This Year’s Humana Festival at Actors Theatre of Louisville

The 38th edition runs through April 6

     The annual Humana Festival at Actors Theatre of Louisville (ATL) attracts theatergoers internationally because so many of the plays have premiered as part of this event before being produced around the world.  Though this institution is synonymous with the new script, the acting has been its trump

Debbie Gibson: Thanks for Putting Our Pride First!

Debbie Gibson Performing at the 2013 Cincinnati Pride Festival

     Debbie (Deborah, as she was referred to in the ‘90s) Gibson headlined the main stage at the Cincinnati Pride Festival and gave a spirited hour-long set.  She began ten minutes earlier than scheduled with “Proud Mary.”  This was an excellent selection because her voice is powerful, but it also possesses a pinched, nasal quality that provides her the

Kinda Weird…A Cincy Festival on the Fringe

     The Cincy Fringe Festival is in its 9th year and is pretty much run by Know Theatre's energetic staff and many volunteers.  (This would be a great time to support Know Theatre for bringing this type of experimental performance to our city, especially after the recent Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson).  The opening night party happens May 29 at the Know Underground, which is the bar area and performances

Taste of Cincinnati: The Nation's Longest Running Culinary Arts Festival

      Summer kicks off in Cincinnati with the 34th Annual Taste of Cincinnati running May 26 – May 28.  It’s held on six blocks of Fifth Street between Race and Broadway and showcases moderate food from local restaurants with lots of beer (and other drinks too).  The entertainment is exceptional this year

Get Ready For 10 Days of Music, Singing, and Celebration

Dexter Helps Out Twirl and Whirl

      It's the 2012 World Choir Games and they're coming to your backyard!  Not quite—but they will be in several venues all over downtown Cincinnati from July 4-14.  Tickets go on sale at 10am today, March 1, and it looks like there's something for everyone's taste and budget  An all day pass that will get you into all of the competitions that day is $15.  A 3-day pass is just $40.  Opening and Closing Ceremonies and Celebration Concerts offer tickets as low as $25.  Take a look at all of the competitions and plan to take in as many as you can. 

The Official Poster
by C.F. Payne

There's also the official poster illustrated by Cincinnati native C. F. Payne for $30.  Start thinking about how you'll react when groups of strangers start singing to you on the streets of Cincinnati!

http://2012worldchoirgames.com/Section/2012-games/tickets/tickets

Mardi Gras at Findlay Market

      Findlay Market's free Mardi Gras celebration is Sunday, February 19 beginning at 10:30 with events throughout the day until 4pm. in the OTR area of downtown CIncinnati.  Now in its 8th year there will be a parade, food samplings, music tent, and the traditional beads with a King and Queen crowned.  Market shops will be offering special food selections for sale from beignets at Skitz & Johnston to shrimp and grits waffles at Taste of Belgium.  Plan on getting your family and friends there early for the market's largest event of the year!

Parking options can be found at:

http://www.findlaymarket.org

Cincinnati Embraces All the Music at MidPoint Music Fest

Sounds like we all better hurry on down to MidPoint!

      We just got back from the first night of MPMF.11 and if the crowd's response tonight was any indication of this year's talent, it will be the best one to date.

Summerfair Cincinnati Exhibits June 3-5 at Coney Island

Opening the summer season for the 44th time, Summerfair features over 300 fine artists and cat people (I mean craftspeople) from across the U.S. and Canada.  The show covers the categories of painting, wood, ceramics, photography, fibers, leather, jewelry, and 2D/3D mixed media.  Regional performers and gourmet arts are also featured.  It's going to be hot this weekend but that's all a part of the fun.  Strolling around the park with friends and family, chatting with the artists, and finding a piece that you just can't live without are all a part of the tradition.  Unfortunately, I can't go.  They don't allow cats and dogs.  Maybe Neil and Eric will find me something special this time.  I think they're over buying me collars and food dishes.  It's the thought that counts though!  Check out the Little Black Dress Event on Saturday evening also.  It was inspired by Truman Capote.  He liked us cats, even though Audrey Hepburn refused to name hers in "Breakfast at Tiffany's".  He'd also like the fact that Summerfair goes beyond the yearly exhibit by supporting professional and emerging small arts groups and local individual artists.

      The event runs from 2 to 8pm Friday, 10am to 8pm Saturday, and 10am to 5pm Sunday.  Admission is $10 for adults over 12 including parking.  Have fun (without me)!

http://summerfair.org

Downtown Cincinnati: All About the Festivals

I'm feeling antsy hearing Eric and Neil talking about all the festivities about to happen.  I wonder if I need a new party hat?

      Cincinnati is known for its festivals – both in the city itself, in its suburbs, and in various communities in northern Kentucky.  Two biggies are coming up quickly.  

Taste of Cincinnati on Fifth Street

      The first is the 32nd Annual Taste of Cincinnati running May 28 – May 30.  It’s held on Fifth Street between Race and Broadway and, to be honest, it’s about moderate food and lots of beer.  The music’s pretty good, depending when you go, with dancer and singer Mark Ballas of Dancing with the Stars performing at 5:30 on Saturday.  The food adds up when you begin thinking about what you’ve just eaten for between $1 and $5.  Most of the restaurants are middlebrow, though locally owned.  P&G has become the sponsor with over 40 restaurants serving.  A lot of them are new to the scene, so if you haven't been there for a few years it won't seem like the same old same old.

http://www.tasteofcincinnati.com/tastehome.aspx

      The second festival is the Cincy Fringe Fest.  This is in its 8th year and has been pretty much run by Know Theatre.  (This would be a great time to support Know Theatre for bringing this type of experimental performance to our city).  It runs at various venues in Over-the-Rhine and downtown from May 31 – June 12.  There are some great performances during this as well as interesting stuff and then things that shouldn’t be allowed in front of a paying audience, but somehow get on anyway.  A number of interesting performers are returning, though it also feels like a Fringe tour – some of the acts go from festival to festival so it doesn’t seem too attuned to the local talent.  And, honestly, the local talent has been the better to best in the past.  I will not, however, sit through one more coming-of-age-and-coming-out monologue because they’re pretty stale at this point.

http://www.cincyfringe.com

      Hold the date for the weekend of September 22 – 24 for Midpoint Music Festival, the second largest in the nation after SXSW (South by Southwest in Austin).  There are always amazing musical groups – unsigned by major labels.  Last year, organizers decided to guarantee more attendance by going after some pretty legendary names.  Tom Tom Club was awesome, performing both their own songs and a couple of Talking Heads classics.  We also saw local country stalwarts Magnolia Mountain perform a beautiful set and Mojoflo from Columbus, who were like Parliament/Funkadelic crossed with Average White Band and led by the heir to Gladys Knight.  That set about blew the roof off.  Everyone can tell stories about the talent and what shoulda, coulda happened to them.

http://mpmf.com

If you can't wait until September, MPMF presents emerging artists every Friday from June 3 - September 2 on Fountain Square.

http://mpmf.com/schedule/indie_summer