I took my family out to the Old West Festival on Saturday for a few hours. I first heard of this…read morefest through Family Friendly Cincinnati, which is a great resource for things to do with the kids. The fest remains open weekends through October 6th. We arrived just before noon and found that we weren't the only ones with the idea for the day. Fortunately I had enough cash to skip the credit card line for entry payment, and we were inside the gates in no time. Admission is $12 for adults, children ages 6-12: $6, and children under 5 are free. We were treated to a gunfight right away upon our entry. It reminded me a lot of the shootout we witnessed as part of our Great Train Robbery experience last year. In fact, I'm pretty sure most of the actors from the train ride were participating at the Old West Fest. Our two-year-old though it was too loud this time, so we moved along right away. The town buildings are very cool to look at and each one has a real purpose inside. Some sell arts and crafts, while others serve as a saloon for drinks and food. There were numerous activities for the young ones, including a sing along band performance, a really impressive magic show, panning for gold, and the always exciting play-set with slides and swings. We were most entertained by the Pickled Brothers Circus, who we caught on our way out. The combination of fire eating, juggling, and sword swallowing was enjoyed by the whole family. This past weekend was Native American weekend and we witnessed a drum circle performance. Each weekend has its own unique theme, so some specials acts and exhibits can be expected at other times. We all had a good time at the festival, even though my wife and I thought it was a little expensive. Mainly the food and drinks were not as cheap as I was expecting, and there were a handful of children's activities that all cost extra as well. I did see people bringing their own coolers with them, so that could be one way to cut down the cost, though I don't see it mentioned specifically on their website. It is probably best for families with older children.

Had a great afternoon at The Old West Fest. Admission was reasonable for the attractions as were…read morethe food and drink options throughout the town. I would recommend getting the kids wristbands so all the premium activities can be enjoyed in an unlimited fashion. Looking forward to running it back again next year!

One of the most fun races I've ever done, from beginning to afterparty. A $35 registration fee gets…read moreyou a good quality t-shirt, participation in a 5k at Ault Park, and admission to the post-race festivities. You get 4 beer/wine tickets and unlimited access to 30 food and drink booths. They had a great reggae band playing that made for a fun atmosphere. They clearly know what they're doing after 17 years. All the pre-race logistics went smoothly, with quick packet pickup and convenient shuttle buses to the park. The course itself is a beast. Never-ending hills on top of hills. Good thing I love a challenging run. I felt like I earned my right to pig out at the afterparty. Burgers, BBQ wings,Gliers Goetta, Yagoot, Subway, corn on the cob, dessert, and so much more... it was a smorgasbord. Minus one star for not having mile markers or official chip timing. Even though that's probably part of it truly being a 'fun' run, it's just nice to know, y'know? Other than that, I'm definitely thinking this will be an annual event on my race calendar. Kudos to the organizers.

This was my first 5k. I picked it, because I had heard it is the most fun, and the best party…read more The first tip I would give is, unless you are arriving super, super early and want to leave immediately do NOT park at Ault Park. It is a mess up there. The shuttle service is very well organized and they will definitely get you there on time. And don't worry the buses are heated (that was important this year ;-)) I would also recommend picking up your packet before the day of the race. That way you can avoid the long lines on race day. Unfortunately you'll still have to stand in a line to get your drinking bracelet, but that's worth waiting for, right? Speaking of waiting, that's the big let-down for me. Too many people. Everything required processing too many people. When the race started it took minutes before I could get up to speed, and I was constantly running in a crowd. When the race finished you then get to go to the way too many people at the food and drink tents. I would recommend training hard to be under the 40 minute mark. That way you can get to the eats before the big crowd comes in. I finished at 32:10 and my wife and I were able to try a few different food items before a huge crush of people arrived. Part of the problem is there just isn't enough room for all those people. Why don't they use more of the park for the food area? There were huge empty areas that could've been used for more space. I just don't get. The variety of food items is amazing. They had something for everyone. My pregnant wife particularly enjoyed the fried pickles (I know, what a cliché). And I enjoyed the desert tent. It's a great race, and you get a lot for your money. I just wish it wasn't quite so popular.

My nephew came to visit my husband and I for the weekend. He wanted to go to the Holy Trinity…read moreFestival located on Montgomery Rd next to Quatman Cafe. This is a three day event starting Friday August 1 to Sunday August 3rd. Time: Friday 6:00PM to Midnight, Saturday 5:30PM to Midnight, Sunday 3:00-9:00PM. We came on a Sunday afternoon. I liked the fact that it was walking distance from our home and that we didn't have to worry about parking and driving. Parking is free but limited. This festival was pretty small/intimate, great for families and kids. This is what was going on at the festivities: Major Award, Kids Area, Games of Chance, Food, Beverages, Bid n Buy, Theme Baskets, and entertainment nightly. Bands are: Friday "3 Day Rule", Saturday "The Remains", and Sunday "The Slow Burn Band" . There was one beer/wine vendor (basic Miller Lite, Coors Light, Bud light). For food, basic funnel cakes, hamburgers, hot dogs, angilos pizza, walking taco, etc. I thought the festival was okay. We didn't spend alot of time. Maybe an hour and a half? Since this was close to home and walking distance, we will probably come back next year. If it wasn't close, I wouldn't go. It was nice, but something I wouldn't rave about. It was something to do.

TRADITION!!! The last of 3 Catholic Church Festivals in Norwood come out and support this Great…read moreFamily, Neighborhood, Community, Reunion FUN! Thank you to ALL who volunteer to keep this tradition alive, from one who grew up in your shadows,

Gets better each year. Traffic on the weekend is very bad…read more Try to go before the weekend. Some Blinks are hard to find. Some areas do not feel very safe. Music needs to be for all ages it was a little on the young side. The banks were fun...

Loved this event! Lots to do, great food trucks and pop up shops, and a great way for people to…read morevisit the Queen City, in a new light (pun intended). Love the emphasis on their awesome murals around the area and it's great that you can hop on the free public transit to check out each area. Will def be back!

We had an absolutely gorgeous day for the 2017 Show, and we took full advantage of it. This was my…read morefirst time at the Hyde Park Square Art Show, and I was not disappointed. There are 200+ artists at this show, and a good variety of jewelry and art in various mediums and price ranges. We saw everything in about three hours, and I was able to buy several unique holiday gifts for friends and family, as well as one or two (possibly three) fun things for myself. The setting was perfect - the local business district participated by offering food and drinks to show visitors - and we had no trouble parking fairly close to the show. There were portable bathrooms at the end of each section, and I loved the community food stands (staffed by parents and kids) throughout the show. I bought cupcakes to help support the relief efforts in Puerto Rico, and one or two Italian sausage sandwiches to support a local school. While the show was definitely well-attended, it didn't feel crowded. I never had to wait more than a few minutes to make a purchase, and I didn't feel that any booth was so packed that I couldn't enter. I am a veteran art and wine show attendee, and I truly believe that the one thing that makes a show a successful (and potentially repeat) experience for attendees is this: everything can't cost hundreds of dollars. As a quilter, I fully understand that art is often time-consuming and expensive to create (I never try to negotiate with the artists) but offering a variety of pieces at different price points will satisfy a larger number of potential customers. If I attend an art show and find nothing I can afford, I'm not likely to return. The Hyde Park Square Art Show is definitely done right, and I look forward to returning for the 2018 show!

What an exciting turnout for this event! Walnut Hills is not an area that too many people are…read morefamiliar with, so it was nice to see so many people make it out. What I loved about this event was the energy was high and everyone was welcome. This wasn't a snobby event. it was a finger licking, get down to business kind of event. With almost every food truck in town the lines weren't horrible and there was more than enough entertainment to go around. I will say some of the music might have been a bit inappropriate since there were young children at the event. The "wobble wobble touch you booty to the floor" kinda thing was a little weird but I totally dug the energy. There were plenty of activities that I haven't seen anywhere else. There was a paint your own pottery station, and other crafting tables as well. I liked that the Waffo truck was there. I had never heard of them before so that was fresh and new. All in all it was a well organized event and not everything went perfect but I appreciated the effort to bring the community together! Well done, and I look forward to attending again next year.

I really enjoyed this festival. Living in Oakley, this festival wasn't far from home so my wife and…read moreI decided to check it out and grab some food. What a wonderful time we had. It was supposed to end at 5:00 and we didn't get there until 3:00 so it did seem to be winding down somewhat when we got there. We grabbed some beers from the Rhinegeist booth (which was also serving Great Lakes beer) and decided to try some food trucks. Unfortunately some of the trucks were already running out of food so we didn't get our first choice which was Red Sesame Korean tacos. We had a falafel wrap from Andy's Mediterranean and then grabbed the very last grilled cheese from C'est Cheese. Also inside the festival area was the new Fireside Pizza restaurant and bar inside an old fire station with it's large door open. I was a bit disappointed that multiple food trucks hadn't prepared enough to last the whole festival but we still managed to get plenty of food. There was a stage with a jazz band playing when we showed up. After they quit playing there were a series of announcements and congratulations from some of the organizers of the festival and community organizers. This was followed by a high energy soul group, 2nd Wind. This was the highlight of the festival for us. They had four singers and a great band. The crowd was enjoying it so much that the festival ran over by an hour allowing the band to continue playing while the people danced and thoroughly enjoyed themselves. This was a great neighborhood festival with not too many people but still plenty so that there was a festive atmosphere. There were people painting a crosswalk and a person on stilts making balloon animals. The crowd was diverse and very representative of the people of Cincinnati. We both had fun and had the chance to interact with many different people. Although I hadn't heard of this festival the previous years, I am definitely looking forward to it next year.

In case you did not make it out to the Union Centre Boulevard Bash in West Chester, make sure you…read moredon't miss it next year if you're the local festival kind of person. The Taste of Blue Ash (late August) is always a big and very popular event, and I recently was at the MidSummer at the Meadows in Milford, but the "Bash" in West Chester was probably the best out of all of them, featuring a ton of great rides, great food, and great music in the very new and nice Square at Union Centre. The event kicked off on Friday night (Aug. 8) at 5:00 p.m., went from 2:00 p.m.-midnight on Saturday, and finished off with eight more hours in the afternoon and evening on Sunday. Food vendors were Coldstone Creamery, Jag's Steak and Seafood, Boston Butz BBQ, Papa John's Pizza, Izzy's, Bruster's, and Savannah Center, while other vendors included Cincinnati.com, Time Warner Cable, Twisted Tea, Indiana Wesleyan University, Owens Corning Basement Finishing System and several beer companies. There was also a large kids/family section with $1 games, as well as rides, and there was even a fashion show and golf exercises. The real draw for most, however, was the music. Q102 and AK Steel presented this event and Friday featured well-known Cincinnati cover band The Rusty Griswolds, while Saturday's three act lineup was headlined by David Cassidy. I was there Sunday (today), and first heard 3 Day Rule and then Kings X, while Extreme followed, although I was gone by then. I wasn't crazy about Kings X, although I really enjoyed 3 Day Rule which played songs from mostly the 80s, but many songs from the last 10 or 12 years as well. They covered top songs from bands like the Police, Van Halen, Men at Work, Journey, Counting Crows, Lit, Modest Mouse, and The Killers. There were tons of tables and chairs, while close to the stage there was more than enough standing room. Overall, I found the Union Centre Boulevard Bash to be a great event, much better than the similar MidSummer at the Meadows that took place last month. While many of Sunday's attendees were from West Chester, I recommend attending this August event next year if you are from anywhere within a 20 minute radius. Parking is very close although $5, but admission is free.

Brought to you by the same minds of Taste of Cincinnati, Party in the Park, and Oktoberfest...so it…read moreshould be a good time, right? Unfortunately, the now annual Union Center Boulevard Bash (in its 4th year, I think) has yet to stack up to the likes of other local music and food festivals. In the spirit of Taste of Cincinnati, the Bash features food stalls from West Chester's finest (disputable) restaurants. This year, Cold Stone, Jags, Smokey Bones, and The White House Inn, will all make appearances and offer smaller versions of their specialties for visitors to sample at low costs. Entertainment is not up to par at this festival, the year that I went the headliner was Uncle Kracker, this year, it's Craig Morgan. Bad and worse. If Blue Ash can get the likes of Lone Star, Dierks Bentley, and Blake Shelton, why can't West Chester get anyone decent? Admission is free and I suppose if you have nothing else to do, strolling the Bash isn't a bad option. Bud Light is a sponsor so at least you can get a buzz and enjoy the August weather! This year the Bash takes place the weekend of August 8th.

Concert on the Green has been going on for a few years, and I think they have a good thing going…read more Each Wednesday in the summer, they have live music on the lawn of the Clifton Cultural Arts Center-each week is something different and usually enjoyable. There's usually a good crowd and they have a food truck or two. This summer, they had one food truck/vendor and one dessert cart/vendor/truck at each show. You can follow them on Facebook for the updates of who will be there each week (this is also helpful in the event of inclement weather). In addition to the vendors, you're welcome to bring your own picnic and cooler (adult beverages allowed), blanket and chair. It is family friendly, there's usually a craft corner to the right of the stage for the kids, but there's also kids running around and having fun with their neighbors. If you're hoping for a quiet night of easy listening music, this is probably not your scene, as there are always kids running around or groups of neighbors/friends sitting and chatting over the music-I think it's kind of great because that's Clifton-eclectic, friendly, and diverse. This is truly an all ages event as you have the kids running around, young folks from the neighborhood, and older couples/folks enjoying the scene. Logistics: The CCAC is open during the concert for restrooms and drinking fountains. Parking is available off McAlpin both in the lot by the Clifton Rec Center and in the circle front of the Fairview School. I usually do a quick dousing of bug repellent as I have had issues with mosquitoes there in the past. People are usually coming and going and up and moving around throughout the night, so don't fret if you're running late. The CCAC does have a table with additional information about their programs and a jar for donations. I have noticed that there hasn't been a plethora of drinks available for purchase each week, so you may want to be sure to bring your own. Good work CCAC, keep it up! It's a great event to get people out in the neighborhood.