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Opening Day Parties and Pre-Games

Get yo' pre-party on before the Reds take on the Phillies at 4:10 p.m. April 4

By Staff on Fri, Apr 1, 2016 at 10:00 am

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Opening Day might not be an official local holiday, but we take our season opener pretty damn seriously in Cincinnati, so be prepared to wrap up work early on Monday and head downtown ASAP. The celebration begins promptly at noon on Monday with the 97th Findlay Market Opening Day Parade.

Findlay Market Opening Day Parade — The 97th Opening Day Parade celebrates the first day of the Cincinnati Reds season. Grand Marshal Lou Piniella, manager of the Reds’ 1990 World Championship team, leads the festivities. Participants from more than 200 businesses and groups will make their way from the market down Race Street and east onto Fifth, walking, marching, biking, driving and operating floats all the way to Taft Theatre. Noon. Leaves from Findlay Market, 1801 Race St., Over-the-Rhine, findlaymarketparade.com.

Opening Day Autograph Extravaganza at Arnold's — Arnold's celebrates Opening Day with breakfast starting at 9 a.m., followed by a visit from Circus Mojo and Jeremy Dubin of the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, who will be performing Casey at the Bat, and give away autographed Reds memorabilia. Music by Todd Hepburn. Bar opens at 9 a.m. Arnold's Bar & Grill, 210 E. Eighth St., Downtown, arnoldsbarandgrill.com.

Opening Day at Igby's — Features a full day of swag and giveaways — including a pair of Opening Day tickets — plus Tito's samplings, a ballpark menu (brats, burgers and more) and DJs from noon-4 p.m. Bar opens at noon. Igby's, 122 E. Sixth St., Downtown, facebook.com/Igbys.

Opening Day Kegs 'n' Eggs at Rhinegeist — Cold beers and hot breakfast starting at 10 a.m. Come play corn hole or ping pong, before catching the game on their big screen projector (they'll also be selling six-packs of Hustle for carry-out for those watching the game elsewhere). Craft Connection Brewery Tours will be providing a shuttle from the tap room to Great American Ball Park every 30 minutes from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Brewery opens at 10 a.m. Rhinegeist, 1910 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine, facebook.com/rhinegeist.

Opening Day at The Lackman — The parade passes one block away from The Lackman. Celebrate with beer-themed brew: Rhinegeist's Hustle Rye Pale Ale and MadTree's Rounding Third American IPA. Happy hour after the game from 4-8 p.m. Bar opens at noon. The Lackman, 1237 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine, lackmanbar.com.

Opening Day at Lachey's — Sports! Cheer on the Reds with a live DJ from 11 a.m.-4 p.m., $10 Marge Schott Boilermakers, $4 Rhinegeist Hustle cans, $4 MadTree Rounding Third on Draft and live game play on all of the bar's HDTVs. Bar opens at 11 a.m. Lachey's Bar, 56 E. 12th St., Over-the-Rhine, lacheys.com.

Opening Day at Knockback Nat's — Doors open early to celebrate the Reds. Party features $1 hot dogs, $1 Jell-o shots and door prizes. Bar opens at 10 a.m. Knockback Nat's, 10 W. Seventh St., Downtown, 513-621-1000.

Opening Day at Moerlein Lager House — The Moerlein Lager House hosts a live broadcast of the Bob & Tom Show from 6-10 a.m.; a breakfast buffet for $15.99 will be offered during the broadcast in the Beer Garden. From 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Greg Vaughn, outfielder for the Reds' 1999 team, will meet fans in a tent on the Event Lawn, where there will also be a live DJ and drinks. Opens at 6 a.m. Free admission. Moerlein Lager House, 115 Joe Nuxhall Way, Downtown, facebook.com/moerleinlagerhouse.

Opening Day at O'Malley's in the Alley — Opens early for Opening Day. Check Facebook for specials. Doors open 10 a.m. O'Malley's in the Alley, 25 Ogden Place, Downtown, facebook.com/OMalleysInTheAlley1.

Opening Day at Neons — Jim Beam co-hosts Opening Day festivities at Neons, where they'll be giving away two tickets to the game to the biggest Reds fan; come dressed in all your Reds swag and gear and the crowd will vote on the best outfit at 3 p.m. The bar will also roll out a 12-foot projector to screen old World Series games until the first pitch at 4:10 p.m., when they'll start screening the game live. Melt Eclectic Cafe will be behind the grill, serving hot dogs, snacks and other ballpark-style grub. Bar opens at noon. The Famous Neons Unplugged, 208 E. 12th St., Over-the-Rhine, facebook.com/neonsunplugged.

Opening Day at Washington Park — A free fun-filled day in the park with family-friendly festivities including games, live music, good food and cold brews, including drafts from Moerlein, MadTree and Rhinegeist. The Opening Day parade passes right by the park. City Flea will also be hosting a little pop-up Mini Market during the festivities! 11 a.m. Washington Park, 1230 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine, washingtonpark.org.

Rally on the Square — Fountain Square is one of the best spots to watch, offering both a great view and a beer-centric (and philanthropic) after party. The 14th-annual Rally on the Square is community service group Give Back Cincinnati’s biggest fundraiser of the year; members will pour concoctions from MadTree Brewing all afternoon, so drink up for a good cause. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Fountain Square, Fifth and Vine streets, Downtown, myfountainsquare.com.

Reds Community Fund Block Party — The fifth-annual Reds Community Fund giant block party takes over Joe Nuxhall and Freedom ways at the Banks prior to the Opening Day game. Includes live music, beer trucks, pizza, Queen City sausage and more. Benefits the P&G Cincinnati MLB Urban Youth Academy. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. The Banks, Downtown, facebook.com/redscommunityfund.

Season Opener '16 at Taft's Ale House — Celebrate Opening Day and Taft's Ale House's first birthday! The first 100 guests receive a free T-shirt, plus old-time photos and baseball cards. The brewpub is also releasing two limited-edition beers: Old Wooden Tooth bourbon-barrel aged Russian imperial stout and Second Base American-style lager. Bar opens at 8:30 a.m. Taft's Ale House, 1429 Race St., Over-the-Rhine, facebook.com/taftsalehouse.