Category: Arts & Entertainment

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All-Star showing for Cincy in 2013?

The Cincinnati Enquirer’s John Fay is reporting that the Reds are “actively pursuing” for an All-Star Game to come to Cincinnati in 2013.

It seems like a relatively long time away, but in All-Star Game terms it’s not. St. Louis will host the game this year, Los Angeles (Anaheim) has 2010 and Arizona will have 2011. Boston is rumored to be the favorite for 2012, but Kansas City is also in the mix for 2012 or 2014.

The game alternates between AL and NL locations, so that leaves 2013, 2015 and 2017 as the next options for Cincinnati to get its fifth All-Star Game and first at Great American Ballpark that opened for the 2003 season.

First generation rendering of Great American Ballpark and its then future surroundings – from Hamilton County

The timeline works fine with me as the first phase of The Banks and the Central Riverfront Park will be complete. The Great American Tower (Queen City Square) will also be finished; and if we’re really lucky, so will the first phase of the proposed streetcar system. Talk about making a good impression.

At the same time work will be underway for future phases of The Banks, Central Riverfront Park and (once again if we’re lucky) the proposed streetcar system. I’m glad we didn’t get an All-Star Game immediately after the opening of Great American Ballpark. I’d much rather have the out-of-towners come in and experience the revitalized Cincinnati and see that we have a lot more to offer than the nostalgia of WKRP.

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Arts & Entertainment Business News

Media Bridges to launch FM station, Radio Free Queen City

One of Cincinnati’s great unique assets is Media Bridges, our community media center. The non-profit organization operates four of the city’s public access television channels and broadcasts an Internet radio station, The Bridge.

Beginning August 1, Media Bridges will be adding yet another outlet as they launch Radio Free Queen City. This new low-power station, officially known as WVQC-LP, will broadcast on 95.7 FM. It will feature content produced by volunteers, focusing on issues, arts, and culture relevant to the community. The station will air city council meetings, some alternative national programming, and Spanish-language news. Media Bridges says WVQC will not duplicate the programming of other Cincinnati-area stations.

Media Bridges first applied for a license to operate an FM station in 2001, and the FCC granted the license last year. A campaign has been launched to raise the $127,000 needed to purchase the transmitter, build a new radio studio at Media Bridges’ Over-the-Rhine location, and fund the station’s first year of operation. Once operational, the FM signal will cover a 3-5 mile radius, and will presumably be streamed online for those outside the core of the city.

Cincinnati is currently served by another non-profit volunteer radio station, the East Walnut Hills-based WAIF, which has been surrounded by controversy in recent years.

Additional reading:
Radio tower photo courtesy of Flickr user maliciousmonkey.
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Arts & Entertainment News

St. Patrick’s Day in Downtown Cincinnati

You can celebrate St. Patrick’s Day over two days this year in the heart of Downtown Cincinnati with music, food, drinks, and the annual parade.

Starting a day early on Friday, March 13th you can enjoy live Irish music starting at 5pm, and Guinness drinks all night on Fountain Square. The activities will start at 10am on Saturday with the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade that runs through the streets (view parade route) of Downtown Cincinnati.

The parade will end around 1pm and will be immediately followed by day-long schedule of live music on Fountain Square. At 1pm the Unlucky Charms will take the stage, followed by the Pub Uglies at 2:30pm, The Seedy Seeds (my favorite – listen to them here) at 4pm, Joshua’s Tree at 5:30pm, and ending with The Serfs (irish punk) at 7:30pm.

Food and beer will be available on the Square courtesy of McCormick & Schmick’s. There will also be Irish merchandise for sale courtesy of Celtic Corner. The event is free and open to the public. Food and beverages are available for purchase.

If you would like to help with the event, or other events on Fountain Square, be sure to go sign up to be included on the volunteer opportunities email list. For more information check out the Fountain Square Volunteer Page.
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Arts & Entertainment News

Thanks for the memories Huggs

A brief tribute video for former Bearcats basketball coach Bob Huggins. Huggins was back in town to play the Bearcats with his West Virginia Mountaineers team on Thursday. The tribute was gracious – the game not so much as the Bearcats went on to beat the Mountaineers and improve to 18-10 overall and 8-7 in the Big East.

Hopefully this is a cathartic moment for the many basketball fans that never really got over the departure of Huggins. Mick Cronin has done a heck of a job and has achieved success earlier that what many people thought possible.

Thanks for the memories Huggs. Go Bearcats!

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Arts & Entertainment News

Winter Blues Fest ’09

The Southgate House will be the host for the 2nd annual Winter Blues Fest this Friday and Saturday. The doors will open at 6pm with performances going until about 1:30am or so (you know how these things go). The festival boasts 28 bands on 3 different stages and will offer a great way to spend the weekend and escape the cold for a bit.

The festival serves as an annual fundraiser for the Blues in the Schools program. There will be youth performances in the lounge area both nights from 6:10 to 6:40pm. The Bluebirds and The Blue Shivers will be headlining on Friday and Saturday respectively.

Tickets are $15 per person, per night and can be bought in advance or at the door. Blues Society members getting a $5 discount. Visit the festival’s web site for more information on the list of bands and schedule of acts.

The 17th annual Cincy Blues Fest will take place August 7th & 8th at Sawyer Point.