Cincinnati Special Events

     Cincinnatians are proud of their city and don't hesitate to celebrate their heritage. The Appalachian Folk Festival, held at Coney Island in May, begins the array of events. This festival is said to be the largest craft show in the nation. In April, Coney Island also plays host to the Spring Flower Show.
     During two weekends in May, the city's renowned music community celebrates May Festival, the oldest continuing festival of choral and orchestral music in the United States. The tradition began in 1873; performances consist of a 150-voice chorus accompanied by the Cincinnati Symphony and joined by top-name guest conductors and opera singers.
     Restaurateurs show off their talents on Memorial Day weekend during the Taste of Cincinnati, a sidewalk smorgasbord along Central Parkway.
     Cincinnati heralds the summer season with its Summerfair in early summer. More than 250 artists gather at Coney Island and display their works, while musicians perform classical, pop, country and jazz music.
     The summer draws to a close in September with Cincinnati's largest celebration, Riverfest. In honor of their river heritage, more than 500,000 people gather along the riverfront to watch water skiing, sky diving and air shows, and enjoy riverboat cruises. The festival climaxes with a spectacular fireworks display accompanied by a soundtrack broadcast by a radio station.
     Another major end-of-summer event is the Harvest Home Fair, held the weekend following Labor Day in nearby Cheviot. A parade marks the traditional kickoff for what is dubbed "the biggest little fair in Ohio." Fairgoers can view horse, artwork and flower shows, attend a 4-H auction, play jumbo poker or visit a petting zoo, among other diversions. Food, drink and stage entertainment are available.
     With more than half the city's population of German ancestry, it is little wonder Oktoberfest Zinzinnati is celebrated with almost as much vigor as its counterpart in Munich, Germany. During a mid-September weekend, six blocks of downtown around Fountain Square are transformed into a German biergarten, complete with music, dancing, singing and, of course, lots of sauerkraut and beer. The city rounds out the year with the Festival of Lights, when more than two million lights bedeck the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, in late November and December.

Performing Arts
     The city's arts and entertainment centerpiece is the Arnoff Center for the Performing Arts, 650 Walnut St. between 6th and 7th streets; (513) 721-3344. The center's three theaters present more than 10,000 exhibits and performances throughout the year, including Broadway shows and children's theater. In addition, the center is the main performance hall for the Cincinnati Ballet; phone (513) 621-5219 for information.
     Other professional theaters include Playhouse in the Park, (513) 421-3888, with its two theaters, the Robert S. Marx and the Thompson Shelterhouse, on Mount Adams Circle in Eden Park. These stages present modern American and European plays September through June.
     The Showboat Majestic, (513) 241-6550, draws theatergoers to the riverfront April through September. Docked at the Public Landing behind the U.S. Bank Arena, it is one of the last original floating theaters still in operation. Dramas, comedies, old-fashioned melodramas and musical productions are performed on the old showboat Wednesday through Sunday evenings and Sunday afternoons.
     The Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati, (513) 421-3555, downtown at 1127 Vine St., presents live theatrical shows from September through May. Performances of new plays and well-known modern works are given Wednesday through Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoons.
     The Cincinnati Shakespeare Festival Theatre Company, at 719 Race St., performs eight to nine plays from September through June; phone (513) 381-2273 for additional information.
     Music Hall, 1241 Elm St., was built by philanthropic leaders in 1878 and is fondly referred to as the Grand Dame of the Queen City. The interior of the red brick edifice is adorned with crystal chandeliers and woodwork. The hall is a fitting home to the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra and the Cincinnati Symphony; phone (513) 381-3300. The Cincinnati Opera also performs in Music Hall; its mid-June to mid-July season includes grand operas, operettas and musicals. Phone (513) 241-2742 for more information.
     The University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music at Jefferson Avenue and Corry Boulevard makes impressive contributions to the area's music scene. A prominent music school, the 1,400-student college offers a variety of performing arts entertainment, ranging from opera and musical theater to dance and drama. There are more than 1,000 performances a year and many of them are free; phone (513) 556-4183 for schedule and ticket information.
     Concerts by popular entertainers and groups are often held at the Riverbend Music Center, (513) 232-6220, the summer home of the Cincinnati Symphony and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. The Cincinnati Gardens, (513) 631-7793, and the U.S. Bank Arena, (513) 421-4111, also play host to many entertainment and sporting events.