Tag: events

Categories
Arts & Entertainment Business Development News

Ibrahim Abdul-Matin to headline fourth annual OTRCH fundraiser

On Thursday, October 14, Over-the-Rhine Community Housing (OTRCH) will host its yearly fundraiser at Music Hall. The fourth annual event is meant to raise money for the non-profit while also engaging interested members of the public with the concepts, projects, and programs that OTRCH oversees.

OTRCH began as the Over-the-Rhine Housing Network in 1988 as an affordable housing organization. The organization then merged with ReSTOC, another affordable housing organization, in 2006 to help improve the organization’s ability to secure and sustain affordable housing and community-based development in the historic neighborhood.

The non-profit organization now manages a variety of programs including housing, resident engagement, advocacy and education, and even physical development projects throughout Over-the-Rhine.

This year’s fundraiser, entitled Celebrating Our Beloved Community, will honor Elder High School for their work in the community, and feature Ibrahim Abdul-Matin as the keynote speaker. Abdul-Matin is the author of the acclaimed book Green Deen: What Islam Teaches About Protecting the Planet.

OTRCH executive director Mary Burke says that the event will also include a song and dance performance by Elementz, light food catered by What’s for Dinner, and a cash bar.

Admission for Celebrating Our Beloved Community costs $50, with all proceeds going to benefit the affordable housing efforts of OTRCH. Those interested can make reservations online, or by contacting Mary Burke or Sarah Allen at mburke@otrch.org and stallan@otrch.org respectively.

The event will take place inside Music Hall’s Ballroom (map) from 5:30pm to 8:30pm on Thursday, October 14. Those attending the fundraiser can access on- and off-street parking nearby, free off-street bicycle parking, or utilize Metro bus service (plan your trip).

Categories
Arts & Entertainment News

Cincinnati Reds win NL Central championship, clinch 13th playoff birth

Baseball’s oldest professional franchise will return to the playoffs for the first time since 1995, and the for the 13th time overall.  The Cincinnati Reds won the National League Central Division championship on Tuesday, September 28 on a walk-off home run from Jay Bruce.

The playoff clinching, walk-off home run by Bruce was only the fifth of its kind in the history of Major League Baseball, and it thrilled an electric crowd of more than 30,000 at Great American Ball Park.

As of now the Reds would face the Philadelphia Phillies in the first-round of the playoffs. Should the Atlanta Braves lose the National League Wild Card birth, then the Reds would face either the San Francisco Giants or San Diego Padres. Playoff tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online.

Categories
Arts & Entertainment Business News

Sign Museum to host open house during Essex Studios Art Walk

The American Sign Museum will host an open house this Friday and Saturday from 7pm to 10pm each night. The open house is scheduled to take place during the Essex Studios Art Walk, and will showcase over 100 lit neon signs that will match over 100 participating artists.

The Walnut Hills museum first opened in 2005 and is the only public sign museum in the country. The museum’s director and founder, Tod Swormstedt, hopes to eventually move into a larger Camp Washington space that would serve as a spark towards making Cincinnati a national center for research and sign information.

“The history of signs is a micro-history of design trends and technology in the U.S., and I want to capitalize on that right here in Cincinnati,” Swormstedt told UrbanCincy in August 2010.

The open house is a unique opportunity for visitors to check out the museum’s collection which is typically only open to the public on Saturdays from 10am to 4pm, with all other times requiring appointments to be made in advance.

Swormstedt says that visitors will be treated to light refreshments, a coffee bar, and receive two-for-one admission coupons for Saturday guided tours to be held at 10am, 12pm, and 2pm. Those who show up will also be entered into a raffle to win The New Let There Be Neon book, with winners to be announced later that evening.

The American Sign Museum is located at 2515 Essex Place. For more information please call (513) 258-4020 or email Tod@SignMuseum.org.

Categories
Business Development News

Bond Hill to celebrate dedication of $11M Graeter’s production facility

After breaking ground on a 28,000-square-foot facility in May 2010, the new Graeter’s Ice Cream production facility is complete and poised to set-up the legendary ice cream maker for an aggressive national expansion plan.

Cincinnati leaders are scheduled to dedicate the new facility in Bond Hill, located at 66th Street and Paddock Road, at 10am today. As part of the ceremonies, 66th Street will be renamed to Regina Graeter Way in honor of the current owners’ great-grandmother who helped establish the Graeter’s brand as a local favorite.

City officials say that the $11 million project was made possible by $3.3 million incentive package from the City of Cincinnati, and will create 50 jobs – a number that is expected to grow in the coming years as Graeter’s grows its production. The incentive package also included a commitment from Graeter’s to “stay and grow” in Cincinnati for at least 20 years.

The ice cream maker will maintain its current facility in Mt. Auburn for production of some ice cream, candy, and baked goods. The new facility, meanwhile, will be used solely for the production of ice cream.

“As a Cincinnati-based, family-run company, we are proud of our association with this wonderful city and look forward to new generations of success,” said Richard Graeter, president and CEO of Graeter’s. “We are incredibly grateful [of the City’s assistance], because not only will their support help us expand nationally, but it is also helping us create jobs locally.”

The new Graeter’s facility sits on roughly 4.5 acres of land, and is the first development to take place on the 24.5-acre site owned by the City of Cincinnati which previously was home to the Mill Creek Psychiatric Center.  Officials with the city’s Economic Development Department hope to build out the rest of the site in accordance to the Growth & Opportunities Study for Cincinnati (GO Cincinnati) which calls for research and development, flex-industrial, and back-office space to be built in the Seymour/Reading Road Corridor.

“Graeter’s growth is contributing to the growth-mode that the City of Cincinnati is experiencing these days,” City Manager Milton Dohoney stated in a prepared release. “And as they take their brand to new national markets, they are a great ambassador for the city.”

Categories
Arts & Entertainment Business News

Cincinnati Celtic Festival returns this weekend, moves to Fountain Square

Cincinnati’s annual Celtic Festival is returning this year after high costs and low sponsorships kept the festival from happening in 2009 after close to 20 years of operations. During that time festival organizers have worked hard to right-size the event and make it more approachable by moving it to Fountain Square and keeping admission free.

“We were looking for another way to do this after moving the event to Sawyer Point where we had grand plans to try to rival the Dublin Irish Festival and really take advantage of that magnificent venue,” explained Patrick Lindsay, Chairman, Friendly Sons of St. Patrick Foundation. “We had a great event in 2007, but 2008 had terrible weather as a result of the odd hurricane that came through.”

Lindsay says that they looked at a variety of new venues that would allow for a more flexible festival, but that they decided to go with Fountain Square after reaching an agreement with 3CDC and the Fountain Square Management Group. The new agreements, Lindsay says, will give the festival the ability to expand on to 5th Street if the demand is there while also tapping into the built-in infrastructure for events on the public square.

“This agreement is bringing the festival back and putting it right were we wanted it all along in the center of the city,” Lindsay exclaimed. “We are adamant about making this a first-class event with top-notch entertainment, and this venue will allow us to do just that.”

Aside from the new location, the 2010 Cincinnati Celtic Festival will also be held in October instead of March. Lindsay explained that the spring time festival was difficult to manage with the weather in Cincinnati at that time. Additionally, they see the early October time as fitting in nicely with other festivals taking place around Cincinnati at that time.

“It’s going to be so much fun to have the festival again, and have three weekends of Oktoberfest and Celtic festivals during Irish sweater weather. To be able to bring the crowd downtown and tie in with the ever-growing residential community and businesses there will be great.”

As the festival moves forward the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick are looking to establish a good track record again and growing the festival in both its reach and authenticity. Lindsay says that may mean the festival stays at Fountain Square, or that other venues like the redeveloped Washington Park may be considered. The goal, he says, is to be able to provide authentic live music, food and more while also staying true to the foundation’s mission of promoting Irish heritage and culture in the community, feeding the hungry, and promoting educational opportunities between American and Ireland.

“There is a big Irish community in the Cincinnati region. The Scottish, Welsh, and British Isles all have great representations here…we’re just looking forward to celebrating those cultures and bringing back this festival experience to Cincinnati.”

The 2010 Cincinnati Celtic Festival will take place on Saturday, October 2 and Sunday, October 3 on Fountain Square (map). The event will be free event will include Celtic music, dancing, merchandise, contests, food and drink, and more.  Free bicycle parking is available outside on Fountain Square, inside the Fountain Square parking garage, and on surrounding streets.  The event is also served by every Metro bus route terminating at Government Square (plan your trip).