music scene and is a reminder how strong the local scene truly is. inhailer.com.

Wednesdays are for pasta and music at Over-the-Rhine bar Lost & Found’s Spaghetti Nights. Designed to feed both your body and soul, Spaghetti Nights feature plenty of wine and pasta set to a soundtrack spun by local DJs. While it originally started as a way just to bring in more guests on a typically slow night, Lost & Found’s owners Steven Clement and Camilo Otalora said it quickly became much more, with a focus on community and a festive ambiance that kept people coming back. As for the food, the spaghetti is made from scratch and paired with a house-made red sauce or bolognese. There are also vegetarian and gluten-free options, and you can choose spaghetti squash instead of pasta. lostandfoundotr.com.

In 2024, Cincinnati’s most storied bartender, Molly Wellmann, teamed up with Cincinnati’s most storied bar, Arnold’s Bar and Grill, for Tuesdays With Molly, a weekly series of drinks and history lessons. Each Tuesday at Arnold’s, Wellmann features a different cocktail and shares how it ties into Cincinnati’s history, proving everything truly is related to the Queen City one way or another. arnoldsbarandgrill.com.

Thanks to TikTok, cottage cheese has seen a resurgence in the past year. However, Longfellow has had cottage cheese on its menu long before it was trendy to do so. For $3, cottage lovers get a plate of housemade cottage cheese sprinkled with pepper, which is the best way to eat cottage cheese. longfellowbar.com.

Wenzel Whiskey in Covington offers a unique bourbon experience. Here, instead of just imbibing, you can get hands-on and blend your own bottle of the spirit. In a process called “rectifying,” guests get samples of four barrel-strength bourbons sourced from distillers across the U.S. (the distilleries are never revealed, just the state of origin), which they can then combine in different ratios using a pipette and beaker. Like a boozy mad scientist, you can experiment until you create your perfect bourbon. Once you do, Wenzel will bottle it for you to take home, with a custom label. Visit during public blending times or book your own private event, perfect for bachelor (or bachelorette) parties, birthdays, company outings or any small gathering. This year, Wenzel will expand beyond rectifying to start making its own bourbon, becoming the first distillery to operate in Covington since Prohibition. wenzelwhiskey.com.