Cover Story
Batter Up! Who Will the Cincinnati Reds Put on the Field at Great American Ball Park in 2022?
Editor’s note: This story is based upon team and league information that was accurate as of press time. As hot-stove season continues, players may find themselves on other teams by the time you read this. It’s a strange time to be a Cincinnati sports fan — as neglected and win-hungry a group as any in…
10 Opening Day Pre-Game Parties Celebrating the Return of the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati takes the Reds’ opening day very seriously, and so do the city’s bars, breweries and parks. After two years of COVID-related cancellations or delays, this year’s opening day was pushed from its original March 31 date to April 12 after the first few series of the 2022 Major League Baseball season were canceled. While the…
Braxton Brewing Co-Founders Open Hit Seekers, a ‘Modern’ Sports Card Shop in Northern Kentucky
Braxton Brewing co-founders and father-and-son-duo Greg and Jake Rouse have combined their dual passions for card collecting and craft beer into their latest business venture with the opening of Hit Seekers Sports Cards in Fort Mitchell. Greg Rouse is a self-proclaimed “card shop guy.” He tells CityBeat in a recent interview that he started collecting sports…
Backstreet Boys Are Bringing ’90s Boy Band Energy to Riverbend Music Center This Summer
Backstreet’s back alright, at least at Riverbend Music Center. The heartthrob 1990s boy band is bringing their DNA World Tour to Cincinnati on July 26. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. April 8 at ticketmaster.com and riverbend.org. The tour, which celebrates Backstreet Boys’ 2019 release DNA, kicks off in Las Vegas and then makes…
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden Is Now Home to Hundreds of Colorful Butterflies
Butterfly enthusiasts, rejoice: The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is now home to 30 species of Neotropical butterflies. The zoo’s Butterfly Aviary, located inside the World of the Insect building, will house butterfly species like tiger leafwing, isabella tiger, pink-spotted cattleheart, malachite and harmonia tiger that boast unique coloring like iridescent blue, turquoise, red, yellow,…
Barry Larkin Is Parade Bound, and 9 Other Cincinnati Stories You May Have Missed This Week
If you thought the last week of March was going to be boring, boy were you wrong. From infuriating legislation to Opening Day prep, the expansion of a Cincinnati landmark to a hometown band seemingly giving us the cold shoulder, this week was packed. And, oh, yeah, CityBeat also published its annual “Best of Cincinnati”…
8 Just-Passed Bills In Kentucky You Should Be Mad About
It happens every year: The legislative session starts out slow. There are some bad ideas being floated around — and some good ones — but they are just that. Ideas. You’d think that the Republican supermajority couldn’t possibly stomach stripping away public assistance, gutting public schools and finding yet another way to restrict abortion in…
9 Things To Do in Cincinnati This Weekend (April 1-3)
Friday, April 1 Cincy Beerfest at Duke Energy Convention Center The 14th-annual Cincy Beerfest is finally ready to tap some kegs and roll out the barrel. Hundreds of local and regional craft beers from 130 breweries will be featured over the three-day beer extravaganza, turning the Duke Energy Convention Center into a massive beer hall,…
A Fake Instagram Account Is Impersonating Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval
If while scrolling through Instagram you get a follow request from Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval, double check the account to verify it’s really him. An imposter has set up a private account and has been lurking through people’s feeds (CityBeat staff included). If you don’t look too closely, it resembles the real deal except for…
Cincinnati Raises Transgender Pride Flag at City Hall; Officials Hint at Adding More Local LGBTQ+ Protections to Municipal Code
A special event on International Transgender Day of Visibility could herald even more good things to come for Cincinnati. On March 31, the city raised the trans pride flag at City Hall for the first time in Cincinnati’s history in recognition of Transgender Day of Visibility. The flag features horizontal pink, blue and white stripes…
Below Zero Lounge to Close Its Doors After 15 Years
Iconic Cincinnati LGBTQ bar Below Zero Lounge has announced it is closing its doors after 15 years of serving the Queen City. Owners Nigel Cotterill and his partner Juan-Carlos Diaz announced on Facebook that they have decided not to renew the lease for Below Zero to “take on a new life adventure.” The bar and…
Cincy Beerfest Brings Hundreds of Craft Beers to the Duke Energy Convention Center This Weekend
Postponed from its originally planned date in January due to a wintry spike in COVID-19 infections, the 14th-annual Cincy Beerfest is finally ready to tap some kegs and roll out the barrel. Hundreds of local and regional craft beers from 130 breweries will be featured over the three-day beer extravaganza, turning the Duke Energy Convention…
Baseball Hall of Famer Barry Larkin Will Be the Grand Marshal of the Cincinnati Reds’ Opening Day Parade
The Cincinnati Reds’ Opening Day Parade is back for 2022, and a fan favorite has been declared the Grand Marshal. Baseball Hall of Famer and former Red Barry Larkin will lead the procession — officially called the “Findlay Market Opening Day Parade” — through the streets of downtown before the Reds take on the Cleveland…
Activist Animal Organization Accuses Cincinnati Zoo of Harming Elephants, Despite Expanded Habitat Under Construction
An animal rights organization has included the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden on its list of worst zoos, but the local zoo says its inclusion is unwarranted. In Defense of Animals (IDA), an organization based in California, ranks the Cincinnati Zoo as the No. 3 worst zoo for elephants, claiming in a press release that…
National Survey Names Cincinnati’s Tacos Locos as the Best Food Truck in Ohio
Forget what you’ve been told. Sometimes, gas station tacos are totally worth it. In a recent survey published by ZenBusiness, Cincinnati food truck Tacos Locos was named the best food truck in Ohio. As food trucks continue to dominate the culinary scene in every major city across America, ZenBusiness embarked upon a quest to discover…
Speed Cushions Are Coming to These 10 Cincinnati-Area Roads
A big infusion of funds could prevent more pedestrian deaths in Cincinnati. Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval, city council member Mark Jeffreys and other officials have proposed a one-time $1 million bump for pedestrian and motorist safety investments after the city saw jumps in pedestrian deaths in recent years. The new money — which would supplement…
Nick Lachey Apologizes After Video Appears to Show Him Trying to Grab a Paparazzi’s Camera Phone
Cincinnati native Nick Lachey apologized on Twitter after a video of an incident between him and a paparazzi was posted on TMZ on March 28. TMZ shared a video of the former Kings Island performer and 98 Degrees member appearing to approach the car of a paparazzi member, who was taking photos of him on the…
Cincinnati Therapy Dog Annie Rose Named 2022’s Cadbury Bunny
Cincinnati-based therapy dog Annie Rose has been voted as this year’s Cadbury Bunny. This is the fourth year in a row that the candy company has held an international contest to choose the star of its annual Easter commercials and the winner of $5,000. English doodle Annie Rose works as a therapy dog visiting nursing…
Republican Candidates for Ohio’s Senate Seat Cling to Falsehoods, Reject Fact Checking from Debate Moderator
In Wilberforce on March 28, all seven of the Republicans vying to replace outgoing U.S. Senator Rob Portman met in a testy but civil debate. Central State University hosted the event, which marked the fourth time in a week and a half that the candidates faced off. With so many meetings in such a short…
Interpol and Spoon Bring Co-Headlining Tour to Cincinnati’s Andrew J Brady Music Center
Some very exciting musical news for the millennial Indie Rocker set: Interpol and Spoon are embarking on a co-headlining North American tour this summer, and it’s stopping in Cincinnati. The Lights, Camera, Factions tour will be at the Andrew J Brady Music Center on Sept. 1. Tickets go on sale 10 a.m. April 1 at…
Cincinnati Chefs to Host Special Pizza Parties at Baker’s Table Bakery
The Baker’s Table Bakery in Newport is hosting three pizza-stuffed nights with local guest chefs as part of a series of monthly “Wednesday night pizza throwdowns,” per a release. Starting March 30, Cincinnati-based chefs will be taking on the challenge of creating their own spin on the signature Baker’s Table Bakery pie. All of the…
Senate Democratic Hopefuls in Ohio Face Off in Debate Over Ukraine, Supreme Court
Three candidates seeking the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate talked Ukraine, Supreme Court, energy policy and other issues in their first debate on March 28. Rep. Tim Ryan, a current congressman and likely front-runner, fended off attacks throughout the debate from Morgan Harper, a progressive lawyer formerly with the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Traci…
Ohio Republicans Ditch Independent Mapmakers, Pass Their Own Redistricting Map Again
In a 4-3 decision, Republican members of the Ohio Redistricting Commission voted March 28 to pass slightly changed versions of Statehouse district maps previously rejected by the Ohio Supreme Court as unconstitutional. In doing so, they abandoned independent mapmakers they had hired. Commissioners said they did this to fulfill their obligation to send a map…
Here’s When Cincinnati Area Drive-In Theaters Are Opening for the 2022 Season
As the weather warms up, Cincinnati area drive-in theaters are beginning to open for the season. Starlite Drive-In in Amelia hosted its first double feature of the year March 18 showing Spiderman: No Way Home and Uncharted. Check out their website and social media to find out about upcoming showings. On April 1, the Dixie…
Joe Burrow Charms Everyone at UFC Event in Columbus, Including Fighter With No Idea Who the Cincinnati Quarterback Is
At this point, is anyone surprised that everybody loves Joe Burrow? The Cincinnati Bengals quarterback headed to Nationwide Arena in Columbus on March 26 for the big UFC event between No. 4-ranked Curtis Blaydes and No. 9-ranked Chris Daukaus, as well as other matchups. On social media, the UFC team shared a video of Burrow waiting for…
Cincinnati Reds Owner Bob Castellini Is All ‘About Winning,’ He Promises Fans
Baseball fans in Cincinnati have been in an uproar as opening day approaches. It happens just about every year, of course. The Cincinnati Reds — or any Major League Baseball team, honestly — trades a few favorite players, fans yell about ownership not caring or investing enough, and then the team either significantly goes over…
Cincinnati Stoner Jazz Quintet Sylmar to Perform at MOTR Pub This Week
A wise sage once noted you can’t come home until you leave. Or words to that effect. At any rate, Cincinnati’s Sylmar has taken those words to heart by hitting the road for their second real tour since a pre-pandemic world actually welcomed and encouraged such news. The self-described Stoner Jazz quintet embarked on a Midwest…
Ohio Voting Rights Groups Advocate for New Primary Date
With just five weeks before the May 3 primary election — and Ohio’s legislative redistricting debacle still not settled — voting-rights groups say it’s time to move the primary date. Today is the deadline for independent mapmakers hired by the Ohio Redistricting Commission to create a new state legislative map, after three others were tossed…
Get Free Cincinnati Storm Spotter Training From the National Weather Service in Wilmington
Here in the Midwest, we don’t always behave like we should when faced with a tornado warning. Instead of heading to our basements with a radio and a helmet, we often run our dumbasses outside to our back yards to figure out if we can see any rotation in person. But the best way to…
Guest Commentary: Kentucky Republicans Are Sinking Medical Marijuana’s Chances Again
It looks like obstructionism from Republican leadership is once again going to derail a path for medical marijuana in Kentucky in 2022, squarely keeping the state’s policies rooted in a long and problematic past. Rep. Jason Nemes, a Republican from Louisville who has been championing Kentucky medical marijuana legislation for the past few years, recently achieved…
Remembering Foo Fighters Drummer Taylor Hawkins, Who Has Died at 50
Taylor Hawkins, the vibrant and maniacal drummer for Foo Fighters, has died while in South America with the band. He was 50 years old. “The Foo Fighters family is devastated by the tragic and untimely loss of our beloved Taylor Hawkins,” reads a message from the band, which they posted to social media on Friday…
Anti-Trans Sports Ban Passes The Kentucky Legislature Despite Opposition
Ignoring the pleas of child trans athletes that had previously testified before the General Assembly, Kentucky lawmakers voted on Thursday to send their anti-trans sports ban bill to Gov. Andy Beshear. The Senate voted 26-9 to concur with the House version of the bill, which will prevent trans student athletes from sixth grade through college…
10 Things To Do in Cincinnati This Weekend (March 25-27)
Friday, 25 Art After Dark Take in a night at the museum with the return of the Cincinnati Art Museum’s Art After Dark cocktail party series. This Friday celebrates the opening of exhibition Black & Brown Faces: Paying Homage To. As the museum’s website explains, “Building on the impact of 2020’s inaugural Black & Brown…
Players Say the Reds Aren’t Investing in Them, and 7 Other Cincinnati Stories You May Have Missed This Week
There’s something about springtime that makes us crave baseball. That must be why we’ve been so preoccupied with the MLB’s — and Cincinnati’s — ongoing trade and free agency drama lately. Below, check out the big baseball headlines, plus news about Cincinnati’s dining, arts, music and culture scenes. Batter Up! Who Will the Cincinnati Reds Put…
Rhinegeist Releases RGBevs Line of Fruity Malt Beverages This Weekend
It’s a beer. No, it’s a cider. No, it’s a seltzer. Still no. Then what the heck is it? Cincinnati brewery Rhinegeist will be releasing a new line of hard craft beverages dubbed “RGBevs” with a party at the taproom from March 25-27. Creating an alcoholic drink category of their own, Rhinegeist describes RGBevs as…
HorrorHound Weekend Brings the Stars of ‘Scream,’ ‘Walking Dead’ and Cult Classics to Sharonville Convention Center
HorrorHound Weekend is almost here and the Sharonville Convention Center’s going to get real spooky thanks to all the talented filmmakers and fans that’ll be in attendance. HorrorHound is both a magazine devoted to the genre and the host of a series of regional conventions that bring in celebrities and pop culture icons from both…
Ohio, Kentucky Lower Flags to Honor Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear have ordered state flags be lowered to half-staff to honor former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. The governors made their announcements Thursday, one day after Albright’s death from cancer. The orders, which follow U.S. President Joe Biden’s similar order for federal buildings, applies to all…
The Rhined Opens Education and Event Space ‘Bloom Room’ in Over-the-Rhine
The Rhined recently opened an education and private event space right next to their Over-the-Rhine cheese shop. Owners Stephanie and Dave Webster, who own The Rhined and Oakley Wines, opened Bloom Room this week. According to The Rhined’s website, the space, which hosts up to 30 people, offers a curated wine list plus a full…
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine Emphasizes Mental Health, Avoids Controversy during Wednesday’s State of the State Address
After two years of wracked by a deadly pandemic and nationwide political turbulence, GOP Gov. Mike DeWine delivered a “State of the State” address on March 23 aimed to force a political system to steadier times. Addressing the legislature, justices on the Supreme Court, ranking state officials, and the state at large, DeWine avoided heated…
Middletown Native J.D. Vance Talks to 50 People at Mellow Mushroom in Quest to Become Ohio’s Next Senator
In between debates, Republican U.S. Senate candidate and Middletown native J.D. Vance is continuing his “No B.S.” Tour around the state. Wednesday he visited the New Albany Mellow Mushroom to talk to a crowd of about 50. With so much in flux due to redistricting, it might come as a surprise that Ohio’s primary election is…
French-Fry-Focused Kitchen Just Frites Opens Inside of Listermann Brewing Co.
We all know that sometimes side dishes can be the stars of the show and Just Frites knows exactly what’s up. The new fry-focused kitchen opened inside of Listermann Brewing Co. on March 21. The menu sticks to the restaurant’s namesake, serving up everything fry-related from plain fries to rotating specials of super-loaded bites like…
Here are the Cincinnati Reds Bobbleheads You Can Get During the 2022 Season
Sure, it’s baseball season. But do you remember what comes with that? Bobblehead season. The Cincinnati Reds recently announced its initial slate of collectable bobblehead giveaways that are available to ticket holders for specific games at Great American Ball Park. Five “Super Saturday” games will feature the bobbles. The 2022 season’s lineup includes: May 7…
Affordable Variety Is the Delicious Main Course in Cincinnati’s Oakley Neighborhood
If there’s a faster-growing city neighborhood over the past decade than Oakley, I haven’t heard about it. As of this spring, the 74-acre Oakley Station development south of I-71 includes almost 500,000 square feet of retail and office space along with 462 residential units. Restaurants aren’t a major part of the development, but you can…
Esquire Theatre Screens 1970s Horror ‘Death Game’ and 2015 Remake ‘Knock Knock,’ Starring Keanu Reeves
Movies have a way of persisting in the mind, but they can literally be lost to time if not properly preserved. That’s why it’s so important physical films are restored to optimum quality for our evolving culture’s historical integrity — not everyone can stand grainy film and certain titles deserve better. The folks at Grindhouse…
Ex-Red Nick Castellanos Obliquely Comments on Cincinnati’s Lack of ‘Investment’ in Players
The Cincinnati Reds are feeling stingy this season. Fans know it. First baseman Joey Votto knows it. And former outfielder Nick Castellanos knows it. Just days after Castellanos landed a five-year, $100 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies, he’s sharing some thoughts about what it feels like to be on a contending team that’s meaningfully…
McDonald’s Tests New Chicken Breakfast Sandwich in Ohio
According to statistics, chicken is the most popular meat in the world. And Ohioans seems to be pretty clucking happy to eat it, too. Fried chicken sandwiches have been like golden eggs for everyone from Popeyes to Chick-fil-A and Wendy’s to Raising Cane’s. McDonald’s has taken notice and now has launched a special chicken breakfast…
Cincinnati Native Rachel Rampleman Documents the Vibrant Alt-Drag Community in ‘Life Is Drag’ Exhibit at Wave Pool
Two days before the opening night of her new exhibit, artist Rachel Rampleman is working late at Wave Pool gallery in Camp Washington. She adjusts her camera and lighting, preparing to shoot a video portrait of local alternative-drag artist Aura Tannen. The video will become part of Life Is Drag, an ongoing project that captures…
Cincinnati Author Jessica Strawser’s Fifth Novel ‘The Next Thing You Know’ Deals with Death, Hope and an Indie Musician
Hope can be a strange and fickle thing. Some days it’s hard to come by, and other days, it shows up unannounced, poised to change our lives. That’s certainly true for characters Nova Huston and Mason Shaylor in local author Jessica Strawser’s latest novel, The Next Thing You Know, which was released March 22 through…
Cult Low-Budget Film Studio Troma Screens Gross New ‘#ShakespearesShitstorm’ at Humble Monk Brewing
Get your barf bag ready, Troma Entertainment is coming to town March 25 for a screening of #ShakespearesShitstorm at Humble Monk Brewing. If you’re not familiar with the proudly sleazy movie production company, Troma Entertainment is responsible for one of cult cinema’s most shocking icons, The Toxic Avenger — also known as Toxie — who…
School Mask Mandates in the U.S. Reduced COVID-19 Delta Variant Transmission by 72%
The verdict is, once again, in: Masking in schools is effective. During the COVID-19 pandemic’s delta variant wave, schools that required masking had approximately one-fourth the rates of in-school coronavirus transmission than schools with optional or partial masking policies, researchers report online March 9 in Pediatrics. While the findings reinforce past research on masking efficacy,…
A Kentucky-Based Sex Ed Group for Appalachia Says It’s Being Threatened by the Right
In Appalachian states, abstinence-only sex education is predominant. Sexy Sex Ed is a group that sought to broaden the conversation around sex-ed for the region’s youth and others. But now, it says that its educators are being threatened by hordes of conservatives, influenced by right-wing publicity from The Ben Shapiro Show and Christopher Rufo. Tanya Turner,…
Sound Advice: The Flaming Lips to Give ‘American Head’ to Cincinnati in April
The last couple of years have been hard for everyone. Along the way, however, The Flaming Lips have offered a shiny spot in all of this mess. When everything else was awful, isolating and still new and oh-so-strange, The Flaming Lips found ways to stay connected with their fans. Whether it was DIY projects or adorable…
UC’s College-Conservatory of Music Blends Scientific Inquiry, Contemporary Opera in Philip Glass’s ‘Galileo Galilei’
In January of 2020, Greg Eldridge joined the faculty of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music as the associate professor of opera directing. He made his directorial debut in late February with a well-received production of Handel’s gender-bending comic mashup Partenope. It also had the dubious distinction of being the last series of live…
Sound Advice: Kishi Bashi Celebrates 10th Anniversary of Debut Album ‘151a’ with Reissue and Cincinnati Tour Stop
Has it really been a decade since Kaoru Ishibashi — better known via his performing name Kishi Bashi — released his full-length debut, 151a, a dense, richly layered effort inspired by everyone from The Beach Boys and Steve Reich to Animal Collective and Sufjan Stevens? A classically trained violinist who studied at the Berklee College…
Greta Van Fleet Shows off More Originality and Depth on Latest Album Ahead of Postponed Cincinnati Show
Editor’s note: Greta Van Fleet’s March 29 show at Heritage Bank Center has been postponed. A new date will be announced later. It’s strange how certain aspects of a band’s sonic presentation can inspire a critic’s wrath and yet make a fan swoon. The late, great Lester Bangs cited the first Black Sabbath album as…
