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Arts & Entertainment News

Music festivals plentiful as thousands of UC students start classes

Tomorrow tens of thousands of students will return to classes at the University of Cincinnati.  Some of those students have been on a three-month school hiatus possibly traveling, working, or even doing absolutely nothing at all.  Others might have been busy filing their transfer paperwork or readying their applications and social skills for their first introduction to college life.

Each year this week comes along and each year it seems to bring with it the endless possibilities of the academic year to come.  The frisbees come out, political demonstrations and engagement activities begin, and the first groans over the cost of textbooks are heard.  This year is no different, but in addition to this, the first week of classes is also well known for its host of social activities.

Tomorrow UC students will be greeted with the Launch Music Festival presented by Bearcast Radio and 51three (new Cincinnati urban lifestyle magazine).  The day-long Indie festival will feature a diverse collection of local and regional independent artists.  There will be different artists hourly from noon – 7pm, and will also have several artists that will also be performing at this week’s MidPoint Music Festival.

On Friday there will be the 7th annual Bearcat Live! concert.  This free concert starts at 7pm on UC’s Sigma Sigma Commons will feature We the Living, July for Kings and headliner Blessid Union of Souls.  Both Launch Music Festival and Bearcat Live! are free events to the UC community.

Also starting on Thursday and running through Saturday is the highly anticipated MPMF that will feature three days of Indie music at a number of Downtown venues.  So while everyone is getting serious about their studies be sure to take advantage of the many music opportunities for you this week.

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News

OTR – Blogger Tour of Living

This past Saturday UrbanCincy and the fine folks from the Gateway Quarter put together a second Blogger Tour of Living. The idea was to give some of the bloggers a taste for what is coming up on this weekend’s Downtown Tour of Living, as well as, wet everyone’s appetite for what is coming down the road.

The turnout was great, the weather was even better. Plus we had Oktoberfest going on just a few blocks to the south of us, and a Bearcat football game just a little bit to the north of us that night (would have been great to have been able to hop on the streetcar and go from spot to spot). A couple of the developers, real estate people and investors were also on hand to answer questions and meet some of Cincinnati’s great bloggers.

We were able to go in to a couple of buildings (Good Fellows Hall, Trideca) that are putting on the finishing touches for this weekends big tour. We also got to see the City Home project on Pleasant, Trinity Flats at 14th & Vine, two projects at 13th & Republic, and another project on north Main Street. You can view/comment on all of my photos here, or simply let the slideshow roll through below.

The Downtown Tour of Living (brochure, 5mb) is Saturday, September 27th from noon to 5pm and will boast 15 sites throughout Downtown (8) and Over-the-Rhine (7). Tickets are $15 per person and are available in advance, as well as, on the day of the event at Fountain Square and Central Parkway & Vine Streets. You can also purchase tickets at any Downtown US Bank branch location.

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News

PARK(ing) Day invades Cincinnati

First organized by the Trust for Public Land, PARK(ing) Day is a global event that lasts only one day but whose goal is one that is shared amongst many. Whereas some cities devote 70% of their public land to the automobile, PARK(ing) Day attempts to reclaim land from the automobile, to change how one perceives public space to be defined as, at least temporarily.

Activists, artists and ordinary citizens come together to transform metered parking spots into “PARK(ing) spaces,” or what are essentially public parks. Some of these reclaimed spaces are more elaborate than others, with some laying out the sod and lawn chairs to give the appearance of an actual park. An act of civil disobedience in some locales, nothing more than a glance-over by the parking maids in others.

What’s great about PARK(ing) Day is its simplicity. You choose a suitable location for the park, lay down some sod or shrubbery, add in some chairs or perhaps a bench, and other decorative elements that invite passerby’s to come in and chat. Perhaps add in an umbrella to provide some shade. Oh, and don’t forget to feed the meter.

For Cincinnati, there were seven PARK(ing) Day locations. Coffee Emporium, City Roots, Park+Vine, Outside, Iris Book Cafe and Classical Glass all participated.

At Coffee Emporium’s spot, one of the employees had kicked back in a chair and was catching up on a novel. At Park+Vine’s, they were selling lemons for two cents and advice for one cent from a cardboard stand that was reminiscent of Lucy’s “Pyschiatric Help” booth from the cartoon strip, Peanuts.

It wasn’t all rosy, though. An impromptu spot along Walnut Street between Fourth and Fifth streets ran into a snafu after participants began playing cornhole outside of a Subway restaurant. The fast-food eatery, fearing a major loss of business during the lunch rush, called the police to complain and the PARK(ing) spot was removed.

PARK(ing) Day was still a fantastic event and a much bigger turnout than from the prior year. It’ll be interesting to see what is planned for next year!

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News

Oktoberfest Zinzinnati bigger and better

The second largest Oktoberfest celebration in the world and “America’s Oktoberfest” is this weekend in Downtown Cincinnati. The festival has been extended another block this year now encompassing six full city blocks (along 5th from Race to Broadway) to help accommodate the 500,000+ that come for the German beer, food, entertainment and fun.

What makes this year so much bigger and better than previous years are the new additions to the festival. There will now be five stages of entertainment plus the new Time Warner Cable Party Zelt will be the largest fest tent in the history of Oktoberfest. The tent will be equipped with flat screen televisions and wifi, and will be the place to watch the game or enjoy German musik.

Also new is the HYPE Haus Party: HYPE, the Chamber’s young professional initiative, will hold a party from 4 to 11 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 20. The “party within a party” will include a lounge, food, music, beer sampling and appearances from Buster the Party Dawg.

Even the famous world’s largest chicken dance is improving this year with the addition of Chicken Dance with the Stars. Local celebrities will be doing the chicken dance to get ready for Oktoberfest. Videos of local celebrities doing the Chicken Dance are posted online, and the community is invited to vote for the best Chicken Dancer. The winner will be unveiled as part of the annual highlight of Oktoberfest-Zinzinnati.

Sam Adams, brewed in Cincinnati, is the new beer sponsor for this year’s festival and Cincinnati native and founder of the Boston Beer Company (Sam Adams’ parent company) will tap the first keg at the Opening Ceremony.

Be sure to also check out Cincinnati’s own German beer delight – Christian Moerlein – at their Christian Moerlein Bier Garten located in front of the Chemed Building. They will have Moerlien OTR, Lager House, Barbarossa and Fifth & Vine Oktoberfest Marzen available to drink.

Oktoberfest Zinzinnati (free admission)

Saturday (9/20): 11am – Midnight
Sunday (9/21): 11am – 10pm
Opening Ceremony (9/20): 11:30am
Gemuetlichkeit Games (9/17 – 9/18): Noon – 1pm
Second Annual Running of the Wieners (9/19): Noon – 1pm
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News

Scooters gaining speed in Cincinnati

Are you one of the many people riding around town on a scooter, moped, or motorcycle?  If you are then you’re in luck.  The City of Cincinnati has taken note of the increased number of these smaller vehicles and is planning to introduce five parking locations, throughout the Downtown area, for these vehicles.

These will be 10-hour, dedicated, on-street parking options.  Each of the five locations will accomodate between 3-5 vehicles each.  The City plans to have these locations set up and in place by the end of October and wants your input on where they should be located throughout the Downtown area.

Take the survey here!Shop for scooters today!

The City is also strongly considering some other neighborhoods for this program, but would like your input on where it would be best suited.  Clifton, Northside, and others (you know who you are) this means you.  Tell City officials that you think it would be a great idea for this program to be extended to your neighborhood, and help make this initial program a success.

The beauty of this program is that it not only makes things better for those who currently ride around on scooters, mopeds, or motorcycles, but it also makes the city more inviting to those considering these smaller vehicles as an alternative to a car.


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