We travel a fair bit for criterium races in the Midwest and this one proved to be a lot of fun. It…read morecertainly doesn't hurt that it's in the charming Hyde Park neighborhood just outside of Cincy. My husband raced Friday night in Madeira and Saturday at Hyde Park. I typically make an adventure of it to scope out the neighborhood and festivities. This particular day-long fest featured a 5k in the morning, more than ten brewery booths, five to ten food booths along with the brick and mortar businesses surrounding the criterium's path. The announcers made this event super fun from a spectator standpoint and around 75+ racers showed up for the Category 1 men's race at the end of the night. I love that the race takes place at the end of the day allowing the temperatures and sun to drop. Free to attend for spectators and $40+ for cyclists to enter.

Hyde Park Blast is a fun race that draws walkers, runners, and bikers of all abilities and levels…read moreof competitiveness. I participated in the walk/run race in the morning. The race in the morning is a bit longer than a 5k (it's about 4 miles). Local running groups like the Running Spot offer training for this event and the participants range from super fast people up front to those in no particular hurry in back- no need to feel self conscious signing up for this race if you are not super speedy- everyone is there to raise money to fight cancer and that's what counts. The registration fee, which goes towards fighting cancer, also includes a shirt and a finisher's gift at the end (this year sunglasses). This is not an event that will leave you famished. Plenty of local eateries and stores are on hand to give you free snacks and beverages (an adult beverage is included for those of age as well). Gear is also available for purchase at the event. Probably the only hassle involved in this event is parking which is to be expected- but otherwise it's a fun, mostly flat route for a great cause! Check it out- maybe even make it your first race!!!!!!!

Would give this 'establishment' NO STARS if possible! I happened to be in the tri-state area…read morevisiting friends & we decided to go watch some test/tune action on Friday May 1st 2026. When we get there after driving over 40 miles one way, we find out it's closed due to 'unseasonably cool weather'. Literally insult to injury when gas is $4.99 a gallon, and we foolishly passed on other opportunities for a good night out before I have to head back to South Dakota. Can't believe the FOOLS that run & own this DUMP don't/can't realize that race cars eat their best/lay down great E.T.s in temperatures in the upper 40's. The only bright side is it gives me new respect for my local track in Sturgis, even if it's only an eighth-mile. The only thing that could/would stop scheduled racing there would be major rain storms all day/night. Truly feel sorry for the guys/gals in the Tri-state area who have built bad-ass units, but Edgewater is the only place to take them without trailering hours away.

We love edgewater. My dad has been racing at this track since I was little and our last visit was…read moremy first since I was around 10 or so. The seating is great and they really keep the excitement moving very little downtime between classes. They do charge entry for kids 6 an up which is okay just different then most tracks. Food is pretty pricey too, I recommend packing a cooler and bringing food with you.

As part of my cousin's bachelor party this past Saturday we spent the better part of the afternoon…read moredown at River Downs to take in some horse racing. This was actually my first time at River Downs, though I have been to Turfway once before. There is no entry fee and there are no employees at the gates checking bags, so entry is perfectly painless. Our group arrived on a school bus, taking the long way to get there, so we missed the first race of the day. I sat out betting on the second race and eventually placed a trifecta bet on the third race after finding the ATM. I didn't win this time, and that trend continued for the fourth and fifth races too. We spent the majority of the time hanging out near the rail on the paved standing area in front of the open air grandstand. Beers were just $4.50, which is much better than most other sporting events. And since they didn't check anyone coming in, I wonder if some patrons didn't sneak in some of their own beer in the multiple coolers that I saw throughout the day. My luck changed during the sixth race of the day. After coming close to winning on one of the earlier races, and paying attention to what my program was saying versus the results of the day, I started catching on. Or at least I thought I was starting to understand it all. Most of my bets were either trifecta bets, or I would occasionally pick one horse to win, place, or show, as I did in the sixth race. In my program the #6 horse was listed as 10-1 odds to win, and a couple of minutes before post the large board in the infield displayed the odds as much higher, over 20-1. Once I saw this I ran to one of the automated machines and bought the ticket above. I thought that maybe there was something that I wasn't picking up on that lowered the odds, but I figured it was worth a few bucks to find out. As the race started horse #6 was nowhere near the front of the back. The board only updates for the first 3/4 of the race at best, so as the horses all come toward the finish line it is really hard to tell who is in the lead. As this race came to a close I watched as #6 charged up the inside rail and won the race! I had won $124.80! With just two races after that, I made a couple of bucks off the seventh race and was then put in charge of making a bet for my dad, brother, and I who pooled some money together. Again I went with the win place show bet, and nearly won again as the horse I selected finished in fourth place. Bummer. We had a great time and I look forward to going down to the track again in the future. Kim has already said that she wants to go too.

From the start knock down your expectations a few pegs and then knock them down a few more for good…read moremeasure, this isn't Keeneland, Churchill Downs or even like the race parks you've seen in movies (most recently Bounty Hunter comes to mind), this is River Downs. It is an older facility with little updating and that's what I find so charming, that it looks similar to what it did when my grandparents took us as kids (don't judge). If you've never bet on the ponies, this is a good place to start with free parking, free admission, $2 for your race book, $2 bets and the option to bring your own picnic lunch. I cannot comment on the concessions because it is there's an option to bring my own food, I'm on it (for nutritional reasons). Not a gambler? Then the people watching is sure to delight, you will see clientele you've never laid eyes on at other entertainment venues, but it takes all types to populate Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, right?! We find something for the whole family at River Downs, pony rides for kids and the ability to get down on the rail during live racing. Shade and tables for the older family members to sit and eat a picnic lunch (no alcohol or glass can be brought in) between races while studying the race book. It's an annual summer trip for us!

A nice festival put on in Cheviot. Located in one of the local area parks, they offered some live…read moreentertainment options, pretty decent cocktails, Italian sweets and food vendors. They had some carnival rids available for the kids and if you live in the area the even shares a parking lot with the community pool. Visited in the afternoon shortly after the festival started up for the day and it wasn't too busy at all. Though I was following the festivals social media post I didn't know the schedule of events. Having this information before hand would have been useful for attending around a band, demonstration or speed trivia that was scheduled. Each of the food items I sampled were good including the fried ravioli, arancini, cannoli and limoncello marscapone cake. The two bite size cannoli being a highlight. Oh, and don't worry; they fill them when orders so it's still a very crisp wafer. And for the adults? A wine garden! Bottles of wine available, but the signature cocktails is where it's at! The white summer sangria being the highlight amongst attendees in my group. $1-$2 donation suggested for entry, great cocktails and some ways to tire the kids.

This is a small town festival at its best! It is more like a mini Italian Taste of Cincy than…read moreanything else. The highlights: fried ravioli, fried oreo, the wine/sangria station, and the cookie table-they serve made to order cannoli, pizzelles, and dozens of other varieties of homemade cookies for eating right there or take away. Of special note: Stuarto's Olive Oil is an annual treat for us- we stock up on our specialty oils, balsamics, and salt mixes-and they let you sample everything! They have an outdoor stage with various acts and an indoor barn style room where food demos and art pieces are housed. There are also raffle booths and carnival rides and games for the kiddos. It is not a large festival and you can make your way through the entire are in about an hour. I would consider it a lunchtime or dinner event, but certainly not a "spend all day" here kind of festival, unless you really want to sample all the alcohol. :) A lovely little 3 day summertime magic, it is almost always the first weekend of June and worth at least a few hours of your time.

Lumenocity 2016 was held at the Taft Theatre this year. What sets this year different from other…read moreyears is that the light show was indoors this year. And, since it was indoors, they were able to offer more tickets for everyone to come and see the event. In addition to that, there were about three-four shows for each day the event occurred, (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday). Getting to Taft Theatre was pretty easy, and since there wasn't a game going on that weekend it wasn't super crowded in downtown Cincinnati. Parking lots were easy to find. Once you parked, the block party they had in front of Taft Theatre was easy to get to. There were about five or six food trucks, and lots of activities for kids. There was even police presence throughout the festival. This year, you were able to get a wristband ahead of time once they scanned your ticket to expedite getting into the Theatre. But really, it was pretty easy to get in even without getting a wristband ahead of time. They did a great job at handling the crowd before the show. Once inside, it was easy to find your seat. The show started on time which was great! And, it was only 45 minutes which is long enough to be able to enjoy the music, but short enough that all the kids in the audience would not get bored. Seeing the light show indoors was nice, because the lights came out more vibrant compared to watching it outside projected onto a wall. And, you had assigned seating, so you didn't have to worry about saving your seat ahead of time. If you didn't want to pay to see the show, they also broadcasted it outside where the block party was. Overall this year's event was enjoyable. They had some technical difficulties leading up to the event, but it was solved by the time the event started. (The company they used to email the etickets to everyone somehow had their emails come up as spam so a majority of people did not get their tickets by the Monday it was promised. They updated their website letting people know that they were working with finding a new company to send out everyone's etickets. The tickets were delivered on Thursday night).

Amazed I'm the first to (create/review) this absolutely amazing event. This is the second year for…read moreLumenocity, and it was Fantastic!! I was out of town last year at Lollapalooza, sleeping on a boat, when the inogural Lumenocity happened, but luckily I have a friend that was so impressed that he got Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra season tickets JUST to be eligible for the tix to Lumenocity 2014! The event 2014 had food/beer(Rhinegeist) trucks down Race Street, all kinds of vendors, food and Cincy local craft artists in the treed part of the park. This part was open to people without tix to the actual event, and it was food/art festival that was more attended than anything I've seen in Washington park, and I'm there weekly. The show: The show was spectacular. YouTube it. If you haven't been, YouTube the hell out of Lumenocity, and share it. Make it viral. One of the best symphonies in the world, synchronized to amazing digital graphics, using one of Cincinnati's best landmarks(Cincinnati Music Hall) as a canvas. It is amazing, emotional, and one of the coolest things I've seen in a long time.

Let's talk dirty!…read more Because that's what you're gonna get at Lawrenceburg Speedway! This local staple of Lawrenceburg has decades of history. Generations of local dirt track racers giving all they got to a sport they love. Lawrenceburg Speedway is right off the highway and insanely easy to get to. It's so easy that you may miss the road to turn on to to enter the park. Well, I did. Once you get there, you find a place to park. Usually in the grass or the lot closer to the road, if it's a busy night. Check the website for schedules, tickets and pricing and also results. Lawrenceburg will give you a great night and not break the bank. I'm not a "local" to Lawrenceburg as I live North of Cincy about 35 minutes away. As an "outsider", I can immediately see the community here. These are families and friends who come together for some racing and fun and have a great time. You can tell that some of these folks are here week-after-week and this is what they do. It's fantastic. So, you get through the ticket window, walk past the security officer and you're in the park. Hit the refreshment stands early. They don't get crazy busy, but it gets a little dusty once the action starts. You hit the grandstands and it's a seat-yourself deal. No assigned seats. Find a place and park it. Let the action begin. Everything from little four-bangers to buses at this track. And, again, it's always a good time. When you're there, in the stands, it could be 2024 or it could be 1964. It really could. This is just good old fashioned fun. That's it. Guys and gals working hard all week, coming home and eating dinner before they go out to the garage to pound out their ride for Saturday's race. They work hard and they play hard. It's Saturday and it's showtime. They give it all they got and it's an overall great time. Would I go back? Heck yeah! I can't wait for the 2024 season to fire up. Let's go racing!!!! Pro Tip(s): Okay - If you've never been to a dirt track before, you should know a couple of things. If you don't wear glasses, you may want to bring some. You may even want to bring safety glasses. It can get very dusty and, depending on where you're sitting, mud pellets can travel. I choose to throw on my prescription shop safety glasses. Bring a mask or a bandana. The bandana looks cooler. "For COVID?" No! For dust and mud, just like the glasses. Depending on the day, that dust bowl can be dense. I prefer to breathe so I always have a bandana in my pocket, just in case. Don't get all dolled up. Why? Same reason as the glasses and bandana........it get's dirty out here, y'all!! That's dirt track racing. Last Pro Tip - Go to the Concession Stand BETWEEN races/heats. You do not want to be standing there during a race or qualifying. You WILL be showered with mud pellets. This is not a maybe.........this is a guarantee. If you don't believe me, look down when you're walking by the Concession Stand. You see all those mud marbles? Yeah, they didn't just gently roll over there. The rained down in brown waves of glory.

Very nice dirt track they need more shade but other than that great place. Loved the Koana ice and…read moreT-shirt selection

I've seen pictures of this race through my friends feed on Facebook and always wanted to…read moreparticipate in this event. When I heard that they are coming to Cincinnati, I signed up right away. For signing up, you receive a T-shirt, knee high socks, runners bib, a color pack, and removable tattoo. You have the option to sign up for the just the race or option with both parking and pass to Kings island. I did the race and park/pass. It's starts at 7:30 a.m. for runners and walkers 7:45 a.m. Color Me Rad is the only 5K color race with eight color stations throughout the course. It is loosely based on the Hindu Festival of Colors, otherwise known as Holi. The festive colors used are a sign of winter's end and spring's new beginnings. Or in the case of RAD; the color represents the end of lame runs and the beginning of fun runs. The race was held at King's Island. We started the run on the parking lot. You go through the park and ending destination is in the front of Kings Island (near ticket booths). I love the color stations-you either get squirted the color gel or thrown the color paint/powder. At the end of the course, there is someone that gives you bottle of water. After the race, if you want more color thrown on you, join the DJ for the after party. They throw free color packs and every 15 minutes we toss it in the air and get really dirty. My favorite is the smoke blowing everywhere!! It's so awesome. If you wear white (highly recommned), you are able to see the colors more. Make sure to wear sunglasses and cover your cell phones. I look forward to seeing the professional pictures. Overall, I had a blast. I can't wait for next year. I think everyone should try this! FYI, this is not a charity. Also, make sure to brings towels because you will need it on the way home!

Cincy Magazine's Best of the East celebration is a yearly event (held at various different…read morelocations, this year Holiday Inn Eastgate conference center) celebrating just that... the best businesses of the east! Initial voting is done ahead of time, but the final vote is up to people attending the event who receive a finalists ballot upon arrival. Many of the finalists are at the event to showcase their finest for you whether that be food, drink, landscaping, etc. Vote! General admission gets you 1 drink ticket and unlimited samples. VIP ticket includes 2 drink tickets and a swag bag. Everyone also gets a raffle ticket. I think its well worth the price of the ticket! Every single table has a coupon, freebie ie: pen etc, or food sample. There are also many contests to enter and some tables have prize wheels! I'd say at least 50 vendors including everything from: gift shops, dance or exercise studios, hvac or plumbing companies, nail or spa, doggy daycare, restaurants, bakeries, florists, jewelers, coffee shops, and oh so much more. My favorite vendor this year was Paradise Ice who was generous enough to give out full size Hawaiian ices in whatever flavor you liked including ice cream and snow cap! Theres a DJ, photo booths, and make sure to sign up for your free subscription to Cincy Magazine, the host! Need I say more? An event worth checking out each year!