A Mom’s Guide to September Family Fun in Cincinnati & NKY {2017}

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Recreations Outlet TENT Sale 

Through October 31 (Or while supplies last)
Milford and Liberty Township locations

Take advantage of HUGE savings on last year’s models of playsets and play equipment. Sign your kids up for Fall Sports classes while you are there and make sure you ask about the “charitable play” sessions.


FREE Shakespeare In the Park 

Through September 3
Various locations across the Tri-state area!
Various times depending on day and location
FREE

Free performances by the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company of The Merry Wives of Windsor and Romeo & Juliet.

Show and Tell on the Farm 

August 31, September 3, 10, & 17
Christholm Historic Farmstead
2070 Woodsdale Road, Trenton, OH 45067
August: 6:30-7:30pm; September: 2-4pm
MetroParks Motor Vehicle Permit required. $10 annual hangtag, $5 annual sticker or $2 daily parking permits.

Each program is different with special guest stars, some furry and some feathery, and fun activities.

Augusta Heritage Days 

September 1-3
City of Augusta, KY 41002
Friday 5-11pm, Saturday 9:30am-8pm, Sunday 9am-6pm
FREE

Enjoy the Augusta Heritage Days over the Labor Day Weekend. Vendors, Food Booths, Petting Zoo, Children’s Activities, History Tours, Car Show and a Frog Derby are just a few of the things that you will enjoy! This event is hosted by the Augusta Rotary Club and is the longest running festival in town.

Astronomy Night

Thursdays &/or Fridays September 1 – October 27
Cincinnati Observatory Center
3489 Observatory Place, Cincinnati, OH 45208
8-9:30pm
$7, $5 ages under 18, Reservations required

In awe of the beauty of the night sky? Have questions about the Universe? This is where you can get the answers. Astronomy Night includes short presentations on a wide variety of topics and plenty of time for your astro questions. Tour of the Cincinnati Observatory, which as a National Historic Landmark played an important role in the history of Cincinnati and our nation. Once dark, we will view the Moon, planets and deep space treasures through the historic 1845 telescope. (The program is held rain or shine; telescope viewing if clear skies). The topics and the night sky change week-to-week/month-to-month so you can visit often to hear and see something new.

Ohio Renaissance Festival 

September 2 – October 29
Ohio Renaissance Park
10542 E. Ohio 73, Harveysburg, OH 45032
Weekends including Labor Day 10:30am-6pm
$22.50, $9.50 ages 5-12; discounts available online

Cheer your favorite knight to victory as he competes for the queen’s honor in the thrilling full-armored joust. The lanes are bustling with storytellers, strolling musicians, singers, dancers and villagers welcoming you to a festive day of living history. Feast like royalty on juicy roasted turkey legs, fresh-baked bread bowl stews, fish ‘n chips, steak-on-a-stake, and a variety of the finest beers and wines. The sprawling landscape is dotted with 12 stages and a unique open-air shopper’s marketplace with more than 130 merchants and demonstrating craftsmen. Visitors of all ages will be amused by the games of skill and human-powered rides. Try your hand at archery and see if you’re a modern-day Robin Hood, or climb the castle tower and rescue the lovely damsel in distress.

First Family Saturday: DIY 

September 2
Cincinnati Art Museum
953 Eden Park Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45202
12-4pm
FREE

Designed with the whole family in mind! Performances, artist demonstrations, storytelling, scavenger hunts, tours, and hands-on art making activities are just the start of the fun for the whole family.

Lunken Airport Aviation Days 

September 2 & 3
Lunken Airport
262 Wilmer Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45226
10am-4pm
FREE

Helicopter and airplane rides, fly in WWII B-17 bomber (advance purchase required), see planes on display. Free hot dogs and drinks.

Great Amazing Race 

September 2
Hopewell Athletic Field
8200 Cox Road, West Chester, OH 45069
4pm
$48 per team; Registration required

It’s all about TEAMWORK! Since 2012, this fun race features teams of two people racing in competition with other similar age teams. Contestants are directed to perform a variety of mental & physical challenges (together) at multiple stops along the 1.5 mile course. How well you work together is the most important skill to winning the race.
Walk, jog or run – yet be prepared to get a little dirty & wet. It’s a great bonding experience and way more fun than a 5K race! Waves begin every 10 minutes – kids teams, then adult teams.

Kentucky Symphony Orchestra: Remembering ‘WKRP in Cincinnati’ 

September 2
Devou Park
1344 Audubon Road, Covington, KY 41011
7:30 pm
FREE, $5 suggested donation

Join us under the stars again this summer as the KSO presents another spectacular series of free, family-friendly performances in the beautiful, natural setting of Devou Park Bandshell. The series, sponsored again by Toyota, has become a family tradition for thousands of Greater Cincinnatians from both sides of the river. Come on down, bring a picnic basket, sit back and make some memories that will last a lifetime.

Chuck Wagon Dinner Rides 

Saturdays through September 16
Bonnybrook Farms
3779 Ohio 132, Clarksville, OH 45113
5-9 pm
$40, $28 ages 5-12, FREE ages 4 and under; Reservations required

Food and fun at the historic 370-acre working farm. Activities, dinner, wagon ride to old chuck wagon at Todd Fork Creek for dessert and s’mores.

Western & Southern / WEBN Fireworks at Riverfest 

September 3
Sawyer Point
Pete Rose Way, Cincinnati, OH 45202
12-10pm
FREE

This traditional, end-of-summer event began more than 30 years ago when WEBN treated the tri-state to a fireworks show in honor of the radio station’s 10th anniversary. The party, held annually at Sawyer Point on Sunday of Labor Day weekend, has grown into an all-day affair with music, food and family fun and entertainment all day. On both sides of the river, nearly a half-million people view the choreographed Rozzi’s Fireworks show while listening to the soundtrack on WEBN (102.7 FM) starting just after 9pm and lasting for about 30 minutes.

Labor Day Picnic 

September 4
Stricker’s Grove
11490 Hamilton Cleves Road, Ross, OH 45013
1-8pm
$12.50, FREE ages 2 and under

Admission includes all rides and soft drinks. Ride hours 1-4 p.m. and 5-8 p.m. Popcorn, Sno-cones and cotton candy $1.

Taft Jr.: Strike a Pose 

September 7
Taft Museum of Art
316 Pike Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202
11:15am-12:15pm
$10 non-members in advance (includes Museum admission), $12 day of program, FREE for Taft member; Information & registration: [email protected] or (513)684-4517.

Taft Jr. welcomes visitors 3 to 5 years old, along with their caregivers, on the first Thursday of each month from September through May. Taft Jr. allows preschoolers to have fun learning about and making art with their favorite adults while absorbing good museum manners. Each program will feature a story time, a close-up encounter with a piece of art, and a craft. How you stand and move can tell a lot about how you are feeling! Hear a story that will get you moving to show all sorts of emotions, practice your bending skills to create a movable piece of art, and look closely at the poses of the people in the Taft paintings to see how they are feeling.

Harvest Home Fair 

September 7-10
Harvest Home Park
3961 North Bend Road, Cheviot, OH 45211
Thursday: 6-10pm, Friday: 5-11pm, Saturday: 12-11pm, Sunday: 12-9:30pm
$5, FREE ages 12 and under

158-year old Cincinnati tradition. 4-day event kicks off with parade through Cheviot. Fair offers live entertainment, food, amusement rides, 4-H animal and horticulture exhibits, plus horse, flower and art shows.

MainStrasse Village Oktoberfest 

September 8-10
MainStrasse Village
Main Street, Covington, KY 41011
Friday 5-11pm, Saturday 12-11pm, Sunday 12-8pm
FREE

Oom, Pah, Pah! Strike up the band for everyone’s favorite Oktoberfest, held the weekend after Labor Day for 38 years. From the First Keg Tapping Ceremony to the close of the day, it’s time to celebrate life with great German and American food and outstanding entertainment. Over 75 Arts and Crafts booths! A perfect fit for the historic German neighborhood of MainStrasse.

Dinsmore Homestead Fall Festival

September 9 & 10
Dinsmore Homestead
5656 Burlington Pike, Burlington, KY 41005
11am-5pm
$10 adults, $3 children 5-15

Please join us for the Dinsmore Fall Festival this September! This year will feature live music, Civil War Reenactors, food vendors, craft vendors, demonstrations, and much more!

Cincinnati Hispanic Fest

September 9 & 10
Hamilton County Fairgrounds
7801 Anthony Wayne Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45216
12-11pm
$8 per car; $1 walk-in

Food, entertainment, Hispanic culture and more.

Old West Festival 

September 9 – October 15
1449 Greenbush Cobb Road, Williamsburg, OH 45176
Weekends 10am-6pm
$14.99 adult, $11.99 children ages 3-12, all-inclusive tickets also available; FREE parking

Western-themed festival takes the whole family down a historic, dusty road to the times of the Old, Wild West. Guests will be treated to gun fightin’, old medicine and magic shows, a saloon with something to wet everybody’s whistle, live bluegrass entertainment, and so much more. Rain or Shine.

Grass Roots: A Garden of Art and Innovation 

September 9 – October 29
Krohn Conservatory
1501 Eden Park Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45202
Tuesday – Sunday 10am-5pm
$4 adult, $2 youth (5-17), 4 and under FREE

Conservatory’s fall show.

Second Sunday on Main 

September 11
Cincinnati’s Main Street
14th and Main Streets, Cincinnati, OH 45202
12-5pm
FREE

Street fair on Main featuring craft and food vendors, entertainment, demonstrations and more. In September we will have even more live music and performances!


Pep Rally at the Pool! 

September 15
Goldfish Swim School West Chester
7058 Ridgetop Dr, West Chester, OH 45069
6:30pm-8pm
$5 per person or $15 per family

Back to school does not have to mean the end of “summer” fun! With the help of a 90-degree shiver-proof pool, our friends at Goldfish Swim School – West Chester is hosting a Pep Rally full of family fun! Participate in a family swim, games, a bounce house, face painting as well as grab some snacks.


Oktoberfest-Zinzinnati 

September 15-17
Downtown Cincinnati
Second & Vine, Cincinnati, OH 45202
Friday 5pm-12am, Saturday 11am-12am, Sunday 11am-9pm
FREE

Oktoberfest Zinzinnati, presented by Sam Adams, is where more than half-a-million herren und frauen will convene on Second and Third streets between Walnut and Elm to eat, sing, mingle, sport lederhosen, listen to polka music, try to speak German and perform the Chicken Dance! Oktoberfest Zinzinnati features seven stages showcasing continuous live German music and more than 30 food vendors serving close to 200 dishes. And don’t forget the weiner dog races!

Kenton County Farm Harvest Tour 

September 16
16 Locations in Kenton County, KY
9am-5pm
FREE

Diverse farms, ranches, wineries, and other locations have opened their gates for you and your family to experience local agriculture first-hand.

Horse Daze 

September 16
Elk Creek MetroPark: Sebald Park
5580 Elk Creek Road, Middletown, OH 45042
10am-4pm
FREE, Registration requested, walk-ins welcome

Lasso up some fun at this year’s Horse Daze! Come out to enjoy horse rides, tractor drawn hayrides, horse photo opportunities, demonstrations, games & activities!

The City Flea 

September 16
Washington Park
1230 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202
10am-4pm
FREE admission

The City Flea is Cincinnati’s original curated, urban flea market that takes place once a month at Washington Park and various other locations throughout the year. Since its conception in 2011 The Flea has seen dozens of vendors grow from hobby to full time business and it is with much pride that we consider ourselves not only a monthly market, but a small business incubator, community organization, and city advocate. The Flea is a place to keep your dollars local, support small business and experience YOUR city in a unique and engaging way. Our vendors range from vintage dealers to artisan pizza makers to plant studios. We have something for everyone.

Lantern Lighting Ceremony 

September 16
Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum
4521 Spring Grove Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45232
5-8pm
FREE

Unique remembrance service to honor those who have passed. Music by Pete Wagner Band as you prepare personalized lantern in memory of loved ones. At dusk lanterns are launched upon Willow Water Lake. A $5 donation to the Spring Grove Heritage Foundation is requested for the use of each lantern. Entertainment and parking are free.

3rd Sunday Funday: All Around the World 

September 17
Taft Museum of Art
316 Pike Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202
1-4pm
FREE; No reservations required

Take a trip around the world. Learn about where the art in the Taft comes from and practice your foreign language skills at the Art Cart. Make a paper lantern to take home. At 2 p.m., buckle up for an international trip with Madcap Puppets and their show Jules and Verne’s Excellent Adventure (ideal for ages 5–12). Then, stop by Honey Hill Farm’s traveling petting zoo at 3 p.m.

Ish: Cincinnati’s Jewish & Israeli Arts & Cultural Festival 

September 17
Washington Park
1230 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202
11am-8pm
FREE

Nosh on this! A new arts and cultural festival debuts on Sunday, Sept. 17th promoting Jewish and Israeli arts and cultural traditions. As a Cincinnati-based event, ish will showcase cultural artisans, performers, and food vendors from the Cincinnati area, while including diverse participation from regional and international artists.

ish aims to authentically celebrate the diversity of Jewish and Israeli identities, beliefs, cultural heritages and experiences, and welcomes participation from non-Jewish Israeli, Christian, Muslim, Palestinian and other-identifying artisans, participants and organizations.

Family Wellness Fair 

September 22
Boone County Main Library
1786 Burlington Pike, Burlington, KY 41005
5-7pm
FREE

Get healthy and stay fit with FC Cincinnati. Local vendors provide nutritious recipes, fun exercises, free vaccines, vision and developmental screenings, and more.


Fire Up the Night International Fireworks Competition 

September 23
Coney Island
6201 Kellogg Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45228
4pm
$25 per carload, $5 per person walk-in

Watch a spectacular fireworks display over Lake Como and relax with family and friends on this Saturday night. Competition begins at 8:30 p.m.


Bluegrass for Babies 

September 23
Seasongood Pavilion
950 Eden Park Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45202
3-9pm
$12-$15 Presale, $20 at Gate, FREE kids 12 and under

Family festival includes bluegrass music with Hocking River String Band, Comet Bluegrass All-Stars and Hickory Robot, children’s entertainment with Jennifer Ellis Music. Food from Dewey’s Pizza and craft beer from MadTree Brewing.

Great Outdoor Weekend 

September 23 & 24
Various locations around Cincinnati
8am-9pm
FREE

Great Outdoor Weekend presents opportunities for children and adults to sample the best outdoor recreation and nature awareness programs available in Greater Cincinnati region. Each fall there are over 100 events available—all are free and open to the public.

Jack-O-Lantern Junction

September 23 – October 31
EnterTrainment Junction
7379 Squire Court, West Chester, OH 45069
Daily 10am-6pm, Sundays: 12-6pm
Admission fees apply

Trick-or-treat in the world’s largest indoor train exhibit. Plus, an indoor pumpkin patch, outdoor train rides and a kid-friendly maze.

Lebanon Country Applefest Train Ride 

September 30
Lebanon Mason Monroe Railroad
127 S. Mechanic Street, Lebanon, OH 45036
10am-7pm
FREE Admission and Parking; Train rides: $14 adults, $10 kids (2-16), FREE kids 1 and under

Kick off the fall season by tasting delectable local produce, enjoying the entertainment, and doing something different by joining the LM&M Railroad for a One Hour Train Ride during the Lebanon Country Applefest!
Experience a nostalgic train ride on the Lebanon Mason Monroe Railroad. You will travel through the country side of Warren County in Southwestern, Ohio. During your ride you can listen to our informative passenger conductors describe railroad history and operations.

Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park presents The Last Firefly by Naomi Iizuka 

September 30
Boone County Main Library
1786 Burlington Pike, Burlington, KY 41005
10am
FREE

Boom, son of Thunder, sets out on epic search for his father, discovering his true self and strength within him.

O.F.F. Market

September 30
Oakley Square
2890 Madison Road, Cincinnati, OH 45209
10am-4pm
FREE admission

The Oakley Fancy Flea Market is Oakley’s neighborhood monthly marketplace and the stomping ground to specialty food and beverage vendors, independent small businesses, artists, and farmers from across the region.

The Amazing Family Race 

September 30
Alms Park
710 Tusculum Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45226
11am-1pm
$35 per team; Registration required

Teams of up to 5 members (adults and children ages 5-17) are challenged by decoding puzzles, solving riddles and finding way to next designation. Prizes.

The Great Pumpkin Fest 

September 30 – October 29
Kings Island
6300 Kings Island Drive, Mason, OH 45040
Saturdays & Sundays: 12-6pm
Included with park admission

Enjoy all treats and no tricks at this kid-friendly Halloween party hosted by Snoopy and the Peanuts gang.

Star Wars And The Power of Costume 

Through October 1
Cincinnati Museum Center
1301 Western Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45203
Mondays-Saturdays: 10am-5pm; Sundays: 11am-6pm
$24 Adult, $17 Member Adult, $21 Senior (60 and over), $16 Child (3-12), $12 Member Child

Iconic costumes from “a galaxy far, far away” are presented in the Smithsonian traveling exhibition.

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Lisa Springer
I am a native Cincinnatian, born and raised on the West Side and currently settled across the river in Northern Kentucky. I’m a former Highlander, Bearcat, Falcon, and Fulbright Scholar. My greatest challenge hitherto is the one I love the most: being a Mom to an energetic eight-year-old boy. When not working full-time at one of the city’s great hospitals, I’m trying to fit in all there is to do in this wonderful city – and there is certainly A LOT to do! As one who loves to read, I am an advocate for the public library and go multiple times a week. You can often find me at Music Hall enjoying the ballet, opera, and orchestra. I am an introvert, a bit of a foodie, an NPR listener, a pessimist who likes to think she’s a realist, a middle child, an ex-wife and amicable co-parent, a fiancée, and much, much more. I feel lucky to have grown up in Cincinnati and to be raising my own child in this wonderful city.

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