A Guide to Summer Events in Cincinnati

April 27th, 2022 by

Summer is just around the corner. With temperatures warming up and vacation time coming, Cincinnati, Ohio, has plenty of fun summer events to attend. Whether you want to see Irish dancers, watch famous tennis stars play, or look at elegant upscale vehicles, you can find plenty to do throughout the summer in Cincinnati.

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Western & Southern Open

Tennis players rejoice. You can see your favorite professional tennis stars, such as Naomi Osaka, Matteo Berrettini, and Caspar Rudd, play matches at the exciting Western & Southern Open. This tennis event was originally held in 1899 and has hosted Tennis Hall of Famers. While it’s fun to see famous tennis stars play against each other, the primary goal of the Western & Southern Open is to raise funds for charitable organizations like the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Join starting August 13 through August 21, at 5460 Courseview Dr. at the Linder Family Tennis Center in Mason.

Guinness Cincinnati Celtic Festival

Whether you have Celtic heritage or appreciate Celtic culture, you’re sure to enjoy seeing festive Irish dancers, men in kilts throwing heavy hammers, and pipers playing music at the Guinness Cincinnati Celtic Festival. This is a great family-friendly event with free admission for all. Celtic-style music is one of the highlights of this cultural festival.

You can also see Irish pipers and drummers and performances by the Riley School of Irish Music. You’ll want to get up and dance when you hear the music from several Celtic rock bands. Other highlights of this exciting festival include whiskey tasting and eating traditional Irish food made by local vendors. Join on the weekend of July 8 at E. Freedom Way.

Taste of Cincinnati

On Memorial Weekend, come to Cincinnati with an appetite for the Taste of Cincinnati event. Held over five blocks in the downtown area, you can sample foods from over 40 restaurants and from local food trucks. Since 1979, when the festival began, nearly 550,000 people have attended this annual gastronomic event. Besides finding a wide range of food choices, you can also sample local beer and wine and enjoy local entertainment. You’ll want to bring the kids to Taste of Cincinnati so they can enjoy carnival rides and kid-oriented palate-pleasing foods. This event starts on May 28 through May 30.

Cincinnati Pride Parade and Festival

After two years of cancellations, Cincinnati Pride Parade and Festival returns for 2022. This is a colorful event with thousands of people taking part in the parade and attending the festival. The parade starts at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 25 at 7th and Central Ave. Parade participants will fly pride flags as they wind their way down Vine Street, travel by Fountain Square, and end at Sawyer Point and Yeatman’s Cove.

The day doesn’t stop after the parade either. At noon, everyone can join in the fun at Sawyers Point Park for the free Cincinnati Pride Festival. You can enjoy food and beverages while socializing and watching live performances. After taking a break from the festival, head over to the Music Hall Ballroom for the Pride Tea Dance. This part of the festival will feature six DJs, several dance artists, and exciting pop-up performances.

Cincinnati Concourse d’ Elegance

If you enjoy luxury vintage cars, mark your calendar for mid-June to attend the Cincinnati Concourse d’ Elegance. Comparing luxury European vehicles with luxury American cars is the theme for the Concourse d’ Elegance this year. One of the showcases of this year’s event is the rivalry between auto-makers Ferrari and Ford, and 2022 is the 75th year of Ferrari, and the 60th anniversary of the American-made Ford Shelby Mustang.

During the mid-1950s, Ferrari and Ford were rivals. Ford wanted to prove that they could beat Ferrari during the 24 Hours of Le Mans car race. Ford enlisted car-racer Carroll Shelby to help them design and build a car that could win the race, and in 1959 they did with the Shelby Mustang. Other highlights of the Cincinnati Concourse d’ Elegance include vintage SUVs, exotic classic luxury automobiles, and the Concourse rally.

You’ll want to have plenty of energy to wander around the grounds of the Concourse, so fuel up at any of these wonderful Cincinnati brunch spots before attending the event. Find the event on 3645 Linwood Ave., starting June 10 through June 12.

Cincinnati Music Festival

The Cincinnati Music Festival focuses on jazz, funk, soul, and R&B music. For 2022, the festival kicks off on Thursday night, July 21, with BJ the Chicago Kid performing at the Andrew J. Brady Music Center. For the weekend, the festival moves to the Paul Brown Stadium, and Friday night headlines Charlie Wilson, former lead singer for the funk group The Gap Band. Anthony Hamilton, whose distinctive voice brought him to fame, Tony! Toni! Tone! from the 1970s and 1980s, and jazz guitarist, singer and songwriter Jonathan Butler will also perform on Friday night.

Things heat up on Saturday night with Janet Jackson singing her socially conscious music. You’ll want to snap your fingers in time to familiar music performed by the O’Jays, and sing along with Tank and his popular song, “Maybe I Deserve.” R&B group After 7 also plays Saturday night, as does jazz saxophonist Kirk Whalum.

The Cincinnati Music Festival, held at the Paul Brown Stadium, is home to the Cincinnati Bengals football team. During the summer, the stadium host several music events and festivals including acts like Kenny Chesney, Guns N’ Roses, and Demi Lovato.

One of the great reasons to move to Cincinnati is how easy it is to attend these unique summer events in Cincinnati. Which events are you marking on your calendar? Have you been to any of these before that are returning for the 2022 season? Is there a special festival or event that we missed? If so, let our team at Performance Toyota know and we’ll add your recommendation to our list. Give us a call at (513) 874-8797.

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