August Family Fun in Cincinnati & NKY {2019}

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This month’s event roundup is brought to you in honor of the fast-approaching back to school season. 

No matter if you love the arrival of the big yellow bus, long for more lazy summer days, or don’t yet have kids old enough to ship out of the house, the reality is that summer is flying by!

Fortunately, there is lots of summer fun still to be had…
Make the most of those lighter evening hours while we have them!


 

Shakespeare in the Park

Many dates through August 31
Communities across the tristate area
Varying times
FREE

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company continues its tradition for over a decade of performing Shakespeare in the Park in communities across the tri-state area with Macbeth, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Romeo and Juliet this summer!

Smale Family Fun Day!  

August 1
Smale Riverfront Park – Schmidlapp Event Lawn (next to Moerlein Lager House)
100 E. Ted Berry Way, Cincinnati, OH 45202
10am-1pm
FREE

Join us for free Smale Family Fun days in June, July, and August. Meet naturalists from Cincinnati Parks’ Explore Nature, play lawn games, listen to live music and enjoy a variety of roaming and staged performers down at Smale Riverfront Park!

Glier’s Goettafest 

August 1-4
Festival Park Newport
Riverboat Row, Newport, KY 41071
Thursday & Friday: 5-11pm; Saturday: 12-11pm; Sunday: 12-9pm
FREE admission

Goetta, a German dish pronounced “get-uh”, is often compared to breakfast sausage or scrapple and is a mixture of pork, beef, steel-cut (pinhead) oats, and seasonings. Glier’s Goettafest is a celebration of the local favorite held along Newport’s riverfront just down the steps from the Newport Aquarium and Newport on the Levee. In addition to eating goetta in variety of dishes, festival goers can enjoy live music and cloggers, plus goetta games like Goetta Slide and Goetta Ring Toss.

Ohio River Paddlefest  

August 3
Schmidt Recreation Complex
2944 Humbert Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45226
7am – 12:30pm
Registration required

9-mile float trip on the Ohio begins at the Schmidt Recreation Complex in the East End and ends at the Gilday Riverside Park in Riverside. Paddler’s Party for a Cause occurs the day before and then stay after the paddle for the Finish Line Festival.

Bands, BBQ & Brews  

August 3
Miami Whitewater Forest
9001 Mt. Hope Road, Crosby Township, OH 45030
3-9pm
$10-19 adults, $6 children

Enjoy an evening live music from Pandora Effect, Misterman and the Mojo Band and Saffire Express, a barbecue dinner, local craft beer tasting featuring Fifty West Brewing Company and more! Advanced ticket purchase is recommended. 

Fantastic Feasts with Florence Freedom Professional Baseball 

August 3
UC Health Stadium
7950 Freedom Way, Florence, KY 41042
12pm
Tickets start at $10

Enjoy a wand making station, learn spells, and more! There will be Quidditch players throughout the ballpark for you to interact with and take photos! 

Summer Steam Train  

August 3 & 4, 10 & 11
Lebanon Mason Monroe Railroad
127 South Mechanic Street, Lebanon, OH 45036
Varying times
$20 adults, $15 children (2-17)

Experience a historic train ride on the Lebanon Mason Monroe Railroad behind a real working steam engine. This is a unique and exciting experience for children of all ages. Traveling steam locomotive, Jeddo Coal #85, will haul trains on Lebanon Mason Monroe Railroad for two weekends this August. It has been 5 years since a steam locomotive last visited Lebanon! This is a special event; be sure to mark your calendars.

Art on Vine

August 4
Fountain Square
Fifth & Vine Streets, Cincinnati, OH 45202
12-6pm
FREE admission

Art show featuring fine art and handmade goods for sale from 70+ local Cincinnati artists.

Sunday Sun-Day Sundaes 

August 4
Cincinnati Observatory
3489 Observatory Place, Cincinnati, OH 45208
1-4pm
FREE; No reservations needed

The Sun is the star attraction and you can learn all about our nearest stellar neighbor. Sunday Sun-day Sundae includes short talks about the Sun, tours of our historic buildings, and safe viewing of sunspots and solar flares from our 1845 telescope (weather permitting).
As a special treat, we will also have free sundaes for those in attendance.

Back to School Block Party  

August 4
Liberty Center – The Square and Sabin Hall
7100 Foundry Row, Liberty Township, OH 45069
2-4pm
FREE

Activities will include health screenings, library cards, tutoring, kid’s activities, mobile dental unit, selfie booth, nutrition, mental health information, snacks, stress management tools, live music, vision testing, emergency response vehicles from the Butler County Sheriff’s Office and the Liberty Township Fire Department. 

Pop Up Play: Youngster Yoga

August 6 & 13
Washington Park
1230 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202
11am
FREE

Bring your mini-yogi’s to the park for a FREE kid’s yoga class with The Yoga Bar!  Meet in the south end of the park on sunny days, and under The Southwest Porch tent on rainy days! Bring your own mat, or use one of the ones we provide every week. Mats are first come, first serve.

Wednesdays in the Woods  

August 7
Burnet Woods – historic bandstand
3251 Brookline Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45220
7-9pm
FREE, contributions encouraged

Come celebrate everything great about summer at our spirited series of 11 free weekly concerts. Good friends, good tunes, good food, good times with a variety of hands-on art-making activities for the kids – all at the historic 1911 Burnet Woods bandstand!

Music and Movement 

August 7, 14, 21, & 28
Blue Manatee Literacy Project Bookstore
3094 Madison Road, Cincinnati, OH 45209
10-10:30am
$2 suggested donation

Our ManaTeam picks a story each week that includes movement and song! Children get to participate in an interactive story time that develops a love of books and reading. It also assists in learning and retaining new words.

Summer Adventure with the Library 

August 7 & 14
Washington Park
1230 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202
1-3pm
FREE

Join Main Library staff at Washington Park on Wednesdays from 1-3p for a variety of fun summer activities for the entire family!

Great Inland Seafood Festival 

August 8-11
Festival Park Newport
Riverboat Row, Newport, KY 41071
Thursday & Friday: 5-11pm, Saturday: 12-11pm, Sunday: 12-9pm
FREE admission

The Great Inland Seafood Festival is held along the riverbank in Newport features premium seafood dishes from restaurants around the Northern Kentucky / Greater Cincinnati Region and music for all.

Hamilton County Fair

August 8-11
Hamilton County Fairgrounds
7801 Anthony Wayne Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45216
Thursday – Friday: 4-11pm, Saturday: 11am-11pm, Sunday: 12-10pm
$7 admission, $5 parking

Pig racing, Big Top Circus, Demolition Derbies, farm animal petting farm, livestock and poultry displays, blacksmith demonstration, remote control car racing, wood carving display and much more.

Festival on the Lake   

August 10
A.J. Jolly Park
1565 Race Track Road, Alexandria, KY 41011
4-11pm
$5 adults, FREE kids 12 and under

Festival on the Lake 2019 featuring The Steel Woods. Also appearing will be Branden Martin, The Georgia Thunderbolts, The Josephines, and The Billy Rock Band. Food, drinks, crafters, vendors, and kid zone. Camping is available. 

1940s Day

August 11
Cincinnati Museum Center
1301 Western Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45203
10am-5pm
FREE for Cincinnati Museum Center Members and Veterans; $14.50 adult, $10.50 (3-12); $5.50 (1-2) children for non-Members

Grab your dancing shoes, put on your zoot suit and travel back in time when 1940s Day returns home to Union Terminal. A Holocaust survivor, classic cars, live music and dancing highlight Cincinnati Museum Center’s 1940s Day August 10. 1940s Day is an immersive celebration of the pivotal decade, including its music, fashion, vehicles and the people who shaped it. Admire the sleek lines and polished chrome of vintage cars from the 1920s, 30s and 40s during the classic car show.  Live jazz and big band music will have you dancing the jitterbug all day. If you need tips, local dance groups will be ready to show you how to jump, jive and swing on the dance floor. 

Second Sunday on Main

August 11
Main Street
14th & Main Streets, Cincinnati, OH 45202
12-5pm
FREE admission

Street fair on Main featuring craft and food vendors, entertainment, demonstrations and more.

FC Cincinnati Day at the Zoo 

August 11
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden – Wings of Wonder Amphitheater
3400 Vine Street, Cincinnati, OH 45220
11am
Included with Zoo admission

The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden and Cincinnati’s professional soccer team, FC Cincinnati are partnered up to host a fun-filled day. Visitors are encouraged to sport their best blue & orange FC Cincinnati gear as they spend the day on wild adventures around the Zoo with familiar faces from the field.
Fans will experience an exclusive Payer Q & A at 11am with some of their favorite players!

Wind Ensemble at Sawyer Point

August 13
Sawyer Point and Yeatman’s Cove
705 E. Pete Rose Way, Cincinnati, OH 45202
7pm
FREE

Join the U.S. Fleet Forces Band for a free concert at Sawyer Point on August 13th from 7-8:00pm. The Wind Ensemble will present a wide range of music from traditional marches, popular songs, patriotic favorites, and the finest works of wind band literature.

Kids Movie Night: Trolls 

August 16
Taft’s Brewing Co. Brewpourium
4831 Spring Grove Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45232
6:30-8pm
FREE entry

Free kids movie night is back! This time, they’re featuring Trolls! The movie is set to begin at 6:30PM. We’ll have Trolls coloring pages and crayons at all the tables. Come early to grab a seat, a beer, some pizza and enjoy the show!

Mt. Adams Cinema in the City: Auntie Mame

August 16
Seasongood Pavilion
950 Eden Park Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45202
7-11pm (Music starts at 7pm; Movie starts at dusk)
FREE

Join the Mt. Adams Civic Association for a FREE showing of Auntie Mame, with pre-film music provided by Jake Speed and the Freddies. Hungry Bros and Happy Hippo Shaved Ice will be on-site! There will also be some great raffle prizes. All Ages! Come out and enjoy a summer evening with your neighbors!

The Black Family Reunion

August 16-18
Sawyer Point
Pete Rose Way, Cincinnati, OH 45202
FREE

The Black Family Reunion Celebration was inaugurated on August 1989 in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is held annually the 3rd weekend of August in various locations that include a day-long celebration at Sawyer Point and Yeatman’s Cove. Through the generous support of sponsors, the event is open to the public at no charge and has grown to attract over 50,000 people of all ages each year.

The City Flea + Kids Market

August 17
Washington Park
1230 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202
10am-4pm
FREE admission

The City Flea is Cincinnati’s original curated, urban flea market that takes place once a month at Washington Park and various other locations throughout the year. Since its conception in 2011, The Flea has seen dozens of vendors grow from hobby to full-time business and it is with much pride that we consider ourselves not only a monthly market, but a small business incubator, community organization, and city advocate. The Flea is a place to keep your dollars local, support small business and experience YOUR city in a unique and engaging way. Our vendors range from vintage dealers to artisan pizza makers to plant studios. We have something for everyone.

Visitor Appreciation Days    

August 17 & 18
Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden
3400 Vine Street, Cincinnati, OH 45220
10am-6pm
Half-priced  Admission

As a “Thank You” to Hamilton County for their continued support, Zoo visitors of all ages can enjoy half-price admission! Zoo visitors continue to play a crucial role in maintaining the Cincinnati Zoo’s status as a world-class organization.

3rd Sunday Fundays: Gone Fishing 

August 18
Taft Museum of Art
316 Pike Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202
1-4pm
FREE

There will be plenty of fish in the sea at this Funday! Make your own foil fish; search for rivers, lakes, and oceans in the Taft collection; and create a fish or sea creature out of water at the Art Cart. Learn about our local bodies of water and how to help prevent their pollution while meeting fish from the Newport Aquarium at 2pm.

Germania Society Oktoberfest      

August 23-25
Germania Society of Cincinnati
3529 W. Kemper Road, Cincinnati, OH 45251
Friday: 6pm-12am, Saturday: 2pm-12am, Sunday: 12-8pm
$5, 12 and under FREE; FREE admission for active and retired military personnel with current military ID; FREE parking

Cincinnati’s original and most authentic Oktoberfest. Our Oktoberfest features traditional German food, including our famous sauerkraut balls, our legendary Oktoberfest chicken, Schwenkbraten, Wursts, delicious German pastries, and much more! We also have a variety of German Biers, Wein, and Schnapps. There’s live German music all weekend, dancing, and fun for the whole family. We have carnival rides, games for kids, as well as games of skill and chance for the big kids. And we offer a wide variety of Imported German merchandise and gifts, including Steins, Trachten, and more.

Rides on Monmouth – Newport Downtown Car Show  

August 25
Downtown Newport
Monmouth Street between 5th and 11th Streets
12-5pm
FREE

Over 200 classic cars registered for last year’s event. Come enjoy this family-friendly event, enjoy the day and sample our great restaurants. All-day fun and judging of best entries. Benefits Newport Buenger Boys & Girls Club.

Augusta Heritage Days 

August 30 – September 1
City of Augusta, KY 41002
Friday: 5-11pm, Saturday: 9:30am-8pm, Sunday: 9am-6pm
FREE

Sponsored by the Augusta Rotary Club, this event has been a tradition in Augusta for decades. This festival boasts traditional games, vendors, trolley tours, entertainment, and the Famous Frog-Jumping Contest. 

Kentucky Symphony Orchestra 

August 31
Devou Park
1344 Audubon Road, Covington, KY 41011
7:30 pm
FREE, $5 suggested a donation

Join us as the KSO closes its 25th Summer Series in Devou with a full orchestra playing classical favorites.  A sizeable portion of the world’s most frequently performed orchestral repertoire hails from Russia. The KSO surveyed the dossiers of several Russian composers to cherry-pick these popular classics: Khachaturian’s enchanting Masquerade Suite, Borodin’s rollicking Polovtsian Dances and Rimsky-Korsakov’s seductive Scheherazade.

Lunken Airport Days  

August 31 – September 1
Cincinnati Municipal Lunken Airport
262 Wilmer Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45226
10am-4pm
FREE

Color guard ceremony at noon each day, helicopter and airplane rides, fly in WWII B-17 bomber (advance purchase required), see planes on display. Free hot dogs and drinks.

Ohio Renaissance Festival 

August 31 – October 27
Ohio Renaissance Park
10542 E. Ohio 73, Harveysburg, OH 45032
Weekends including Labor Day 10:30am-6pm
$22.50, $9.50 ages 5-12; discounts available online
BOGO Adult Tickets September 1-3

Cheer your favorite knight to victory as he competes for the queen’s honor in the thrilling full-armored joust. The lanes are bustling with storytellers, strolling musicians, singers, dancers and villagers welcoming you to a festive day of living history. Feast like royalty on juicy roasted turkey legs, fresh-baked bread bowl stews, fish ‘n chips, steak-on-a-stake, and a variety of the finest beers and wines. The sprawling landscape is dotted with 12 stages and a unique open-air shopper’s marketplace with more than 130 merchants and demonstrating craftsmen. Visitors of all ages will be amused by the games of skill and human-powered rides. Try your hand at archery and see if you’re a modern-day Robin Hood, or climb the castle tower and rescue the lovely damsel in distress.

Pippin

Through August 4
Warsaw Federal Incline Theater
801 Matson Place, Cincinnati, OH 45204
Evening & matinee performances
$29 adults, $26 students (child-college)

There’s magic to do when a prince learns the true meaning of glory, love and war in Stephen Schwartz’s iconic and unforgettable musical masterpiece. Pippin is the story of one young man’s journey to be extraordinary. Winner of four 2013 Tony Awards including Best Musical Revival, this updated version continues to captivate the young and the young-at-heart throughout the world.  Heir to the Frankish throne, the young prince seeks fulfillment in all the ‘expected’ ways –  the glories of the battlefield, the temptations of the flesh and the intrigues of political power (after disposing of his father, King Charlemagne the Great). In the end, though, Pippin finds that happiness lies not in extraordinary endeavors, but rather in the un-extraordinary moments that happen every day. The musical features one of Stephen Schwarz’s best scores, including songs like Corner of the Sky, No Time At All and Magic to Do!

Il Giardino: A Garden of Tuscany

Through August 18
Krohn Conservatory
1501 Eden Park Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45202
Tuesday – Sunday 10am-5pm
$7 adult, $5 youth (5-17), 4 and under FREE

Have you ever dreamed of visiting Tuscany? Stop by Cincinnati Parks Krohn Conservatory for our Italian themed summer show. This formal style landscape is designed to embody the traditional Italian garden with all the sights, sounds, and smells of Tuscany. Let the striking cypress trees, fragrant herbs, splashing fountains, and brilliant summer blooms at Krohn take you all the way to Italia this summer!

Astronomy Friday 

August 2, 9, 16, & 23
Cincinnati Observatory Center
3489 Observatory Place, Cincinnati, OH 45208
8:30-10pm
$7, $5 ages under 18; FREE for Observatory members; Please call 513.321.5186 for reservations

In awe with the beauty of the night sky? Have questions about the Universe? This is where you can get the answers. Astronomy Fridays include short presentations on a wide variety of topics and plenty of time for your astro questions. Tour of the Cincinnati Observatory, which as a National Historic Landmark played an important role in the history of Cincinnati and our nation. Once dark, we will view the Moon, planets and deep space treasures through the historic 1845 telescope. (The program is held rain or shine; telescope viewing if clear skies). The topics and the night sky change week-to-week/month-to-month so you can visit often to hear and see something new.

Thursday Art Play   

August 1, 8, 22, & 29
Contemporary Arts Center
44 E. 6th Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202
10:30-11:30am
$5 for non-members, FREE for members

A great way to schedule creative play time with your little ones. This program uses storytelling, performance, and hands-on artmaking activities to excite and educate our youngest visitors. It is designed especially for children ages 2 to 5 years old, and their parents and caregivers. Stick around for some kid-friendly yoga in the UnMuseum following each Art Play session. Enjoy a half-priced kids meal from the Café at the CAC with the purchase of an entrée!

Family Dinner Cruise  

August 4, 11, 18, & 25
BB Riverboat
101 Riverboat Row, Newport, KY 41071
6:30pm
Dinner Buffet $46 Adult, $31 Children, Sightseeing Only $25 Adult, $17 Children

Experience the Mighty Ohio River with the whole family on this Sunday Family Dinner Cruise. Guests will enjoy a wonderful buffet meal, a two-hour river cruise, and special entertainment. And with an earlier cruise time, you can have great family fun and still get the kids to bed on time. Cruise schedules may change during off-season months. See all of the up-to-date special packages when you choose a specific date in the online reservation system.

Ice Cream Social Cruise  

August 4, 11, 18, & 25
BB Riverboats
101 Riverboat Row, Newport, KY 41071
3-4:30pm
$25 for Adults & $20 for Children (ages 4-12)

Is there anything better than having ice cream in the summer? How about having ice cream while you cruise the Ohio River on BB Riverboats! On Sundays this season, each passenger will enjoy scooped ice cream and their choice of assorted toppings on this 1 1/2 hour afternoon sightseeing cruise. The Captain will guide your afternoon with interesting commentary about Cincinnati and the surrounding area. The best part is that all of this is included in your cruise! It is the perfect way to spend an afternoon with the family! Cash bar and snacks will be available for purchase.

Egypt: The Time of Pharaohs 

Through August 18
Cincinnati Museum Center
1301 Western Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45203
Daily 10am-5pm
Member Adult: $12.50, Member Child: $8.50, Non-member Adult: $19.50, Non-member Child: $12.50; FREE Children 0-2

Egypt: The Time of Pharaohs unveils the mysteries and explores the realities of daily life in ancient Egypt. This extraordinary exhibition looks beyond popular culture’s fantastical portrayals to examine the lives of commoners and god-kings and queens alike. More than 350 original artifacts dating back over 4,500 years, stunningly detailed models of once-lost cities and landscapes and vivid interactive multimedia spaces will combine to conjure up ancient Egyptians’ economic, mythological and cultural world. Egypt will bring the land of pharaohs back to life at Cincinnati Museum Center.

No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man 

Through September 1
Cincinnati Art Museum
953 Eden Park Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45202
11-5pm
FREE

Fresh from the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, stunning immersive room-sized installations, mutant art vehicles, creative costuming, films, jewelry and more will transport Cincinnati Art Museum audiences to the Burning Man gathering.
Burning Man attracts more than 70,000 active participants from all over the globe who gather in the desert outside Reno, Nevada. This thriving temporary metropolis is a hotbed of artistic expression and innovation through its shared principles. Both a cultural movement and an annual event, Burning Man is one of the most influential happenings in contemporary American art and culture.

Cuba: Journey to the Heart of the Caribbean  

Through October 11
OMNIMAX Theater
1301 Western Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45203
Daily 10am-5pm
Member Adult: $6, Member Child: $5, Non-member Adult: $9, Non-member Child: $7,

Cuba tells the powerful story of a land preserved in time, yet poised on the cusp of dramatic change. The nation’s vibrant culture, meticulously maintained colonial architecture and pristine ecosystems provide a vivid window into the island’s history and spirit. Cuba transports audiences across breathtaking landscapes, under the ocean surface to iridescent reefs and into streets throbbing with music and dance in the heart of Havana.

Through the eyes of Cuban artists, historians and scientists, the film provides an intimate look at this vivacious island nation. Filmed exclusively for the giant screen format, Cuba reveals why Cuba continues to stir the imagination of the world.

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Lisa Springer
I am a native Cincinnatian, born and raised on the West Side and currently settled across the river in Northern Kentucky. I’m a former Highlander, Bearcat, Falcon, and Fulbright Scholar. My greatest challenge hitherto is the one I love the most: being a Mom to an energetic eight-year-old boy. When not working full-time at one of the city’s great hospitals, I’m trying to fit in all there is to do in this wonderful city – and there is certainly A LOT to do! As one who loves to read, I am an advocate for the public library and go multiple times a week. You can often find me at Music Hall enjoying the ballet, opera, and orchestra. I am an introvert, a bit of a foodie, an NPR listener, a pessimist who likes to think she’s a realist, a middle child, an ex-wife and amicable co-parent, a fiancée, and much, much more. I feel lucky to have grown up in Cincinnati and to be raising my own child in this wonderful city.

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