Photo by HATSUE
Stickers: The Sticker Shop
Gen X mom/author/blogger/disability activist Amy Webb had a brainstorm in January 2023: She wanted to open a sticker shop. It might have seemed out of the blue, but digital fatigue, nostalgia, and a desire to connect with her daughters over creativity inspired her to sign a lease on a Wyoming storefront and transform it into The Sticker Shop. There, you’ll find pens, journals, washi tape, and, yes, stickers, including some vintage options—scratch-and-sniff and Oilies included. Now, where’s my sticker album? • 434-A Springfield Pike, Wyoming, (513) 854-3210, @thestickershopcincinnati
Worst Goodbye: Joey Votto Retires
After battling injuries to try getting back to the big leagues with his hometown Toronto Blue Jays, Joey Votto abruptly retired in August during minor-league rehab, saying, “I’m just not good anymore.” He played all 17 seasons of his MLB career with the Reds, leaving as one of the franchise’s best players of all time. Expect a festive Joey Votto Day at GABP this coming season.
Pickleball Spot: Aces
By now, you know someone (or are someone) caught up in the pickleball craze. If not, why not start? Give the sport a try at Aces Pickleball Bar + Grill. With both indoor and outdoor courts, an outdoor bar and seating, and a full indoor restaurant, it’s a great spot to hang out with friends and family and whack a ball around. If you’re looking to sharpen your skills, take a lesson at the Aces Pickleball Academy. • 2730 Maverick Dr., Norwood, (513) 778-8555, acespickleballbarandgrill.com
Rock Camp: Girls Rock Cincinnati
This summer rock camp empowers girls and trans youth in the community one guitar riff at a time. Girls Rock Cincinnati “uses music as a vehicle for social change, and a tool for rebellion and resistance against systems of oppression,” which is metal. Open to girls and gender-expansive youth ages 12–18, campers attend workshops and performances by local artists, take instrument lessons, create their own musical works, and more. All skill levels are welcome. Rock on! • 1556 Chase Ave., Northside, girlsrockcinci.com
Superhero Visit: Superman at Union Terminal
Look, up in the sky, it’s…Union Terminal! The iconic building, once the model for the Super Friends‘ Justice League headquarters on TV, hosted film crews in July for the latest superhero reboot, Superman: Legacy. The movie, which also shot scenes in Cleveland, stars David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan as Clark Kent and Lois Lane and is scheduled for release in summer 2025.
Public Staircase: Cincinnati Public Library Downtown
A $43 million renovation and reimagining of the public library’s main downtown branch opened in the summer with an unusual central staircase pulling triple duty. Under a large skylight, the “Social Stairs” turns the previously dark lobby into a multi-story atrium to improve visitor circulation and provide gathering space on the lower level. Its railings also tell the story of Cincinnati’s rich music history from 1945 to today. • 800 Vine St., downtown, (513) 369-6900, chpl.org
Wholesome Livestream: Falcon Cam (Mercantile Library)
This spring, Cincinnatians watched live on YouTube as the endangered peregrine falcon family that lives at the Mercantile Library grew. The family lives in a special nesting box built by conservation group Raptor Inc. on an 11th floor ledge of 38 Fountain Square Plaza. In the end, only one of the four eggs hatched, but the baby falcon got plenty of time in the spotlight as the city’s youngest streamer. • Mercantile Library on YouTube
Colorful Shop: Handzy
Walking into Handzy feels like walking into a real-life rainbow filled with bold colors, funky patterns, and every texture. Spice up your office space with goodies from the desk stocked with unique stationery, pens, and office supplies. Add boldness to your wardrobe with a new pair of statement earrings, hair clips, or the many items of clothing. You can forget about boring Happy Birthday and Thank You cards, too (join the Handzy card club while you’re at it). • 421 W. Sixth St., Covington, (859) 431-2883, handzyshopstudio.com
Hike For Spring Ephemerals: Bender Mountain
Up and down hills, across wide creek beds, and with stunning views overlooking the Ohio River, Bender Mountain Nature Preserve provides gorgeous hikes at all times of the year but come March and April, the forest is a prime location for finding spring ephemerals. Big swaths of the blooms pop up along Bender trails at this time—including blue-eyed Marys, larkspurs, phloxes, and trilliums, to name a few. • 6320 Bender Rd., Delhi Township, delhi.oh.us/Bender-Mountain-Preserve
Comedy Club: Commonwealth Sanctuary
Laugh it up in a former church at one of the many comedy shows hosted at Commonwealth Sanctuary. This comedy club has a packed lineup of comics, concerts, podcast recordings, and events nearly every night. No one goes hungry or thirsty here, as they serve a variety of drinks and have food from local business Kate’s Catering. If you’re looking to take the stage, The Workshop is a weekly open mic that’s free to the public and a great way for comics to work on their latest bits. • 522 Fifth Ave., Dayton, Kentucky, commonwealthsanctuary.com
Creative Outlet: Not Your Average Paint and Sip
Get the creative juices and drinks flowing at one of Not Your Average Paint and Sip’s art class experiences. From private date night classes at the studio in the Pendleton Art Center to public classes in Washington Park, artist and educator James Reynolds will lead you through creating your work of art and teach you all about art history, art styles, and artists as you paint. • 1310 Pendleton St., Studio 400a, Pendleton, (513) 836-0592, notyouraveragepaintandsipclass.net
Bike Fitting Service: BioWheels
“It’s as easy as riding a bike” might be a common turn of phrase, but BioWheels Workshop’s bike-fitting service considers the complicated mechanics that go into that ride. After assessing your body’s physical limitations and prior injuries, the experts will use motion capture technology to scan your body (while riding your bike!) to make equipment adjustments. This process will catch the tiniest details that aren’t noticeable to the naked eye but will do wonders for any cyclist’s comfort while riding. It’s as easy as…well, you know the rest. • 6810 Miami Ave., Madeira, (513) 861-2453, biowheels.com
Wildlife Rehab: Longbottom Bird Rescue
The viral “duck retirement home” has officially become a nonprofit and is helping more ducks than ever. Run by Jimmy Longbottom, this rescue center is home to many blind, injured, and sick fowl that wouldn’t be able to survive in the wild. Each bird has its own name and distinctive personality from Kiwi the artist duck to Gaston the Toulouse goose. Longbottom brings some of the ducks to breweries and farmers’ markets for educational visits and fund-raisers. The ducks can be virtually sponsored online for $120. • longbottombirdranch.com
Lego Hotspot: The Brickery Café & Play
The young and young at heart will find a comforting spot at Newport on the Levee, where The Brickery welcomes “hands on” guests to stop and build for a while. Explore trays of random LEGO bricks and figurines at each table or reserve a table or private room for group activities. The latest LEGO sets are available for sale, and the shop will buy your old bricks if you’re ready to move on. Open daily except Tuesdays. • Newport on the Levee, Newport, (859) 261-0700, thebrickerycafe.com
Photo by HATSUE
Beyond A Bookstore: Household Books
Sure, you can purchase your favorite titles at Household Books, but the Walnut Hills bookshop also provides space for pop-ups; a stage for local musicians, artists, comedians, and lecturers; a meeting space for writing groups and organizations; an event venue for the occasional five-course dinner (with complementary literary pairings); and a communal home for booklovers of all sorts to share opinions and swap titles with one another. • 2533 Gilbert Ave., Walnut Hills, (513) 349-4573, householdbooks.org
Revival: Scribble Jam
If you were a true hip-hop head in Cincinnati in the ’90s and early 2000s, then you’re familiar with Scribble Jam. The local festival focused on the four elements of hip-hop—emceeing, DJing, b-boying, and graffiti—attracting rappers and supporters from coast to coast. This year, University of Cincinnati film students Tyler Brune and Jacob Lightner launched an effort to shed light on its cultural significance. Scribble Jam: The Documentary will explore Cincinnati’s hip-hop scene, its founders, and how the festival became a world-class event. The documentary is currently in the fund-raising stage to support production costs, which include gas for traveling to interviews, lodging, music licensing, marketing, and distribution. • gofundme.com/f/scribble-jam-the-documentary
Drinking Buddies: The Kelce Brothers
In 2023, Covington-based Braxton Brewing spun off its Garage Beer brand, partnering with Andrew Sauer, a “brand investment marketer,” to focus on expanding distribution and sales of this low-ABV, low-calorie, low-carb lager. Garage took a big step in that direction in the summer when seemingly-everywhere-everymen Jason and Travis Kelce became majority co-owners. Now we can all crack open a cold one with UC’s famous football grads. • drinkgaragebeer.com
Reminder Of Blink’s Roots: The Music Hall Experience
This year’s BLINK weekend reconnected with its projection-mapping roots by once again lighting up the front facade of Music Hall, inviting four artists (two local, one from Australia, and a French collective) to use the iconic building as their canvas. The Lumenocity festival introduced Cincinnati to the magic of projection-mapping art in 2013–2016, when the Cincinnati Symphony performed at Washington Park to accompany Music Hall projections. The old brick hall still has it.
Con For Kids: Fairy Tale Festival
If your children are still a bit too young for the big-kid geeky conventions held around town, the Fairy Tale Festival at Glenwood Gardens Park in Woodlawn is the perfect substitute. This whimsical weekend is filled with fairies, face painting, hair braiding, and meet-and-greets with kid-favorite characters, such as Robin Hood and Rapunzel. Make your way through Highfield Discovery Garden and stop by the vendor booths. • 10397 Springfield Pike, Woodlawn, (513) 771-8733, greatparks.org/calendar/special-events/fairy-tale-festival
Recycler: Cincinnati Recycling & Reuse Hub
This is truly a one-stop-shop for dropping off your recyclables, even things you didn’t know could be recycled or reused (Styrofoam peanuts, oral care products, denim). For a fee, the hub will take your old tires, batteries, and electronics. And it hosts monthly ZeroLandfill Takeaway Days, when the public is invited to the warehouse to claim rescued materials on a pay-what-you-can basis. • 911 Evans St., Price Hill, (513) 629-9040, cincinnatirecyclingandreusehub.org
Photo by Claire Lefton
Animatronic Band: The Big G Cereal Bowl Band—Jungle Jim’s Fairfield
With BuzzBee on drums, the Trix Rabbit on keys, and Lucky the Leprechaun on guitar and lead vocals, the TBGCBB serenades produce shoppers daily from atop their stage on the S.S. Minnow. If that sentence made no sense, you haven’t become a true Cincinnatian yet. General Mills commissioned the mechanized musicians specially for Jungle Jim’s with the help of local animatronics company LF Studios. While the store has several other singing robots to appreciate, the Cereal Bowl Band remains the audience favorite for a reason. • 5440 Dixie Hwy., Fairfield, (513) 674-6000, junglejims.com
New District: Fountain District
The city of Cincinnati and 3CDC recently rebranded the downtown blocks around Fountain Square in order to drive attention and activity while the nearby Duke Energy Convention Center is closed for renovations. Bordered by Fourth, Seventh, Elm, and Main streets, the Fountain District includes the Aronoff Center for the Arts, the Contemporary Arts Center, and some of the city’s best-known restaurants, hotels, and apartment/condo buildings. • thefountaindistrict.com
Porch Decor Service: Porchside Pumpkins
Based in Walton, Porchside Pumpkins is the must-have fall decor service for homes across Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati. Its porch decor packages offer selections from every color of pumpkin, mums, and hay bales, and even a “grand pumpkin” upon request (and yes, at more than 100 pounds, it requires a wheelbarrow to cart it around). • porchsidepumpkins.com
Support Services: Local Libraries
Sure, you can still check out actual books and DVDs, but your local library system is now a 24/7 community resource center. Cincinnati residents can reserve time at the downtown MakerSpace, fax and print, use the Discovery Pass to get free museum admission, chat or text with a librarian 24 hours a day, and get help researching their house’s history or family genealogy. Kenton County’s system offers free career transition classes. Boone County has the Boone Innovation Lab makerspace. And it’s all for the price of a library card (a.k.a. free). • chpl.org, kentonlibrary.org, bcpl.org
Drive-Thru Light Display: Light Up The Fair
The Boone County Fairgrounds strings more than a million twinkling and flashing lights for a jolt of holiday joy daily through December 30, including Christmas Eve and Day. Pile your friends and family in the car and make it a party; admission is $7 per person but $25 per carload with up to eight people. There’s a clearance of 11 feet to get through the light tunnels, so no tour busses! • 5819 Idlewild Rd., Burlington, (859) 568-4046, lightupthefair.com
Foraging Resources: Cincinnati Permaculture Institute
For those dreaming of living off the land, the Cincinnati Permaculture Institute is a perfect resource for future foragers. The instructors all have their own niche when it comes to finding food in the wild, from mushrooms to trees. The institute holds a permaculture course where you can visit a variety of sites to learn about native plants, as well as other themed workshops to help you become one with nature. You can even learn how to plant your own “food forest” and bring the foraging to you. • 824 Enright Ave., East Price Hill, cincinnatipermacultureinstitute.org
Feline Store Manager: Gary at Earthwise Pet Harper’s Point
Who better to run a pet store than a pet? Gary, the Feline Store Manager of EarthWise Pet, is cute, chubby, and great with customers. You’ll be able to spot this white kitty with brown spots wandering the aisles looking for rogue treats or showing off his yoga moves on the counter. Don’t worry about cat fights when you bring in your dog for a grooming appointment—he gets along great with everyone. • 11328 Montgomery Rd., Symmes Twp., (513) 469-7387, harperspoint.earthwisepet.com
Gamer Paradise: Arcade Legacy
The definitive Cincinnati arcade is finally fully settled into its 15,000-square-foot Sharonville home after years of moves and expansions. For just $10 you can play as many games as you want for as long as you want—classic arcade cabinets, pinball machines, fighters, Japanese rhythm games, Magic: The Gathering tables, and more. For advanced gamers, there are regular pinball, Smash, FGC, Pokémon, and rhythm game tournaments. To keep your game night going strong, you can grab some video game themed cocktails at the bar. • Arcade Legacy, 2241 Crowne Point Dr., Sharonville, (513) 874-8766, arcadelegacyohio.com
Board Game Store: Yottaquest
It’s the 20th anniversary of the city’s go-to spot for board games, card games, figurines, and RPGs. From kids to dungeon masters, anyone can find the perfect game to walk away with. Arty types can also get in on the fun with an extensive collection of DIY miniatures and figure painting supplies. There’s also a great selection of LARPing equipment and a big dragon in the store to spark the fantastical imagination. • 10693 Reading Rd., Evendale, (513) 923-1985, yottaquest.com
Fake Tree: Second Story
The three large gold trees in the center of Second Story’s bar are a sight to see. Their steel spines are covered by chicken wire and contractor foam and finished with fireproof gold paint and fake moss. “When people first see the trees, there’s definitely a ‘wow’ factor,” says Erica Thompson, the bar’s general manager. “Lots of selfies are taken with [them] as the main focal point.” • 100 W. Sixth St., Covington, (859) 669-2270, secondstory.bar
New Spot For Hostess Gifts: Hoste
The new home and gift spot in Walnut Hills has already made a name for itself in the world of hosting. Inspired by owner Megan Strasser’s travels around the world, Hoste offers a smorgasbord of bright and colorful decor and goodies, from vibrantly colored candlesticks to various books (coffee table and cooking alike) to graphic art to beauty supplies, all of which are dedicated to making a house into a home and welcoming guests into a celebration. • 737 E. McMillan St., Walnut Hills, (513) 221-8111, hosteshoppe.com
Fund-Raiser: Binski’s Bar Meat Raffle
Like all good traditions, there’s no clear answer to where the meat raffle originated. Wisconsin? Minnesota? The U.K.? Australia? Choose the story you like best. The point is that the good folks at Binski’s Bar partner with Wyoming Meat Market (and Harmony Plant Fare for vegans) to raffle off cuts of meat every Friday, benefitting local causes from Churches Active in Northside (CAIN) to Cincinnati Street Soccer. Tickets are $1 each, and the meat chants start at 7 p.m. • 2872 Colerain Ave., Camp Washington, @binskisbar
Queer Event Guide: Midwestern Lesbian/Cincy Gay Agenda
Queer event guide extraordinaire Midwestern Lesbian started Cincy Gay Agenda as a place for LGBTQIA+ Cincinnatians to be able to connect and find events every week. The Gay Agenda is here to make sure you never miss another drag king revue, HotMess kickball game, or DJ Boywife set again. Midwestern Lesbian herself hosts queer get-togethers like pool parties, karaoke nights, and the weekly Hangout at Homemakers Bar. • @midwestern.lesbian and @cincy.gay.agenda
Move: Joy & Matt’s Bookshop
Originally at 1515 Vine St. in Over-the-Rhine, Joy & Matt’s quickly found success after it opened during the pandemic—so much so it needed a larger space to continue to thrive. In April, owners Joy and Matt (and their dog, Nebula) moved half a mile down the road to a new location at 915 Vine St. The new digs will soon be getting upgrades, including a rooftop reading forest, full-service café, author talk auditorium, and million-volume book gallery. • 915 Vine St., downtown, (513) 427-3413, joyandmatts.com
Living Wall: Alcove
An “alcove” can be defined as “a recess in the wall of the room.” At Alcove Kitchen + Bar in Over-the-Rhine, you’re more likely to find things falling out of the wall. The American eatery’s “living walls” feature more than 300 square feet of lush greenery, made up of nearly 3,000 total plants, including ferns, monstera, ficus, and more. The living wall has been a part of the space since it opened in March 2022, and is maintained regularly by Urban Blooms, which installs and upkeeps similar walls in spaces throughout the region. • 1410 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine, (513) 371-5700, madtree.com/locations/alcove-bar-restaurant
West Side Playground: West Fork Park
If you’re looking for your kid’s next favorite public playground, Green Township Parks really outdid itself with West Fork Park. There’s a toddler play area with two playhouses, a colorful maze that features textured walls for children with sensory issues, a 14-foot mega tower for climbing and sliding, and even a zip line. A bonus for parents and caregivers: Here, dirt and mulch are replaced with soft green turf, which means fewer mud stains on clothes. Win! • 4764 W. Fork Rd., Green Twp., (513) 574-8832, greentwp.org/west-fork-park
Art Museum Exhibition: The Culture at CAM
Hip-hop celebrated its 51st birthday this summer and The Culture: Hip-Hop and Contemporary Art in the 21st Century at the Cincinnati Art Museum—curated by Ohio State African American Studies professor Jason Rawls, Ph.D. (a.k.a. DJ and producer J. Rawls)—covered the sights, sounds, and styles that have made the art form a mainstay for the last half century. From paintings and photography to sculptures and artifacts from yesteryear, The Culture reminded us of the reasons why hip-hop isn’t just African American history but a worldwide phenomenon. • cincinnatiartmuseum.org/art/exhibitions/exhibition-archive/2024/the-culture-hip-hop-and-contemporary-art-in-the-21st-century
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