Culture of Cincinnati facts for kids
The culture of Cincinnati, Ohio is rich and diverse, offering many fun activities and interesting places to explore! From exciting festivals to delicious food and beautiful parks, there's always something to discover in this historic city.
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Awesome Annual Events and Festivals
Cincinnati loves to celebrate! Throughout the year, the city hosts many exciting events and festivals that bring people together.
- Bockfest: A fun beer festival held in the Over-the-Rhine area every March.
- Cincinnati Pride: A week-long celebration in late June for the city's LGBTQ+ community and their friends. It includes a parade and a festival.
- Oktoberfest-Zinzinnati: This huge festival celebrates Cincinnati's German heritage and is the largest Oktoberfest in the United States!
- Cincinnati May Festival: A two-week festival in May that features amazing choral music.
- MidPoint Music Festival: A three-day music festival in September with performances in many places downtown and in Over-The-Rhine.
- Riverfest: A massive festival and fireworks show on Labor Day weekend that attracts over 500,000 people!
- Cincinnati Reds Opening Day: The official start of the Major League Baseball season for the Cincinnati Reds, celebrated with a parade and game.
- Goetta Fest: A festival dedicated to goetta, a special local food.
- Flying Pig Marathon: A popular marathon race that draws runners from everywhere.
- Taste of Cincinnati: A giant food festival held on Memorial Day weekend, where over 500,000 people come to try different foods.
- Bunbury Music Festival: A music festival started in 2012, held right by the Ohio River.
- Martin Luther King Day Parade: A parade honoring Martin Luther King Jr.
- Midwest Black Family Reunion: A large gathering celebrating Black families and culture.
- Cincinnati Flower Show: Organized by the Cincinnati Horticultural Society in late April, this is said to be the biggest outdoor flower show in the United States.
- Thanksgiving Day Race: One of the oldest races in the country, held on Thanksgiving Day.
- Jazz Festival (now Macy's Music Fest): Held every July since 1962, featuring great jazz music.
- MusicNOW Festival: A music festival started by Bryce Dessner from the local band The National, held in venues in Over-The-Rhine.
- Tall Stacks Festival: Held every few years to celebrate Cincinnati's history with riverboats.
- Festival of Lights: Hosted by the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden during the holiday season, featuring beautiful light displays.
- Cincinnati Fringe Festival: A 12-day festival of theater, film, art, and music in Over-the-Rhine, Ohio's largest performing arts festival.
Cool Cultural and Entertainment Spots
Cincinnati has special areas dedicated to arts and fun!
- Cincinnati Main Street Arts and Entertainment District
- Fountain Square District
- Backstage District
Fun Places to Visit (Attractions)
There are many exciting places to visit in and around Cincinnati!
- Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden: A fantastic zoo with many animals and beautiful gardens.
- Newport Aquarium: Located across the Ohio River, it's a great place to see amazing sea creatures.
- Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal: This cool Art-Deco building houses several museums, including the Cincinnati Children's Museum and the Cincinnati Museum of Natural History and Science.
- Krohn Conservatory: A beautiful indoor garden with thousands of plants from all over the world.
- Mt. Airy Arboretum: A lovely place to enjoy nature and different types of trees.
- Lloyd Library and Museum: A unique collection focused on plants, medicine, and gardening.
- Spring Grove Cemetery: A historic and beautiful cemetery that is also a national arboretum.
- Coney Island of Cincinnati: A fun amusement park with rides and water attractions.
- Kings Island: A large amusement park in Mason, Ohio, just northeast of Cincinnati, with thrilling rides.
- Soak City (Kings Island): A waterpark located inside Kings Island.
- The Beach Waterpark: Another fun waterpark in Mason.
- TPC at River's Bend: A golf club that hosts professional golf tournaments.
- Western & Southern Financial Group Masters: A major tennis tournament held in Mason.
- National Underground Railroad Freedom Center: A museum dedicated to the history of the Underground Railroad and freedom.
- Taft Museum of Art: A beautiful art museum with a collection of European and American art.
- American Classical Music Hall of Fame and Museum: Celebrates famous American classical musicians.
- Cincinnati Art Museum: A large art museum with a wide range of collections.
- Cincinnati Fire Museum: Learn about the history of firefighting in Cincinnati.
- Cincinnati Observatory: One of the oldest observatories in the United States, great for looking at stars.
- Contemporary Arts Center: A museum focused on modern art.
- Drake Planetarium: A place to learn about space and the stars.
- National Signs of the Times Museum: A museum about religious history and artifacts.
- Creation Museum: A museum presenting a young-Earth creationist perspective.
Delicious Cincinnati Food
Cincinnati has some unique and tasty foods, often showing its German roots!
Cincinnati Chili
Cincinnati chili is a very special dish! It's a meat sauce with Mediterranean spices, served over spaghetti or hot dogs. You can find it at popular places like Skyline Chili and Gold Star Chili.
It's usually served in a few ways:
- 3-way: Chili over spaghetti, topped with shredded cheddar cheese.
- 4-way: Chili over spaghetti, with cheese and either onions or beans.
- 5-way: Chili over spaghetti, with cheese, onions, and beans!
You can also get it on a hot dog with mustard, onions, and cheese, called a "cheese coney." Don't forget the oyster crackers!
Findlay Market
Findlay Market is the oldest public market in Ohio that has been open continuously. It's a great place to find fresh food and local goods!
Goetta
Goetta is a popular meat and grain sausage or mush in the Cincinnati area. It's made from ground meat (usually pork or pork and beef), oatmeal, and spices. It's formed into a loaf, sliced, and then fried until it's super tender.
Graeter's Ice Cream
Graeter's is a famous local ice cream shop that also sells baked goods and candies. It was started in 1870 by Louis and Regina Graeter, who came from Bavaria. The Graeter family still runs the business, and their ice cream is now sold in grocery stores across the U.S.! Even famous people like Oprah Winfrey love Graeter's ice cream.
Montgomery Inn
Montgomery Inn is a local barbecue restaurant famous for its special barbecue sauce. Even comedian Bob Hope used to have their ribs flown to his home!
Dewey's Pizza
Dewey's is a Cincinnati-based pizza company known for its gourmet pizzas, salads, and calzones. Their fluffy-crusted pizzas are a favorite among locals, with many locations around the city.
Larosa's Pizzeria
Larosa's Pizzeria is a very popular Italian restaurant in Cincinnati. They are known for their unique pizza with a thin crust, sweet sauce, and provolone cheese. You can find Larosa's all over Cincinnati, including at major attractions like the Cincinnati Zoo and Great American Ballpark.
Arnold's Bar and Grill
Arnold's Bar and Grill is the oldest bar that has been open continuously in Cincinnati, and one of the oldest in the entire country! It started in 1861.
Fine Dining
Cincinnati has a history of amazing restaurants. In the past, it was home to some of the highest-rated restaurants in the United States! Even today, many Cincinnati restaurants are recognized for their excellent food and wine lists.
Art Galleries
- Cincinnati Art Galleries
Historical Buildings and Museums
Cincinnati has many important historical places and museums where you can learn about the past.
- Cincinnati Ballet: A professional ballet company.
- Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra: The fifth-oldest orchestra in the United States, known for its beautiful music.
- University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music: A famous school for music and performing arts.
- Harriet Beecher Stowe House: The former home of the author of Uncle Tom's Cabin.
- Heritage Village Museum: A living history museum that shows what life was like in the 19th century.
- Hauck House Museum: A historic house museum.
- William Howard Taft National Historic Site: The birthplace and childhood home of the 27th U.S. President, William Howard Taft.
- Findlay Market: Ohio's oldest continuously operated public market.
Parks and Outdoor Adventures
Cincinnati has many beautiful parks and outdoor areas perfect for exploring and having fun!
- Mt. Adams: A historic neighborhood with great views.
- Clifton: Another historic neighborhood with beautiful architecture.
- Mount Echo: Offers one of the best views of Downtown Cincinnati from its West Side location.
- Eden Park, Cincinnati: Located in Mt. Adams, this park is home to the Cincinnati Art Museum, Krohn Conservatory, and Playhouse in the Park. It also has lovely water features.
- Fountain Square, Cincinnati: A popular public square that includes the famous Tyler Davidson Fountain.
- Hauck Botanic Gardens: Home to the Civic Garden Center of Cincinnati.
- Sawyer Point: A mile-long park along the Ohio River, with many different areas for everyone to enjoy.
- Theodore M. Berry International Friendship Park: This park along Cincinnati's downtown riverfront opened in 2003 and is named after Cincinnati's first African American mayor, Theodore M. Berry.
- Cincinnati Riverfront Park: A planned park that will be part of The Banks project along the river.
- Other city parks: Alms Park, Ault Park, Inwood Park, Avon Woods, Kennedy Heights Park, Bellevue Hill Park, LaBoiteaux Woods, Bettman Center, Little Duck Creek, Brodbeck Preserve, Lytle Park, Burnet Woods, Magrish Preserve, Buttercup Valley & Parkers Woods, McEvoy Park, Caldwell Park, Miles Edwards Park, California Woods, Mt. Airy Forest, Drake Park, Mt. Storm Park, Fairview Park, Owl's Nest Park, Fernbank Park, Rapid Run Park, Fleishmann Gardens, Seymour Preserve, French Park, Stanbery Park, Glenway Woods, and Washington Park.
- For more parks in Hamilton County, check out the Hamilton County Park District.
Music Venues
Cincinnati has many places where you can enjoy live music!
- Annies
- Bogart's
- Live! at the Ludlow Garage
- Madison Theater, Covington, Kentucky
- Rhinos
- Riverbend Music Center
- Rohs Street Cafe
- Southgate House, Newport, Kentucky
- Taft Theater
- Timberwolf Amphitheater, Kings Island. Ohio
- 20th Century Theater
- US Bank Arena
Theater and Performing Arts
Cincinnati has a lively theater scene with many talented actors, teachers, and producers. You can enjoy professional, semi-professional, community, and school theater shows all year long! Many theaters in the area are part of the League of Cincinnati Theatres.
Professional Theater
These theaters feature professional actors:
- Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park
- Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati
- Know Theatre Tribe
Theater Schools
You can study theater at these universities:
- University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music
- Xavier University
- Northern Kentucky University
