The Food: The Taste of Cincinnati, the longest-running free culinary arts festival in the country, is inarguably the Big Kahuna of Memorial Day events. Your basic Taste experience is over 50 restaurants of all styles and ethnicities, with an additional 17 restaurants at the Taste of Findlay Market, a "Taste within the Taste" that emphasizes "foodpreneurs," 60 percent of which are owned by minorities or immigrants.
The Music: Over 45 musical acts will grace five stages to put a little spring in your step as you sample all the goodies. As with the food, the focus is on local talent, and will feature such longtime Cincinnati and Dayton mainstays as Sonny Moorman, Ricky Nye, Noah Wotherspoon, The Menus, Robin Lacy & the ZyDeco, and many others.
The Drinks: The Taste will feature over 100 varieties of beer and wine, including a few concoctions that are unique to the Taste. For instance, sample the Queen City Breeze (Jim Beam bourbon, ginger ale, and triple sec) or the Cincy Cooler (Pinnacle vodka, lemonade, cranberry, and Mist Twist).
Go Vibrant! Veggie Races: For the fifth year, local celebrities representing TV, radio, and print will race veggie-fueled vehicle that are also made of vegetables in a round robin tournament from noon-1 p.m. on May 25.
Eat and Run 5K: It's the healthiest activity of the bunch, yet the Taste won't let you escape the calories completely. Participants will enjoy bite-sized samples of participating Taste restaurants as they run. The race starts at 10 a.m. on March 26 and starts and finishes on Culvert and Sentinel Streets.
How to Go
Where: 5th St., Cincinnati
When: May 25-27. 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, and 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday. Admission: Free
More info: www.tasteofcincinnati.com.
FURRY FRIENDS FESTIVAL
Feel bad that your little pooch is missing out on all the cool things happening in Cincinnati? The Furry Friends Festival has what all summer festivals have, only your favorite canine companion is invited, too.
There’ll be plenty of food and drink, live bluegrass music, and a variety of pet-related vendors, selling food, accessories, toys, and even photography services.
How to Go
Where: Washington Park, 1230 Elm St., Cincinnati
When: May 24-25, 6-10 p.m. Friday, noon-6 p.m. Saturday
Admission: Free
More info: www.washingtonpark.org
MEMORIAL DAY CAMPOUT
Hard to imagine a better way to spend Memorial Day weekend than an epic campout with family and friends. In addition to grilling and sitting around the campfire, the Caesar Creek State Park is offering a range of outdoor activities. You can take a guided hike through fossil fields, a rock gorge, waterfalls, a swinging bridge, and a pioneer village. Kayaking, canoeing, and paddleboarding activities are scheduled so you can watch the sunset on the lake. Archery is also available.
Finally, if you’re feeling really ambitious, you can build your own birdbox to take home with you. All supplies are provided.
How to Go
Where: Caesar Creek State Park, 8570 East State Route 73, Waynesville
When: May 24-26
More info: 513-897-3055 or email caesarnaturecenter@gmail.com.
NOWHERE ELSE FESTIVAL
For the fourth consecutive year, the critically acclaimed but unabashedly local folk duo, Over the Rhine, will host a music and arts festival at their remote farm in Clinton County. The festival is two full days of music and workshops featuring writers, photographers, filmmakers, and other artists.
The musical lineup will include James McMurtry, Birds of Chicago, Joan Shelley, and several others. Over the Rhine, per usual, will headline both nights.
How to Go
Where: Nowhere Else Farm, 190 Townsend Road, Martinsville
When: May 25-27, 4 p.m. Friday (VIP ticketholders only), 9 a.m., Saturday-Sunday Admission: $90-$500
More info: www.nowhereelsefestival.com.
CONEY ISLAND OPENING DAY
Memorial Day weekend is when community swimming pools start opening up, so why not take the family to the most epic swimming experience in Cincinnati? In addition to waterslides, the gigantic Sunlite Pool, the 73 interactive play stations at the Typhoon Tower, Coney Island is introducing the Cannonball Cove, where 3-foot and 9-foot diving boards await your best cannonball.
How to Go
When: May 25, 10 a.m.
Where: Coney Island, 6201 Kellogg Ave., Cincinnati
Admission: $6.95-$21.95
More info: (513) 232-8230 or visit www.coneyislandpark.com.
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